Resources for Youth Ministry
Here are some youth ministry ideas and resources that youth leaders have recommended:
- Sell hoodies and T-shirts with your congregation's name on them; not a lot of work and good profits.
- Have a chocolate extravaganza - invite people in your congregation to make a chocolate dessert in conjunction with another event in your church. Tickets can be sold for the program and/or a free-will offering can be taken.
- "Way to Live: Christian Practices for Teens" by Dorothy Bass and Don Richter (for teens)
- "Practicing Our Faith: A Way of Life for a Searching People" by Dorothy Bass (for adults)
- "Frogs Without Legs Can't Hear" Nurturing Disciples in Home and Congregation" by David Anderson and Paul Hill; published by Augsburg.
- Do a car rally - youth love them
- Have youth draw a Christmas caption/scene/impressions for a card. Pick the best drawings and mass produce the art work into Christmas cards. Sell them in sets or single cards to your congregation.
- Give youth the responsibility for leading the Easter Vigil - call Karen at Trinity Lutheran, Edmonton for ideas and resources for this - 780, 433-6623.
- Have a 'Mud Bowl' - get the volunteer fire department to soak a playing field with water and play various team games on the field.
- Comfy Couch Video Car Rally - each team will need an old donated couch, video camera and a truck. Youth video themselves on this old couch in various locations - i.e. at a drive-thru, farmer's field, police station, swimming pool... .
- Simulated refugee camp - the Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR) website has a number of useful mission projects and ideas on it that teach youth of the needs and resources of other countries www.clwr.org
- Make 'empty tomb buns for an Easter Fund raiser - Roll a marshmallow in butter, then cinnamon/sugar; wrap the marshmallow in bread dough. When it is baked, the marshmallow melts, leaving a hollow bun.
- Cook a meal and invite the congregation - used as an expression of service.
- Another service project - work together with quilters from the congregation to make quilts for Canadian Lutheran World Relief; youth can help by cutting out the squares and hand-basting.
- Do a 'Drime' - this is drama to music
- Use movies such as 'Pay it Forward' as a lead in to discussions about faith.
- Point Maker Devotions for Youth Ministry: Helping Kids Develop Personal Character from Group Publishers