Beyond 100 Percent  It's Your Move Work Zone and High Way Groups Set Up: Before the meal set up the LCD projector. After eating show the DV8 clips & slides to start the lesson - 9 min. Announcements: Regular Youth next week, No Youth Thanksgiving weekend, Cookie Pick-up in 3 weeks!   After the DV8 portion God's love goes over and beyond 100 percent! 5-6 min Needed: Math demonstration sheets Say: How many of you like Math? Tonight we're going to have a math lesson to mathematically find out how much God loves us. ASK:  - What Equals 100%?  - What does it mean to give MORE than 100%? Say: I'll bet at some point we have all been in a situation where someone wanted you to GIVE OVER 100%. Please form groups of 5 or 6. We're going to pass out a little mathematical formula that might help answer some questions: If: ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ Is represented as:  1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526 than:  H-A-R-D-W-O-R- K  8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%  And:  K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E  11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%  But:  A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E  1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%  THEN, look how far the love of God will take you:  L-O-V-E-O-F-G-O-D  12+15+22+5+15+6+7+15+4 = 101%  Say: Therefore, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that, while Hard Work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will get you there, it's the Love of God that will put you over the top! Break into Journey Groups   Moving In Work Zone & High Way  Can This Be Destroyed? 10 min Needed: A variety of used or inexpensive items that students can attempt to destroy, such as an old T-shirt, aluminum foil, a ball of modeling clay, an unwanted CD, paper clips, a sturdy piece of rope, and an inflated balloon. (Be sure that some of your destructible items are easy to destroy and that others are difficult to destroy. Please note: This part can get messy.) Have youth form groups of four or five. Give each group an object to destroy. Say: In your group, you'll have a few minutes to destroy the object I've given you. But before you begin, I'd like you to predict how easy or difficult you think it will be to destroy your object. We'll vote when time is up on whether or not your object has been destroyed and who did the best job of destruction. When everyone has made a prediction, tell groups to begin destroying their objects. When time is up, have groups share their results. ASK:  - What was it like to destroy your object?  - Which item was the most difficult to destroy?  - What are some other objects that are extremely durable? Read: Romans 8:35-39 aloud. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, "For thy sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Say: God's love and grace for us is indestructible. It's durable enough to withstand whatever comes our way and it's ours before we even know about it! ASK:  - How is God's love for you different from a friend's love for you?  - How is God's grace for you available before you know about it?  - How is your love for God different from God's love for you?   Moving On Work Zone & High Way  It's Personal 12 min Needed: pen, paper Say: Form same-gender groups of three to five. Your group is to write a personal ad that someone looking for a husband or wife might write. Be specific in both describing the ad-writer (such as appearance, personality, characteristics, and so on) and what kind of "profile" the ad-writer is looking for. Here are a couple examples to start ideas flowing: "Single female seeking hot stud muffin with bulging biceps, a brain for physics, breath that never stinks, and pits that don't perspire. Fondness for poetry a plus (sonnets about football not considered a legitimate genre). Must love me for 'me' and not for my extremely large indoor cat community." "Single 'Charlie Brown' look-alike seeking gorgeous supermodel look-alike. 113-114 pounds, brunette preferred. Bonus points for good cook with a soft spot for bratwurst and pork rinds. Do you have a satellite dish? ESPN + ESPN 2 = LOVE CONNECTION." After a few moments, have each group read its ad aloud.  ASK:  - What kinds of qualities were these people looking for in someone to love?  - If these were real ads, how likely do you think it would be for them to find their "true loves"? Explain.  - What did these ads tell you about the kind of love humans want from each other?  - Thinking about this much-desired love, what else might we want from each other that we just can't get? Say: Okay this time we're going to write one more personal ad. This time, I'd like you to write a personal ad that God might write to someone he wants to love and who will also love him. Here's an example: "Seeking absolutely anyone. Loser types OK. Every shape and size welcome. Entertain yourself for hours with nothing but a bathtub full of water and cans of bean dip? You're just who I'm looking for! Weird nose hairs? Kind of clumsy? Did you take your Aunt Bertha to the prom? Are they still remodeling the science lab after your little chemistry 'mishap'? Rejected by alien UFOs for the usual tests and probes because you are 'too weird'? Call me. I'm desperately in love. There's no one too weird, ugly, or messed up. I'll accept you no matter what. Call on me; I would die to be in a relationship with you." After a few minutes, have groups share their ads aloud.  ASK:  - How was God's personal ad different than the first one you wrote? Why do you think they are so different?  - What needs and desires can God fulfill that other people can't, no matter how hard they try?  - What are some of the ways God's love is greater and less conditional than human love?  - Because of God's amazing love for us, how can we love him in response? Say: God's love and grace for His children is unconditional. He isn't hoping you fit a certain profile or personality. He doesn't keep reminding you of your past failures. Your flaws can't affect how much he cares about you. He loves exactly who you are. He's excited about the possibilities. You are His, and that's all that matters.   Moving Up Work Zone & High Way Incomplete 6 min Needed: 4 Phrase Signs Before the meeting, on four pieces of paper, write one of the following phrases. Work Zone: When you get to this part, place the signs at different tables near each other: High Way: Use couches and fave the "slothful" youth just point to different couches. Don't believe it.                     Don't know what it is.  Don't know how to get it.        Don't seem to need it. Point to the signs Say: I'll say an incomplete sentence. You'll go to one of the four signs that most reflects how you'd complete the sentence. Then you'll have a minute to explain your answer.  - The reason most people haven't really experienced God's gracious offer of salvation is that they...  - The reason most people don't seem to want grace for day-to-day living is that they...  - The reason most people don't seem to have the grace to forgive others is that they...  - When you think about your own acceptance of God's grace, your attitude is...   Moving Out Work Zone  Screaming Viking Say: We're going to play "Screaming Viking. Before we play though, let's talk about what it takes to win this game. You have to give 100% attention to the one giving the instructions. If you don't remember or haven't had a chance to here's what you do. Basically, people act out silly motions and make noises. To begin, everyone sits in a circle of chairs with one person in the middle. The goal of the game is not be in the middle at the end of the game. The person in the middle points at a person seated in the circle and then screams, "Screaming Viking! (or one of the other formations described below). One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten!" While the person is counting, the person who was selected and the people directly to the left and right must form a formation, described below. If any of the three people selected do not correctly respond in time (before the count to 10,) then whoever messes up must go into the middle and has to be a "Screaming Viking". 1. Screaming Viking: each person to the left and right of the selected person must make a rowing motion outwardly to the sides, while the person in the middle must place his or her fingers to the sides of his/her head with index finger pointed upwards, like horns. All three people must scream loudly. 2. Chia Pet: the three of them must act as a growing chia pet with hands lifting upwards. The 3 of them must shout, "Ch-ch-ch-chia, chia&ldots;" 3. Jello: the person in the center wobbles like jello, while each person to the side holds their arms out, forming a bowl.   Moving Out High Way  Taste-Testing Your Decisions 12 min Needed: Bag of powdered sugar, bag of cornstarch, bag of white flower, spoons Have the white powdery substances in 3 different bags. Give each person a spoon. Say: Every day we have to make decisions. It's tough trying to make good choices. Let's practice making a decision right now. Look at the bags' contents then decide which one you want to taste. No sniffing. We'll go around the circle and you can take as little or as much as will fit on your spoon. Wait until everyone has a spoonful, then we'll all eat what we've chosen. After everyone has eaten their selection, ASK:  - What did you think about your choice?  - How was this experience like decisions you make in life?  - Would you have liked for someone to help you with your decisions?  - How is courage necessary for the decisions you need to make?  - How can fear keep you from making decisions?  - What should you do if you discover you've made bad choices? Say: God is the source of true wisdom. He'll help us make good decisions in life. Now, we're going to go around the group  and each of you should tell everyone one decision you have to make next week, such as whether to spend or save some birthday money. Return to the Gym for Closing&ldots;   Closing Work Zone & High Way Gather in the closing circle. Hand out business cards with the benediction on one side and the following on the other. Key Scriptures: Matthew 13:31-32, Mark 4:30-32, Luke 13:18-19 Say: The parable of the Mustard Seed in Matthew and Luke share the theme of the Kingdom of Heaven growing from small beginnings. The mustard plant demonstrates that even though Christianity appeared small like a seed during Jesus' ministry, it would grow into something large and firmly rooted. Confirmation is the formal beginning of spiritual growth, it is not membership; confirmation is an extension of our baptismal covenant to recognize that through grace God is at work in our lives, presently and in the future. When a baptized person has professed his or her Christian faith and has been confirmed, that person enters more fully into the responsibilities and privileges of membership in the church. Just as infants are members of their human families, but are unable to participate in all aspects of family life, so baptized infants are members of the family of faith but are not yet capable of sharing everything involved in membership. Confirmation refers to the decision a person makes to respond to God's grace with 100% intentional commitment, publicly reaffirming his or her baptismal vows before the congregation. Prayer Say: Let's think about the state of God's grace in each of our lives right now. I'll say some open-ended sentences and pause for silent prayer after each one. Please bow your heads and pray with me:  - A time in my life when I experienced God's grace was . . .  - An area of my life where I need God's grace right now is . . .  - God, to accept your grace right now, I need to . . . God, we've all fallen to temptation. We all fall short of your glory. Thanks for your free gift of grace. Thanks for second chances on missed opportunities. Thanks for Jesus and his forgiveness. Amen. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++   Gather for this lesson: DV8 stuff, Math demonstration sheets, A variety of used or inexpensive items to be destroyed, such as an old T-shirt, aluminum foil, a ball of modeling clay, an unwanted CD, paper clips, a sturdy piece of rope, an inflated balloon, pen, paper, 4 Phrase Signs, Bag of powdered sugar, bag of cornstarch, bag of white flower, spoons, UMYF Benediction business cards,   Discussion Guidelines 1. What is said in the room stays in this room. Confidentiality is vital to a healthy discussion.  2. No put-downs. Sarcasm and unkind remarks have no place in a discussion. If someone disagrees with another's comment, they should raise a hand and express an opinion of the comment but not of the person who made it. It is permissible to attack ideas, but not each other. 3. There is no such thing as a dumb question. Asking questions is the best way to learn. 4. No one is forced to talk. Anyone can remain silent about any question. 5. Only one person talks at a time. Each person's opinion is worthwhile and deserves to be heard. Listening is an expression of respect.   The Rules: - Be respectful of others - Don't be mean - Keep your hands to yourself - Stay in your seat - Understand there is a time and a place for everything   The UMYF Benediction May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face to shine upon you And be gracious unto you. May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you And give you peace. Shalom!