Mountaintop Moments (Down From the Mountain and, Back to Earth) It's Your Move Work Zone & High Way DV8 takes about 8 mins Announcements: Worship Caravan Pancakes this Wednesday and Caravan Chili Dinner next Sunday   God's Holy Presence 15 min Needed: candles with drip guards (one candle per student), matches Ahead of time, place the candles in the church sanctuary behind the altar. Say: Every summer, I get the chance to drive over mountain passes and climb a few mountains. One thing that I learned is that you can't always see the top of the mountain while you're climbing it. What may seem like the highest point is simply a resting place along the way. One of my favorite climbs is one that isn't a hard climb but it takes about an hour over and around rocky outcroppings. We gather a few essential supplies and head out in hopes of reaching the top of Mt. Esther before the afternoon storms. Fruit snacks and cereal bars never tasted as good as when we eat it at the summit. I don't remember that these trips to the mountain tops involve holy encounters of biblical proportions. But there are moments of awe at the beauty of creation and the bodies, that when asked, actually can climb to the summit. Yes, there are important conversations and it always seems to matter enough to regularly make at least one climb. I am open to the possibility that all these years and climbs later, holy encounters do take place as we gathered on the mountaintops. Sometimes we just don't realize the value of these experiences until we've come back down to earth. We all have opportunities for holy encounters - for mountain top experiences - even if we are sitting by a river, floating on a lake, mowing a lawn, eating a meal with friends, or gathering in a board room.  God doesn't necessarily require that we "come up the mountain" for an encounter, only that we be willing and ready to listen for and to God wherever we are. Now, we're going on a hunt for holy places in our church. Down to earth places, places that help us reflect God's holiness. Please form a single file line and remain in it as we travel. Go through classrooms, bathrooms, closets, offices, and so on and end the hunt in the pews just in fount of the altar in our sanctuary. ASK: - What were you thinking when we started out looking for holy places in our church? - Is this a holier place than other places in the church? Why or why not? - What makes this place different than other places in the church? - Do those differences dictate that we should act differently in this place than in other places, such as home or school? Why or why not? Ask youth to stand around the altar. Have them each take a candle. Turn out the lights, and light just your one candle. Read Aloud: Psalm 95:1-7 Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Psa 95:6-7 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Pass the light to the person beside you, and have teenagers continue passing the light until all candles are lit. Then reread verses 6-7. Say: Let's be absolutely still. The psalmist tells us to bow down in worship and kneel before the Lord, because he is holy. Let's do that. (Ask everyone to get on their knees.) The psalmist says we belong to God and God takes care of us. Think of your candle as God's light reflecting on you. We're going to take a little time in silence to think of a moment when others have seen God's reflection coming off of you.  At the end of the silence ask them to blow out their candles but keep absolutely quiet as they break up into journey groups and return to their respective meeting areas. BREAK INTO JOURNEY GROUPS   Moving In Work Zone & High Way Holy Spotlight 15 min Needed: 8 flashlights with fresh batteries Work Zone uses the unfinished basement. High Way uses the Activity Center after blacking out the french door's windows. Say: Form small group as many as there are sponsors, and form a circle away from other groups. I'll set a flashlight in the center of each group's circle. Do not touch the flashlights until I say it's OK. Wait for groups to form Say: In a moment I'm going to turn out the lights so the room will be dark. Once I do, I want you to take turns shining the flashlight directly into the eyes of one person at a time. Then each youth in turn looks into the light while at least three of your group members share qualities they like about your personality. For example, they might mention that they like your sense of humor, your sensitivity, or your intelligence. Let's all focus on positive qualities only! We'll continue until everyone has had a turn. Ready? Go! After the experience sponsors have a youth hold the flashlight on their paper ASK: - What's your reaction to this experience? - What did you think about having the light shined in your eyes? Explain. - What was your reaction to being described while you stared into the light? - How was looking into the light and being described similar to being confronted with God's holiness? (- can't see anything else, bright, hard&ldots;) - If you really were confronted with God's holiness, how do you think you'd respond? Explain. - What happened when you looked away from the light? - How is that similar to what happens when we ignore God's holiness? Say: God is holy. And His holiness is hard to understand because it's a quality none of us has. God alone is holy. And we are made holy only by truly knowing Him.   Moving On Work Zone & High Way Turn the lights back on Take Time to Be Holy 15 min Needed: about 80 12" aluminum foil pieces Say: Have you ever made an impression on someone? Has anyone ever made an impression on you? Today I'd like you to understand the impression God makes on each of us. Give each student two 12" sheet of aluminum foil.  Say: Gently place the foil on your face using both sheets one on top of the other and form it to your face. Give students a minute to do this, and then have students share their creations. (Aluminum foil has sharp edges. Remind students to be careful as they place the foil over their faces.) Say: You've just made an impression of your face. The foil isn't you. It looks a little like you, but it's not you. It's a representation of what you look like. It's an impression of who you are. Have each youth trade his or her foil with another youth. Instruct them to shape the foil to their faces. When students have done this and admired their creations, have each person return the foil to its original owner. ASK: - What changed about your foil? - What was the process you used to change the foil? Say: Even though the foil is yours, it now bears the resemblance of someone else. That's like holiness. We all look like ourselves, but we bear a resemblance to God. ASK: - What effect does striving for holiness have on our lives? - What's the difference between God's holiness and our attempts to be God's people - Christians? - Why is it important to recognize God's holiness? Say: Holiness is God's impression on us. While we still look physically like ourselves, God's call is to look like him in the ways we live and think. Spiritually we're called to be holy, just as God is holy. God wants us to follow him and be like him. He doesn't want us to conform ourselves to the standard that the world gives us-he wants us to conform ourselves to him. Mountain top moments happen every now and then and it becomes easy to see just what God wants us to be like. The problems come when we come down from the mountain.     Moving Up Work Zone  GAME - Experience & Transform Divide the youth into two equal teams. Have teams face each other across from an imaginary line. Assign one side to be "Experience" and the other to be "Transform." The leader stands at the end of the group in the center so all players can see and hear him/her. The leader calls out either "Experience" or "Transform." If "Experience" is called, "Transform" must turn and run a short distance to their "base" tables laying flat on the ground representing a mountain top before the Experience team tags them. If any on the Transform team are tagged, they become Experience, and head to the other side for another round. The same applies when "Experience" is called. Play until everyone is on one side.   Moving Up High Way What Would Jesus Do? Read the following true illustration: Little did the Lesco Corporation know when it custom-made bracelets for a local youth group years ago that it would someday have a phenomenal best seller. Its colorful nylon bracelets have the embroidered letters W.W.J.D., which stand for What Would Jesus Do? They're intended to remind wearers to act as Christ would in their day-to-day lives. For a while, the bracelets were so popular that stores couldn't keep them in stock. In 1997, Lesco sold about 1 million bracelets (at $1.50 each). Other companies followed up with a variety of W.W.J.D. products, including different types of jewelry, clothing, books, and songs. ASK: - Did the W.W.J.D. trend hit your town, school, or youth group? If so, what effects do you think it had, and why? - To what degree is it possible to imitate Christ? - Is it worth trying, even though you know you'll often fail? - What does it mean to be Christlike? - Why do we need reminders to do so? - Is going to Church a good reminder? Explain. - What traits or actions of Jesus do you most want to acquire, and why? - Have you ever been in a situation where you honestly weren't sure what Jesus would've done? If so, how did it turn out? - Could W.W.J.D. items help wearers actually grow in their Christian faith? share their faith with others? Explain. - In what areas-thoughts, words, and actions-are the letters most (and least) likely to work? Explain. - If you have a W.W.J.D. item, has it changed you? If so, in what ways? - What other reminders do you use to help in your Christian life? COME BACK TOGETHER IN THE GYM FOR CLOSING   Moving Out  Work Zone & High Way Gather in a closing circle Pass out Scripture cards: Matthew 17:1-13 Romans 7:14-20 Ephesians 4:17-24 1 John 2:3-6 Say: Our lives are marked by spiritual high points. These are the "a-ha" moments when things suddenly appear clear. We can be inspired in a new way or gain clarity about a commitment. It can be that moment when a high goal is finally attained. Emotions tend to be strong in these moments&ldots;joy and awe, even fear about what might happen next - even while knowing that something decided is absolutely right.  Like Peter, James, and John who saw Jesus transfigured before them and had a glimpse of the full divinity of Christ, our a-ha moments, our holy encounters can knock us off our feet. And we may want to capture that moment and stay in it. There is a lot of discernment ahead. Your mountaintop experiences, your high times, and your clearly holy encounters serve to orient you and give you direction. But, these times are not your everyday spiritual life. Everyday faith is what mostly makes up our lives. It is when we practice reflecting God's love to others. It's the time we encounter others with His love, the love we caught a glimpse of in a mountain top moment. Retell your stories, let your memories of those experiences once again clarify your soul and live as though you are on the mountain.   Prayer: Dear Lord, It is fruitless to rail against the world. The world we inhabit is a reflection of our own self, if we see it in the world; we know the seed exists in us. Therefore, to change the world we ask that You help us commit to our own transformation. We want to become the fertile soil for the world we see for the mountain tops. We know Your loving world is the real one. Every day we will dedicate our thoughts, words and deeds to Your Higher Truth. Thank You for working Your miracles through us. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.  +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Gather for this lesson: Sign up for CHILI stuff, DV8 stuff, candles with drip guards (one candle per youth), matches, 8 flashlights with fresh batteries, about 80 - 12" aluminum foil pieces, print scripture cards and Sponsor sheets, cover the windows in the Activity Center.    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!