Teamwork And Prayer  It's Your Move Work Zone and High Way Set Up: Before the meal set up the LCD projector, and then show the DV8 clips & slides to start the lesson. (15 min) Announcements: (Included in the DV8 slides) Regular UMYF next week, Spring Break activities March 14-19 including the Spring Break Lock-in, Mar. 19 - Battle of the Sexes   After the DV8 portion   Say: Rom 15:30 I appeal to you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God&ldots; Prayer is as essential to knowing God and growing spiritually as breathing is to living and staying healthy. Just as you need to communicate effectively to be a good employee or student, our walk with God is only as strong as the communication between you and Him and made stronger when other Christians join you. Prayer is God's desired way for us to obtain things. James 4:2 says, "You do not have because you do not ask." Do you ever wonder why you never seem to know the will of God for your life or why you always seem to be just missing the mark? Maybe you haven't seen answers because you haven't asked God. Prayer is the way by which God helps us to overcome our anxiety and worry. Philippians 4:6 says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." The last part of Ecclesiastes 4:12 say, "A cord of three strands is not quickly broken".  What's important about this lesson is that it points out the importance of friendship and teamwork in all things including prayer.   Break into any evenly numbered small groups, as many as there are sponsors.   Moving In  Work Zone & High Way  Teamwork Say: Think of a situation when you were part of a team (or partnership) that accomplished a goal. ASK:    "How did you feel being part of this team?     "What successes did you have?    "What frustrations did you have?    "Could you have accomplished the goal alone as easily-or at all?    "How does being part of a team make a person stronger?    Moving Up Work Zone & High Way  Teamwork Traits Needed: Teamwork Traits sheet Say: Now I'm going to read a list of words and phrases that describe Christian friendship and some of its advantages. Most should apply to your life and to teamwork. Raise your hand when you hear one that describes a part of the acronym A. C. T. S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, & Sanctification-(Request) and explain your decision.    Trust                            Unity                    Teamwork  Sincerity                      Admiration            Exclusivity Togetherness                 Loyalty                 Independence Appreciation                 Uniformity            Same goals Honesty                        Clique                   Appreciation Encouragement              Hard work            Friendship Competition                  Partnership   ASK:    "Which of these things are part of a teamwork situation?    "Which of these items are necessary for effective teamwork? Why or why not? (As a group, choose the top 10 items that are needed for teamwork. Use the list for your group may more easily see.)   Moving On Work Zone & High Way  Situations  ASK:    "How could friends work together in unity to help in the following situations? a. A classmate at school asks you to answer some tough questions about God. b. The new girl (or guy) in school is struggling to make friends (and is being made fun of). c. Someone close to you has an illness, and it might be fatal.   ASK:    "What difference would it make in the life of the person previously described?    "How can teamwork strengthen a person's relationship with God?   Moving Out Work Zone & High Way My Team Needed: My Team Sheet Say: The people you're with now and the total youth group are two teams. Decide as a small group which one item in the following list best describes the small group you're in now. Go over the list again and decide which best describes the whole youth group. __ Our group really is a team. We work together well. __ I feel that I'm an important part of this team. __ Our team would be willing to do something important. __ Our group is growing as a team. __ I don't feel part of a team at all. __ Our group is definitely not a team. __ A team? What's that?   ASK:    "What has made the small group strong or has weakened it?    "What has made the whole youth group strong or has weakened it?    "What steps can we take to make either group stronger?    Moving Out (Time Filler) Work Zone & High Way  Small Groups Games Needed: A deck of cards for each small group, 2 spoons, a score card Summary: Get four of a kind and get your partner to call out "spoons" at your signal and grab a spoon! - or catch your opponents' signals! If you see someone else grabs a spoon, grab a spoon too. 1. Split everyone into pairs. Each pair secretly decides what their secret signal will be. Once all the pairs have decided, everyone comes back together. 2. Everyone will need to sit in a circle, sitting directly across from their partners. Choose a dealer. Deal out four cards to all of the players and put the remaining cards in a pile next the dealer. Have everyone look at their cards. After the remaining cards have all been around the circle once or a round ends trade the dealer clockwise. 3. If a person gets four of a kind, that person needs to signal to his/her partner that he/she has four of a kind. Once receiving the signal, the partner will say "Spoons" and grab a spoon. The first pair to say "Spoons" receives one point for the round. If someone catches a pair trying to relay the signal, the catcher says "Bust", the round ends, and the caught pair loses a point. If someone mistakenly says "Bust" and the pair do not have four of a kind, the round ends and the catcher's team loses a point. An additional point is given to the other team that gets a spoon. The game is played clockwise. Each player can only have four cards in hand at all times. 4. The dealer starts the game by picking up one card from the pile next to him or her. Takes a glance at it. He or she has the option of keeping the card or passing it to the person to the left. If it is decided to keep the card, you have to exchange it with a card that is already in your hand and pass your discarded card to the next person. 5. The person to your left picks up your discarded card, takes a glance at it, and decides whether to keep the card or to pass it on. Once the person discards their card, the third person does the same thing as the previous players. This happens throughout the circle until someone says "Spoons" or "Bust". Whatever card makes it back around to the dealer sits in a discard pile until a new round is begun. Scuffle the cards with each new round. The first team to reach 10 points wins the game. SPECIAL CHALLENGE: After a few rounds decide whether or not your entire small group team wants to play "team spoons" against another small group. Decide which secret signal your entire team will use. Play with two spoons and as two teams with opponents seated every other player in a circle.   Return to the gym for the closing   Closing Work Zone & High Way Gather in a closing circle. Pass out reminder cards  A: Adoration (Worship, Honor) C: Confession (Where we fall short) T: Thanksgiving (Gratitude) S: Supplication (Specific Requests) Say: Prayer improves Christian friendship because it shows us how much better life is shared with another. Essentially, it is friendship with unity and purpose. Tonight we have looked at what it's like to be part of a unified group. Just like a close group of friends, when you come to God and present your fears and anxieties to Him, He will give you His peace and comfort. That doesn't necessarily mean He will take away whatever it is that is causing your worry. But you can know that He is with you, helping you persevere. The friends in your youth group will supply physical support and help you stay focused as you grow in your relationship with each other and God through A. C. T. S. of prayer.    Close in Prayer: Father, hallowed is Thy name.  Forgive us or trespasses.  Thank you for the many blessing you have bestowed on us.  Help us to be a strong Christian team as our youth group continues to grow in faith. In Jesus name we pray, Amen   Say the UMYF Benediction and turn out into the world.    Gather for this lesson: DV8 stuff, reminder cards, pens for everyone, 40 Teamwork Traits sheets, 40 My Team sheets, A deck of cards - 2 spoons - a score card for each small group.