YOU MAKE ME SO MAD! It's Your Move Work Zone and High Way Eat, make announcements -Worship Caravan Retreat, Super Bowl stuff, Twisted Val and introduce the session:   YOU MAKE ME SO MAD You probably experience anger on a daily basis-when friends are unkind, when you're frustrated with school, when you feel unappreciated by family members, when you feel left out at youth group or when God just doesn't help you out at all. Just realize you're not alone in feeling angry-even God gets angry!  In the story of "Jonah and the Whale God was angry with the people of Niniva. He told Jonah he was going to destroy the city. Jonah didn't want anything to do with Niniva and thought, "good they're gettin' what's comin'."  When God saw the Ninivites repent and DV8 their ways, He did not destroy the city. So&ldots; Jonah was angry with God! He wanted to see some God wrath! Anger is a powerful emotion and a difficult one to handle, especially for teenagers. It is said that, "Anger, like fire, finally dies out-but sometimes, not before it leaves a path of destruction." Most young people don't know how to deal with anger. Tonight you're going to have a chance to talk about anger, healthy solutions, and how a Christian should handle it.   What Really Steams Me Is . . . Set up a chair in front of the room. Have youth come up to the chair one at a time to sit and complete the sentence, "What really steams me is . . ." Encourage youth to describe the kinds of things that truly anger them. Allow youth to come up more than once if they want to. Let the rest of the group respond to each "What really steams me is . . ." comment with appropriate cheers, applause, jeers, or other comments.   Break into small groups  Divide into smaller groups as follows. Have the juniors and seniors teach the lesson to the 6th and seventh graders. Have these two groups go to the Youth Center. Also, divide into male and female groups for this bunch. Line up the eight graders, freshmen, sophomores, and divide into three mixed groups making sure to divide cliques. These groups use the gym.   Which Way Are You Moving? Work Zone and High Way (Small Groups) ASK: * What surprised you about the things that make people angry? * Why are there so many things that make people angry? * What are typical ways people express their anger? * In the story of Jonah and the Whale, how many way was anger expressed?   Moving Up Work Zone & High Way (Small Groups) You Know I'm Mad Now! Needed: Situation sheet Give your group a situation sheet and have them brainstorm and make a list of at least three different reactions to the situations; not solutions just reactions. Situation Sheet Look at the following situations, brainstorm and make a list of at least three different reactions to theses situations; not solutions just reactions. Your parent grounded you for coming in ten minutes after curfew.     Your girlfriend or boyfriend lied to you.      The coach hasn't put you in for five games straight.     A few of your friends went out last weekend without you.     You were late for school and it wasn't your fault - you got a detention for being tardy.     Your prayers are never answered, everything's going bad - you doubt if there really is a God.   Now trade papers with another group in your area and discuss: ASK:  * What potential reactions are better-or more effective-than others? * How would you handle these situations differently? * Does anger pay off in these situations? Why or why not? * Is it possible to be so angry with God that you don't believe He exists?   Moving In  Work Zone & High Way (Small Groups) The Choice Say: Many young people have difficulty expressing anger. They either hold it inside or let it out in destructive ways. Anger is an emotional reaction-not a sin. It's what you do with the anger that counts. I'm going to ask you to agree or disagree with the following list. We'll discuss each one and how anger plays a part. Sometimes anger can lead to positive outcomes, like fixing a friendship, mending a relationship, or understanding a situation better.     - Some people get too violent when they're angry.     - There are positive and negative ways to express anger.     - I have a right to get angry when someone hurts me.     - It's okay to be angry at God.     - I get angry often.     - People who lose their tempers are immature.     - Anger really isn't that big of a deal.     - Hiding anger is a good thing to do.     - I think anger is a sin.     - Christians should express anger differently from non-Christians.   Moving On Work Zone & High Way (Small Groups) My Anger Read each verse below, and then ask for a volunteer to complete the sentence in his or her own words. Proverbs 14:17 A man of quick temper acts foolishly, but a man of discretion is patient. When I'm angry, I _________________________ Follow up: What is the Christian way to deal with this sentence? Why?   Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. When I speak, I ____________________________ Follow up: What is the Christian way to deal with this sentence? Why?   Proverbs 29:11 A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man quietly holds it back. I can control my anger by _________________________ Follow up: What is the Christian way to deal with this sentence? Why?   Ephesians 4:26 Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, If I'm angry I ___________________________________ Follow up: What is the Christian way to deal with this sentence? Why?   ASK: * Do you think God gives us peace and is able to take anger away? How? * Would you ask God to help you deal with anger or is it a waste of time? Why? * If you're angry at God, is it easiest to just forget about Him?   Moving Out Work Zone  (6th,7th,11th & 12th form one big group) Cool the Anger Needed: Towels, 3 squirt guns, candle, lighter Have the youth form a circle. Give a few people in the circle a squirt gun filled with water. Ask for a volunteer to stand in the center of the circle, and give that person a candle. Light the volunteer's candle, and then have him or her hold it at arm's length. Then ask the volunteer to describe a time he or she (or a friend) was angry, and possible ways to express that anger (including the way he or she actually responded). If an idea doesn't match with the biblical advice explored earlier, students must spray water on the lit candle to "cool the anger." If an idea does match with the biblical advice, have students clap or snap for the volunteer. Ask the youth to remember they should love one another and to be as nice as possible. Rotate shooters and holders. Choose as many people as time allows.   Return to the Family Life Center   Moving Out High Way (8th 9th & 10th small groups come together) Choose a closing game by title only.  Pick one U-turn Death Chairs or Angry Clothespins Needed: clothespins, chairs & boom box U-Turn Death Chairs Needed: chairs & boom box Play like musical chairs with one or two fewer chairs than people BUT, turn the chairs so they face each other. Tell the kids the game's the same except they can't move a chair more than 2 feet to get into it and to be careful! Must have a circle more than 15ft away from the chairs, so as to have them run to the middle then get a chair!!   Angry Clothespins  Needed: 2 bags of wooden clothespins with springs (approximately 50 in each bag.) For the first game (divide other games differently), create boy vs. girl teams and divide up the pins evenly. The object is to pin your "Anger" clothespins on members of the other team - They kinda look like "A's". Once someone's been "pinned," they aren't allowed to remove the clothespin. If it falls off by itself, however, the person's considered "released" and the pin doesn't count against them. When someone's been pinned three times, they're out and must go stand on the "clothesline" (the sidelines). The pins on that person's clothing are considered used and must stay there. But if that person has any unused pins anyone may use them in the game. As more people get pinned with "anger" they will make the playing field smaller by using themselves as boundaries. Sponsors set and move "boundaries". The last one not totally pinned wins! Remind the youth not to "inappropriately" pin anyone else.   Return to the Family Life Center   Closing Work Zone & High Way ASK: What did you learn here tonight? Get a few answers   Ask if someone would like to offer a closing prayer. If no one does ask for a moment of silence and end with "amen".   Join hands, right over left, and say the UMYF benediction.   Sponsors Note: We are looking for leaders tonight. Foster ant that pop up and let me know what you see.   Gather for this lesson: Situation sheet, towels, 3 squirt guns, candle, lighter, boom box, 100 clothespins