IT S YOUR SERVE: Ideas for Involving Youth in Service Events

IT S YOUR SERVE: Ideas for Involving Youth in Service Events

IT S YOUR Ideas for Involving Youth in Service Events SERVE:

Copyright 2004 Youth Ministry Office, District and Congregational Services The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Copyright administered by Concordia Publishing House 3558 S. Jefferson Avenue St. Louis, MO 63118-3968 1-800-325-3040 www.cph.org All rights reserved. Used with permission. Other than downloading and reproduction for congregational use, no part of this material may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of Concordia Publishing House. For ordering information, please contact Concordia at 800-325-3040 or visit Concordia at www.cph.org. Order It's Your Serve (22-3039WEB). The purchaser of this publication is allowed to reproduce the marked portions contained herein for use with this curriculum.these resources may not be transferred or copied to another user. Compiled by James Lohman Edited by Mark Sengele Cover illustration by Greg Grigoriou Scripture quotations are taken from the HOLY BIBLE,NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Some material excerpted from Discovery Bible Study III, 1988,Youth Ministry Office, The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, St. Louis, MO. Used with permission. This publication may be available in braille, in large print, or on cassette tape for the visually impaired. Please allow 8 to 12 weeks for delivery.write to the Library for the Blind, 7550 Watson Rd., St. Louis, MO 63119-4409; call toll-free 1-888-215-2455; or visit the Web site: www.blindmission.org. Manufactured in the United States of America. Your comments and suggestions concerning the material are appreciated. Please write the Editor of Youth Materials, Concordia Publishing House, 3558 S. Jefferson Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63118-3968

IT S YOUR SERVE TABLE OF CONTENTS An Introduction to Serving 8 1.Tools for Serving 10 2. Serving in Your Church and Community 13 3. Joining Others to Serve 19 4. Hosting Your Own Servant Event 28 5. Risk Management 48 6. Budgeting Guidelines 64 7. Registration, Communication, and Publicity 69 8. Program Planning 80 9. Community-Building Activities 89 10. Post Event 99 7

AN INTRODUCTION TO SERVING AN INTRODUCTION TO SERVING Jesus was our perfect Servant.Through this Servant Event I ve experienced the joy He must have felt in serving. SERVANT EVENT PARTICIPANT 8

A Servant Event is an experience that takes people out of their daily routine, encourages them to practice Christ s unconditional love, serve people in ways that enrich their lives, and share their faith in practical ways. Servant Events provide opportunities for God s people to reach out with Christlike care and concern, leaving behind fingerprints of faith. Since 1981, The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) Youth Ministry has promoted servant opportunities for youth.through the years, thousands of young people and adults have participated in these Servant Events. LCMS districts, congregations, schools, camps, and Lutheran social service agencies have joined the Youth Ministry office as partners in Servant Event ministry. We give thanks to God for richly blessing this ministry! This compilation of Servant Event resources, spanning almost 25 years of serving, provides the tools and ideas needed to create servant opportunities to grow in faithful service to Christ and His church. Whether your task is taking a group of youth to a Servant Event or designing for short- and long-term service opportunities for the youth in your church, community, and beyond, you will find a wealth of information you can use in your role as a youth leader. We pray your service for our Lord will be truly a blessed experience as you provide for the needs of God s people. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God s people, but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. (2 Corinthians 9:12) AN INTRODUCTION TO SERVING 9

1 TOOLS FOR SERVING TOOLS FOR SERVING We were blessed this year with such a fine group of leaders, servants, staff, work directors, and volunteers that we could almost just sit back and watch the event unfold to the glory of God. CARL AND JILL, SERVANT EVENT LEADERS 10

Welcome to the team! As you read this book, you are joining others who understand that faith in Christ can be shared through both loving words and caring actions. As you consider serving, begin by asking, Why do we want to do this? Take time for prayer and Bible study about the role of a servant to help you determine your answer.you can start by reading John 13:1 17; Matthew 25:31 46; and Philippians 2:1 18. Continue to pray for God s guidance and direction for yourself and others who will join you in serving. Then begin to review this resource. It is provided to better equip youth leaders interested in giving young people and adults the opportunity to be a servant for Jesus sake.this resource includes a variety of information to assist you in your leadership role. Adapt the job descriptions, checklists, timetables, and other tools to use as guidelines for your Leadership Team and others who will be serving your event. Why Serve? Scripture tells us that Christians are the body of Christ, His continuing presence in the world.through us, Christ continues to extend love, comfort, care, and forgiveness to those in need. Because Christ lives in us, we are able to make a difference.we are His eyes, His ears, His hands, and His feet here on earth. God wants us to meet the needs of hurting people, but He also knows service has the power to change us at our core! Service gets our eyes off ourselves and into the world. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). Living out your life in response to God s love is the way of life called Christianity. Christians serve because they are thankful to God, who has redeemed and loved them. There is nothing to earn or gain. Serving others is simply giving thanks for what Jesus has done. Our joyful service can be a witness to those we serve.they may ask, Why are you doing this? and the servants can tell others about God s love and sacrifice for them and all people. Why Servant Events? Servant Events offer opportunities for participants to serve and be served in the way Christ served us! The experience of working with others, learning in an unfamiliar environment, and adapting to new surroundings forces us to examine ourselves spiritually, articulate our faith, and strengthen our trust in the Lord! Servant Events provide people with an opportunity to live what they believe, leaving fingerprints of faith. Servant Events also provide unique opportunities for spiritual, emotional, physical, and intellectual growth through service and through interpersonal relationships with other young people and adults as brothers and sisters in Christ. Through their participation individuals learn to serve with the support of a Christian community. Volunteers provide programs to meet needs that may not otherwise be met because of limited resources. Servant Event participants gain experiences in a new place, with new peo- TOOLS FOR SERVING 11

ple and possibly a new culture. After the Servant Event experience participants model servanthood for us to use at home. Now What? As you consider serving, ask yourself these questions:! What people or projects in your church or community could benefit from a Servant Event?! Are there agencies in the community that need support on a specific project?! What needs could be met by a Servant Event that might not otherwise be met? Needs of participants? Needs of the community?! How can the community be involved in the Servant Event?! What service can volunteers do that will not deprive local people of jobs? TOOLS FOR SERVING! How many servants will be needed for the project?! Who could serve as key Servant Event leaders?! What is the best time to offer an event? Spring? Summer? Fall?! How long would it take to complete the project? One day? One weekend? One week? Two weeks? Weekly? Monthly? Longer? 12

2 SERVING IN YOUR CHURCH AND COMMUNITY You don t know the joy a simple act can bring until you look in the eyes of those you ve just served. TYLER, YOUTH PARTICIPANT SERVING IN YOUR CHURCH AND COMMUNITY 13

Many youth groups begin serving by setting aside a few hours each month for service. This may be a group meeting on Saturday afternoon, Sunday morning, or a designated time after school. These Servant Events focus on needs of their church, school, and/or community. Use these ideas to get you started. Try them throughout the year with your youth group. Invite their families to join in the serving. It s Your Serve in Your Church Adopt a Shut-in SERVING IN YOUR CHURCH AND COMMUNITY 14 Most every church has shut-in or homebound members. Get a list of these people from your pastor, and gather your group to design and make a collection of seasonal greeting cards for each person. Provide construction paper, markers, crayons, scissors, sequins, ribbons, and other items for decorating the cards. Include favorite Scripture verses. Each youth member may wish to adopt one of these members and become a once-a-month pen pal with that person, sending reminders of Jesus love throughout the year. Sweetheart Dinner for Senior Citizens Plan a festive dinner for members of your church who have been married 40 or more years. Enlist members of your youth group to serve as waiters and waitresses. Provide simple decorations of candleholders and candles on white tablecloths. A simple menu of salad, spaghetti, and breadsticks can make up the first two courses. Contact a local bakery or ask someone in your church with cake-decorating skills to create a special anniversary cake to serve as dessert. Entertainment might include appropriate music provided by someone in your group who plays piano or violin. Quilt Squares Seek out someone from your church who sews and/or quilts. Gather your group to create quilt squares using twelve 22-inch squares of fabric. Obtain fabric by recycling old but sturdy clothing or other items or by purchasing fabric samples or remnants. Assemble your squares into a 64x84-inch piece for a beautiful quilt. You can donate your quilt to LCMS World Relief or to a local nursing home. Spring Cleaning Contact the person who coordinates the maintenance of your church and/or school facilities. Create a list of areas in the building(s) or grounds that could use extra attention. Plan a service day to complete the items on the list. If your church already sponsors a spring workday, provide refreshment stations or lunch for volunteers. Care Packages for Persons in the Armed Forces Check with your pastor or church secretary to learn the names of any members of your church or circuit who are serving in the armed forces. Gather items such as granola

bars, prepackaged dry snacks, lip balm, and small devotion booklets for a care package. Include a note with encouraging words and Scripture verses. If your church does not currently have anyone serving, you can reach out to a specific military unit through LCMS Armed Forces Ministry by contacting lcmschaps@lcms.org. Modeling Clay for Preschoolers Anyone who works with young children in your church can benefit from this servant activity. Gather the supplies and your group in the church kitchen to make several batches of play dough to give to those in your church who share Jesus love with young children. (See the recipe for modeling dough included on this page.) A collection of cookie cutters in the shapes of Christian symbols such as crosses and hearts could also be included. Traditional Modeling Dough 1 c. flour 1 c. warm water 2 tsp. cream of tartar 1 tsp. oil 1 / 4 c. salt Food coloring Mix all ingredients, adding food coloring last. Stir over medium heat until smooth. Remove from pan and knead until the dough is blended smooth. Place in plastic bag or airtight container when cooled. Modeling dough will last for a long time. Coffee Hour Select a Sunday to host a coffee hour for members of your congregation. Schedule a baking event in the church kitchen on the preceding Saturday. A favorite muffin recipe from someone in your church would be an easy item for your group to prepare. Invite each member to bring one of the ingredients for baking or orange juice to serve at the coffee hour. Library Loaned with Love Develop a plan to collect Christian books and videos for a mission church in your district that does not have funds to support a church library. The recipient church can then loan these materials to their members freely. Adopt-a-Missionary Your group can help with the mission work of someone serving in the mission field within North America or around the world. LCMS Together In Mission can connect you with a missionary your church can sponsor and support through correspondence, encouragement, prayer, and financial contributions. For more information phone 1-800-248-1930, ext. 1651, or visit their Web site: lcmsworldmission.org. SERVING IN YOUR CHURCH AND COMMUNITY 15

Care Packages Develop a list of college students from your church. Your church secretary may have their college addresses. Collect items for care packages small packages of snacks, microwave popcorn, gum, and other treats. Include a recent copy of your local newspaper, church bulletin, and/or newsletter. Write short notes to the students. Carefully package the items and address the boxes. Invite members of the congregation to get involved by mailing one of the boxes. Thank-You Messages and Treats for Church/School Staff SERVING IN YOUR CHURCH AND COMMUNITY 16 Use candy and other treats to create thank-you messages for those who serve in your church and/or school. Example: Give a Reese s Peanut Butter Cup and include the note Our CUP runneth over with all you do. Give a stick of Wrigley s Extra sugar-free gum with the note We are EXTRA glad you are serving our church/school. Gift-Wrap Station Organize a gift-wrap station to provide free gift wrapping for Christmas gifts before or after Sunday worship services. Schedule one or two dates for this event. Ask local stores to donate wrapping paper for your service project. Provide tape and other supplies. Be sure to practice wrapping techniques with your group beforehand. Post a sign saying, Free gift wrapping our free gift to you as a reminder of the greatest free gift we have in Christ Jesus! It s Your Serve in Your Community Coat/Mitten/Cap/Scarf Collection Check your closets and drawers or contact local stores to gather coats, mittens, caps, and scarves. These items can be donated to an agency such as Lutheran Children s and Family Services. Invite someone from your church to teach the group to crochet or knit. Have the participants create scarves or caps to donate. Valentine Caroling Christmas caroling offers a pleasant surprise for those served by such festive songs.you may cause an even bigger surprise if you carol when it is not Christmas. Practice an assortment of familiar Christian songs that share the messages of God s love and grace such as Jesus Loves Me,This I Know ; Beautiful Savior ; God Loves Me Dearly. On the weekend nearest Valentine s Day visit a local retirement home and share your gift of music. Tray Cards for Nursing Home Fold blank 5x8-inch index cards lengthwise to create a tray card. Look for Scripture verses that provide words of encouragement or thanksgiving. Print the verses onto the cards using a fine-tip marker. Decorate the cards using crayons, markers, sequins, ribbons,

and so forth. Deliver the cards to the activity director or other staff member of a local nursing home to place on residents meal trays. Magazine Mania Serve others and recycle at the same time. Ask church members to bring in gently used issues of magazines, especially Christian resources. Be sure to remove any mailing labels. Deliver the magazines to the lobby of a local retirement home or hospital or to the waiting area of a doctor s or dentist s office. Baby Shower In refugee camps, hospitals, and villages around the world, gifts of layettes convey a warm welcome to newborns and their mothers. Invite your youth group and members of your congregation to donate items for baby layettes. A completed layette for LCMS World Relief includes two shirts; two gowns, sleepers, or onesies; two receiving blankets; four cloth diapers; one sweater; two washcloths; one bath-size bar of soap; and two diaper pins. Flowers for Firefighters Call your local fire station and ask if you can plant flowers in their yard or provide large pots of flowers for their property. Flowers seem to brighten everyone s day.you may wish to add a card of thanks for these community helpers. Adopt-a-Highway Support beautification efforts in your state by participating in an adopt-a-highway program. Contact your state s Department of Transportation for more information. Food Collection Food pantries often experience low inventory during the summer months. Conduct a food drive in your congregation for a local food pantry. Distribute empty plastic grocery bags with a suggested shopping list attached. Give these to members on two Sundays prior to the official close of your food drive. Arrange the collected food in a high-traffic area of your church with a large thank-you note printed on poster board and a tally of what has been collected. Deliver the items to a food pantry and volunteer to help stock the shelves with the donations. School Supplies Invite youth-group members to collect school supplies including notebooks, pencils, pens, crayons, and so forth.you may want to contact a local school that would welcome your donation. Several agencies including Lutheran Hour Ministries and LCMS World Relief provide the opportunity to collect school supplies. T-shirt Drive Discuss with youth the fact that we have so many blessings many that we don t even use. Have youth sponsor a T-shirt drive. Advertise and set out collection boxes where peo- SERVING IN YOUR CHURCH AND COMMUNITY 17

ple can donate clean, used T-shirts. Emphasize that T-shirts are universally worn and enjoyed. Youth can organize the shirts and distribute them to a local shelter or relief agency. Game Time at Retirement Center Gather a collection of board and card games such as checkers, Old Maid,Yahtzee, and others.with the activity director at a local retirement center, arrange a time for your group to play games with the residents.your group may also want to provide refreshments. Thanksgiving Baskets SERVING IN YOUR CHURCH AND COMMUNITY Contact a local community social service agency to learn the name of a family in your community who could benefit from a Thanksgiving basket. Include all the items needed for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner such as cranberry sauce, stuffing mix, ingredients for a pumpkin pie, rolls, vegetables, and a frozen turkey and/or a grocery store gift certificate. Your basket may also include items the recipients can use to decorate their Thanksgiving table such as festive paper napkins, small pumpkins, gourds, and ornamental corn. Birthday Party Boxes Help needy children celebrate their birthday by assembling these supplies: cake mix, frosting, candles, napkins, paper party plates, and party decorations. Include supplies for six to eight children. Place the items in a box with a lid such as a large shoebox.wrap the box and lid separately with birthday wrap so the child can lift the lid and see the contents of the box. Deliver boxes to a local food pantry or other social service agency for distribution to families in need. Consider including something in the box that will deliver a simple spiritual message such as My Happy Birthday Book available from Concordia Publishing House. Pray for the children who will receive the box pray that they will enjoy it, know that other people care for them, and above all, that they will know that God cares so much for them that He sent His Son to be their Savior. 18