What is it that you are most grateful for thus far this week?
What is one thing that weighs heavy on your heart?
All of life flows from worship. What does this mean to you?
Read Psalm 95. Now with a partner, rewrite it in your own words using the back side of this page.
What does worship mean/look like to you? If the 4 piece movement in worship is the gathering, the Word, the Eucharist and the sending, how then do we do these things in youth group?
Do you feel as if you have an understanding as to why we do what we do in worship?
Sacraments—tell me what comes to mind when you think of this?
If worship is like a game, in what ways can you prepare your self before the game? What things can you take home?
Worship.The bell tolls and the people have gathered.What is all the hype about?Looking around we see people in nice clothes, some sleeping, others sit eyes closed with their hands folded, ready and prepared to encounter the living God, for worship is not a human invention.No, it is a God-given gift.Yet, why is worship so important?Why are to we worship God?Isn’t it sort of self-righteous to demand your people to worship you?Why worship?Worship calls the people of God to, on some occasions sadly, to unite under the God of the universe, the Creator and Redeemer.The maintenance of divine worship then, our third great end, is one way that we the people of God can exhibit the Kingdom of Heaven to the world.
Worship takes on many shapes and forms.Many different traditions worship in many different ways.However, one thing is for certain about worship, it is deeply rooted in the story that we have inherited and are adding to, the story of God.From the beginning to the end, we read of the saving grace and relationship God showed to God’s people, to us and in worship we the church are to remember his saving deeds, to rehearse the covenant and to live in total obedience to his will.We then, in worship retell this story and the flow of worship comes from it.This set up or this retelling of the story looks like this for worship:the assembling of people, proclamation of the Word, celebration of the death and resurrection of Christ and sending the people forth so that they experience the rehearsal of the Gospel through the order of worship.
John Calvin, our father of the Presbyterian church, once said, “Wherever we see the Word of God purely preached and heard, and the sacraments administered according to Christ’s institution, there, it is not to be doubted, a church of God exists,”John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, 4.1.9., p. 1023.Through the reading of Scripture, through participation and celebration of the sacraments, baptism and Lord’s Supper, we are presented with the opportunity to encounter Christ.It is these particular aspects of worship that is the very things that give life to the church.It is these very things that the early church fathers did after Christ’s ascension.Acts 2.42 says, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”Through these crucial elements of worship, we can gain a better understanding of what we believe by worshiping in its truest and most pure form.
In worship we are presented with the story of God.Thus worship is God’s gift to us, that we have the opportunity to come together and worship God.It is never to be about us, the pastor or anything else.No, it is to be about God and through songs, Scripture and prayers and through sequences of congregational responses that help us experience the Gospel.“What is the purpose of the preaching of the Word, of the sacraments, of religious gatherings, and of the whole external order of the church except to unite us with God?John Calvin, Calvin: Commentaries, 393
Our center for worship, what shapes and gives order to our worship is our ancient story as God’s people, the Bible.Throughout the ages, the Scriptures have been center to what a worship service is about.It is in the great saving events of the Old Testament, mainly in the Exodus, that we see the history of worship for the children of Israel and how it shaped their lives.Exodus 24.1-8 is a meeting between God and Israel and it is important because it contains the most basic structural elemnts for a meeting between God and his people.Through the books that make up the Pentateuch, we see key roles being assigned or “anointed” as priest and into other leadership roles.You have Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu.These highlights of these leading the people shows the total participation of all people in worship, that which we are called to do still this day.These accounts shows God convening a public meeting with the church, something that the New Testament does not do, however the writer of 1 Peter shows comparisons when he says, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”1 Peter 2.9
New Testament worship stems straight from the life of the Israeli people and the way they worshipped.Their celebration of feasts, the gathering at the tabernacle and synagogues, are accounted for in the life of Christ.Jesus participated in these that gave life to the worshiping life of the Israelite people.Through Christ’s death and resurrection, we have gained entrance into the holy of holies through him and that he is greater than the temple.Christ then, showed that he is what supersedes Old Testament worship, that he is the final sacrifice and he being the true Lamb of God.Throughout the New Testament and the early church, reading of the scripture was vital to the ways of worship.For it was only by reading and proclamation did the people hear these words, for they were not written down and available as everyone has them today.
Thus is the next important piece to worship, the proclamation of the Word.“The preached Word or sermon is to be based upon the written Word. It is a proclamation of Scripture in the conviction that through the Holy Spirit Jesus Christ is present to the gathered people, offering grace and calling for obedience.”Directory for Worship, W-2.2007.We then are partners with the preacher and listening to and for the Word of the Lord.Often times the way things were done in the early church and in the early days of our tradition, sermons were delivered and there was time open for commentary, a way for all to be engaged and to hold one another accountable.Proclaiming the Word then is what gives us our food to nibble on.It is there for us to listen for God and looking for God’s ways through the Word.
Other ways are made available for the church to encounter God’s grace through worship.Joe Small says, “God’s grace can not only be heard, but it can also be seen, felt, tasted, and smelled through the sacraments.”Christ life then is essentially what we have for our skeleton of worship.Through his birth, baptism, ministry, death and resurrection, we gain life and understanding of the God we are to worship.In baptism, we identify with Christ death and resurrection, where the new Christian passes from death to life.Thus around the common table, Eucharist, we gather around as a people to proclaim the death and resurrection of Christ, and that he will come again.It is where we gain meaning for our faith.It is where all our needs are met and we unite around Christ. It is the pivotal moment in our lives as a Christian, to come and taste that the Lord is good.Through the sacraments of Bath and Table, set forth Christ to us, and in him the treasures of heavenly grace.”
All of life flows out of worship.We, through worship, meet the Holy One and through grace, worship him.It is our response to God’s call in our lives and the way God meets our needs.Through the gathering of people, we are responding to God’s call, offering praise in words, scripture, prayer and song.Then the Word becomes the next movement in the dance and the Scriptures are read and their message proclaimed.Our hearing becomes doing in the Eucharist.We become doers during worship but the giving of our tithes and offerings and the table is set with bread and wine, (Book of Common Worship, pg. 33).Then after we have been invited, after a prayer is offered to God for praise of his creation and providence, Christ’s work of redemption is remembered with thanksgiving and the Holy Spirit is invoked upon and in the church, the people are the sent.The Sending is where we receive God’s blessing and go serve our community.That is worship in a nut-shell.Through the following of these 4 movements, we then can maintain the 3rd Great End, the maintenance of Divine Worship.
Imagine what it must have felt like for Matthias.There he probably sat outside in some sort of waiting room along with Justus, waiting for the final verdict on who will be selected into the 12.I’m sure the two men made small talk, talking the weather or still trying to grasp what happened recently.You know that whole Jesus thing.Which one will it be and yeah, they know the other 11 but anytime you come into a new group, it can be a little frightening.No matter how many people you know.
Well friends, we are faced with that exact decisions.Although we are not replacing anyone in the sense the way the disciples were in Acts 1.12-26, we are gaining new members to our youth group.This is an exciting time of the year.As the school year begins, many of you will find yourself into new places, new schools, new friends, and new opportunities.Many of these will find you outside the walls of church and they will be challenging for you all.Yet, there awaits a challenge here too.
One of the greatest things about our youth group is our ability to have fun with each other.We always find a way to laugh together, to hang out, to try and become community and as this school year approaches, it will be no different.However, for those of you who have been a part of the youth group may have a difficult task at hand.We will be gaining at least 3 new students this year that will be entering into the 6th grade:Mitchell Coomes, Maggie Davis and Catherine Triplett.We need to welcome them and accept them into our family/community/youth group with open arms and with love.In what ways can we do this?
Yet, although these 3 youth will have their first opportunity to come to youth group, there are still some who are old enough to participate and don’t.So I challenge you to pray for them and to, whenever you get the chance, encourage them to participate and know that we miss them and love them.We will become more intentional about our community and those who we are missing and who we want to spend time with.
Above all things friends, this is not some way to manipulate or guilt trip anyone into coming to youth group, but a way for us to evaluate ourselves and to recognize that we are incomplete when we miss anyone.That when we all come together, when we come together for anything, that something incredible can and often does happen.Together, and only when we are united in community with Christ at the center, can we do incredible things for the Kingdom and bring it forth here and now.
We invite you then.Familiar faces, new faces and even strange faces, we as you to come and join up with us.Come and learn along with us what it means to be a community centered in Christ.Come and learn with us what it means to love one another the way Christ loved us.Come and whenever you do know that, “All are welcomed, all are welcomed, all are welcomed in this place.”We love you!
3rd—youth group 5-6:30 pm, preparations for youth Sunday, no meals
5th—bible study @ the church 6:30-8pm
10th—youth group 5-6:30pm, preparations for youth Sunday, no meals
12th—bible study @ the church 6:30-8pm
16th—Volunteering for the Multi-Cultural Festival 9-5 pm (All Day Shifts)
17th—youth group 5-6:30pm, preparations for youth Sunday, no meal
19th—bible study @ the church 6:30-8pm
24th—youth Sunday 7:45 am & 10:30 am
Sunday Night—Sr. High TBA
31st—Sr. High Drive In meet @ church at 5pm, return @ 1 or 2 am
I AM middle high
3rd—youth group 5-6:30 pm, preparations for youth Sunday, no meals
5th—bible study @ the church 6:30-8pm
10th—youth group 5-6:30pm, preparations for youth Sunday, no meals
12th—bible study @ the church 6:30-8pm
16th—Volunteering for the Multi-Cultural Festival 9-5 pm (All Day Shifts)
17th—youth group 5-6:30pm, preparations for youth Sunday, no meal
19th—bible study @ the church 6:30-8pm
24th—youth Sunday 7:45 am & 10:30 am
Sunday Night—5-7 pm
31st—No Middle High youth
This month is busy for us.Although it may look like that our calendar seems pretty empty and short, but this month is our time to shine.Our biggest month of the year because of the 24th, Youth Sunday.This is the Sunday where we share our talents and gifts with the congregation and lead worship service.With this said, we will use every Sunday leading up to it to designate roles and prepare for this Sunday.There will be NO meals these nights.We need everyone and anyone to help lead the services both at the 8:15 am service and 10:30 am!
On the 16th we have the 10th annual Multi-Cultural Festival at our church.We will need again volunteers to man the booth we have to raise money for the youth group.There will be a sign up sheet going around every Sunday night so look out for this.Times will be in slots:9-11, 11-1, 1-3, 3-5!
Sunday night the 24th, we will have a welcome service for our 3 new youth.I invite you to be there and welcome them into our community and to begin a new story with our new friends!5-7 pm, meal will be provided!
Finally, senior high we will be going on our annual Drive-in movie night.We will meet at the church at 5 pm where we will leave for the movies.After the movies we will come home and go to Steak-n-Shake and be done around 1 or 2 am!Bring a friend and get a discount!
The Shelter, Nurture and Spiritual Fellowship of the Children of God.
‘Fellowship’
Scripture Reading:
1 John 1.1-4
Deuteronomy 6.4-9
Acts 2.42-47
We were not intended to live alone.Again, we were not intended to live alone.No, God intended for man to be with someone, to have a partner.Beginning at the very beginning in the story of God, we see that God tried having man live alone.After letting Adam name animals, God noticed that none of these would do.So God put Adam into a deep sleep, removed a rib, and created a partner, a woman, Eve.From there, “This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.”Genesis 2.24It is not good for man to live alone.
As children of God, it is encouraging to know that we are called to live as a community, a holy people.We are to get life from each other, while giving life to each other.Community then can only be experienced through Christ and in Christ.We belong to each other through Jesus Christ.We then gain community in Christ by living wholly by the Word of God.It is through this, which gives us Breath, the Word of Jesus Christ that we can gain insight, redemption, righteousness, innocence and blessedness.Christ then becomes present in our lives and we then demonstrate Christ’s love to our brothers and sisters.We then, when all dwell in the Word and live out the Word, become an authentic community.Thus to see Christ alive and God at work in our lives, we need each other to show these things, to live these things and to be Christ to one another.Community can only be authentic and real when we Christ is the center of our community.
We’ve established then that Christ is that which gives Breath to our lives together.We also have gotten an understanding that we are not intended to be alone in the world.That we are not rugged individuals, rather, we are children of God called to be the body of Christ for the world, called to be, the church.Often times the gathering of people together outside of worship is labeled as fellowship.It is where we all go to share our common stories and we learn how to love each other.In these moments, we can put into practice meeting people where they are at the same way God has met us.Where we have missed the mark, God has showed us the way back.Where we have been judgmental, God has forgiven us.Dietrich Bonhoeffer says it best, “What God did to us, we then owed to others,” (Life Together, 25).True fellowship happens when students are known, cared for, held accountable, and encouraged in their spiritual journey.It is in these moments then that we can be sheltered, nurtured and cared for, all the while being in spiritual fellowship with each other.Much like our own bodies, if we do not take care of it, if we do not stop to nourish it, we will become weak and no longer be able to function properly.
Jack Rogers said, ““The primary functions of this church are to bring people to salvation—a right relationship with God—and to guide them in living the Christian life,: (Claiming the Center, 52).As the body of Christ, the church, we can provide such a life together by recognizing that we are called to care for one another, demonstrating what Paul calls, “a ministry of reconciliation with God,” and to reconcile the world to God by overcoming those bridges that separate us from God.This is the driving force of the Gospel message, to make disciples and take the message of Christ to all worlds, yet allowing space and time for its members to rest and be in fellowship with each other.To bring people to a right relationship with God, salvation and providing this place of sanctuary, is what the church exists for.Being one unified church, longing and striving to allow salvation to take place and helps reconcile our relationship with God.
Unity must take place then if community is to exist.Thankfully we have the Companion that Christ promised us, the Holy Spirit.Joseph Smalls says, “We are called to live God’s difference in the world, building community, ministering to others, and praying for God’s gracious presence,” (Great Ends of the Church, slide 45).Church is to be a place where all are welcomed and all are greeted with love and in the manor of Christ.We are to be a place where we can discover how we can live out our faith and not simply talk about it.It is a place where we come and find out how we can make a difference in the world for God and take that with us we travel this journey.Through fellowship with each other, we can communicate the Word of God to each other, which is put there by God, dwells in us through the Holy Spirit and we come together to gain a better understand of the this story and how God is restoring the world and how he is using us to do it.
Coming together, living life together as a community allows us to see God’s story unfolding around us and having one another help us be more attentive to God’s presence in our life.Through spiritual exercises and disciplines, our faith formation and direction in our lives, begin to unfold too before us as we learn how our story intertwines with the story of God.We discover the ways that we can live out our faith rather than simply talking about it.Kendra Dean says, “Arguing whether information or experiences of formation come first is a chicken and egg argument; it really doesn’t matter, since both are essential to Christian discipleship…Orthodoxy and orthopraxy—faithful belief and faithful practice—are the two lungs of Christian discipleship,” (A New Kind of Youth Ministry, 51).Our times together worshipping, praying and using other spiritual practices, give shape and life to our body, the church.Our spiritual formation that occurs defines and show the way God has transformed our lives, helps us realize the new life that lies within Christ, and helps us down our discipleship journey that calls us towards holiness and imitating Christ.Through the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God, this is made more available to us.
Why then do we do what we do?Why then do we gather together in the name of Christ?Why then do we come together outside of Sunday school and worship on Sunday mornings?To give life to each other.To breath the breath of God to one another that comes through Christ, the living Word.“For we proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us.And our fellowship is with the father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ.”These words from John in his first letter set up can define our Great End, for nurture, fellowship and for salvation.Knowing that titles to selections in our Bibles were not written that way, I must say that I do love the title the New Living Translation gives to Acts. 2.42, “The Believers Form a community”.So it reads then Acts 2.42, “All the believers devoted themselves to the apostle’s teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.”This is what the early community of believers rooted themselves in, these aspects of community is what we must too root ourselves in.Exploring the worship spectrum both on Sundays and when we gather together in the name of Christ.In order for community and this Great End to happen, we must devote ourselves to the teachings of the Apostle’s, the breaking of bread and fellowship with each other!
May it be so that we devote ourselves to one another.Recognizing that we share in a common story with many authors who have gone before us to write previous chapters, we are dipping in the same ink with those around us and that our chapters will then be handed on to those after us.May we pledge our allegiance to Christ alone, coming together as often as we can, being in holy fellowship with one another.“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I, in the midst of them,” Matthew 18.20.May we live by the ShemaYisrael, the great prayer of our Hebrew brothers and sisters, stemming from Deuteronomy 6.4-9
“4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.*5You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. 6Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. 7Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. 8Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem* on your forehead, 9and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
The Shelter, Nurture and Spiritual Fellowship of the Children of God.
‘Fellowship’
Stop and think of your friends.What makes them your friends?Why is it you enjoy spending time with them?
Where is a place that you have gone to or that you go to, where you found extreme rest and relaxation?
What comes to mind when you hear the words shelter, nurture and spiritual fellowship?
In what ways have you been nourished, cared for or found rest/peace, at youth group?
What activities from the list below interest you in regards to your spiritual growth?
oPraying with Icons
oPraying with a Prayer Bead
oPrayer Book
oJournaling
oSolitude and Silence
oNature or other leisurely walk
oSinging/music
oLabyrinth
oLectio Divina—Divine Reading
It is said that nourishment is essential to the lives of the believers and to carrying out the mission of the church.With this said and using Acts. 2.42, how can we as a group carry out the mission of the church together?
God moves through us and in us.He goes before us and behind us.Above us and below us.Where is it that you have seen God moving within this group?What has been your favorite part/trip/thing we’ve done as a group?
Prayer for healing:
O’ God, let the hearth fire burn away today’s discontent.At the end of this day, I am most grateful for:
First Presbyterian Church Youth Group July 15th, 2008 Great Ends of the Church Study The Proclamation of the Gospel for the Salvation of Humankind.
*Evangelism*
Evangelism can take on many definitions. It can also be done in many fashions. Tell of an experience you had either doing the evangelizing or being evangelized to.
Read John 1.8. Who is the “light” and what does it mean to bear witness to the “light”?
What about you? How do you think your life has been a witness to or made a difference in the lives of someone who has never heard the good news before?
Think about your week to come. Think about the people you will encounter. Think about your friends and the things you will do. What then can you do, what action can you do, that will proclaim the gospel to your friends?
What has been some good news that has recently come to you? Not speaking or looking for anything too deep, but any good news.
In what ways can we, as a youth group, better proclaim the gospel for the salvation of humankind? In what ways may we evangelize and to whom?
For the Fun of it:
You are to write a book about your life. Your editor called and needs you to give a BRIEF preview as to what the book is about.
Write then, a preview or a teaser trailer, to what a book about your life would be about. Your life being up to this point.
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, the Lord's Supper and prayer. Acts 2.42
Our Mission Statement
To offer a welcoming Christian atmosphere to encourage youth in their faith, to develop their leadership skills, and increase youth participation in the life and work of First Presbyterian Church and the Presbyterian Church (USA).
