eZine 02.15.2000

TheSource4YM.com
	Jonathan’s Resource Ezine

Weekly Resources, Ideas and Articles from The Source for Youth Ministry
Tuesday, February 15, 2000

In This Issue

• Killing That “Dead-Time”
  
  
• Special Events
  
  

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Killing That “Dead-Time”

By Jonathan McKee
February 15, 2000

Every event we do contains a dead time at the beginning, labeled on our agenda for the evening as “students arrive” or “free time” or “mingling.” 88.7% of youth groups (I just made that up) provide music, Oreos and ping-pong during this time. This is great . . . BUT NOT EVERY WEEK! Looking for something different during the dead time?

We ALL want 3 things to happen during this time:

1. Students mingling, talking with and even meeting other students
2. Staff interacting with students
3. Everyone having a good time, and not wishing they were somewhere else

Let me introduce an idea my buddy Leonard came up with: the “Blow-Pop” Necklace. Buy enough “Blow-Pops” (“Blow-Pops,” not cheap suckers- students have to LIKE what you use) for three times the amount of students and staff you have. Take string or yarn, cut it at arms’ width and tie them to the individual “Blow Pops.” You now have enough “Blow-Pop” Necklaces for each student and staff to have three.

As students and staff arrive, place three “Blow-Pop” Necklaces on their necks. Inform them that they can not use the word “I” until a designated time (when you usually bring things together and start). If you use the word “I” and someone catches you, they can have one of your “Blow-Pop” Necklaces. This can be quite funny because when someone catches someone else, they usually blow it by saying “I caught you!” or “I get one of your necklaces!”

At the end of this time- give away a prize (besides “Blow Pops”) for the person with the most necklaces.

Feel free to add or subtract from this idea. You can also use “Ring Pops” instead (and have a bunch of little Liberace’s walking around).

If you have youth ministry ideas you want to share, please email me at jon@thesource4ym.com

Special Events

Are you tired of hearing the groans when you hand out flyers for bowling the next Friday night? Have you hit every miniature golf place, every paint-ball, laser tag and roller rink place in the city? What we all need are some creative special events. Use this link and try out some of these creative options: https://thesource4ym.com/events