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 | Jonathan’s Resource Ezine |
Weekly Resources, Ideas and Articles from The Source for Youth Ministry
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
| In This Issue |
- Featured Article: A Movie from Hell … and One You Can Use
- Something You Can Use: Capture the Snow Fort’s Flag
- What’s New: New Skits, Game Ideas, Speakers …
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| Featured Link: A Movie from Hell … and One You Can Use |
Some new movies are coming to the theatre and video that you might want to know about. Check out Jonathan’s TWO CENTS:
A MOVIE FROM HELL … COMING TO THEATRES THIS FRIDAY:
Every once in a while a movie hits the theatre that might catalyst some questions from kids about God or spiritual issues. This Friday, a film hits the theatre that focuses on the paranormal … but misses the mark.
ConstantineRated R
Directed by Jay Roach
Starring Keanu Reeves and Rachael Weitz
Constantine had a few good moments … but then the whole film went to Hell. Yes … literally.
Based on the DC/Vertigo comic book Hellblazer, Constantine tells the story of irreverent, supernatural detective John Constantine (Keanu Reeves), who has literally been to Hell and back. It’s Blade meets The Exorcist. That’s right. Look out Wesley Snipes, this guy is walking around earth killing (or sending back) “half breeds,” demons or angels who have assumed human form and are “upsetting the balance.”
The action starts strong with quite a few scary moments that make you jump out of your seat. But after a short time you quickly realize that you’re just watching Keanu Reeves doing the same role again … and you long for the good ol’ days of Bill and Ted.
Constantine had some creative story ideas … if they were original. The angel Gabriel is meddling with “the balance” and “Satan” has to save the day. I guess that seems novel … if you didn’t see Christopher Walken do the same thing in 1995’s The Prophecy, complete with a very convincing Viggo Mortensen as Lucifer.
Regardless, Constantine might do well. This generation is fascinated with the spiritual, and they like good action and violence. So this film might deliver what they want, not bothering with details like dialogue or storyline. And don’t forget this generation’s favorite element, a hero with a bad attitude and some serious personal issues. The film-makers provide plenty of amusing one-liners from Keanu Reeves including a moment where his body is being pulled into heaven and he flips the bird to Satan on the way up.
A MOVIE YOU CAN USE, COMING TO THEATRES THIS FRIDAY:
Because of Winn DixieRated PG
Directed by Wayne Wang
Starring AnnaSophia Robb, Jeff Daniels, Dave Matthews, Cicely Tyson, & Eva Marie Saint
Because of Winn Dixie was the kind of family film that … yes, even Dad will enjoy!
I admit. Not all “family” films denote that “the whole family” actually enjoys it. Let’s face it: most men would rather be watching The Rock’s new film than The Lizzie McGuire Movie.
Not so fast.
Don’t confuse Winn Dixie with the proverbial Benji remake. Winn Dixie is much more.
Based on the New York Times bestseller and Newbery Medal winner, Because of Winn Dixie tells the story of a lonely young girl who adopts an orphaned dog she names Winn-Dixie (for the supermarket where she found him). The bond between the girl and her special companion brings together the people in a small Florida town and heals her own relationship with her father, a Baptist minister.
Award winning books don’t always guarantee award winning films either, but Winn Dixie might just pull it off. A seasoned director, (Maid in Manhattan, The Joy Luck Club) an all-star cast, (Jeff Daniels, Dave Matthews, Cicely Tyson, & Eva Marie Saint) including an impressive career-launching performance from 11-year-old AnnaSophia Robb, and a dog that looks like it is actually smiling … what more could you ask for?
I brought my 7 year old daughter to the screening thinking, “This will be a good one … FOR HER!” But I exited the theatre with a much different outlook. I was truly touched.
Beneath the story of a girl and a dog is a glimpse of our world and all the sadness that comes along with it. But this little girl named Opal sees people differently than most of us do. She cares about people in a genuine way and goes out of her way to touch their lives.
WORKERS CAN USE IT
NOW ON VIDEO AND DVD:
CLICK HERE FOR JONATHAN’S REVIEW OF HILARY DUFF’S RAISE YOUR VOICE, HITTING VIDEO/DVD SHELVES TODAYCLICK HERE FOR JONATHAN’S REVIEW OF THE NOTEBOOK, HITTING THE VIDEO/DVD SHELVES LAST WEEK
OR CLICK HERE FOR JONATHAN’S MOVIE REVIEW PAGE TO FIND REVIEWS OF OTHER RECENT THEATRICAL HITS LIKE ARE WE THERE YET? OR VIDEO RELEASES LIKE SHARK TALE.
| Something You Can Use: Capture the Snow Fort’s Flag |
Jonathan,
Recently, I was snowed in on a weekend retreat with Senior High Students. The mountain region we were staying in had been blasted by a winter storm that closed down most travel. We had planned on going off-site and doing some tubing and/or skating. Instead we were stranded and forced to rethink our afternoon rec. time. Fortunately the temperature created the perfect snow for serious snow balls! What resulted was the reformatting of an old school game.
Capture the Snow Fort’s Flag:
(This outdoor game will work for students numbering 10 -100. The only adjustments will be to the distance separating the flags.)
Choose an outdoor play area conducive for a snow ball battle. It can be wooded or open, but preferably level. Divide students into two equal teams. Give each team 3-6 large garbage cans and a make shift flag on a pole at least 4′ long. Using the trash cans as molds, team members are given 30 minutes to manufacture a snow fort for their flag. The cans are stuffed with snow and then turned upside down leaving a sculpted mass which can be strategically placed and stacked for the walls of a fort. Each fort is to have no more than 3 sides and the flag must be placed within the fort, in plain sight. Team members are permitted to scrounge for any type of additional materials which will add to the defense of their fort. At the end of 30 minutes, the teams are called back together and the following ground rules are given:
- No boundaries — Unlike the traditional capture the flag games, there are no boundaries in this version. Any student is open game on any part of the playing field.
- No trashing the other team’s fort.
- To knock a person out of the game, you must either hit them with a snowball or tag them by hand. In either case it must be a solid connection. A student is only knocked out when a solid snowball strikes their body. (snow fragments don’t count). Likewise, a hand tag must connect solidly with the body and not a loose piece of clothing. When a simultaneous hit or tag occurs, both students are out. Students guarding the flag inside the fort can only be taken out by a direct hit from a snowball. (No tagging)
- No headshots — Any hits above the neck results in the thrower being declared “out.”
- Once a student is hit or tagged out they must go immediately to the “penalty can.” This is a can located off to the side of play about mid-way between both forts. Students who have been hit are required to keep one hand on the can at all times.
- Continuous play — Once there are six students touching the penalty can, all six are released back into the field of play. They must first simply “tag up” at their team’s fort. Afterwards they are free to resume normal play. This aspect of the game keeps the momentum and dynamics of the game constantly changing. It’s anything but boring.
Although this game sounds archaic and overly simple, we played until we were exhausted! Given the right conditions, this game proves to be fast paced and exciting for both guys and girls. It may be years before we’re presented with the same weather and opportunity, but when we are, we’ll be ready.
The reformatting of this old school game was great!!
Chris Campbell (Fellowship Student Ministries, Bridgeport, WV)
OR
CLICK HERE FOR A READYMADE SNOW TRIP OR WEEKEND RETREAT
| What’s New: New Skits, Game Ideas, Speakers … |
STUPID SKITS: (CLICK HERE) That’s right … they aren’t much more than that. But sometimes you’re looking for something to fill in that dead time in a program. We just revamped this page with a bunch of new skits in a new format that’s easier to read. We also included a link to a web page with a bunch of free Christian dramas.
GAME IDEAS AND OUR CUSTOM GAME SEARCH: (CLICK HERE) Most of you have been using our games for years. But keep checking back. We’ve been updating a ton of new ideas on this page. And if you haven’t used our custom game search … don’t miss it. Choose how messy you want it (or no mess), how much prep time you have (or don’t have), how many supplies, how many kids, where … and BOOM! A custom list just for you!
SPEAKERS:
THE AFFORDABLE SPEAKER NETWORK: (CLICK HERE) Want to find a quality speaker near you? We started the AFFORDABLE SPEAKER’S NETWORK because we found that many small churches could not afford to fly out a professional speaker. If you’re in the U.S. and on a super tight budget, you can check and see if there is one of our AFFORDABLE SPEAKER’S NETWORK speakers near you.
JONATHAN’S SPEAKING CALENDAR BEGINNING TO FILL: Jonathan only takes two speaking engagements per month away from his family. Right now his schedule is beginning to fill. CLICK HERE and see his availability for 2005 or consider some of the conferences he’s teaching at.
MINISTRY TOOLS FOR YOUR LIBRARY:
DO THEY RUN WHEN THEY SEE YOU COMING? (CLICK HERE)
Many of you have already bought Jonathan’s new book on reaching out to the unchurched … without scaring them off! If you haven’t-now’s the time. Get THE SOURCE 2005 OUTREACH CD for free just for ordering the book from us! We also offer this book in discounted “6-packs” so you can buy bulk for your staff and student leaders.
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Copyright ?2005 The Source for Youth Ministry
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Jonathan McKee
Jonathan McKee is the author of over twenty books including the brand new The Guy's Guide to FOUR BATTLES Every Young Man Must Face; The Teen’s Guide to Social Media & Mobile Devices; If I Had a Parenting Do Over; and the Amazon Best Seller - The Guy's Guide to God, Girls and the Phone in Your Pocket. He speaks to parents and leaders worldwide, all while providing free resources for youth workers on TheSource4YM.com. Jonathan, his wife Lori, and their three kids live in California.