| TheSource4YM.com | |
 | Jonathan’s Resource Ezine |
Weekly Resources, Ideas and Articles from The Source for Youth Ministry
Tuesday, December 6, 2005
| In This Issue |
- Something You Can Use for Christmas: Christmas Ideas Galore
- A Movie You Can Use: Jonathan’s two cents on “Narnia” and some discussion questions & resources you can use for this film that we’ve all been anticipating
- Free Bibles with Any Book Order: Looking for Christmas Gifts for your volunteers? Save $10 on any six pack of Jonathan’s books and receive a free Bible for every book you order!
| If you aren’t a subscriber of this EZINE and would like to subscribe – it’s free – just pop on www.TheSource4YM.com and sign up in the upper right hand corner. |
| Something You Can Use for Christmas: Christmas ideas Galore |
Looking for some “Christmas” game, event, or activity ideas for this December? Look no further!
Every year around this time I receive emails asking me, “Do you have any creative Christmas games?” “Do you have any fun Christmas activities?”
You’re in luck! We have a bunch.
But first, allow me to let you in on a little secret: Some of the best Christmas games, events or activities I’ve done are really just normal programming ideas that I “tweaked” a little. I take games like “NEWSPAPER NAME NAIL” on our ANYWHERE GAMES page (CLICK HERE) and use a roll of wrapping paper instead. I take events like the VIDEO SCAVENGER HUNT on our EVENT IDEAS page (CLICK HERE) and just modify the list with items like “take video of your whole team singing Christmas Carols to a cop” or “take video of someone on your team kissing a Santa Clause” … you get the idea.
But we also know that you might be looking for some “ready-made” ideas. So here’s a bunch from our web site:
Christmas Tree Scramble:
This is a fun event where you’ll need transportation for each team (unless you are within walking distance).
Give each team a given time to acquire decorations and decorate their tree. (60 minutes or so … enough time to judge the trees at the end, hang out and eat Christmas cookies.
Each team receives:
- A fake tree
- $5 for supplies
- Starter kit of decorations
You may:
- buy decorations with your teams money
- trade decorations with a stranger
- use only decorations that do not need to be returned to their previous owner
- make decorations out of recycled materials
- trade decorations with another group
- take decorations from your house or a friend’s house (everything must cost you something)
- use decorations that need to be returned
- sabotage another team’s decorations
- spend your own money
- use pyrotechnics
- damage your tree
We have numerous other ideas on our web page. Check em’ out!
- Pop on our EVENT IDEAS page. Then scroll to:
- Christmas Light Project
Christmas Tree Scramble (the example written out above)
Pop on our GAMES & ICEBREAKERS page and click on ANYWHERE GAMES. Then scroll down to:
- Christmas Wish List
Christmas: Dueling Carolers
Pop on our GAMES & ICEBREAKERS page and click on the UPFRONT GAMES page. Then scroll to:
- Human Christmas Tree
Pop on our GAMES & ICEBREAKERS page and click on the SICK AND TWISTED GAMES page. Then scroll to:
- Christmas 12 Bags of Doom
Pop on our GAMES & ICEBREAKERS page and click on the AUDIENCE GAMES page. Then scroll to:
- Christmas Carol Quiz
Christmas Poem Mad Lib
Christmas Quiz
Pop on our GAMES & ICEBREAKERS page and click on the GAMES WITH A POINT page. Then scroll to:
- Christmas Wish List
Pop on our STUPID SKITS page. Then scroll to:
- Christmas Carols with Helium
Pop on our VIDEO CLIP IDEAS page. Then scroll down to the topic of “Christmas” and click on…
Pop on our CURRICULUM & JUMPSTARTERS page. Then click on GROWTH/DISCIPLESHIP AGENDAS. Then scroll down to:
www.TheSource4YM.com
| A Movie You Can Use: Jonathan’s two cents on “Narnia” and some discussion questions & resources you can use for this film that we’ve all been anticipating |
I struggle to find the words… so I leave you with this… “Wow!”
The wait is over… the best example of a Christ figure in literary history, Aslan, hits theatres this week all over the globe. The Chronicles of Narnia has finally arrived… I don’t think you’ll want to miss it.
One of the most beloved fantasy adventures of the 20th century and a timeless tale of sheer imagination at last comes to life with this stunningly realistic, painstakingly authentic adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ masterpiece. Years in the making, this is the first-ever big-screen adaptation of the powerful classic that has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide.
Yes… that’s not a misprint… 100 million copies.
Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media present THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, in which four young adventurers playing hide-and-seek in the country home of an old professor stumble upon an enchanted wardrobe that will take them places they never dreamed. Stepping through the wardrobe door, they are whisked out of World War II London into the spectacular parallel universe known as Narnia-a fairy-tale realm of magical proportions where woodland animals talk and mythological creatures roam the hills. But Narnia has fallen under the icy spell of a mad sorceress, cursed to suffer through a winter that never ends by the White Witch Jadis. Now, aided by Narnia’s rightful leader, the wise and mystical lion Aslan, the four Pevensie children will discover their own strength and lead Narnia into a spectacular battle to be free of the Witch’s glacial enslavement forever. Touching on eternal themes of good and evil, and of the power of family, courage and hope in the darkest moments, THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE is a classic fable for our times.
Years in the making and meticulously created by director Andrew Adamson to match C.S. Lewis’ own vision of Narnia, THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE marks the live-action debut of New Zealander Adamson, who came to fore bringing worldwide audiences the loveable green ogre at the heart of the Oscar?-winning “Shrek” and “Shrek 2.” Adamson carries to the film a passion for Lewis’ story that began in his own childhood-one that now meets up with extraordinary advances in motion picture technology. The vast scope of the director’s vision of Narnia is brought to life through a mixture of moving human performances and cutting-edge, photo-realistic techniques in CGI, animation and prosthetic makeup that turn the wildly creative worlds and characters Lewis forged into something heart-stoppingly close to reality.
JONATHAN’S 2 CENTS:
I had the privilege of screening this film with a buddy of mine last night. I’ve been looking forward to this release for a long time. My expectations were high…
FOR DISCUSSION:
Youth groups around the world are launching Narnia events, renting theatres, seeing the movie as a group or even doing an entire program. Regardless if you make Narnia an event or not… the film does create some great opportunities for discussion (small group or one-on-one).
I’m always looking for fun activities to do with kids while hanging out. Films like this are not only fun, but an excellent bridge to discussion. I’ve often taken a kid or a small group of kids to a film and then dialogued with them about it afterwards over pizza. (What can I say… I love pizza!) Narnia is a perfect film to do this.
ABOUT THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA
For more free resources, check out
www.NarniaResources.com
| Free Bibles with Any Book Order: Looking for Christmas Gifts for your volunteers? Save $10 on any six pack of Jonathan’s books and receive a free Bible for every book you order! |
Looking for the perfectChristmas gift
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interns or staff?
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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.