Maundy Thursday – April 1st and/or Good Friday – April 2nd

*Maundy Thursday marks the day before Jesus’ death that Jesus gathered with his disciples to celebrate the Passover. You may want to think about gathering your youth on the Thursday evening (as Friday they won’t have school) and celebrating the Passover seder together. There are all kinds of resources out there (both Christian and Jewish). Check your local library or you might want to consult some resource material on-line that may include:

Passover Seder overview link

Making the Seder Memorable link

Haggadah for Christians link *please keep in mind that the author of this Haggadah comes from a more conservative theology than usually found in many United Church congregations. You may need to adapt it for your own use.

If you are fortunate enough to know a Jewish family/youth or live near a synagogue consider asking them to help lead your group in the Seder meal. Perhaps they might even have some of their youth join with yours for the evening.

~There is a great video to watch with your youth which you can find at Lost Generation You Tube link . With Good Friday on the horizon we are reminded that God takes the awfulness of death and despair on Good Friday and transforms it into something beautiful and life-affirming as through the Resurrection promise. After you watch “The Lost Generation” talk about what negative stereotypes do the youth think people have of them in society? Where do they think these ideas come from? Can any of these be transformed into something beautiful and life-affirming? Can any of them be transformed into gifts that can be offered for the benefit of the world? What would need for that to happen? How might God/our faith help us to do so?



* Just for You ~ See the photo at You Still Can't Hold Back the Light link. It makes an excellent image of faith for Good Friday/Easter Sunday.

This quote from Marianne Williamson makes a good accompaniment to the photo. You can read it here at Marianne Williamson quote link.

Palm Sunday and Earth Hour

~Host a discussion on what an "Eco" Palm Sunday would look like in your congregation.  You can find out more here Eco article.

~If your youth group is going to be meeting over Earth Hour (8:30-9:30pm local time) on March 27th consider incorporating it into your plans. More info on earth hour can be found at Earth Hour 2010 link.



* Just for You ~ Do you have a smaller number in your youth group? Here’s a great article what-to-do-when-less-than-5-kids-show-up-at-youth-group article . *please keep in mind that this article comes from a site that does not necessarily reflect the theology of the United Church of Canada. You may have to adapt other articles as needed should you choose to use them.

~There’s a great Palm Sunday image here at Palm Sunday photo link. You may want to read a Palm Sunday reflection to go along with the image. Try "The Entry" link.