Christine Johnston

While I was a youth leader a few years ago, We planed a lunch that matched each youth with an older member of the church whom had something in common with that youth. Provided them with a few get to know questions (just to get them started talking)and served them lunch. This allowed them to discover that they could have something in common with someone from another generation and allowed them to get to know someone new that they could connect with after sunday morning services. This event seamed to somewhat help close the generation gap we were seeing and even started some unsuspecting friendships.

Valentines Day is coming up and I thought that I would share something that has worked well for our group. We hosted a "Show Your Love Dinner". We recruted someone from the church who could help us plan and cook a wonderful tasty menu. We advertized by putting colorful flyers in the church mail slots along with info on how to make reservations. We decorated our fellowship hall and set the tables nicely. Our youth wore black pants and white tops to take orders and serve the food. Church members showed their love to each other by taking someone to dinner, to the youth by buying tickets and coming out to support us. The youth showed thier love to other youth by donating the money raised to youth in Malowi so that they could afford to go to school.  ( I could give more details if anyone is interested in trying this with there group)  It was so succesful we did it again the next year.