Refresh, Renew For the time of July and August many people are on holiday and perhaps continuing with the usual cell material may be a little bit more difficult. For this period we have designed 6 flexible sessions which are loosely based around the theme of water, however the material does not develop throughout the month and so there is no particular order in which to do the sessions, and it doesn’t matter if you don’t do some of the sessions. The idea is you can choose to use them when, how and if it suits your group. However, in keeping with the water theme that we have been focusing on this year, this period is a time of refreshment and renewal as well as a chance for the youth group to be a blessing to the rest of your church and community. Many of the group will be on holiday from school and so may have slightly more time than usual and so challenging them to shower their corps/ community with blessing at this time may give them something to keep their focus during this time and may yield greater results than when they are usually bogged down with school work etc. Some of the outlines in these sessions may take up more time than just one week. For example, the planning of Sunday school may take one week and then actually doing it may take another week up.
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celloutlines | introduction
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celloutlines | session one These Cell Outlines are written by ALOVE UK. They are available each week from our web site. For more information and other cell resources, visit www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove/resources
Get Creative!! (n.b. This could be a project for the whole of the summer sessions with extra bits being added weekly. If you have a large group perhaps you could split up and do a number of different videos. The idea is to be flexible and do what works best for you.) So as many of us will be on school holidays, it’s important that we do something that will keep our minds active and focused. Let’s get creative over the summer months and use our creativity to honor and glorify God. (Gen 1:27, Ex 35:31, Eph 2:10, Proverbs 22:29, Colossians 3:23)
i. Points of view Are there any budding Spielberg’s, Keira Knightley’s or Denzil Washington’s out there? Our first summer session is all about getting creative and creating something that perhaps brings new light to a familiar story. The challenge is to ‘Create a story in 3 minutes’. As the theme for this year is water, it would be great to base this on a story that features water. Perhaps create the video focusing on the viewpoint of somebody that the story isn’t usually told from for example – the story of Jonah and the Whale from the viewpoint of the whale, or the story of Noah and the Ark from one of the animals. Whatever it is, get creative and go deeper in the story. Having to think about different viewpoints in the story is a great way of going deeper in the story and widens our understanding. You may even think about the story in a way that you have never thought about before and it may give the story a whole new message for you. Of course, if you don’t have the technology or expertise to create a video – write and perform a drama script, or even just write some diary entrants from some characters in some of the stories. Go deep in understanding the characters and try to put yourself in a place where you can empathise with their emotions. When the video is finished – show it in a Sunday service (or perform the drama/read the diary entries). Make sure that you send the video into ALOVE. Who knows – we may even have an ‘Oscars-esque’ award for the best videos!
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Some ideas: Noah and the ark (Genesis 6-9) The Samaritan Woman at the well (John 4:1-26) Jonah at the whale (Jonah 1-4) Moses and the bulrushes (Exodus 2-1-10) Moses and the Red Sea (Exodus 14) Jesus Calms the storm (Mark 4:35-41, Luke 8:22-25 and Matthew 8:23-27) Jesus walks on Water (Matthew 14: 22-36) Jesus washing the disciples feet (John 13) The disciples cast their nets on the other side (John 21:1-14) Jesus turns water into wine (John 2:1-12) Baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:1-17) Jesus heals the blind man (John 9)
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celloutlines | session one (continued...) To further fuel your imagination – below is an extract of a drama script from the viewpoint of the Samaritan woman at the well.
Drama Extract [taken from www.reformedworship.org/article/december-1999/come-and-see-dramatic-monologuewoman-well] Livin’ Water “Livin’ water.” That’s what he promised that day by the well. “Livin’ water.” Shoot, I didn’t know what he meant by it. I only just knew that here was this Jewish rabbi, sittin’ by the well . . . first askin’ me for water . . . and then turnin’ around later and offerin’ me somethin’ I hadn’t never heard of before . . . “livin’ water.” It started out like any other day. Noon came. ’Bout then I knew the time was right for me to make my way to the well. Evenin’ is the time for most to draw water. There’s none too many out on the street at high noon. It’s the best time of the day to avoid contact with those who hold you “at a distance.” Since I have no one to walk with and talk with on the way to the well, I like to pass the walk time by “fairy talin’.” Ya know what I mean? “Happy endingin’.” I think about how things are and how they could’ve been. Like, what if Judas—he was my first husband and the love of my life—what if he hadn’t died so young? Guess it’s true what they say about “the good die young.” What if I’d had a son by him? Then I wouldn’t have had to marry Judas’s brother, Jabesh. He didn’t want me anyway. . . . What if Jabesh hadn’t divorced me and forced me into marriage with Jabar? What if Jabar hadn’t died? He was a good man . . . poor, but good. Older than Methusaleh, but good. Wasn’t much chance I’d have a son by him! But he was a good man. What if my marriage to Levi would have worked out? Not that there was much chance of that either. He was a mean-spirited man. What if I had never married Zadar? . . . What if Deborah hadn’t caught Zadar’s fancy after we’d married? . . . What if Zadar hadn’t gone off with her to who-knows-where before obtainin’ a divorce decree from the elders of the city?
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What if Jake and I could get married . . . and what if we had a son? A son who was brighter and faster and handsomer than any of the sons of those who cut me out. My son would have Jake’s thirst for the good things in life . . . but not his thirst for wine. My son would have my love for people . . . but not their disdain for me. My son would marry a fine girl who would do me the honor of drawin’ water from the well for me. Fairy talin’ . . . happy endingin’! He was already sittin’ there when I approached. I could see right away he wasn’t from these parts—he was a Jew, and he looked to be a teacher or a rabbi. I expected the usual down-lookin’ from him that we Samaritans have received from Jews for as long as we can remember. I expected it double . . . bein’ as I was not only a Samaritan but a woman as well. “Unclean” they call us—like we was dogs or somethin’! So I looked at that man just sitting there and thought, “He’s one of them. Just another one of them that thinks he’s better than me. Just another one of them thinkin’, ‘There she is . . . a Samaritan woman! Just who does she think she is, comin’ to this well? Just who does she think she is, comin’ anywhere near me? Why, one tiny brush from her skirt could keep me out of the synagogue for weeks!” But I didn’t know what he was thinkin’. Instead of shooing me away, he asked me, real polite-like, “Will you give me a drink?” It was easy to see why he’d be askin’. The sun was hotter than blue blazes, his clothes were sweated up like he’d been walkin’ awhile, and he was empty-handed. He needed me! I had the upper hand for a change! He needed
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celloutlines | session one (continued...) me to draw him some water. Know how ya can be when the upper hand is yours and ya know it? Know how it is when ya really want to be talkin’ to somebody . . . anybody, but the pride in ya keeps ya from givin’ ’em so much as a side glance? Know how sometimes the venom that’s been gnawin’ at your belly just spills out and ya lay on some innocent victim the anger that’s just pushin’ to get out? I soon regretted the angry words I spit at him. “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” He didn’t get riled by the words or the anger. Instead, he told me strange things. Things about living water, and water that makes people never thirst again. He asked about Jake. Well, he didn’t really ask about Jake, he asked me to go to get my husband. And when I told him, kinda cocky-like, that I didn’t have a husband . . . [very subdued] . . . he told me he knew . . . then he told me everything I ever did. [Moves from shame to excitement] I knew right off he was some kind of prophet, and after he said a couple more things I got to wonderin’ [increases excitement] . . . Could he be the one? Could he be the Messiah they’re always talkin’ about? Could he be? . . . My mind got to runnin’ with the thought of it. It was like fairy talin’, but for real. What if he was the one? What if . . . what if . . . ? Before I knew what was happenin’, my feet was runnin’ too. Runnin’ right into town . . . right to the people who never had so much as the time of day for me. Then my mouth started runnin’ too . . . and words just spilled out: “Come and see . . . Come and see the man who told me everything I ever did! Could he be the Christ?”
ii. Getting arty
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Perhaps acting and drama is not your thing. Maybe your group is more into arts and crafts. Why not work on a large piece of art that features one or some of the stories of water which could be displayed somewhere at your hall to remind you of what you have spoken about this year. As always – we want to see what you’ve created. Send us a picture of the finished article! It would be great to post some on our Facebook/Twitter pages.
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celloutlines | session two These Cell Outlines are written by ALOVE UK. They are available each week from our web site. For more information and other cell resources, visit www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove/resources
Be better together Film night! Exodus 1-15 As an idea for one of your summer sessions, watch ‘Prince of Egypt’ as a group, the animation of the story of Moses. If it is convenient watch it around somebody in the groups house for a more intimate and comfortable setting. Have some food/snacks (popcorn, crisps etc.) and just enjoy being together. I recently went to Egypt and was fortunate enough to do some snorkeling in the Red Sea. It was a pretty amazing experience and we were told that 30,000ft below us there may have been sharks. The water was unbelievably deep and the creation I saw as I floated on the top of the water was truly breath taking. Naturally, being in the Red Sea, and the obvious connection to the story of Moses, it made me think about the parting of the Red Sea. Whilst I was in the sea, it seemed completely impossible that it could have ever parted and people could have walked through it. However, in the Bible we are told that this happened. It wasn’t a story, it was real life, and as Christians we believe that this happened. Moses did not part that water on his own. Moses is somebody that I and maybe others relate to. He was just an ordinary, limited human being. He struggled talking in front of people, and didn’t know how God would use him to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. And yet, Moses places his life in God’s hands and submits to doing His will and with God’s power is able to do amazing, miraculous things. The film is a great watch and suitable for all and will once again bring home the truths in the story. If time allows you may consider basing a discussion or closing thought/prayer on the following ideas: What limitations do we have? What stops us from doing what God wants us to?
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What is God asking us to do? How do we know what God is asking us? Have we heard His voice? Have we ever given God excuses? Has God responded to our excuses? What do you think God would do through us if we just submitted to His will? What do we need to do in order to submit ourselves to His will? What is stopping us from doing this? The DVD can be purchased pretty cheaply from: www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/3439794/The-Prince-Of-Egypt/ Product.html?searchstring=prince+of+egypt&searchsource=0&searchtype=allproducts&urlrefer=search
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celloutlines | session three These Cell Outlines are written by ALOVE UK. They are available each week from our web site. For more information and other cell resources, visit www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove/resources
Shower your corps/community in blessings (Ezekiel 34:26, Matthew 5:16) This session could vary depending on what will work best for you in your setting. However during these summer months, the challenge is for you to think and pray about ways in which you as a youth group can shower your corps with blessings. Does your corps have tea and coffee after the meetings on Sunday? Perhaps you can serve the tea and coffee one week (or more!) as an act of service and as a great way of getting to know your congregation, building relationships and giving something back! If your corps doesn’t usually have coffee after the services, why not surprise them one week. Or you could even bake some cakes for people to have with their tea/coffees Offer your services as babysitters to those who may require your service during the holidays, with many parents (and officers!) still required to work, your offer will come at a great time for these parents and it is a great way for you to be a good example and influence over younger members of your church. Do some garden maintenance, either at the corps (if required) or at somebody’s house associated with the corps who perhaps struggles to do it on their own or even out in the local community. (Of course – ensure there is somebody there that knows what they are doing so the youth group doesn’t end up pulling up plants and watering weeds!) As a youth group, why not run Sunday school for a week. The guys that run Sunday school faithfully at your corps do it week after week, and it would be great during the summer months to give them a rest, even for just one week. Plan some games and some material based on some of the stories involving water. Potential ideas for games and crafts found below:
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Ping Pong Relay Have your group split into teams. And line up at one end of the hall. At the other end, position a jar (a jam jar works great) full of water with a ping pong ball lying next to it. On the word ‘Go’ the first member of each team must run to the jar and try and bounce the ping pong ball into the jar so that it lands in the water. (This works best on a hard surface so if your floor is carpeted perhaps place the jar on a tray.) Once this has successfully been completed, the member of the team runs back and tags the next member of the team who then has to run to the jar and bounce the ping pong ball in to the jar. This continues until all the members of the team have completed the challenge and the team is back at the start and sitting down in their line. The quickest team to complete this is the winner.
Port, starboard, bough, stern Have the ‘captain’ explain his commands and the relative actions that go with each command. “Port” = run to the left side of playing area. “Starboard” = run to the right side or playing area. “Bough” = run to the front of the room “Stern” = run to the back of the room
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celloutlines | session three (continued...) “Captain’s Coming” = stand to attention and salute. “Submarines” = lie on the floor. “Climb the rigging” = pretend to climb a rope. How to Play 1. Begin with a few practice rounds for players to build familiarity with the commands. 2. When ready to play, the captain shouts out a command. 3. The players do the actions associated with the commands. 4. Players that do the wrong action are out! 5. The last player still playing becomes the new captain! Variations If you would like to switch up the commands, here are a few to choose from: “Attention on deck!” - the crew must salute and yell, “Aye, aye, Captain!” No one may move again until the captain shouts, “At ease!” “Clear the deck!” - everyone must get their feet off the deck by standing on something other than the floor. “Board the love boat!” - each crew member must find a partner and begin dancing. No partner? You’re out, Sailor! “Man the crow’s nest!” - crew members pair up piggyback-style. Anyone left without a partner is out. “Abandon ship!” - each crew member must sit face-to-face with another and pretend to row a lifeboat. “Hit the deck!” - the crew must immediately drop to their stomachs. “Up periscope!” - crew members must lie on their backs, raise one leg straight up into the air, and twist their foot around as if scanning the horizon. “Scrub the deck!” - the crew must drop to their knees and pretend to scrub the deck.
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Some great ideas for Sunday school crafts can be found here: http://www.daniellesplace.com/html/biblethemes-miracles.html
Create a fishing boat A perfect craft if you decide to talk about casting nets on the other side or Jesus calming the storm, or even Noah and the ark! All you will need is a cork, a cocktail stick and a bit of paper to act as a sail. Cut the cork in half so you have a flat side and a curved side. Insert the cocktail stick into the flat side of the cork (this will be your fishing boats mast) The paper should be colored in in wax crayon (cover it in crayon as this is water proof) The paper will be positioned on the cocktail stick to form the sail. The children in your Sunday school may need help with some of it but it would be a good idea to pre-cut the corks. An example of such a boat is found at: http://twosmallflames.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/making-cork-boatswith-colourful-shape.html
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celloutlines | session four These Cell Outlines are written by ALOVE UK. They are available each week from our web site. For more information and other cell resources, visit www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove/resources
Discussion cell Matthew 7:24-27 Watch the video by Nooma entitled ‘Rain’ – www.youtube.com/watch?v=loFBGdeXGtg The video centres around storms of life and how we deal with them. We can be safe in the knowledge that God protects us from the storms and holds us tight when we go through these times. The Nooma DVDs come with discussion ideas, so if your corps have the DVDs, you should have access to these – if not, here are some ideas to get you started: It says in the video, ‘Do you ever have one of those moments…like…if you could just freeze it? It’s so beautiful.’ If you could freeze one moment in your life, what would it be? Why would you want to freeze it? W e know that even in the summer, when things are good and the weather should be great, it still rains. – How does this relate to our lives? Why do you think it rains in our lives, even when we are good people? What are the storms in our lives? What is one storm in your life that you wish hadn’t happened? Looking back, did anything good come of it? What did you learn from it? Does God put us through these times on purpose? What do you think about God making us suffer? Do you think there is a better way to make us learn? H as it ever felt like God has been ignoring you or not listening? Why did you feel like this? Looking back, does it still seem like he wasn’t listening? The video goes onto to talk about how there is this idea that Christians should have everything sorted and always be OK. Have you ever not been ok but pretended that you were? Why did you do that? And yet, God says to bring all the junk of our lives to him. What is the junk in our lives? What clogs up our lives and stops us coming before God? Is there anybody in your life who you would do anything for? Do we feel like God would do that for us and what makes us feel that way?
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Read as a group Deuteronomy 1:31 in a number of different translations so that it really hits home. Spend some time in prayer and worship. Have the poem ‘Footprints in the Sand’ for people to read and reflect upon the words. I would suggest having a copy of the words for each member of the group. This could even be created and printed in an attractive manner so that the youth group can take these away with them. Possible music to use: Leona Lewis, Footprints in the Sand Lifehouse, Storm Oslo Gospel Choir, In your Arms [www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZhO0X8HSjY]
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These Cell Outlines are written by ALOVE UK. They are available each week from our web site. For more information and other cell resources, visit www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove/resources
Watershed – Social Action Get involved with The Salvation Army’s International Development departments Watershed campaign. Read up as to what the campaign is all about - www.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/Watershed_Action_Pack Check out their youth material including Cell, quizzes, videos and fundraising ideas. Perhaps organise a sponsored event or a fund raiser whereby your youth group can raise money for the watershed project, or other water based projects (i.e. some of the “JustGifts’ on the SP&S website - www. salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/justgifts.) Again, the idea is to be flexible and use the material here as it would be appropriate for your group, however, I would recommend trying to do something during the summer on the Watershed project. It is great to expose our youth to some social action and create an awareness and passion within them to make the world a better and more just place for everybody to live.
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celloutlines | session five
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celloutlines | session six These Cell Outlines are written by ALOVE UK. They are available each week from our web site. For more information and other cell resources, visit www.salvationarmy.org.uk/alove/resources
Prayer – Be refreshed John 4
The Samaritan woman – Our time at the well Quickly recap on the story with your group Jesus encourages us to come to Him and he will give us water that gives us everlasting life. Set up prayer stations around your room. Put some music on and allow the youth some time to visit the stations, meditate, and take some time to get some of God’s ‘water’ on board.
A few prayer station ideas to get you started Have a jug of water and cups ready for people to symbolically quench their thirst. As they do so, pray that Jesus makes them thirsty for Him and that we may know and experience his life giving, everlasting water. Have a bowl of warm water and a towel close by. As your group see fit, clean yours or someone else’s hands/ feet symbolic of having our sins washed away. Spend some time asking for forgiveness and also asking God to help us serve each other and the world more lovingly. Ephesians 5:26 1 John 1:9 John 13 1:38
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There’s also some really good creative prayer ideas in the Watershed material so you could use some of those in this session too.
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