The new year brings a great time to celebrate New Beginnings. A great way to mark events in the lives of youth as well as families is to use a blessing. Below you will find a copy of what the LYO Board does as a blessing of their new year together. It was modified from the book "For Everything a Season: 75 Blessings for Daily Life." It can be easily adapted to fit a new year! More blessings can be found in the book "For Everything a Season: 75 Blessings for Daily Life" by the Nilsen Family. It can be purchased on Amazon or from Vibrant Faith Ministries.
Synod LYO Blessing on New Beginning
**Adapted from 75 Blessings for Daily Life by the Nielsen Family
Prayer: Dear Lord, give to the members of the LYO Board direction during this time, clear focus on the possibilities for their new beginning, help in the many preparations and meetings and trust that all will work out well in Your name. Amen.
Read Philippians 4:6-7
Reflection Time: Have everyone have a piece of paper and writing utensil. Have each youth finish these four sentences quietly:
I hope that…
I worry about…
I will be disappointed if…
I am excited about…
I gave them the option of sharing if they wanted to and had a few share, but not required.
Ritual: Individually, the youth came up to the fire and said: “I give all my hopes and worries to God who wants only what is best for me” then put their piece of paper with their answers into the fire, signifying those worries and hopes being given to God.
After everyone finished, pastor stands and says:
Let us end our night together with a blessing. Make the sign of the cross and say with me: God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit watch over you. Amen.
We pray the prayer you taught us to pray: (Lord’s Prayer)
We confess our faith together in the words of the Apostle’s Creed. (Apostle’s Creed)
Let us pray: I give thanks to you, heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ your dear Son, that you have graciously protected me today. I ask you to forgive me all my sins, where I have done wrong, and graciously to protect me tonight. Into your hands I commend myself, my body, my soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel be with me, so that the wicked foe may have no power over me. Amen.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Movie Clips from WingClips
A great tool to help reinforce points or lessons with today's youth is the use of video clips. This website is a great site that has video clips available, both of movies on DVD as well as some movies still in the theaters. You can sign up to get updates and the last email update I received was from WingClips was for movies clips from Avatar.
You can sort movie clips by keyword, title or theme. You can download video clips for free! If you want full access to the site, including sermon helps and higher resolution videos, you can subscribe for $15.95 a month. Just another resource out there to help us out!
WingClips - www.wingclips.com
You can sort movie clips by keyword, title or theme. You can download video clips for free! If you want full access to the site, including sermon helps and higher resolution videos, you can subscribe for $15.95 a month. Just another resource out there to help us out!
WingClips - www.wingclips.com
Baptismal Remembrance
Sunday, January 10th is the Baptism of our Lord Sunday. This is a great Sunday to help the entire congregation remember their baptisms, but also to specifically lift up those who were baptized this past year in your congregation. Below is a blessing that can be included as part of a worship service to remember and celebrate baptism. This was modified from the Milestones Ministry Manual from Vibrant Faith Ministries.
Baptism Remembrance Blessing
Epiphany means “show forth” or “make manifest.” During the epiphany season, the lessons tell of how Jesus showed himself to be the Son of God and the Savior of the world. Today we hear of Jesus being baptized. And today we honor all those who were baptized this past year and we recommit ourselves to the live from the identify God has given each of us in baptism.
We invite those families who are being recognized this morning to come forward and gather around the baptismal font and Christ candle.
Renewing the Baptismal Promises
ALL: At your baptism, you heard the words of Jesus, who says to you and all who are baptized, “You are the light of the world; let your light shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven.” Today we celebrate your new life in Christ and ask you to renew your baptismal covenant. We, the congregation, renew our promise to support and equip you to use your gifts to follow Christ in daily life.
PASTOR: A voice from heaven declared, “You are my son, my Beloved!”
ALL: In the name of the Father…
PASTOR: John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan River and declared, “I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
ALL: In the name of the Son…
PASTOR: The Spirit, descending from heaven like a dove, came upon him.
ALL: In the name of the Holy Spirit.
PASTOR: With a splash of water and a promise, we are called children of God. We are gathered together to remember our baptism as we say…
ALL: In the name of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.
Rite of Remembrance
LEADER: When you were baptized, the pastor spoke the same words and also made the sign of the cross on your forehead and on your heart.
ALL: Receive the sign of the cross as a sign that you have been redeemed by Christ who died on the cross for us.
(A parent or parents of the child or sponsor for a teen or another adult make the sign of the cross on the one whose baptism is being recognized.)
LEADER: We gather to remember that baptism is not just an event. We affirm that these individuals are on a journey of faith that continues today and for the rest of their lives. Regardless of age, they are beloved children of God.
ALL: Help us Lord, to continue our journey with you.
PASTOR: Will you continue to be among God’s people, to hear God’s Word and share in God’s meal, the Holy Communion?
BAPTIZED, SPONSORS, AND FAMILIES: Yes, with the help of God.
LEADER: Will you practice your faith when you rise and when you go to bed, when you are at home and when you are away?
BAPTIZED, SPONSORS, AND FAMILIES: Yes, with the help of God and support of this Christian community.
LEADER: The following were received by God as God’s children through baptism this past year.
(As each one’s name is read, invite them to light their candle from the Christ candle.)
LEADER: As we see your light burning, let it remind us to reflect the light of Christ and let Christ’s light shine through us in our homes and in our daily lives.
ALL: We are beloved children of God. Let us celebrate!
PASTOR: Let us pray together: Gracious God, at the baptism of Jesus you proclaimed him your beloved son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit. Make all who are baptized into Christ faithful in their calling to be your children. Help us to serve you, cherish your forgiveness and grace and always live in honor of you. Amen.
Baptism Remembrance Blessing
Epiphany means “show forth” or “make manifest.” During the epiphany season, the lessons tell of how Jesus showed himself to be the Son of God and the Savior of the world. Today we hear of Jesus being baptized. And today we honor all those who were baptized this past year and we recommit ourselves to the live from the identify God has given each of us in baptism.
We invite those families who are being recognized this morning to come forward and gather around the baptismal font and Christ candle.
Renewing the Baptismal Promises
ALL: At your baptism, you heard the words of Jesus, who says to you and all who are baptized, “You are the light of the world; let your light shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your father who is in heaven.” Today we celebrate your new life in Christ and ask you to renew your baptismal covenant. We, the congregation, renew our promise to support and equip you to use your gifts to follow Christ in daily life.
PASTOR: A voice from heaven declared, “You are my son, my Beloved!”
ALL: In the name of the Father…
PASTOR: John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan River and declared, “I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
ALL: In the name of the Son…
PASTOR: The Spirit, descending from heaven like a dove, came upon him.
ALL: In the name of the Holy Spirit.
PASTOR: With a splash of water and a promise, we are called children of God. We are gathered together to remember our baptism as we say…
ALL: In the name of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.
Rite of Remembrance
LEADER: When you were baptized, the pastor spoke the same words and also made the sign of the cross on your forehead and on your heart.
ALL: Receive the sign of the cross as a sign that you have been redeemed by Christ who died on the cross for us.
(A parent or parents of the child or sponsor for a teen or another adult make the sign of the cross on the one whose baptism is being recognized.)
LEADER: We gather to remember that baptism is not just an event. We affirm that these individuals are on a journey of faith that continues today and for the rest of their lives. Regardless of age, they are beloved children of God.
ALL: Help us Lord, to continue our journey with you.
PASTOR: Will you continue to be among God’s people, to hear God’s Word and share in God’s meal, the Holy Communion?
BAPTIZED, SPONSORS, AND FAMILIES: Yes, with the help of God.
LEADER: Will you practice your faith when you rise and when you go to bed, when you are at home and when you are away?
BAPTIZED, SPONSORS, AND FAMILIES: Yes, with the help of God and support of this Christian community.
LEADER: The following were received by God as God’s children through baptism this past year.
(As each one’s name is read, invite them to light their candle from the Christ candle.)
LEADER: As we see your light burning, let it remind us to reflect the light of Christ and let Christ’s light shine through us in our homes and in our daily lives.
ALL: We are beloved children of God. Let us celebrate!
PASTOR: Let us pray together: Gracious God, at the baptism of Jesus you proclaimed him your beloved son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit. Make all who are baptized into Christ faithful in their calling to be your children. Help us to serve you, cherish your forgiveness and grace and always live in honor of you. Amen.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Welcome!
Welcome to this new blog! The Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO) of the Northeast Iowa Synod of the ELCA is creating this blog to help congregations and those working with youth and families share ideas and resources. We want to equip those working with youth to have the best youth and family ministry possible in their settings. This place will have ideas and resources you can use as they are, tweak, or be inspired for your own ideas. We'll update about once every two weeks and we'll open to guest posts and ideas. We are looking forward to sharing lots of new ideas and resources in the time to come!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)