January 8th, 2017

My Resolutions- Making 2016 Great!

“[God] has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11

Outline for the Night:

5:30-6:30pm: Youth Mass

6:30-7:00pm: Snacks, Icebreakers, Opening Prayer

7:00-7:10pm: Introduction to the night

7:10-7:25pm: “Last Year I….” game

7:25-7:35pm: Explaining goals

7:35-7:45pm: Sharing about goals

7:45-7:55pm: Transition to small groups

7:55-8:30pm: Small Groups

What Devyn Will Prepare:

  • Small Group Handouts
  • Video queued up

What the team needs to prepare:

  • Team member to lead introduction
  • 1-2 team members to lead “Last Year I…” game
  • Team member to explain goals
  • 2-3 team members to share about their goals/ resolutions

January 8th, 2017

My Resolutions- Making 2016 Great!

“[God] has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11

5:30-6:30pm: Youth Mass

6:30-7:00pm: Snacks, Icebreakers, Opening Prayer

7:00-7:10pm: Introduction to the night

  • Welcome the teens back from our time off and ask them what they did for the holidays.
  • Ask them what they got for Christmas or if they travelled anywhere!
  • Have the teens think about their last year’s resolutions. Ask a few to name them.
  • Ask them if they kept any of those resolutions
  • Ask the teens if they have made any resolutions for this year. Ask a few people to share their resolutions and why they chose them.
  • Tell the teens that tonight we will be talking about the New Year, our Hopes for it and how we can plan to make it great!

7:10-7:25pm: “Last Year I….” game

  • The teens will arrange their chairs in a huge circle around the room. It might take awhile to rearrange the room but just make sure that they are in one circle.
  • Take a chair away so there is one person without a seat. Close the circle.
  • We will now play a game like “never have I ever.” The person in the center of the room will say “Last Year I…” and finish with something that they did last year.
  • Ex: “Last year I scored a soccer goal.”
  • As soon as they say it anyone who scored a soccer goal last year will have to change seats. They need to do it as fast as they can and the last one standing has to stand in the middle and say their “Last year I…”
  • If the teen in the center can’t think of anything show them the attached sheet to give them suggestions.
  • After about 10 minutes of playing have the teens arrange their chair s in rows facing the front again.

7:25-7:35pm: Explaining goals

  • Say that now we have looked back at our year we should start to think about what our hopes are for this year.
  • Say the following in your own words:
  • At the beginning of each New Year, our society has a custom of setting “New Year’s Resolutions.” This practice usually involves an individual resolving to change some habit about themselves that they deem unworthy or inappropriate. Common examples of this would be to lose weight, exercise more, or giving up smoking. Other resolutions might be to get organized or take up that hobby that they have wanted to do for years.
  • Typically, the average person doesn’t even get through a week before the resolution is tossed by the wayside and long forgotten. Why is this? Why do we commit to something only to give up so easily? We even have a saying that says, “Resolutions are made to be broken.” It is acceptable to give up on your resolution because nobody takes them seriously to start with!
  • So why bother? We bother because we all have hopes and dreams that our lives will become better in one way or another. Maybe we dream of making cheerleader or finally passing all of our classes. Maybe we really want to star in the school play or quit procrastinating on our homework assignments. Maybe we want to attend the retreat this year or serve on the youth ministry leadership team. Maybe, just maybe, we want this year to be different than last year.
  • That’s why we are going to set goals for the coming year. Goals are different than resolutions because unlike “New Year’s Resolutions,” they are not fleeting. Goals have two primary characteristics—they must be both attainable and achievable. Goals are not meant to be so far-fetched that there is no point in pursuing them. Goals are meant to be reached. They can be temporary, short-term or long-term in their nature. They exist in order to help us accomplish something.
  • Watch the video “Resolutions vs Setting Goals” by therhodeshow [3:32]

7:35-7:45pm: Sharing about goals

  • Have 2-3 team members share about their good/ bad past resolution experiences. Bonus points if it has to do with when you were in high school!
  • Focus on:
  • What your resolution was and why you picked it
  • If you achieved it or didn’t and why
  • If the resolution was important to you throughout the year
  • How it would be helpful to create a goal instead of a resolution.

7:45-7:55pm: Transition to small groups

7:55-8:30pm: Small Groups

January 8th, 2017

My Resolutions- Making 2016 Great!

Small Groups

  1. Welcome the teens and invite them to take their seats. Take Attendance.
  2. Read the Bible verse for the day
  3. “[God] has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11
  4. Discuss the following questions:
  5. What are some resolutions or goals you guys made last year? Did they work out? Why or why not?
  6. Have you started thinking of some for this year? Are you excited or annoyed about them right now?
  7. What steps do people take to make sure they achieve their goals?
  8. What is the difference between a resolution and a goal?
  9. Lead the teens in the following reflection. Tell them to close their eyes and breathe deeply for a few minutes before you begin. It might be helpful to play some reflective music from your phone.
  10. Notice that you are in the presence of God. Thank him for bringing you here and ask the Holy Spirit to help you to review your year.
  11. Thank God for all of the things that happened in 2016. What did you receive? What special gifts or knowledge were you given?
  12. Now review your whole year. What were your emotions during the months? What special events happened? Who did you meet and interact with?
  13. January (pause 10 seconds)
  14. February (pause 10 seconds)
  15. [Continue through December]
  16. Now that you have reviewed your year do you have any regrets? Is there anything that you would change? What habits do you need to break?
  17. How was your school life this past year? What can you do to make it better?
  18. How was your prayer life this past year? What can you do to improve it?
  19. What personal achievements di you have this past year? How can you build on those?
  20. Hand the teens the worksheet for them to record their personal goals.
  21. Give them a few minutes to complete it and then ask a few people if they would like to share their goals.
  22. As a group talk about how you can support each other in completing those goals. Also talk about your small group theme and how this can help you throughout the year.
  23. Close in prayer with the prayer on the teen’s worksheet.
  24. Pick someone to be the Leader and someone to be the Reader.

“Last Year I…” Examples

  1. Scored a goal in soccer
  2. Visited another state
  3. Procrastinated on my homework
  4. Took the SATs
  5. Failed a test
  6. Won an academic competition
  7. Fought with a sibling
  8. Started driving
  9. Fell asleep at school
  10. Went to Confession
  11. Got grounded
  12. Went to a school dance
  13. Worked at a job
  14. Learned a new skill
  15. Got better at playing my instrument/ sport