Love

April 30th, 2017

Purpose: To talk about what Love really is, to discuss different Bible verses about love and to encourage the teens to share their love with others as the Faith Formation year ends.

**This is Confirmation Day so 8th grade might have light attendance!**

Reminders before class:

  • Make sure videos are working
  • Decide if you want to have a class party

What Devyn Needs to Prepare:

  • Put videos on the website

Outline:

5:30-6:30pm: Youth Mass

6:30-7:00pm: Snacks, icebreaker, opening prayer in dining room

7:00-7:10pm: Gather Time in classroom

  • Welcome the teens
  • Take attendance
  • Ask the teens if they thought about Hope this past week or if they are hoping for something to happen soon.

7:10-7:15pm: Introduction to the night

  • Tell the teens that tonight we will be finishing our 3 part series on Faith, Hope and Love.
  • Say that tonight we will be talking about what Love really is, how it’s talked about in the Bible and how to take everything we have learned this year and remember to share it with others after we break for the summer.
  • Go around the room and have the teens name the first word that comes to mind when they think of the word “Love.”
  • Tell the teens that tonight is not another chastity night. Tonight we will be talking about God’s love for us.

7:15-7:35pm: Bible Verses

  • Pass out Bibles and have groups of 2-3 look up the following verses. When they have time to review them ask one person from each group to read their Bible Verse out loud to the whole class.
  • John 3:16
  • John 15:13
  • Matthew 5:43-45
  • Mark 12:30-31
  • John 13:34-35
  • John 14:15
  • Proverbs 10:12
  • Tell the teens that we are going to read through the Bible verses again, and this time we will write on the board some important words that we hear when we the verses are read. (Examples: commandments, heart, strength, mind, etc.)
  • Have the other partner read the Bible Verse out loud to the class.
  • Look at the words on the board and point out that they are strong words. They aren’t emotional or wishy-washy. These are very intentional words that God uses when talking about Love.
  • Watch the video “Love: A Matter of the Will- Catholic Video by Speaker Ken Yasinski” by Catholic Minute… [2:57]

7:35-7:50pm: Personalizing Scripture

  • Have the teens open their Bibles to 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
  • Take turns “popcorn reading” this passage.
  • Discuss the following questions:
  • Have you heard this passage before? Where?
  • What do you think about it?
  • In you r opinion, what is the most important characteristic of Love that is mentioned in this passage. Why do you think it’s the most important?
  • Tell the teens that you can replace the word “Love” with your name to give you an example to strive for! Example: “John is patient. John is kind. He is not jealous…”
  • Go around the room and read the passage again, starting with verse 4 and ending with verse 8. Have the kids reading the passage substitute their name in for the word “Love”
  • Ask them if they feel they live up to the characteristics. Ask them why they do or don’t.
  • Tell the teens that when they want to start dating someone they should do this same activity with their name! If they don’t match up to those characteristics than they aren’t worth dating!
  • Have the teens fill in their names in the “This is the Word of the Lord about ______” worksheet.
  • Go around the room and have the teens say which personalized verse made them feel the most loved.

7:50-8:00pm: Loving Purposefully

  • Watch the video “More Than the Motions” by Life Teen Inc [1:24]
  • Remind the teens that since we know we are loved by God, we are now called to return that love and to share it with others.
  • Make two columns on the board, one labled “Love God” and the other labeled “Love Others.” Have the teens brainstorm concrete ways that they can show their love for God and their love for others. Fill in the columns.

8:00-8:25pm: Review of the year, Catholic Party, and/or fun Catholic Worksheets

  • This time can have 3 options(Or do a mixture of all three!)
  1. Have the teens go through their folders and name out things that they remember, enjoyed or learned from each of the lessons throughout the year
  2. Have a Catholic Class Party
  3. Let the teens do fun activities like coloring, crafting or doing some of the fun worksheets in the end of their folder. You can also play some of the games on the worksheet in your attendance folder

8:25-8:30pm: Closing Prayer

  • Have the teens stand up in a circle around the room. Tell them that this is their last day in this classroom because next week is our group party.
  • Have them each name something that they have been grateful for this year or say something nice about someone else in the room.Close with an Our Father
  • Thank the teens for a great year and tell them to take their folders home!

***Print out April 30th PDF Worksheets**