Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Experientail YM Handbook: Full-day Events
Emalee Dunkle: I really enjoyed this particular statement: "remember that there are no throwaway moments in ministry." This just blew my mind, many events or plans get pushed away because we think that they can not be as meaningful as they should be but in reality, there is always a learning experience to be had, you just have to be open for it. Since sometimes full-day events seem that they are too much work for such a little time I think we tend to put less emphasis on them. Another thing that caught my interest was the T.S. Eliot quote used at the end of the chapter: "We had the expierience, but we missed the meaning." This seems to be evident in many things when we discuss about imporvements that we feel need to be done in church programs it seems that sometimes we are missing the meaning of the events and not getting out of it what is being offered to us. My question relating to this deals with reflection: In what ways do you think participants can get meaning out of an experience to emphasis the purpose of the event? (that might be a little confusing of a question but hopefully my answer will clear that up) For me I think there needs to be a good amount of time for reflection so that those invovled can think about how they may have been impacted. Personally just leaving time for prayer is not always the most beneficial way to do this, asking questions and then letting the participants ponder and pray about thier answers is usually a more beneficial way for me to get the most out of an expierence.
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Ben Evans
ReplyDeleteI think that full day events can have depth to it if the people who plan the events want there to be depth. I look back on many of the events that I experienced in high school and much of the events didn't have much of a purpose besides giving the students a chance to hang out. I think you are right in saying that a good way to to make full day events more effective is if there is a debriefing time where people can talk about what they learned and to see what others are going through with the same material. I think that if something like that had been integrated into some of the full day events that I did as a teen, I would've understood things that were being taught better.
I can agree that we tend to lose the meaning in the experience, but like you said sometimes there is not always meaning intended but you can still get something out of it. I feel when need to focus more on allowing the Spirit to move in ways that we can not control. I think that discussion and debriefing are both wonderful things to incorporate into full day events so that students can have a chance to process and talk things out with other. This can help to let them talk about what they got from it and see what others were learning too.
ReplyDeleteI think one of the reasons people veer away from trying to make full day events meaningful and deep is because they have tried it in the past and did not have a good reaction from the students. It can be very discouraging when you have the event planned out to be fun and have meaning, but all the kids get is fun (which isn't a bad thing for them to have fun, but you know what I mean). So I think some leaders just give up on their students and stick with being the "fun" leader rather than a "deep" leader.
ReplyDeleteI definitely like the idea of having a debriefing time after events. What I think might add to that is maybe giving participants something physical to take with them (like a handout, worksheet, ect.) and a challenge for the next week, month, or whatever. I have found that by giving people (teens moreso in my case) something to bring back or hold onto is an effective way to get them to retain what you want them to.
ReplyDeleteTyler Cheek
ReplyDeleteI think having some sort of small group within an event or experience is a good way to really understand the purpose of an event. A group led by someone facilitating discussion in a way that gets to the raw point of the event can cause universal comprehension. Also, discussion in and of itself tends to get people minds working and make them ask questions. Asking question in a discussion environment is a really useful thing.
prayer and a brief discussion of what occurred, how all parties involved felt and just discussion period. as it has been said before.. a time of debriefing and community even. this sort of atmosphere can really help in ones reflecting and realizing things about the experience they might not have otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI agree that there has to be some time granted to allow the youth to meditate and ponder and things that have happened. I also feel that every time an extensive activity is planned they should need an hour or three to think about everything that just happened. But if we are truly are looking to get to them on a much deeper level "spiritually" I think the alone time should be more important than the games and the activities planned. And as leaders we always want to make sure we don't burnout our teens.
ReplyDeleteI was actually listening to WNZR tonight, like a nerd, and they did a special on how hard it is for teens to pay attention today. Of course it was some study related back to texting and cell phones, but they went on to say how they are finding out that teens are actually doing worse in school because their brain never gets a chance to relax because it is constantly thinking or worrying about everything going on around it. That teens are always wondering if they got a text or not and it doesn't EVER allow them to concentrate on one thing for very long or without taking a break from it. I think that as leaders in time for the group to get serious this a new and giant obstacle that we will have to overcome if we ever want to reach our youth. Well I will stop ranting, but just sayin its something to consider.
Robby W
ReplyDeleteI think that reflection in some form after the event can be extremely beneficial. A blog like this could even be used and students could post their reactions to certain events and questions and that way they would see other responses beyond their own. I also like what Tyler G. said about giving students something concrete to hold on to kind of like how in the OT people would erect a monument to remember a mighty act of God.
Rachel Elder
ReplyDeleteReflection is a major part of the learning process, and without that key step you don't really get the whole effect of what you just learned. The opening part of what emalee quoted was something that i had never really thoght about or had ever heard before. It's very true though, because minisrty is a process that is alway moving and always active, and it never stops.
Ben, planning good events def. does depend on who is working on them.
ReplyDeleteSara, I am totally with you, we really do need to focus a LOT more on letting the Spirit move and all!
Carly, it is very true that people can give up because of dissapointment after other events, so sad :(
Tyler G, I love your thought on physical things, I have kept many different things from my youth group events just because of the memory and reminder they hold for me.
Tyler C, getting minds working is def. something that needs to be done.
Keith, the atmosphere is def. important!
Jurtin, I like all your thoughs, I like that you connected it to something so recent in your own life, def. an eyeopener to remember about current teens.
Robby, its absolutley true that something just like this blog could be helpful, especailly with how technically savy most teens are.
Rachel, i like how you said that without some type of reflection, there isnt really a way to get the whole effect of what you are to be learning, its absolutely true.