Same Value

by Breanne Brunner, Youth Director Mt. Zion UMC

There are several posters hanging in my office at Mt Zion UMC. Some are funny, some have pictures of my youth, and there is one very large prop from a summer church camp skit. My favorite poster has a saying on it from one of my good friends from that church camp, “Even though I fail…. SAME VALUE.”

Sounds simple enough. Short and to the point. Same value. Nothing too fancy about that, yet when I tried to put it in practice for my youth group they struggled with the idea. We can’t possibly have the same value all the time, you can’t lose a game and have the same value as if you had won. That’s just not possible?

In a world that values competition and winning at all costs, how do we retain the value that we have all been given by God? When we don’t win, when we can’t get straight A’s, when we can’t be first chair, when we let down our parents, our friends and our God, surely we don’t have the same value? The thing about that statement is that it doesn’t suppose that we might fail, it says when we do, we have the same value, for we all have fallen short of the glory of God, and we all have been forgiven.

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 Warren's Top Ten Youth Resources

There are a lot of really good youth resources out there for people involved in youth ministry. The problem is that some of them are costly, not to mention that most people are very busy and don’t have time to read through all the resources out there. Over the years I have discovered a few resources that I go to again and again that really work. So If I could only have 10 resources to help me in youth ministry, these are the 10 that I would want.

10) The Book of Questions By Gregory Stock

A must have! Use questions in variety of ways: get to know games or discussions, on the road to keep students occupied.

9) Videos that Teach By Dug Fields and Eddie James

A must have! Use questions in variety of ways: get to know games or discussions, on the road to keep students occupied.

8) Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling Youth by Patricia and Keith Miller

Divided by subject this resource can help you with counseling as well as Discussion topics

7) Quick Crowd Breakers and Games for Youth Groups

More than 200 fun mixers that students will love. Broken down in the following categories: Partners Play, Team Tangles, Group Games and Just for Fun.

6) Talksheets- High School by David Lynn

Easy to use one-page, reproducible handouts that offer provocative questions in a compelling design that launch kids into deep discussions on issues that matter. Each book contains 50 programs and has been one of the best-selling discussion-starting series for Youth Specialties for years. Other titles include Psalms and Proverbs

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UM A.R.M.Y

What is UM A.R.M.Y.?

United Methodist Action Reach-out Mission by Youth (U.M.ARMY) is an opportunity for youth and adults to experience Christian growth through service to others. Participants combine their strengths to meet home repair and maintenance needs for those unable to pay for the work, or who cannot do the work for themselves. One of our founding principals is that real and life changing mission work can take place close to home. We are committed to putting our resources to work in local communities. To learn more about, click on UM A.R.M.Y

Our Camps
United Methodist churches host the mission camps for one week each summer. Because we are housed in local churches our participant fees are affordable. Yet we are able to able to provide substantial outreach within the community. Participants eat, sleep, enjoy fun evening programs and worship together each day. They are divided into work teams of four to six youth with adult support for the week's work. U.M.ARMY youth and adults work together to provide construction and repair on access ramps, porches, windows, handrails, roofs, ceilings, steps and other areas in need. They also paint and do yard work. Clients are referred through local social service, community and church organizations. Jobs are selected and completed based on greatest need.

Read more: UM A.R.M.Y.