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Evangelical Lutheran Church In America
"Strengthening the Church"

100 (& more) Ways Youth Can Minister and Be Ministered To

Youth ministry is the ministry done in the name of Christ by youth. The LYO Board suggests these ways that youth can minister, and be ministered to:

Teach the Faith

1. Offer Creative Bible Studies (like "Faith Lens")

2. Attend an event or go to the worship service of another faith then discuss the differences

3. Sponsor special seminars: death & dying, human sexuality, teenage alcoholics, family relationship, the occult, war & peace

4. Recall Reformation Day....find someone to portray Martin and/or Katie Luther and go at it

5. Invite clergy from other denominations to explain the differences

6. Bible trivia challenge

7. Take youth out of school (or hold at school) for a lunch and Bible study

8. Encourage male youth to start a Lutheran Men in Mission Bible study

9. Perform the musical "To The Castle" by Jay Beech"

Worship
10.	Develop youth leadership in weekly worship services, including lecturing, ushering, greeting, special music, communion assistants, sacristan, etc.
11.	Invite confirmed youth to serve as those who distribute Communion to shut-ins
12.	Bonfire communion service
13.	Put together a youth-led contemporary music group; use it in worship, and/or Wednesday night events or Sunday night concerts
14.	Hire a praise band and have a Christian music sing-a-long
15.	Develop a clowning ministry or a puppet ministry (dig out "Peli"). Such a group could be used for children’s sermons, Sunday school openings, VBS, nursing homes or travel to neighboring congregations
16.	On Good Friday, have a procession of youth through the streets carrying a large wooden cross
17.	On Good Friday, have youth perform Christ’s life for little kids. Move to different parts of the church for the different parts of Christ’s life (or just the passion story) -- little kids love it! Be sure to have cookies and juice afterward for fellowship time
18.	Create a banner to present to the church
19.	Hold a 24 hour prayer vigil
20.	Organize a prayer chain
21.	Establish a Christian music library so youth can sample praise music
22.	Have a short worship and breakfast before school
23.	Invite youth to create a "how to & how not to" acolyte video
24.	Volunteer to have your group be a baptismal co-sponsor for a student Baptized at Bremwood
Service
25.	If you’re a rural church, host youth from a city church for a weekend; if you’re a city church, host a rural church youth group for a weekend
26.	Have Youth host a "Family Game Night" for families with younger children
27.	Host a Conference youth event like a lock-in
28.	Have a "Hike (or similar event) Against World Hunger"
29.	Organize a picnic and invite the whole community
30.	Sponsor an overseas Lutheran World Relief Project
31.	Learn about "Stand With Africa"
32.	Create a Bible mural for your church
33.	Do trust exercises
34.	Role Playing
35.	Have youth lead arts and crafts projects night for younger children
36.	Hold a birthday party for the residents of a nursing home
37.	Hold an Easter Sunrise Service and breakfast for the congregation
38.	Have a pastor or youth sponsor a "roast"
39.	Raise money to help build or repair a school in a developing nation
40.	Visit the people who work at night, bring them some token of appreciation for their work: a police station, fire department, newspaper, hospital emergency room, bakery, all-night restaurant, end with breakfast
41.	Car wash
42.	Attend a servant event
43.	Attend Synod LYO events
44.	A "lock-in" (use students from the colleges or campus ministries of the church)
45.	Plan a worship service centered on the early persecuted Christians
46.	Kidnap your pastor; as ransom collect items for the needy
47.	Bring in guest speakers
48.	Pen-pals or key pals with other churches around the country or world to share ideas
49.	Make contact with a missionary
50.	Visit the sick and shut-ins with a mini youth service
51.	Start a youth group sports team; challenge other churches
52.	Hold a Bible story haunted house
53.	Rural churches can hold a petting zoo for children in town churches
54.	Go door-to-door with door hangers in your community or at a mission site
55.	Hold a "trick or treat" alternative All Saints Eve Party
56.	Adopt a family for Christmas
57.	Connect with a local charity all year long. Visit, raise money, and volunteer one time every month
58.	Adopt a grandparent
59.	Perform light chores and home maintenance for elderly
Communication
60.	Write an article for your church paper and local newspaper on what your group is doing. Designate an individual(s) in charge of public relations
61.	Create a youth ministry web page for your congregation or conference
62.	Create a youth ministry service group list
63.	Publish an article in your church newsletter each month highlighting a youth so that the congregation can learn about the activities and interests of the youth each month
64.	Publish a youth newsletter in your church and community
65.	Create a youth group symbol, silk screen it onto T-shirts for all your members, and wear them at youth gatherings
66.	Make a youth scrapbook and photo album
67.	Write a song/motto/rap for your group, share it

Encourage Leadership

68. Nominate a youth candidate for church council or another committee

69. Send a youth as a voting member to the Synod Assembly

70. Sponsor a youth leadership training event such as peer ministry or child in our hands

71. Give a Spiritual Gifts Inventory and discuss the results

72. Start a youth resources library

73. Offer to serve on the board of the synod LYO

74. Hold a "vocations" night

75. Ropes Course

76. Do a series of Bible studies on leadership

Intergenerational Involvement

77. Challenge the adults to a baseball, basketball or volleyball game

78. Offer to lead an adult Sunday School class on the topic of youth

79. Youth group reunion: Invite all former youth group members

80. Have a youth/adult combined mini-retreat for an afternoon focus on communications

Fellowship is a Ministry Too

81. Hold an old-fashioned ice cream social

82. Hayrack ride

83. Put together a talent show

84. Canoe trips

85. Back-packing

86. Have a Frisbee tournament or go to a Frisbee golf course

87. Roller-skating, sledding, and skiing

88. Have an Olympics or "Anything Goes" Night

89. Sponsor an Oktoberfest – a field day; plan games for participation of youth and adults; provide refreshments

90. Taffy pull, popcorn party

91. Road rallies

92. Scavenger hunt

93. Progressive dinner

94. Play Sardines

95. Parties (toga, or other themes)

96. Have a "comfy chair game" night

97. Hold a marathon (dance, monopoly)

98. Hold a Film Festival

99. Church scavenger hunt. With multiple churches, hold a scavenger hunt. Begin at one church (who is in charge of opening activities) and go from church to church with a camera needing to find certain things. At each church, stop for an activity planned by that church.

100. Walk-a-thon, Bike-a-thon, Swim-a-thon

101. Go on a camping retreat

102. Have a bake-off, guys vs. the girls

103. Hold a "Create a Junk Sculpture" festival

104. Go Rock Climbing

Connect to the Larger Church

105. Visit a church-related college, campus ministry or seminary

106. Attend the ELCA National Youth Gathering

107. Attend the Synod LYO Assembly

108. Visit or ask for a visit from Bremwood Lutheran Services

109. Visit the Synod Office

110. Visit the churchwide offices in Chicago

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