12.10.08
Non-Lame Christmas Game
Well it is that time of year when everyone is searching for a last minute game to make their Christmas Party the greatest party of the season! Here is a game that we played at our Staff Christmas Party at Central! Sarah Gant, one of Central’s kewlest staff members, made up this game! It was alot of fun and we were able to see some pretty creative ideas and raps! Here is how it is played:
Historic Rapping/Christmas Song Contest
Have your guests sit at tables as they arrive. (We actually played our game after we had our Christmas Dinner!) Each table receives a set of rules for the game and a table host is chosen. The goal of the game is to have the table come up with a Christmas Rap. The key is they are awarded points by using certain words or phrases that are common to your group or organization. Give a set amount of time for the groups to come up with their creative rap! After the time is complete, then each table has their time to shine! Kind of like a karaoke night. Have a few judges and give an old trophy away to the winning group. Here are the rules we used for our game. Adjust them accordingly to fit your organization or group.
RULES: at your table you will find a pad of paper, a pen, and this instruction sheet. With the words listed below, you and your entire table must come up with the best rap or song you can think of and you must include all of the words listed below. If you use a word or phrase more than once, your table will receive extra points. If you leave out a word or phrase listed below, then points will be deducted from your table. You and your table can have use a Christmas song, favorite rap song, or make up a tune for yourself. Have fun with it and be creative! Just remember to make sure it has a “Christmas Feel”, appropriate, and honors the history of Central (Your Organization or group). You have until the end of lunch to complete your rap or song.
Words: Central, Santa Claus, Jud, Christmas tree, Stocking, Mike, Rudolph the Reindeer, Two42, Frosty the Snowman, New Beginnings Drive, 1962, Grace City, Pursuit. (Replace words that signify the history of your group or organization.)
Example: It’s Christmas Eve; let’s go to Central! Said my family with cheer! Maybe this year they’ll show a video with Rudolph the Reindeer. Now its Christmas morning, I run downstairs and what do I see…It’s old Santa Claus with the Two42 coffee for me. I turn the corner and look under the Christmas tree. There’s a gift for me from Jud and Mike B. I open the gift and it’s a free ride in the Central van. This gift is even better than last year’s 1962 toy snowman! Here is one of the video’s from the Staff Party. It is not great quality but you may get a picture of what the game is all about!
Have fun and if you have a great NON-LAME Christmas game; please let us know in the comments box. If you use the game, take some pics or let us know how it went!
11.11.08
Holiday Challenge for Small Groups
Can you believe the Christmas Decorations are already going up? The Smith family usually waits until after Thanksgiving Day to begin putting up our Christmas Decorations. Either way, the Holiday season is in full swing. Children will soon be out of school, in-laws will be coming over, and many will be waiting in long lines for all the sales on Black Friday. Usually with all of this activity, the small group decides to just take the month off. For some, one month will become two and then three months and before you realize it, the group is dead and no longer meeting. Instead of small groups taking a month off, why not do the Holidays a little bit different this year and ensure that your groups do not die due to lack of activity. During this year’s Holiday Season, I have given all of our Small Groups a Holiday Challenge. Here are the ideas I gave to keep our Small Group’s Connected during this Holiday season:
· Plan a Thanksgiving Dinner together (It doesn’t have to be on Thanksgiving Day, but plan a time for all of you to make your special family recipe and come together and share what you are thankful for this year.)
· Take a “Date Night” to see Christmas lights or the lighting of the tree festivities. (Many places around town have special evenings for lighting of the Christmas tree. Last year, a group of us went to Lake Las Vegas for ice skating, carolers, Starbucks, and a little bit of the Christmas spirit.)
· Serve together in the community. (Look around your community for a service project that you could do together. Many homeless shelters, food banks, and non-profit organizations are looking for holiday help. You can also go to the children’s wing of hospitals and pass out presents or stuffed animals.)
· Serve together during the holiday services at Central. (Central will hold several services during the holidays and will need volunteers. This is a wonderful opportunity to help your church serve the community.)
· Have a Party! (Have a Christmas party, plan a game night or go somewhere fun like Jillian’s!)
· Attend the Christmas Eve service together. (Celebrate Christ birth together at one of the many Christmas Eve services. This is also a great opportunity to invite friends or your 1Life for a special evening at Central.)
Here are some ideas for the Holidays, but maybe you as a Small Group Pastor have some special things that you are planning on doing to challenge your Small Groups to stay connected during the Holiday season. Please share any other ideas that you or your Small Group ministry has done in the past.
09.01.08
Happy Labor Day!
Hope you are having a wonderful Labor Day! I am sure many of you are trying to rest and download from this busy time of the year. As we celebrate this Labor Day, let’s remember all of those being displaced from their homes located on the Gulf Coast.
I have a question for you…You know as Small Group Pastors, people are always asking us for advice. Recently, I was asked this same question three times in one week.
“One of the challenges we are having with our group is the lack of
participation during the study. We have a very faithful group that say that they love to come to the group and all socially interact with each other but when it comes time to discuss the questions everyone just clams up. They are all interested in what I have to say but I don’t want it to be about me. Any suggestions?”
What suggestions would you give this leader?
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