Youth Ministry - Central Plains Mennonite Conference

Youth Ministry Basics
a handbook for congregational youth ministry

Are you looking for

...the regular Mennonite Church youth curriculum

Here is a sample session for Fall 2010

...elective curriculum

...video curriculum

...summer service projects

...books for youth leaders

Are you a

...Sunday School teacher

...Mentor Coordinator

...Youth Sponsor

Here are some resources I've given each congregation. Please look for them at church if you haven't seen them yet.

Help for Youth Leaders DVD
This is a video of me talking to youth sponsors, Sunday School teachers, mentor coordinators and youth delegates, sharing about basic youth ministry resources and giving some general advice.

Youth Ministry Basics
This handbook for congregational youth ministry starts with the basic "why" and "how" we do youth ministry and what our objectives are. It also includes ideas for curriculum and some basic advice. You'll find it in a PDF on the right side of this page.

Can't find what you need? Contact me at

Hi! I'm Shana Peachey Boshart, youth minister for Central Plains. On these pages, youth leaders of Central Plains churches will find lots of resources and information to help you teach Sunday School, lead youth group or mentor youth.

It’s a do-over! Improved high school SS curriculum
Take a second look at Mennonite Publishing Network’s high school Sunday School curriculum! Because it is written fresh for every quarter, improvements have been built in over time, and now it has a whole new format! For starters, it is shorter and made to be folded and slipped into your Bible. Gone are the childish activities at the end of the lesson, now the entire lesson is more age-appropriate. Take a gander at this sample session.

Hot weather activity ideas!
Are you stumped for what to do with your youth group during the hot summer months? A hot dog roast/s’mores making/chubby bunny competition during the cool of the evening is always popular. How about going to the local swimming pool or someone’s pond together? Maybe you can play board games with the residents of a nursing home or assisted living on a Sunday afternoon (air conditioning!!). A scavenger hunt in a mall with supper in the food court afterwards is a fun way to spend a few hours also. What about a leftovers potluck – bring whatever you’ve got in the fridge and make Mom happy by freeing up some Tupperware!

Going on a service trip? Order Merge now!
Merge gives you lesson plans, Bible studies and activity ideas before, during and after your service trip. Remember, Central Plains youth leaders can buy Merge for just $11.19—30% off the regular price. The discount code was sent to youth leaders in the newsletter.

Need more ideas? Here is a great list of resources for service trips available to you from the Western District Resource Library.

Need a Bible Study or SS material? I’ve got options for you!

YMroadtrip.org
Want a Bible study you can choose and download from the ‘Net in seconds? Want a Bible study that actually digs into the Bible? How about a Bible study by Mennonite youth for Mennonite youth? And shouldn’t it be FREE? You can have it all! Surf on over to www.ymroadtrip.org/ and choose from 116 different lessons! Wow!!

Dig a little deeper with MEA lesson plans
Here’s something really cool. Most of our youth don’t even have the option of going to a Mennonite high school and taking classes like Practical Christian Living, Images of God, Sermon on the Mount, or Anabaptist Heritage. BUT, you can teach these classes to them yourself! The lesson plans and course outlines are all on the Mennonite Education Agency web site: http://www.mennoniteeducation.org/MEAPortal/DesktopDefault.aspx?tab.

One more idea: Read and discuss a book by Shane Claiborne.
Whether you are going to Youth Escape or not, consider reading and discussing one of Shane’s books, The Irresistible Revolution or Jesus for President , with the youth this summer. I haven’t found discussion guides for these, so if you write your own, consider sharing them with the rest of us!

And finally, Mennonite Publishing Network has redesigned its catalog and sent one to your congregation specifically addressed to YOU the youth leader! Hopefully you have received this catalog already. If not, ask for it. Here’s what the catalog looks like. It’s smaller and more attractive now!

Resources on conscientious objection
Both Mennonite Central Committee and the Center on Conscience and War have updated their web resources on conscientious objection. Check out their sites at http://co.mcc.org/us/co and www.centeronconscience.org. When youth have questions about this topic, refer them to these excellent sites.

Podcasts for youth leaders
There is a wonderful series of reflections on youth and young adults called “Cloud of Witnesses” on the web. These were originally produced as CDs, and I listened to and appreciated several of them. Download a few to your mp3 player or listen to them from your computer while doing household chores. They will inspire you and equip you in your ministry to youth. Find them at http://www3.ptsem.edu/offices/coned/iym/default.aspx, click on “Resources” then “Cloud of Witnesses.”

Shaping Families
Check out a new radio program called Shaping Families. It’s a 15-minute, weekly program offering practical help, encouragement and inspiration for families from a Christian perspective. What will be most helpful to you as a youth sponsor or teacher is their web site www.shapingfamilies.com, where you can listen to the programs and also find practical resources on topics relevant to youth. Recent programs have addressed depression, cutting, mental illness, drug addiction and forgiveness. Listen for your own enrichment or play a portion of a program to spark a discussion with your youth.

More help for discussing tough topics
Is there a tough issue you need to address with your youth? Close to Home pamphlets tackle topics like depression, eating disorders, bullying, drug addiction, pornography, acquaintance rape, gambling and more. A pamphlet costs just 75 cents each and the study guides are free! Download the free study guides at http://www.faithandliferesources.org/supplies/closetohome/.

Here’s an idea: work with your pastor—he or she may be happy to order a set of pamphlets to display at church. Then, they’ll be at your fingertips, and other people at church will have access to them too!