Bring it together: about 7:15pm
"Hey, glad to see you all here. Welcome to ???????

Introduce new people: give them a blow-pop, skittles, or snickers bar, etc.

Youth Challenge:
(an up front game/crowdbreaker) Have two students come up and do some challenge against each other. (Chubby bunnies, dollar hop, baby food eating contest, burp contest, etc. Be creative!!!

Announcements: upcoming activities, events
Games: Choose games from Game List

Discussion Starters:

Family Discussion

Drama
Explain that we are going to role play situations that occur in the common American House- Explain the first situation then ask who would like to be the characters for that role-

SITUATION #1
Last night the son or daughter came home an hour late. It's breakfast, and the subject is being discussed

SITUATION #2
Family is sitting down discussing oldest brother or sister's future- parents see college, kid see's a job and living with his friends

SITUATION #3
The subject of dating has come up around the dinner table. Son or daughter has been dating same person for long time now and parents want to make sure that he or she is being careful (the sex issue, dating one person too much issue)

Small Group Questions:

Rules
1. Be honest or be silent (you can pass)
2. Respect- only one person talks- don't be rude
3. Be confidential

Go around the circle/Everybody Share:
Give everyone a small piece of paper and a pencil or pen. Have them fold the paper in half and then twice so that they have six small squares. This is a drawing exercise- assure kids that this is not to test kid's artistic ability- it's just to express feelings in a creative way.

1. Draw a letter, a symbol or a picture of the first thing you think of when you think of your dad.
2. Draw a letter, a symbol or a picture of the first thing you think of when you think of your mom.
3. In the first box draw a horizontal line. On the left side of the line write CLOSER and on the right side of the line write AWAY. Now place yourself as a dot on the line indicating which direction you are moving in your relationship with your parents- are you drawing closer to them or farther away.
4. Draw a letter, a symbol or a picture of something you would do the same way if you were in your parents shoes (something that you like that they do)
5. Draw a letter, a symbol or a picture of something that you would do different if you were in your parents shoes.
6. Draw a picture of something that would represent the perfect relationship with a parent.

Go around your circle(six times) and share your drawing and what it represents.

Large Group- Wrap up
Brandon's Mess Story
Tell story of 4 year old boy named Brandon. His dad was thirsty and asked if Brandon could get him a drink. Brandon tries but he knocks stuff out of the fridge, spills milk, breaks a glass, and finally trips and spills it all over the living room. Brandon's dad didn't get mad but helped him clean it up- because he saw his effort.

Summarize personally:
"I mess up a lot in life. But I always know that God is still going to be there for me. Although it makes him sad when I mess things up for myself- he still loves me. Some of you don't get the kind of love that Brandon's father showed him in the story. That is the kind of love God can give."