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Youth Sunday Resources

• Overview
• Planning and Preparation
• Scripture Suggestions and Themes
• Litany for Congregations
• Meditation for Congregations
• 2007 Worship Service Model (PDF file)
• 2006 Worship Service Model (PDF file)
• 2005 Worship Service Model (PDF file)

Meditation (can be used in recognizing youth leaders)

Follow the Leader

Do you remember he game you used to play as a child call "Follow the Leader," and how each player in turn was to mimic the antics or the sills of the one who was "It"? Today we are going to think about following the leader.

First, think a minute about the loyalty of the Old Testament prophets who followed a leading of God, knowing full well that they would pay the price of becoming unpopular with the mass of people to whom they preached. What would it have been like to have been one of them? (Keep silence for a time.)

Now, think about the twelve men and those women who left their homes and ordinary occupations when Jesus went to them and said, "Follow me." What would it have been like to have been one of them? (Keep silence for a time.)

Think of the men and women who themselves were leaders in the early church, welcoming traveling Christians, perhaps hiding them, and always risking their own lives for their beliefs. What would it have been like to have been on of them? (Keep silence for a time.)

All of us have been called to be leaders when we accepted the name of "Christian." But today, the risks are not nearly so great as they were before, at least not in the United States. It is good to remind ourselves at this time that leadership is not given lightly nor should it be accepted without a sense of dedication to the task.

Within our own community of faith we recognize the potential for leadership that exist among young and old. So often we tap the leader resources of our "old" and ignore our "young." As we live in to being "a dynamic faith community," may we recognize, identify and nurture our youth to be leaders "in prophetic, redemptive and reconciling ministries to the whole world."

God is expecting great things of us all. Those of us called to lead have the responsibility of leading. Those of us called to follow have the responsibility to "follow the leader." But more than that, we all need to acknowledge our need to follow the leader who is Christ, who came that we might have life and have it abundantly.

(adapted from "Follow the Leader" from Youth Plan Worship by Betty Jane and J. Martin Bailey

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