Recreation is part of a holistic youth ministry. The trend in youth ministries has been to divide everything up into segments: one Sunday evening we will have recreation, the next week we will study, and the following week we will worship. This format adds to fragmentation in the lives of young people. It perpetuates a lifestyle prevalent among adults: worshiping God on Sunday mornings, working Monday through Friday, and at some point during the week, one hopes, finding time to have fun! Part of our ministry with young people is to help them understand that God is present in every aspect of our lives, and this is a reason to celebrate and give glory to God every day.

Recreation should be an integral part of everything we do. The most significant times in my ministry with young people have been those of "just being" with them-those unexpected moments when I found myself delighting in the presence of these wonderful people. These moments have come as we jammed away to tapes while we made sewing kits to send to a cooperative in Africa, or at a large and very profitable car wash that turned into a huge water fight in the middle of the church parking lot. Another moment came on a camping trip as we all peeled carrots and potatoes for supper and laughed and had such a great time being together that it took us two hours just to prepare the meal.

Young people today are hungry for adults who can enjoy them simply for who they are. They constantly feel the pressure to be the best student or a super athlete. After school, they are herded from one lesson or practice session to another, and they have very little time for "just being." Yet the message Christ came to bring is that we are not loved because of our achievements, we are loved simply because of who we are. All the talking in the world won't convince young people of Christ's unconditional love. We, as youth leaders, must live it by simply enjoying our young people as the special people they are. By enjoying God's children created in God's image, we are also enjoying God.

Healthy Recreation

We need to model healthy, constructive forms of recreation. Much of what our society does in the name of recreation is destructive and consumptive. We spend millions on equipment and on the salaries of professional athletes but we resent being asked to build shelters for the homeless. We can use recreation to teach young people that we can play without spending a great deal of money. We can help young people understand that it does not glorify God when we invest hundreds of dollars in recreation equipment and allow God's children in our own cities to go hungry.

Through recreation, we also build the body of Christ. When we can really play together, we tear down some of the walls that divide us. For example, some diocesan summer camps begin the first night of every camp by playing a number of large-group noncompetitive games. These help young people interact in a way that is not threatening. The young people run and scream and play together, and by the end of the evening they are feeling more comfortable with one another.

Cooperation

In our recreation with young people, we must de-emphasize competition and emphasize cooperation. So much of our society is competitive---we have to be better than everyone else---and this builds barriers. The message of the Parable of the Talents is that God has given us each unique gifts and needs us to share these in the world. Again, through competition, we are saying that people are winners because of what they have achieved. At a very vulnerable time in a young person's life, this is a destructive message---particularly if he or she is one of those who didn't make the football squad or the tennis team. Especially in our recreation, we need to be saying that in God's eyes everyone is a winner.

Opportunities

Modeling healthy recreation also means giving young people opportunities to have fun without drinking alcohol. One article in a denominational magazine discussed young people and alcohol and drug abuse. Of the junior highs surveyed, 14 percent said most of the people they knew (of their own age) drank alcohol, and 60 percent of the senior highs surveyed said most of the people they knew (of their own age) drank alcohol. When asked if they felt that these people had serious drinking problems or drug problems, 29 percent of the junior highs and 54 percent of the senior highs said yes.

As the church, we must offer young people some options. These options can be renting a movie, making pizzas at someone's house on a Saturday, or taking a group out somewhere after a ball game. Let the young people say what they think would be fun. By experiences such as these, we give options for recreation other than drinking. We also let young people know that the church is more than Sunday mornings, it is also being rowdy on Saturday night with your friends, with God always present.

Celebration

Finally, our ministries with young people must be one of celebration. We believe in a God who is alive and creative-who created a world full of wonder, with mighty oceans and giant redwoods and gentle breezes. Our God is the majestic creator of all and our God is closer to us than we are to ourselves. One of my favorite activities with young people is to have them take a psalm of praise and write down all the adjectives used to describe God in that psalm. Then they each write a call to worship or a prayer or even a brief message based on those adjectives. In this manner, we create our own celebration worship service and the young people begin to see that God is alive and sometimes even noisy and definitely fun.

Practice

We have discussed the theology and theory of recreation. It might be helpful to give a few practical hints. Recreation is different with each group, and each leader will find what works best only through trial and error. First, in leading recreation with young people, be free to risk and even to fail. It is OK to make mistakes; in fact, it is the way we learn. If you can laugh at your goofs, the young people will be able to laugh at theirs and they in turn will be more willing to try new activities with you.

Second, begin small and do what you feel comfortable doing. If you have never had a dance class in your life, don't try to teach liturgical dance. A great way to begin the year is to have a cookout and play some simple icebreakers to get to know one another.

Borrow good ideas from anyone and everyone who knows how to lead recreation. Make a notebook and write out the instructions to games you play at different events to keep a record of fun party ideas. Along with this, be in touch with recreation people in the public schools such as coaches or art teachers. They can be terrific resources for game ideas or for equipment or films. Check your public library for books, films, and other recreation ideas.

Throughout the year, various workshops are given for adults who work with young people. Find out what your diocesan office has to offer in the way of resources and leadership, and find out what is available from other governing bodies.

Plan a party for the congregation such as a Halloween carnival or a dinner with some type of entertainment. A project such as this is a great way to build your group, and it is something young people can give to the rest of the congregation.

Finally, listen to the young people. They come up with some of the best ideas.