YOUTH DAY (ADDRESSING YOUTH VIOLENCE)

MUSIC & WORSHIP RESOURCES

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Worship Planning Notes

Begin planning your Youth Program worship service early. The information below will help you design a worship service for any location (church, school, civic program) with an emphasis on stopping youth violence. Be certain to involve youth (ages 11–18) in all aspects of planning and implementing this worship service.

Make your celebration joyous and hopeful. Ask youth to contribute photographs, music, sculptures, videos, and prose readings that can be used in your service. Be sure to advertise, advertise, advertise. Use Facebook, Twitter, E-blasts, text messages, radio, and newspapers to advertise. Open the service to all youth in your community; invite them and go and get them and bring them to the service.

Create special opportunities for youth and adults to work collectively on aspects of the program. Work with youth to create a symbol of this worship service that they can take with them. For instance, maybe your church can have youth create or your church can purchase Peace Pens that each youth can wear. Or, several youth may want to create one or more brief videos titled “The Violence in My Community Ends Because of Me.” For the videos, have youths talk to their peers to get suggestions for ending youth violence. The videos should be compiled and put on DVDs and handed out by the church. A prize should be given for the most creative video.

Involve persons in your church and community who work daily to lessen youth violence; place them on the program for remarks. Involve persons from places such as your local social service office, juvenile courts, pediatricians, police officers, teachers, scout leaders, Boys and Girls Club leaders, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and sororities and fraternities that provide youth mentorship programs.

Set up tables throughout your church to promote wholesome activities for youth and to provide information on organizations that can assist youth who are encountering violence and need help.

Have persons present who are ready to mentor youth, assist with homework, and provide professional counseling resources and assistance for youths in troubled families.

(b) Prayer Against Violence. By Carol Penner

Perfect love casts our fear and so today we pray for your spirit of Love in our world.
Cast out the strapping of bombs to bodies.
Cast out the explosion of bombs in crowded places.
Cast out the tricking of children to carry bombs.
Cast out the desperation that leads people to terrorist acts.
Cast out the making of walls that divide and imprison us.
Cast out the firing of missiles and the bulldozing of homes.
Cast out the prejudice against people of a certain race or culture.
Cast out the political structures that perpetuate violence.
Cast out the hatred that produces fear.

Send down the courage to reach out in peace.
Send down the resolution to not return evil for evil.
Send down the creativity to find peaceful political solutions
Send down the wisdom that politicians and diplomats need.
Send down the commitment to work together to end the killing.
Send down the power of nonviolence to create change.
Send down the comfort and justice that victims need.
Send down the love that will end our fear.

We ask these things in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Amen.

Litany
(c) Rite of Passage Litany for Youth

God bless our youth that they may grow into men and women who honor you, and reflect the best of their families and communities.

As, they experience the difficult task of becoming adults, guide them in the pursuit of faith, identity, and purpose.

Above all may they come to know you and love you with all their hearts, minds, and souls. Let them know that you are always with them, helping them fulfill the plan, which you have designed for their lives. May they keep your commandments, and search out your will.

Wherever life takes them, may they never cease to praise you, to pray, and to study your Holy Word.

God, save them from negative self images, from feelings of hopelessness, and from peer pressure that contradicts the values which their families and churches have instilled in them.

As Jesus increased in wisdom and favor, grant that young people may also attain spiritual and human maturity.

May they understand the responsibility and sensitivity necessary to become a friend, a leader, a spouse, and a parent.

Lord, give them role models and mentors. Grant them spiritual immunity from the brokenness and meanness of life. Help them to develop good relationships with others.

May they acquire knowledge of their ancestry, master contemporary life skills, and understand the multicultural dimensions of our world.

May they begin the adult journey by remembering the history of their people. May they travel with confidence.

May they value education and see themselves as an important part of their nation. Bless them to choose and prepare for careers and vocations that enrich their lives and the lives of others.

As they set personal and career goals, give them the knowledge and capability to achieve them. Help them to aim high, embrace good health, moral principles, respect for life and property, and a desire to serve others.

May they feel connected to every village and nation of the world, and understand the importance of participating in many arenas of life.

God of our past, present, and future, let our youth see visions, discern problems, and search for solutions. Make them and shape them into strong African American men and women.

2. Hymns and Congregational Songs
(a) Yield Not to Temptation. Text and Tune, (YIELD NOT), by Horatio R. Palmer

(b) Rescue the Perishing. By Fannie J. Crosby. Tune by William H. Doane

(c) Abide with Me. By Henry F. Lyte. Tune, (EVENTIDE), by William H. Monk

3. Spirituals or Traditional Songs
(a) I Will Call Upon the Lord. By Michael O’Shields

(b) He Touched Me. Text and Tune, (HE TOUCHED ME), by William J. Gaither

(c) Be Still, God Will Fight Your Battles. African American traditional

(b) I Want to Die Easy. By Roland Carter

(e) Balm in Gilead. Arr. by Raymond Wise

(f)  Balm in Gilead. Arr. by William Dawson. This selection is for SATB, a capella.

(g)  Give Me Jesus. Arr. by Lela Anderson. This selection is for SATB, with solo.

4. Gospel Songs for Choirs, Ensembles, or Praise Teams
(a) Broken But Healed. By Byron Cage

(b) Total Attention. By Paul D. Allen, Brandon Holland, Walter Kearney, Evin Martin, James L. Moss, and Byron Stanfield

5. Liturgical Dance or Mime Music
(a) Don’t Cry. By Kirk Franklin

(b) For Every Mountain. By Kurt Carr

6. Anthems
(a) I’ve Just Seen Jesus. By Bill and Gloria Gaither. Arr. by Mark Hayes

(b) On the Third Day. By Allen Pote. This selection is for SATB, with optional hand bells, brass and timpani.

(c) Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. By Robert Robinson. Arr. by Mack Wilbert. This selection is for SATB choir and organ. Music for orchestra and brass is also available.

7. Modern Songs
(a) Arise My Love. By Eddie Carswell

(b) Rescue. By Don Moen

(c) You. By Paul D. Allen, James L. Moss, and Aaron Pearce

8. Offertory Song or Instrumental
(a) Lord Prepare Me to Be a Sanctuary. By Randy Scrubb. Arr. by John W. Thompson

(b) Healed. By Jonathan Nelson and Donald Lawrence

(c) Heaven. By Warryn Campbell, Erica Campbell, Trecina Campbell, and Joi Campbell

9. Song or Instrumental for the Period of Prayer
Take My Life, and Let It Be. By Frances Ridley Havergal. Music by Henri A. Cesar Malan

10. Sermonic Selection
(a) God Still Heals. By Kevon Carter

(b) Healing. By Richard Smallwood

(c) Power of Christ (Live). By Paul D. Allen and Keisha N. Allen

11. Invitational Song or Instrumental
(a) I Want Jesus to Walk with Me. Spiritual. Tune, (WALK WITH ME).

(b) Because He Lives. By Gloria Gaither and William J. Gaither. Tune, (RESURRECTION), by William J. Gaither

12. Benediction Song or Instrumental
(a) Siyahamba. South African Folksong

(b) Always Remember. By Andraé Crouch

13. Organ Solo/Prelude or Postlude
(a) Give Me Jesus. Spiritual. Arr. by Marques L. A. Garrett

(b) Toccata on O Filii et Filiae. By Lynwood Farnam

14. Audio Visual Suggestions
Programmatic Resources
(a) For more information on youth violence, victim assistance, intervention, seminars, workshops and other areas of youth violence and crime, visit www.youthandviolence.com.

Videos
(b) Youth Violence Prevention Video featuring the song, “Where Is the Love,” by The Black Eyed Peas.

(c) Children of the Night. Music by Richard Marx

(d) End Youth Violence

Cites and Additional Information for Music and Material Listed

14. Audio Visual Suggestions
Programmatic Resources
(a) For more information on youth violence, victim assistance, intervention, seminars, workshops and other areas of youth violence and crime, visit www.youthandviolence.com.