Annual Teen Valentine Banquet and Scavenger Hunt 2016

Every year we host a Valentine's Banquet and scavenger hunt around Valentine's Day for our church youth group.  It's always fun because there are always new kids involved every year, but this year might have been the highest number of new kids we have had in many, many years - or perhaps, ever!  It's been a blessing to have our youth group grow over the past year and we pray that it continues to do so.

This year we were able to start the "hunt" a few hours earlier because we had an afternoon, after lunch, worship service in place of the evening worship service.  Because it was light outside, we were able to add new things to the scavenger hunt list.  Many things were service projects: Taking the trash out and taking the can to the street for pick up day the next day.

....and singing to someone over 90 years old!  This sweet man turned 98 yesterday!

....unloading someone's dishwasher....

....washing someone's windows....

....and fun things, too, such as getting a picture with everyone in the air at the same time (I missed it thinking I got it!).

The hunt was followed by the "banquet". The teens are "served" their food.  They are instructed to remain seated, though many feel awkward not clearing the table and taking their things to the trash!  We sweetly reminded them that we were serving them! :)

The evening ended with singing and a devotional (top picture).  My husband also talked to them about using God's name only in the right way - not in vain.  He talked to them about how important it is to use the word "holy" for only holy things: God is holy.  Many things we hear the word holy being used for are unholy, for sure.  Then he went on to the devotional time, telling them to notice people...specifically to notice people who are hurting.  We sometimes get too busy to notice those who may be hurting that are all around us.  

It was a great evening and a great time for the teens to grow closer together.  We are thankful for the adults who helped us with the evening, by driving the scavenger hunt groups around.  And to those who allowed the teens to enter their homes for the hunt items and activities.  It's fun for them, as well!  

Teen Valentine Banquet & Scavenger Hunt 2014

Our annual Valentine Banquet and Scavenger Hunt was held last night. With our big Senior class of '13 gone, it was a smaller group, but a fun group that we look forward to hosting for many more years!

We served the usual: Chicken Lasagna, Beef Lasagna, Green Beans, Breadsticks, Pudding Delight (or Chocolate Quad, or Pudding Cake, or....you get the idea!), Butterfinger Cake, and Banana Pudding.

I should have cut back on the breadsticks, but they did eat quite a few of the 144 of them!  Just not as many as the larger group in years' past. We enjoyed hearing them talk, laugh, and have fun while being "served".  Kids have to go through lines enough, so to be served, is a treat for them.

 ...Desserts....

 ....Breadsticks....

After the meal, the teens were divided into 3 groups. They competed in a scavenger hunt. The first team back with everything done or brought back on the list is the winner.

My favorite "item" on the list is that the groups have to bring back two people who weren't previously at our house. It's fun to get others involved, and they seem to enjoy their time with us, as well!

We sing and have a short devotional thought. My husband did a really neat illustration of how to not follow peer pressure, but to....

 STAND OUT and be willing to not go along with the crowd.

My husband said I had way too much on the scavenger hunt list (ha ha!! I knew he would :).) BUT, these were a few of the fun things:  Someone in the group had to be handcuffed....which makes it nice to live in a small, small town, where the cops and kids know each other - and that's a GOOD thing!

And then, the groups had to buy something for someone at our convenience store.  Mr. A got some delicious donuts!

Besides, doing the above, singing silly and cute songs to teachers and elders and their wives, the groups had to do a good deed for a school teacher, take pictures of items, pick up items, and take a picture in front of the school sign. I had them text their pictures back to me so that I could see them...and have them to show you.  This one is blurry, but the best group picture in front of the school sign.

This event is so much fun for us to host, and for the teens to attend.  We thank God for this opportunity to be an influence in the lives of these young people, and for our community and the people here, that make it a great place to be able to go to homes that we know will willingly and graciously, help out.

Scavenger Hunt List for Youth Group

Someone asked for the list of scavenger hunt we did Sunday night with our youth group.  I decided that many might be interested.  This is the list we used Sunday night, but I'll also list some afterwards that are from lists we've done before (the ones I couldn't get to on my computer).  If you have any ideas for scavenger hunts, let me know.  Our ideas are based on a small town of less than 800 people.  If you're in a bigger town there are so many more ideas for fun things; however, it's pretty neat that the kids know where almost everyone lives here so they can go looking for their treasures at certain places!

RULES:
No Speeding!! :)
No more than one item per house!
Nothing from our house (the starting place)!

1. Buy $.06 (cents) worth of gas and have the cashier sign the ticket (we only have one place to get gas that is a convenience store).
2. Have an Elder sign here: _________________________________
3. Have one of our song leaders sign here: _________________________
4. Get an official (fake offense) written warning from a policeman. (This is easy in a small town and one of the adult drivers is also a policeman so called him and warned him.)
5. Get a photo of the whole team and a police officer in front of the van.
6. Go do a good deed for a high school teacher. Take a picture with the whole team and the teacher.  Have the teacher sign and list the good deed.
7. Go sign a song to someone over 80.  List song and get signature of person.
8. Go get a crayon rubbing. Use purple crayon.
9. Get a birthday candle. Any color.
10. Get a movie ticket stub.
11. Get a McDonald's sack, cup, or other wrapper/trash.
12. Get a photo with an elementary teacher and the whole group.
13. Buy something for someone at Hop & Sack. Get a photo with the whole group. (No alcohol or cigarette/tobacco purchases.)
14. Go sing "Mary Had a Little Lamb" to a cottage (we have a children's home here and the houses are called "cottages").
15. Collect 50 pecans.
16. Get a Walmart sack and fill it with trash (not from a trash can).
17. Get something from the state championship game (football), but NO CLOTHING!
18. Get signature from a former military person. _______________________________
19. Get a photo of the whole group on the play slide/structure at Tipton Home (could do city park).
20. Bring back two people who were not at our house before the hunt.

OTHER ITEMS FROM THE PAST:
Little red Bible
Church directory
Record album
Yearbook from 1970's
Heart cookie cutter
Silk flower ( I think we did a blue one.)
Menu from a restaurant
A Sonic cup
Something from a certain university or sports team. (OU, OSU, OKC Thunder, or Texas Rangers were some we did.)

Valentine's Banquets - For the Young and Old and In-Between!

What a great weekend it was!  There were basketball games, a birthday party, my husband preached at the a.m. and p.m. service, and our annual Valentine's banquets for the Senior Saints and Teens took place Sunday, too.  A very busy, but great weekend!

Every year, on the Sunday before Valentine's Day, our adult Bible class hosts a Senior Saints' Banquet for the older members of our congregation.  This year, the banquet was decorated in red and white decor.  I had seen an idea for an ornament tree made from a tree branch in a Family Fun magazine. 

That picture became the inspiration for these Valentine trees, which were decorated with white doilies, red hearts, and vellum scriptures. (The clear glue stick showed, unfortunately, but it didn't look as bad as it does in the picture.). The branches were spray-painted white, then secured in glass vases with red tissue paper.

A red heart paper doily served as the place mat at each table setting.

 For a little fun, each Senior Saints filled out a questionnaire about themselves.  After the dinner, the answers were read aloud to the group.  Everyone guessed who the person was whose answers were being read.  It was a long of fun learning more about everyone! They also filled out a Bible Sweethearts Matching paper, matching men in the Bible, with their wives.

Although the "seniors" are served during this Valentine's meal every year, and they enjoy being treated in this way, I know that all of us who are younger and who are serving them, enjoy it just as much as they do!  It is a great event that all of us look forward to each year.

On the other end of the age spectrum, is the Annual Teen Valentine Banquet.  My husband and I host this event in our home - on the evening of the Senior Saints' Banquet each year.

  The menu is always the same:  Beef/Chicken Lasagna, Green Beans (Made with sugar this time, instead of Splenda), Semi Homemade Bread Sticks, Butterfinger Cake, and Chocolate Delight (The links will go to my recipe blog.  I will be posting larger servings for the lasagnas later this week.).  This year I "upped" the bread stick count to 144.  And guess what?  I didn't even get ONE!  NOT ONE - not that I needed it, anyway!  Maybe next year I should make 200!? Something tells me they'll eat them all...no matter how many I make!

This year there were 32 teens, five adults, and two children served.  After the meal, the teens are divided up into four teams and participate in a scavenger hunt. One of the highlights of the hunt each year is having to bring someone new back to our house - someone that wasn't there before.  It's always fun to see who agrees to come!
 

To close out the evening, my husband has a short devotional thought, we sing a few songs, and end with a prayer. We've got a GREAT group of teens here in Tipton!

On this GRATITUESDAY, I am grateful for special times where we can treat others to a special meal.  Serving others is one of the ways we can "Shine Like Stars".

To see what others are grateful for, visit Heavenly Homemakers.