Description: A nature outing that includes a local water feature, whether it is a creek, river, pond, lake, or ocean. Participants hike there together and do some reflection on baptism or the renewing power of water.
Get Ready
- Prep Time: Two to three hours of initial planning (including a few planning team meetings or conference calls to organize as well as finding people for the presentation or discussion leader) and another 45 to 60 minutes before and 30 minutes after each gathering for set-up and clean-up.
- Volunteers Needed: One program planner (who will also be the program leader/emcee for the evening); seven volunteers — two greeters, one volunteer at the check-in table, one photographer, one musician/song leader, one volunteer to read a prayer, and one presenter or discussion leader. During the program, volunteers sit with participants to facilitate small group discussion. All volunteers can help with room set-up and clean-up.
- Supplies: Directional signs to the event facility, information cards (3- by 5-inch cards to collect names, e-mails, phone numbers), markers/pens, nametags, handouts, flyers for future events, evaluation forms, and extra Bibles. Ask participants to bring blankets and/or folding beach chairs.
- Reserve the Space: Check with your local Parks and Recreation Department on possible facilities available to use for the event (e.g., a pavilion at the beach, picnic area at the park by a lake, etc.). Estimate how many young adults might attend (10 to 40) and make sure you have enough space. You will need to bring a folding table for check-in if no tables are available at the location. Set up a check-in table with information cards, markers/pens, nametags, handouts, flyers for future events, and evaluation forms.
- Ideal Group Size: 10 to 40.
- Who is this for? Young adults and college students.
- When is a good time for this? Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday nights from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Publicize the Program:
- Prepare a flyer/webpage/Facebook event/e-mail to announce program.
- Postcard/Evite/Facebook event/e-mail with save the dates sent out six weeks before program night.
- Announcements at Mass starting one month before program night.
- Bulletin announcements starting one month before program night.
- Postcard/Evite/Facebook event with save the date sent out three weeks before program night.
- Ask participants to RSVP so you can prepare materials. You should follow-up with anyone who RSVPs to remind them about the program.
Prayer for Program Planner: Let us pray: Your glory, God our Father, is seen in people who are fully alive. Inspire us to live fully and discover your kingdom within us. Amen.
Community Building:
- Introduce New Young Adults (5 minutes) — Take a few minutes to introduce the young adults who are with the group for the first time so that everyone will get to know them.
- String Toss (10 minutes) — Get a spool of string or yarn. Have each person tell the group an interesting and unusual fact about themselves. They then hold on to the string and throw the ball/spool to another so they can answer the same question. You eventually create a web of some sort. In the end, describe how the web is analogous to the group in that we all play a part in creating the web, and that if one person was gone it would look different. Likewise, it is important that we all take part to make the group what it is, unique and special.
