Materials
Variety of masks

Icebreaker Activity
On adhesive name tags or white printer labels write the names of famous masked characters. Write a name on each nametag. As people enter the room, put the nametag in the middle of their back (without showing them what is on it). Their goal is to figure out who they are by asking a series of yes/no questions. Each question must be asked of a different person.

Discussion
1. If you could be any superhero who would you be?
2. What is it about this character that attracts you?
3. Why do most of the superheroes wear masks?
The reason all the superheroes wear masks is to hide who they are…

Introduction
Its not just Halloween that people wear masks. If we are honest with ourselves, most of us put on masks from time to time.

We put on a mask any time we are not honest with others, or worse yet, we are not honest with God. Anytime we try to make ourselves come across as something we are not, we are putting on a mask. What masks do you put on? In what situations do you hide behind a mask, afraid to reveal who you really are and what you really feel?

The name for someone like that is a hypocrite. An actor is the same word “hypocrite” in the Greek language. It means ‘the person who wears a mask’ (or cover on his face). In the orginal Greek plays, actors pretended to be someone else by putting on a mask.

Jesus used the same word to describe the Pharisees and in a parable teaches us an important lesson about masks…

The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
Luke 18.9-14

Discussion: The Pharisees – Wearers of Masks
1. Why was the Pharisee called a hypocrite – one wearing a mask?
2. For what reasons do you think the Pharisee “acted” this way?
3. Have you met people like the Pharisee? How did they make you feel?
4. In what ways have you been like a Pharisee? What are some of the masks you wear?

Activity: What Masks do I wear?
1. Give each youth a piece of paper cut into a mask shape.
2. On one side, ask them to write or draw characteristics of how they want people to see them.
3. Then, on the other side, ask them to write down some characteristics of who they really are and some of the things about their life that they don’t want other people to see.
4. Is there a difference?
5. What are the risks of revealing what is hidden behind the mask?

Discussion: Why We Wear Masks
1. What are some of the reasons people wear masks as Christians?
– Don’t know how to live the Christian Life so we fake it – Most of us really do want to reflect Christ but the problem is, many of us just don’t know how. We know what we are supposed to do, but we don’t know how to do it.
– Ashamed -Everyone else seems ok and seems to have life together. So we become convinced that we no one else has the problems as us. We seem to be the only ones so we hide our true thoughts and feelings.
– Fear -We hide behind our masks, because we are afraid of how people will react if they see our faults. They might not like the true us.
– Avoidance – It is often easier to put up a mask than to face who we really are. Insecurities and past hurts make us want to avoid dealing with the problem so we hide from ourselves.

Discussion: The Tax Collector – Removing the Masks
1. What if the tax collector had done the same exercize you just did and wrote on a mask how he wanted others to see him vs what he wanted to prevent others from seeing?
2. Why is the Tax-collector unwilling to even look up to heaven?
3. Have you ever been so ashamed that you wanted to hide your face from heaven?
4. How is this similar to wearing a mask?
5. How is it different from the mask of the Pharisee?
6. When we are honest without a “mask” on do we lose face or save face?
7. What is Jesus’ main point in this story?

The Opposite of Hypocricy is Intimacy – Into me see. 
1. what masks are you currently hiding behind?
2. In what areas of your life do you need to be honest with God?
3. In what ways are you living the life of a hypocrite?
4. How would being honest with yourself and God make a difference in your life?

Application
Let youth crumple up their mask and toss it away while having a time of personal reflection and confession to God. They should be honest with God and ask him to make them a new person.

“Don’t be trapped behind a mask, acting out a life you don’t really want. Be honest with God and let him remove your mask and replace it with a new you that doesn’t need to hide from the world!”

Holiday Collection

Games and Activities in Celebration of common Holidays.

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next Halloween event or Fall Festival, as well as a variety of other familiar holidays. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all the minor, but common holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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Use this activity as an alternative to Halloween celebrations to redeem the occassion for God!

Dress Up / Costumes
1. Animals. Assigning animals prevents an abundance of lions or elephants and no giraffes. Each two participants should receive a name of an animal. You might also include simple directions on how to create a costume for each animal that is assigned. Costumes can be simple or elaborate, home-made or store bought or rented. Masks can be created but it’s often easier to paint faces to compliment the animal costume. You can easily make ears, tails, and noses. Paint details, whiskers, spots etc. Each guest assumes the role of the animal assigned, acting and talking like that animal.

2. Noah. Find a few stuffed animals to keep with him. (two of one kind!) Small beanie babies size animals sticking out of his pockets would work. You could also make a big rainbow out of cardboard and paint and make a cutout for a handle for him to carry.

Games
1. Feed the Lion – Draw a Lion on a cardboard box and cut out the mouth of the lion. The mouth should be large enough to easily toss a small beanbag through the opening. Color the Lion. The participants must tossed the bean bags into the mouth of the lion to win a prize. A great source for pictures of a lion is coloring books. If you have an OHP available, copy the cartoon to an OHP cell, project it onto the cardboard, and simply draw the lines that are projected. Tempra Paints are great for coloring it and filling in the details!

2. Pin the tail on the Animals – Choose an animal to draw. As already mentioned, you can use coloring books if you need a something to follow. Use a piece of yarn for a tail and play the same as “Pin the Tail on the Donkey”. (i.e. Put on a blindfold and spin around and around and around. Then take the tail and try to stick it to the animal in the correct position. How close will you come to the correct spot on the donkey?) Another possible variation could be to “pin the nose” on an animal. For variety, have several animals from which children can choose.

3. Animal Tag – Have the group form a circle sitting in chairs. Everyone chooses an animal name for themselves (dog, rhino, hippo, monkey, etc.) Fitting the Noah Theme there should be two of each animal. One person stands in the middle as the “Noah” with a rolled up newspaper. The game begins with one person calling out the one of the animal names in the circle. The two animals must change places before “Noah” can grab a seat. Call out “flood” and everyone must change chairs.

4. Two by Two – All the girls stand in a circle. Then all guys form a circle around them. Make adjustments so that the inner and outer circles contain an equal number of people. Each guy should be facing a girl partner. Each guy / girl couple takes on the name of an animal. They must remember their partner. The girls begin walking clockwise while the guys walk counterclockwise. A leader then interrupts by calling out “two-by-two” At that moment, both circles stop and couples must find their partner. The guy must get down on one knee with the other knee extended so that the girl may sit on his knee. The slowest couple to assume the designated position is eliminated.

5. Monkeys Bowling – Set up 10 pins (You can make them using empty 2 liter plastic soda bottles. Fill with a little water or sand for stability, but don’t make them too heavy) For added fun, put a drawing of a yellow bananan on the pins. Grab a small coconut or simply a small ball for the bowling ball. Children are awarded prizes based on the number of bananas they bowl over.

6. Follow the Leader – For younger kids this is a lot of fun. Play “follow the leader” and go through all types of animal motions and sounds. Award prizes for the best sounds, best portrayal of an animal.

7. Animal Sounds – As everyone arrives, assign the names of animals to various persons in the room making sure that the animals assigned are scattered around the room. Then shut out the lights and have the teens make the animal sound assigned to them. They must then mingle around the room (in the dark) listening for the other animals of their kind. The first group to find each other wins.

8. Animal Relay Races – Have relay races with animal actions and sounds: “walk like a duck”; “hop like a kangaroo”; “laugh like a hyena”; “slither like a snake”, “swim like a fish”, “walk like a crab”, etc.

9. Two-by-two Pair-up – Each person should receive a card with an animal on it, and either a sound (moo, oink, meow) that they have to do, or a motion (laughing for a hyena, hopping for a kangaroo, etc.) and they have to make their sound/motion and find the other person doing the same thing (two by two).

10. Animal Trivia – Make a list of trivia questions about little know facts for various animals.

11. Best Costume – Give prizes for the best costumes. Prizes can be linked with certain animals. Like hairbrushes for a beautiful Lion’s mane, or neckties for giraffes, maybe spot remover for leopards, or luggage straps for elephants. Use your imagination.

Other Activities
1. Origami animals – get a god origami book and teach them how to do a few animals
2. Animal balloons – Tie the long thin balloons into animal shapes
3. Noah’s Ark humor

Snacks
1. Animal crackers
2. Gummy worms (for the birds)
3. Snack mix – Nuts, dried fruits
4. Fruits and vegetables

For prizes
Animal related items such as animal print notepads, a book on the Promises of God, an animal beanie baby or pair of small stuffed animals, a large box of animal crackers.

Application
Tell the story of Noah. Discuss the Promises of God.

Holiday Collection

Creative Holiday Ideas has over 300 pages of ideas to help you plan your next New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween or Fall Festival, and Thanksgiving event. If you’ve ever wondered what you’re going to do for all these holidays and how you’re going to do it, this resource is for you.

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