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getting the youth involved

dshihatadshihata
edited December 1969 in Random Issues
Hello everyone this is my first time posting. My question was how can we get the youth at our church to be more involved in tasbeha. I went them to grow to love tasbeha.


Pray for me

Comments

  • changethechannel
    Speak their language. I am a youth and I've noticed in a lot of the Coptic churches it's hard for them to get the youth involved. Maybe start teaching it to them as if it's a lecture, i.e. with power points and stuff? Incorporating history, other political factors of the time, etc...
    That's what really got me into it was when I took a religious studies classes in uni, and someone mentioned "if only they taught youth group like this".
  • PopeKyrillosPopeKyrillos
    My suggestion is to tasbeha fully in english. Some of the youth can get really frustrated when

    A) They dont know what they are saying in Coptic
    B) They can't read Coptic all together and are just standing for hours saying nothing

    The English Midnight Psalmody for the Coptic monastery in CA is a great way to learn tasbeha in english.
    http://tasbeha.org/mp3/Praises/Midnight_Praises/St_Anthony_Monastery,_English_Midnight_Praises.html

    For those who think tasbeha is prettier in coptic, well, your not in tasbeha to please yourself. You are there to praise God and receive the blessing of joining in the praises. What is the point of doing tasbeha in coptic if only 1/3 of the people there can even read it and can't follow along? God would much rather be pleased if everyone was involved and it was sung in english. I guarantee, if it is done in english, this will raise the attendance by at least 50% if not more.

    PK

  • Praise HimPraise Him
    I agree with PopeKirollos on this one. No doubt youth are frustrated with Coptic. God bless you Popekirollos, you hit this one right on the spot.


  • dshihatadshihata
    In my church we already do exactly 50% of the tasbeha in English. The problem is not getting them to come into the church the problem really is keeping them inside the church. We have servants who bring them into the church but every 2 seconds people are walking in and out. so my question really is how do we keep them interested in tasbeha to get them to stay inside the church??
  • Unknown
    [quote author=dshihata link=topic=7670.msg100463#msg100463 date=1235422814]
    Hello everyone this is my first time posting. My question was how can we get the youth at our church to be more involved in tasbeha. I went them to grow to love tasbeha.


    Pray for me


    I think that this is a really good intention.

    What is their mother language/tongue? Is it arabic or English? Do they speak Arabic?

    Perhaps you could do with them the tasbeha half in Coptic and half in Arabic or English?

    How old are they?? I wanted my class to love the tasbeha too. I think I should have given them cassettes of Anba Youannis's tasbeha.
  • neighbor
    [quote author=dshihata link=topic=7670.msg100507#msg100507 date=1235532566]
    my question really is how do we keep them interested in tasbeha to get them to stay inside the church??


    lock the doors.

    hahah lol kidding!
    well, i know that in my church, if one person leaves, everybody will. We all usually stay in the church if everybody (youth) is standing beside each other in a row :) as long as we're all together. personally, i know i became actually interested in tasbeha after my sunday school teachers gave us a few lessons on each part, symbolism, etc. hope this helped. gbu
  • icontrol2002icontrol2002
    the way I got involved, and involve others as well is by learning to play the symbols and triangle. I find it an excellent way of getting them involved in tasbeha one way or another. By telling them you will teach them how to play motivates them and gets them into the beat of tasbeha :)

    GB.
  • Servant of the Lord
    Sorry to have such a late response. All who posted made valid points, and are effective ways to efficiently raise attendance and awareness in churches. However, what separates ones typical tasbeha from the heartfelt tasbeha found in the most discrete monasteries in the world? It is simply determination. The determination of these monks, and others who follow demanding schedules, to attend tasbeha is outstanding.
    Are they experiencing something different than the rest of us? Yes. They understand, that by attending the tasbeha, they are directly praising God. THey run to the church, awaiting the bells to direct them to the doors of the Church.
    How can we install this determination within us and our youth? Especially with the youth, it is necessary to install a sense of pride of our Coptic religion into them. Not only teach the tasbeha, but also teach them the history. Teach them about how and why tasbeha was created, in times where the church was becoming extinct.
    Moreover, install in them a sense of fear. Fear of the Lord. Make them understand that the end is near, and the gate is narrow. With the fear they will learn to love.
    If successful, this will not only lead to greater attendance in tasbeha, but a greater happiness, joy, and fruitfulness in your church. Once they realize the joy and peace that comes with the emotional attachment to the tasbeha, they will never leave it.
    Also, God Willing, with these feelings (gifts from God), they will understand that "Whenever we stand in Your Sanctuary, we are Considered standing in Heaven."

    Hopefully I was helpful,

    Servant of the Lord
  • ophadeceophadece
    [coptic]Namenra] tyrou>
    ]erho] je aksanemton erwou `nje nialwou`i pimenre e;be nou'u,y (`fsop toulac) `fnaamahi ouoh `ncemenre an `nnidoxologia kata poury][/coptic]
    I am afraid that if you make it easy on them namely the youth the love for themselves (including their language) will grow and they won't love the praises as such
    [coptic]oumys `mmona,oc auswpi `nhanagrammatoc alla auareh `mpinah] qen oujwk ebolhiten pijiner'alin `nnidoxologia qen ]metrem`n<ymi - ari `nalwou`i menre `n]metrem`n<ymi `mmon coljc ebol[/coptic]
    Many monks were illiterate but preserved the faith completely through singing the praises in the Coptic language - make the youths love the Coptic language and not delete it
    [coptic]oujai qen `P=[=c[/coptic]
  • mabsootamabsoota
    i think it's really important to show (do u see i said show not teach) people that their relationship with God and their life of faith is the most important thing. when you realise the beauty and majesty of God and His sacrifice and love for mankind then you will praise Him in as many languages as you can  :)
    so you can start by saying (it has to be a true example!!) that today/ last week i was angry/depressed and about to sin/despair then i read X/Y/Z in the Bible or my friend texted me the 'verse for today' and i remembered God's great love for me and this gave me the power to talk about Him/behave in class/not kill myself (delete as appropriate) and now when i sing this song to Him i remember how He has the power to bring me through the trials of life.
    then you can explain that when this song was written people were suffering this or that and God gave them these beautiful words to express themselves. obviously translate it if its not in their language and put the translation up so they can see what it is they are singing.
    also its really important for people of any age to express themselves to God in their praises, so why not have some praises in the local language with fairly easy tunes towards the end of the session?
    there are loads of short, theologically correct protestant/catholic songs out there  ;) or, if this is not your thing than there are some excellent coptic ones in english like the one that goes 'from every nation, from every tribe, from every tongue...those who were redeemed' and the one with the chorus 'Christ has granted us salvation'.
    or, and i'm being really radical here  ;) why not sing the thoak ta te gom when it's not easter?!
    seriously it's my favourite song and its available in arabic and english (yours is the power and the glory and the blessing and the majesty) and it's a fantastic praise song. yes, i agree its best in coptic, but i also believe that learning of God's love IS the most important thing, so language should be a help, not a barrier.

    finally (oops this is maybe a bit too radical...) maybe what the young (and less young) people need in your church (i don't know the church, this is a general suggestion) is a discussion group, dars kitaab (Bible study) or an opportunity to serve the local community once a week (car washing, gardening for old people, soup run for homeless) preceeded by a short prayer meeting (eg agpeya). then they will bring their friends and maybe some of these will learn agpeya and others will go out and shine the light of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ in the rest of the community outside the church.

    i am not suggesting we change our church to be like a social club, but we do need to ask ourselves how much of the message we intend to give is being understood and how can we put across the same message more effectively.

    please pray for me too in my weakness
  • flexmdflexmd
    [quote author=ophadece link=topic=7670.msg100826#msg100826 date=1236383110]
    [coptic]Namenra] tyrou>
    ]erho] je aksanemton erwou `nje nialwou`i pimenre e;be nou'u,y (`fsop toulac) `fnaamahi ouoh `ncemenre an `nnidoxologia kata poury][/coptic]
    I am afraid that if you make it easy on them namely the youth the love for themselves (including their language) will grow and they won't love the praises as such
    [coptic]oumys `mmona,oc auswpi `nhanagrammatoc alla auareh `mpinah] qen oujwk ebolhiten pijiner'alin `nnidoxologia qen ]metrem`n<ymi - ari `nalwou`i menre `n]metrem`n<ymi `mmon coljc ebol[/coptic]
    Many monks were illiterate but preserved the faith completely through singing the praises in the Coptic language - make the youths love the Coptic language and not delete it
    [coptic]oujai qen `P=[=c[/coptic]


    ophadece, I have to disagree with you, many years ago I used to spend three or four days in the retreat house in a monastery and every single night around 1 or 2 am a monk will come and wake me up to attend tasbeha. Unfortunately, for the first two years I ended up sleeping in the church so he wakes me up again when the mass is over. He even allowed me to bring a blanket because it was too cold.

    He was so patient with me, not judgmental and he was happy for me just being in the church during tasbeha even if I was sleeping. Just be patient with them, in due time they will learn.   
  • ophadeceophadece
    [coptic]]ouem`h;yi - `mpamyini `ntaswpi `nouref]hap @ ]ouws `mmauatf je nialwou`i [ierouot ebolqen vyet nai[ierouot hitotf[/coptic]
    I am sorry - I didn't mean to be judgemental; I only want that the youth find joy from what I used to find joy through
    [coptic]oujai qen `P=[=c[/coptic]
  • mabsootamabsoota
    dear ophadece,
    please tell us more about the joy you have praising God in coptic, your experience is very valuable. please tell us how your faith relates to the more boring parts of your life (work, shopping, neighbours etc etc).
    and anyone else who loves coptic, please educate us, i only know the thoak ta te gom!
    (only a month now till i start singing it  ;) can't wait!)
  • flexmdflexmd
    ophadece, now I feel guilty saying what I said. No need for apology, and I offer mine in return.
  • ophadeceophadece
    [coptic]`mmon eneh flexmd @ `ker`,ri`a an `ncaji `kouem`h;yi[/coptic]
    Not at all flexmd; you don't need to say sorry
    [coptic]ecrasi tamenrit>
    ]sep`hmot `ntote e;be aresini eroi `mpaisini[/coptic]
    Thank you for asking me that question
    [coptic]hwcte `nai`i epiman]cbw `nte ]metfaqri `mpimose eneh ehanhwdy `nte ]ek`klycia> alla qen painau auerhytc `ner'alin `n]hwdy `nrem`n<ymi ouoh auamoni `mmoi ebolhitotc[/coptic]
    Until I was in the medical school I never went to tasbeha in the church, but at that time they started singing the Coptic tasbeha and I got captivated
    [coptic]anok men aikwt ejen vyetai[i`cbw ebolqen ]rem`n,ymi qen pinau ete `mmau ouoh ;ai `nnast an te eneh[/coptic]
    I then built on what I have learned from the Coptic in the past and that is not hard at all
    [coptic]aierhytc eqwnt `nhouo enihwc `nrem`n<ymi ouoh vai pe vyet ]ouws e;be nialwou`i `nce[icbw[/coptic]
    I started getting closer to the Coptic hymns and that is what I want for the youth to learn
    [coptic]oujai qen `P=[=c[/coptic]
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