Alternative Theme Titles:

• Surviving This Ole' Sinful World
• Having Done All To Stand
• Fit for Survival
• The Whole Armour of God
• A Soldier in God's Army
• Onward Christian Soldiers
  
  Theme Verse Suggestions:
  
• "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."  Ephesians 6:11
• "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."  Ephesians 6:13
  
  Devotional:
  Ultimate Survival
  
  See the Devotional Index
  
  Decorating Suggestions:
  
  Color Scheme
  Brown, Green, and Blue Shades (Land, foilage, and water colors).
  
  General Decorations
  
• Let your guests imagine they are stranded on a dessert or tropical island.
• There is not much difference between 'dessert' and 'tropical' but 'tropical' has more decorating possibilities because you can use a few bright colors too.
• Use as many potted palm trees as you can find. Use silk, real, or mixed.
• Place coconuts, pineapples and clusters of bananas around.
• You could use a few tiki lamps/torches. Remember safty. Embed them in oversized pots of dirt. You could put bricks or cement in the bottom to keep them from tipping over and put at a good distance from anything that might catch flame.
• Of course you probably don't want to fool with cleaning up the mess that "real" sand can make but you can use tan material laid down underfoot or around the edges of your room to make a sand effect.
• Make a few murals of tropical scenes to place around with a few palm trees, water, and a sun perhaps.
  
  For The Tables
  
• Use votive candles on the tables. By placing them on saucers you could surround them with sea shells or sand. A good alternative to real sand that makes a nice "white beach sand" is potato flakes (instant potatoes).
• Tropical flower arrangements
• Beach comber hats
• Bamboo placements placed on tables to place candles and sea shells on.
• Tropical confetti for tables (find in party supply stores).
  
  Focal Point
  Use Danger Signs of Worldly Things:
  To tie it all into the theme verses you could place signs about such as
• "Danger Zone--High Tides of Sinful Lusts"
• "Watch Your Step--Satan's Evil Snares May Be Hidden"
• "Beware--Envy on the loose"
• "Caution--Pride sneaking in!"
• "Danger--Loogon May Be Full of Vile Content"
  (Lagoon directions below)
  You could think of other things that Satan tries to snare us with for your signs.
  
  Island Mural
• Sketch out and draw an island scene and then paint.
• Coloring page resource for pattern.
  Coloring Pages from Youth Online (Look under 'Summer' for an island page.
  
  Make a Lagoon
  
• Use a child size swimming pool and fill with several inches of water. Place in some water plants. You can use real or silk (fake).
• Use some greenery to emulate seaweed.
• Use some tan or brown material draped around the pool for sand or land.
• Place some potted plants around the outside of the pool.
  
  Treasure Chest in the Sand
  
• Use a child size swimming pool. Drape the edges with dark material if you wish to cover the plastic. Fill the pool with sand and place in a treasure chest. Make it look party buried. Then drape a cloth coming out and place pieces that represent the armour of God on the material.
• If you are quite resourceful, you might come up with pieces to a real suit of armour but since they range in the hundreds to thousands of dollars, it's maybe not likely:) However you can purchase 'toy' pieces of armour. Sometimes you can find them or order them through your local Christian bookstore.
  Resource:
  U.S. Toy Company
  Type in crusader in their search box and it will come up for you.
• Another method is to make pieces of armour from cardboard and paint in the details. Or you could use signs that have written out the pieces of armour. (Make sure you do them nicely on the computer so all the writing is neat and uniform. Place a large Bible or scroll among the "treasure".
  
  Games and Ice-breakers:
  
• Relay Game Ideas
• Buried Treasure
• Coconut Bowling - Use bowling pins (make some with plastic containers if you want). Use a coconut for a bowling ball.
  
  You'll find Ice Breakers here.
  
  Music:
  
• Have some tropical rainforrest sounds playing in the background.
• V Is For Victory by Wendell P. Loveless
  
• He Is Able Paul E. Paino
  
• When the Battle's Over by Isaac Watts
  
• Am I a Soldier of the Cross? by Isaac Watts
  
• Onward Christian Soldiers by Sabine Baring-Gould
  
  Favors:
  
• Beach Comber Hats Here's a resource:
  U.S. Toy Company Look in their index under 'Hats'
• Sea shell/Candy Favors
  Take small sea shells mixed with wrapped candies and tie up with cording or twine in a 6 - 8 inch circle of burlap or mesh. You can use tulle and ribbons for a fancier look.
• Christian Survival Kits
  Here's a link for ideas
  Survival Kits (Di's Delightful Creations & Crafts)
  You may want to take some itmes from different ones make one of your own and cater it to your theme.
  
  Doorprizes:
  
• Bible
• Compass
• Binoculars
• Globe
  
• Road Atlas
• Large Package of Multi-Roll Lifesavers Candy
• Highway Survival Kit - Flares, etc.
• Survival Gift Basket (Line with a natural fiber such as burlap or tropical themed material and fill with survival things such as:nuts, nutcracker, coconut, pineapple, gummy bugs and worms, devotional book or small Bible, compass, journal. Don't forget a roll of livesavers!
  
  More suitable gifts for ladies on the Door prize page
  
  Skits:
  
• Armor of God Skit#1(from Bob Snook)
• Armor of God Skit#2(from Bob Snook)
  
  See the CLM Skit Links
  
  Food Suggestions:
  
• You could try some unusual things from different foreign lands or islands. I wouldn't plan my whole meal around it but it might be fun to try something new. You may know some missionaries you could get some ideas from.
• Tropical Chicken Recipes from All Recipes
• Authentic Hawaiian Recipes from Aloha Friends.   It even has directions for roasting a whole pig!
• Luau Recipes
• Pineapple Cake for a Crowd
• Flaky Pineapple Squares

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Copyright 2001-2007 Julia Bettencourt
This material is intended for your use as banquet and event ideas for your own local church. Permission is granted for printing for reference only. It should not be reprinted for any other reason or reposted on any other website or message/forum board.


Survival Theme:  Medieval Version
Theme Index
Tools For Womens Ministry