The Teen Witness Retreat powerfully prepares students for confirmation by exposing them to peers who’s faith is strong and authentic. Confirmed teens share their own struggles and victories through which they’ve encountered God with the middle school youth. Early adolescents are deeply influenced by older teens, making this retreat an ideal setting for meaningful mentorship and faith-sharing.
This experience also naturally inspires the confirmands to stay engaged and to continue their journey in faith beyond the sacrament of Confirmation. It provides a natural onramp to youth ministry by providing a specific opportunity for them to lead and accompany younger students after the model they witness here.
Prior to the retreat, you will need to identify a few high school teens who would be willing to give a short witness talk. If your parish has a Peer Ministry group, this is a great activity for those high school youth. If not, this is an ideal starter activity, which can be done with even a small group of confirmed teens. Let the confirmed teens/peer ministers know that they will share their own witness talk in pairs. Teens uncomfortable sharing a talk can serve as small group discussion leaders.
First Meeting
Second Meeting
Third Meeting
This first meeting can be virtually or in-person.
- Meet with the group and have them reflect on where they’ve seen God in their lives and where they feel they are on their faith journey.
- Use the document, “Preparing High School Teens for Witness Retreat” to generate ideas and topics.(i.e. family relationships, friends and accountability, etc.). Be sure to root all topics/themes around God and their faith – this is not to be a “drama dump.” Ask students to come to the next meeting with a loose topic and bullet points they want to share.
This meeting is for those high schools teens giving a witness talk only.
- Have teens share the topics they chose and pair together teens with complementary themes. For example, if two teens witness talks focus on overcoming adversity, they should be paired together.
- Each pair will then choose a song that relates to both talks and to their theme.
- Pairs will also create 5-7 questions for small group discussion unpacking their witness talk. For example, pairs can ask middle school teens if they have ever experienced adversity.
- Once you have the number of pairs decided, you can plan the retreat schedule. Each pair should have about 30 minutes to include:
- 3 minutes per person witness talk (6 minutes total)
- 4 minute to play their song
- followed by 20-minute small group discussions
- When planning your time, note that:
- 2 pairs is an hour
- 3 teams – 1.5 hours
- 4 teams – 2 hours
- It is not recommended to plan more than 2 hours of witness talks.
This meeting is for all the high school teens helping at the retreat.
- For the teen pairs:
- Have each pair practice their witness talks. Note how long each talk takes and provide feedback.
- Review each pair’s discussion questions.
- For all other high school teen helping at the retreat:
- Plan and practice ice breakers and other retreat activities.
- Sign up teens to lead small group discussions and other activities.
- Discuss possible challenges high school teens might encounter during the retreat:
- How to encourage conversations during small groups
- How to redirect off task behavior
- When to ask an adult for help
- Affirmation Bag: During the meeting, have each high school teen put their name on a brown paper / craft bag and decorate as they wish. During the retreat, middle school students will be able to write short notes of affirmation to leave in the bag (like a “mail box”)
Materials and Items Needed for the Retreat
Example Teen Witness Retreat Schedule
High school teens and adult leaders gather to pray together and set-up, either the night before or before the start of the retreat.
Here is a sample schedule (with four high school pairs speaking) of how the retreat should flow:
They should also each make an “Affirmation Bag” for retreatants to place notes in throughout the day.
- 10:00 a.m. – Retreatants arrive – Give each person a name tag and folder.
- 10:15 a.m. – Introductions – Gather the middle school youth and have each high school introduce themselves and share their hopes for the day.
- 10:20 a.m. – Ice Breaker 1: Scripture Matching – Hand out scripture cards to each person. Instruct students to wander about the room looking for the matching scripture card and prayer partner holding it. They introduce themselves, share their favorite music, food, and holiday and then figure out what that scripture line is saying to them today. Lastly, they share one prayer intention to offer up during this retreat (someone in their lives, an upcoming test, etc.).
- 10:30 a.m. – Ice Breaker #2: Ships and Sailors – a fun interactive game to get kids moving and laughing around the theme of boats anticipating the next activity.
- 10:45 a.m. – All in the Same Boat Activity – a reflection and prayer activity around Matthew 14
- 11:15 a.m. – Grace + Lunch
- 11:45 a.m. – Walk the Line Activity – this activity is simple and powerful, preparing leaders and retreatants to be reflective and encouraging a bit of vulnerability.
- 12:00 p.m. – Pair #1- Talks and Song – sit all retreatants and leaders in a large circle. Invite the first pair to present their talks and play their song.
- 12:10 p.m. – Small Group Discussion (on Pair #1 talks) – Divide retreatants among the number of high school small groups leaders. A candle can be placed in the middle of the group. you’ve planned depending on the number of high school teens you have leading them. Adults should be present but in the background if possible so that retreatants can feel free to talk with their peer leaders).
- 12:30 p.m. – Pair #2 – Talks and Song
- 12:40 p.m. – Small Group Discussion on Pair #2 talks
- 1:00 p.m. – Pair #3 – Talks and Song
- 1:10 p.m. – Small Group Discussion on Pair #3 talks
- 1:30 p.m. – Pair #4 Talks and Song
- 1:40 p.m. – Small Group Discussion on Pair #4 Talks
- 2:00 p.m. – Priests arrive for Confessions (if this is part of your retreat). A priest can give a 5 minute talk about Reconciliation. Pass out and explain the Examination of Conscience (see attached) and how to make a good confession.
- Explain other 4 corners of faith they will circulate through over the next 1.5-2 hours depending on the number of retreatants.
- 2:15 – 3:45 Four Corners of Faith Teams move through 4 stations with 20+ minutes per station depending on number of priests, size of group and time it takes for teams to go through confessions
Before the retreat, gather these items together:
- Folders for retreatants to include:
- Opening Prayer Prayer for Confirmation
- Examination of Conscience and How to Make A Good Confession
- All in the Same Boat worksheet
- Walk the Line worksheet
- My Faith Journey worksheet
- Lyrics to pairs’ Songs and their Small Group Questions (see sample here)
- Scripture verses for help in specific situations
- Journals or lined paper
- Name tags for participants, high school teens and leaders
- Divide middle school youth into small groups depending on how many high school leaders
- Candle – one for each small group
- Clip boards for teens if tables not available
- Gather supplies for the activities planned:
- For Waters of Forgiveness Activity:
- Coffee filters
- Washable Markers
- Bowl of water
- Scripture Matching Activity:
- Print and cut out scripture cards
- Ships and Sailors Activity – print out
- Walk the Line Activity – print out
- Tape or long rope to lay on the floor for students to walk over during this activity
- For Waters of Forgiveness Activity:
- Arrange for the priest to be present for confession, if this is offered during the retreat
- Slips of paper for the middle school students to write short affirmation note for high school presenters
- Large Cross or prayer space with bowl for prayer intentions
- Post-it Notes for prayer intentions to be posted on cross
- Prayer slips for bowl
- Closing prayer – either find and print a closing pray or be prepared to say a short prayer and ask for any prayer intentions.