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SSTN  # 116 - November 13, 2002


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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:


--> Christmas Fun-Pak!

1) Baby "Honor" gift   
2) Brochures/Flyers?
3) Disruptive students
4) Free Bibles

--> Christmas Fun-Pak!

5) Ideas for 2-12 yr olds?
6) Help for disruptive students
7) Disruptive
8) Age of Accountability

--> Kids Can @ Christmas Time

9) Refurbished Computers
10) Pictures to color About Adam and Eve?
11) Donated Bibles   
12) Song about Ruth?

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--> Christmas Fun-Pak

Contains over 90 patterns and ideas! Purchase the Christmas Fun-Pak.
Find it in our curriculum section:

http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html 


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1) Baby "Honor" gift   

Last night I attended a Gideon's Pastor Appreciation Dinner with my
husband.  One of the ideas that they shared was that Bibles could be
placed in honor of special occasions such as the birth of a baby.  It is a
gift that will last through eternity.  So many souls have been saved
because someone placed a Bible where it could be used for God's Kingdom.
Our church donates money for Bibles instead of sending flowers to
funerals.  This has been so well received.  I still have the card I
received when my brother passed away two years ago.  But to think that the
birth of one of my children could be the catalyst for the Birth into God's
Kingdom for another is really a special thought.  I wish someone had done
that when my four were born.
Nancy     

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2) Brochures/Flyers?

I am interested in getting brochures or flyers for our Sunday School.
Something we can mail out to prospects or leave with tracts when soul
winning. Any suggestions or examples?
TIA

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3) Disruptive students

For Pam who needed help with disruptive students -- here's what I did.  I
set aside some time to sit down and  talk with the kids.  We began by
talking about being peacemakers (it happened to fall on Peacemaking Sunday
for us).  Being a peacemaker meant that they wanted to find ways to be
kind and considerate of others.  I then talked about how that translates
into respecting their fellow classmates and teachers.  I gave them three
class rules:  Honor and respect God, honor and respect others, honor and
respect property.  I asked them what that meant to them and we came up
with a list of do's and do not's from there.  I then talked to them about
blessings and consequences.  My fellow worker suggested I use a signal
light as a visual and it has worked well.  When we obey God and rules
there are blessings (green light).  I decided to tell them that blessings
will be varied.  Sometimes it might mean getting to participate in the
drama or it might mean a piece of candy or it might mean extra time to
play a game.  God's blessings come in varied forms and so will theirs in
Sunday School.  I then asked them why we have a yellow light on a traffic
signal.  Once establishing with them that this was so that no one would
get hurt and that sometimes we need to be reminded to slow down or stop, I
told them that they get 3 "cautions," or warnings.  Red light means that
they might need a time out in order to stop so they would get a 5 minute
time out in another room with an assistant.  If this didn't work, we would
have to get their parent/guardian and have a conversation together.  Since
doing this, things have improved greatly in our class.  I believe that
another reason is that we are doing some worship time first and getting
the kids "ready" to receive through their teacher.

Hope this helps.  Stacey - San Diego, CA

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4) Free Bibles

We went to thrift shops to buy bibles one time and when the people found
out the bible were for our bus kids they gave us the bibles. That happened
at several thrift shops. Try it where you live.

Terri-Ann Reno, NV

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--> Christmas Fun-Pak

Contains over 90 patterns and ideas! In our curriculum section:

http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html 


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5) Ideas for 2-12 yr olds?

hii ahv moved to austin recently and we hav a small indian gathering at
austin .  handle the kids section but the age group is ( 2yrs to 12 yrs )
can u pls give me some ideas...the total number of kids might be 12..so
what do i dorekha

--from SSTN: our website is full of ideas. Check it out:
http://www.ChristianCrafters.Com 
Also, do a keyword search in the Archives for "multi-age" classes:
http://christiancrafters.com/archives.html 

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6) Help for disruptive students

I am fairly new at teaching Jr. Church also - I kind of just "fell" into
it when the gal who was teaching expressed that she had only wanted to do
it temporarily.  So I started alternating two-weeks at a time with her and
now she has quit completely.  We often have some who are disruptive.  We
use Jr. and Sr. High school kids as helpers - these are from our youth
group and should be those who are already saved, and at least working on
growing in the Lord.  It helps if they like kids.  Their job is to help
get the kids settled into their chairs, get the snacks, help pass out supplies
and answer questions, and help keep order.  They do the craft also but
help the littler ones, since our Jr. Church is one class of 3 to 12 year olds.
Some things I have tried that work, depending on the child are:  if they
are talking and not listening, I say their name and ask them a question,
or speak directly to them.  Also, talkative ones usually like to help
(attention) so I try to let them help with something (pass out paper,
supplies, etc).  I sometimes walk around the room while teaching and will
stop by the ones being disruptive and just put my hand on their head for a
second, and maybe ask a question.  If I am seated I will have whoever is
sitting nearest me trade places with the disruptive one.  If the
disruptive one is getting a lot of attention from their friends, they don't like
this. If all else fails, I have the Jr. church helper escort the child back to
the church (I warn them first that if they continue to be disruptive I
will make them go back to adult church and they will have to explain to their
parents why - and EVERYONE in the sanctuary will look at them - and know
they were misbehaving!!!).  I have only used it one time and the Pastor
and everyone knows I would not do it unless all else had failed.  The kids do
not want to be embarrased and they don't want to explain to their folks
why they were sent back to church.  Usually a warning is enough and I make it
sound really bad, stressing the embarrasment etc.  With really young
children (3 and 4 years old, whose attention span is short, I will usually
let them play with puppets, etc, or have safety scissors to cut paper
with, etc.  That usually keeps them pretty much occupied.  Sometimes the helper
will take the younger ones out doors and play on the lawn or play ground.
It isn't easy but the rewards are great, aren't they?  I hope this helps,
Blessings
Becca

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7) Disruptive

I have been a Sunday School teacher for years and I have the perfect
answer.  You may not like it, but it works, here goes.

When I have a child who is disruptive and she or he does not listen to
nice or strict command I simply:  "tell him or her to leave the class
room."  If they do not leave the class room they are physically removed.
I have a responsible child ESCORT him or her to their parent.

When that child realizes that YOU MEAN BUSINESS, and that he or she WILL
MISS OUT on the cookies and milk time, I GUARANTEE you two things will
happen"
1) You may have to do this more than once to that same child Maybe be a
few times to let this child know that you mean business and you will not
have him disrupting your class.

2) And they will come back, why because they want to be with the rest of
the children

IF YOU FAIL TO DO THIS"  you yes, you are cheating the other children of
a Godly lesson, and you will answer to God for not instructing those
other  child. and for not correcting the disruptive child. 

I told you this may seem harsh, but dear IT DOES WORK!  Children and teen
agers will manipulate you don't let them! GOD"S HOUSE IS A HOUSE OF
ORDER.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Gayle Van Pelt a social worker, mother of two grown married sons,
grandmother of 11 Sunday School teacher since 1990.  P. S. When the
Pastor announces "Children's class" our children run to the class room
and I am running behind them(chuckle)  I love them with all my heart, BUT
they know that I MEAN BUSINESS. I have many children who are considered
HAAD you know attention deficit disorder, but even them understand GOD"S
House is a House of Order.

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8) Age of Accountablity

>From Sarah: However, wouldn't you agree that the Scripture also tells us
>to ask, to confess, to believe, in order to obtain salvation? (See Romans
4 and Romans 10:9-17).

I just have to respond:::  I've always been SO THANKFUL that it is God
doing the work of saving me, and I don't have to wonder if I've prayed the
right prayer, followed the right 4 steps, or whatever.  He saved me,  not
because of the righteous things I've done or not done, but because of His
mercy.  Just as He called Abram (first)---the Holy Spirit working in
Abram's heart prompted him to follow even when he didn't know where he was
going.  Then, that faith that Abram exhibited by following Him was
credited to him as righteousness.  God the Holy Spirit does the work,
through hearing His work, or through Baptism (which he tells us to do for
the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38-39) and includes children (Acts 2 and
"all nations" in Matt 28:19).  If I have to do something (ask and confess)
those seem like works to me, and God says we've been saved by grace, not
works (Eph 2:8, 9).
Isn't it great to know that even though we all sin (from conception),
God's got salvation waiting for us all through His Word (the example you
gave of the thief on the cross) and through Baptism! Thanks for all you
do.

Sharon Hutcheson
Jesus said, "I am the light of the world", John 8:12

--from SSTN: Amen...I agree. There is no special way to pray, and there are no
specific steps to follow. It is ALL about Jesus and HIS work on the cross
on our behalf. Unless he draws us, we cannot even call on his name. This
is understood. But the Bible does tell us to ask and confess. (Romans
10:9-17) I once heard this analogy which I thought was interesting:  A
Christian died and went to Heaven. When she stood at the "pearly gates"
she saw a sign with these words written on it, "All who trust in Jesus may
enter in." When she entered through the gates and looked back, there was
another sign with these words, "You have been chosen". I am not basing my
doctrine on this analogy, so please don't think this. But this does speak
to the mystery of our faith. See this passage:  Ephesians 1:3-14.

Your sister, "In Jesus",
Sarah <><

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Kids Can @ Christmas Time

An Advent celebration of 28 crafts and recipes. Some of the projects are:
Epiphany Ornaments, Ribbon Stars, an Edible Nativity, and the Jesus in the
Manger cupcake, to name a few! To learn more, follow the link below:

http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html 

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9) Refurbished Computers   

Wal-Mart has a little known program called Good Works...through this
program, public schools or non-profit organizations(such as churches) may
request up to five refurbished computers per year at the cost of $50.00
each plus s&h.  Our church has not gotten any yet but I have been in touch
with the manager of the local Wal-Mart.  If he/she cannot help, you could
call Teresa at 479.277.0831 for more information.  If I understand
correctly, this is what each computer comes with:

used computer with Pentium Processors
16 megs of memory (approx.) 540 mb or larger hard drive (brand, speed and size may vary)
14" monitor(may vary) keyboard mouse (these computers DO NOT COME with the a CD Rom drive, sound card, modem or any operating software(such as windows)

If anyone has tried these computers, I would like to hear from you about
how much money was needed to upgrade them for use in rotational SS labs.

Grace and Peace,
Pat @  christedd@sbcglobal.net

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10) Pictures to color About Adam and Eve?   

Hi, Looking for pictures to color about Adam and Eve
to go with the bible story  Genesis  1:26 -31 ; 2:7 -8,
15, 18: - 24; 3: 20. Its for pre school. I am teaching
sunday school this Sunday  11- 10 - 02. I thought it be
nice to color a long with the story.

Terry Meadows

--from SSTN: check out our links page:
http://www.ChristianCrafters.Com 

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11) Donated Bibles   

I have two suggestions for finding ways of getting Bibles for Sunday
School children.  First, check in bargain and goodwill type stores.  We have a
store in my town that gives away free books, including bibles!  Second,
try writing/calling the American Bible Society.  I use to be a chaplain in a
state prison, and the ABS would donate Bibles for the inmates.  Surely
they would have a way to help or direct you to resources.  They are on the
internet at www.americanbible.org.  Good Luck!
Heidi, WI

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12) Song about Ruth?

I am looking for a simple, easy-to-learn song about Ruth.  I have a group
of elementary-school aged children at church, and we are studying Bible
heroes. Can anyone suggest something?


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