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SSTN - Number 178
April 11, 2001
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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:
1) Easter Songs for kids
2) Mother's Day Tea?
3) Ideas to bring children to church
4) Just wanted to say thanks!
5) 3-year olds Easter story
6) "I AMS" of Jesus
7) Software?
8) Easter Candy
9) Troubled youth
10) Jelly Bean Prayer
11) Easter festivities
12) F.R.O.G. VBS
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1) Easter Songs for kids
Just thought I'd pass along a good music suggestion to you. The Donut Man
has a cassett/CD/ and a music video out for the kids called Resurrection
Celebration. He may even have books of music available. You can visit
the website at www.donutman.com. Hope this helps! Sincerely, Lori L. Plummer
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Resurrection themed puppets
NEW-LIFE PUPPET patterns, these puppets turn inside out to change from a
tadpole to frog, or a caterpillar to butterfly puppet. Easy to make and
children will learn about becoming new creatures in Christ! Get a free
puppet skit to go with the puppets at: www.ChristianCrafters.Com
in the Curriculum section.
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2) Mother's Day Tea?
Our church is having a Second Annual Mother's Day Tea on Saturday, May
12th. Last year, I used the graphic on Sarah Keith's website with the
verse from Proverbs and cut it out and pasted a magnet on the back. We
gave one to each lady who attended and it was a big hit. It was nice to
have something for them to take as a keepsake of the day. I'd like to
make something again this year and was wondering if anyone had any ideas
for an easy, simple, low-cost craft we could do. My preference would be
something that would be a witness to the Lord since many of the ladies who
attend are not Christians. Thanks for your help.
Cathy Bodell, Benzie Area Church of Christ-Frankfort, MI
--from SSTN: I think we're up to year 5 for our tea. It is so much fun. In
fact we just had our planning meeting last week. This year we have a whole
new approach. When we started our weekly women's Bible study this year we
decided to incorporate some "fun" things to do throughout the 12 week
session...so on the first day, we made simple masks using paper plates,
feathers, beads, colored tissue paper, etc. 40 women had a blast making
these 'mardi gras' type masks with a stick on one side to hold the mask.
The theme for this was allowing ourselves to be 'unmasked' before God,
admitting we need him, accepting new life in him, and open to sharing our
lives with one another. We've held onto those masks and will surprise the
women by using them on the tables during our tea! We will place the masks
in clay pots along with butterflies, to represent new life in Christ. We
will make the butterflies by purchasing feather butterflies and hot gluing
onto wooden skewers. Each woman will take home their masks and a butterfly
to remember the morning. The other project we did during the year is to
make a new life paper quilt. The women were given simple stencils of
butterflies, flowers, etc. in bright colors that they chose, then arranged
the pieces onto an 8.5 x 11" piece of paper. We will place together on a
large banner and use as a back drop for our speaker during the tea. Just a
side-note, I bring my daughter to this every year. We started the
tradition when she was in Kindergarten and she's in 4th grade now. It is a
SPECIAL day for both of us! Sorry I was long-winded here! But I hope it
gets your creative juices flowing! Much love, Sarah <><
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3) Ideas to bring children to church
Once a month we have the children involved in the Service. The kids love
being involved and the parents make sure they get there to do their part.
On a "normal" Sunday, the children are there for the first part of the
Service and leave for Sunday School after the children's story. While we
are in Sunday School, the rest of the Congregation does the Old and New
Testament readings, the Sermon, Offering, etc.
Once a month the order of the Service is changed so that the readings and
the offering occur before the children's story. Children volunteer ahead
of time for what they would like to do that week. The following jobs are
open: greeters to welcome people and hand out the hymn books, someone to read
the announcements (i.e. announce upcoming events), someone to read the
responsive psalm, the Old Testament and New Testament reading and two
children to do the offering. The children who do not like to speak
publicly love being a "greeter" or doing the offering. Our Minister even worked
with one girl who wanted to do the Prayer of Adoration & Confession. The
Minister contacts the children during the week to let them know what verse/ psalm
they will be reading from. Attendance is definitely higher these Sundays.
Another successful way to raise attendance is to work on a short skit or
songs to sing for the congregation. Sometimes just a couple of songs and
poems is enough (and accommodates a range of ages- I teach ages 4-12 yrs).
I find that the kids come more regularly when we have something to
practice and the parents are more diligent in bringing their kids. All parents
enjoy seeing their kids perform. We do this a few times a year (i.e. Christmas,
Easter, Mother's Day, etc.). The performance is kept short (5-10 min) and
not necessarily performed on the holiday itself (families may be out-of-town)
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A BIG THANK YOU!!!
Thank you to those fellow teachers that have purchased subscriptions to
help SSTN stay alive, and for those that take the time to offer up their
prayer support! I am truly grateful! If anyone else would like to support
this service...click on Ministry Support from the home page of:
www.ChristianCrafters.Com ......or read more at the end of this
newsletter. Your webservant, Sarah Keith <><
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4) Just wanted to say thanks!
Hello Everyone: Kailu McQueen here. I am new to network, and only God
could have led me to ever finding this web site! I was just online today
(4-2-2001) and had been in prayer about the ability to find some
inexpensive things that could help me out with my Sunday School class. The
church I attend is relatively small at this time, and we have one(1) class
with a variety of different ages! Having never taught in children' s
ministry before, I never realized how difficult it is! And since I took
over the class by the directing of the Lord (our previous childrens leader
moved back home to New Zealand), I have many a weeks struggled in finding
things to do with a minimal budget! Well needless to say, God is not only
good, but He is faithful too! I found all of you, and have renewed my
excitement to teach these children that I love so much! I just really
wanted to say thanks, and come Sunday the 8th of April, I will be using
many great ideas for class from some of you fellow SSTN friends! Thank
you! Your Sister in Christ, Kailu McQueen
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5) 3-year olds Easter story
>I am trying to find a way to tell them the Easter story - a way that they
will understand >but not be frightened by it either.
I also teach 3-5 year-olds. I find that the Beginner's Bible is really
just about right for this story. Perhaps you can get it through Christian
Crafters. It doesn't eliminate the cross, but it does eliminate the
blood, nails, etc., that could scare a small child and actually keep them
from getting the part of the story you want them to get. They also have a
Beginner's Bible video The Story of Easter that is about 30 minutes long.
It works well with this age group. If Christian Crafters can't get if for
you, Barnes and Noble on line can. Rebecca -New York, NY
--from SSTN: it is in the Bible section of the Bookstore at:
ChristianCrafters.Com
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6) "I AMS" of Jesus
Dear friends! Thank you very much about this service. It is very
interesting to read ideas and thoughts of other sunday school teachers.
I live in Finland and am working for the lutheran churches in Carelia in
Russia. In summer we will have many camps for children and this time a
theme of bible lessons will be on the "I ams" of Jesus. "I am the good
shepherd, the light of the world, and so on" I need help to make these
lessons. Does anyone know or have any ideas, how to visualize these
lessons, or do you know any ready lessons to find in internet? I will be
happy about all kind of ideas! God bless all the readers! Anne from
Finland
--from SSTN: I just posted the I AM the 'Bread of Life' craft at:
ChristianCrafters.Com
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7) Software?
Where can I find computer software for Bible related games for children?
Is there anything developed like "Math Blaster" except using Bible verses,
books of the Bible , etc? I would like software we could use in some old
486 units---don't want to hook up to internet yet. Thanks for your help
--from SSTN: Check out the GameStore at: ChristianCrafters.Com
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8) Easter Candy (Three postings)
>>I AM LOOKING FOR EASTER CANDY TO PUT IN MY EASTER EGGS THAT MAY
Joanne... we've used Testamints... they are candies that have verses
printed on the packages... Sarah might carry them... and most Christian
book stores carry them....or can be ordered thru Oriental Trading Co. -
Torri
Oriental Trade Catalogue has individually wrapped "Testamints" candy
mints that have scriptures written on the wrappers. They also have other
kinds of candy but I don't know if it will fit into plastic eggs or not.
This is a great newsletter and I look forward to each new issue! -Angie
Oriental Trading Company (www.oriental.com) has tons of religious candy.
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9) Troubled youth?
Hi all I have the opportunity to work with a troubled youth this summer
who has a history of running away, drinking, drugs, sex, smoking and
things of this nature. I really love and care for this youth a lot (she's
15 and a close friend of the family). She's also from a broken home (she
lives with her father and he's in his 3rd marriage) so I've kinda taken it
upon my self to act as the mother figure/big sister type in her life.
She's been in and out of trouble for the past 2 years and her parents no
longer trust her to be by her self while there at work so I was hoping to
use this opportunity to help her with her personal problems and develop a
relationship with the Lord. Thx in advance for any help you could give me
Jenn
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10) Jelly Bean Prayer
You could try using jelly beans and place the Jelly Bean Prayer in each
egg.
GREEN is for the grass He made. << In keeping with the wordless book I say new life>>YELLOW is for the sun so bright. <>BLUE is
for the sins we made. <> WHITE is for the grace He gave. < >
I have seen this done several ways I have added the changes I usually
make.
May the Blessings of this Holy week be yours. May a harvest of hearts
young and old come to know Him this season through the efforts of all
connected with this ministry. [Thank you Sarah for answering God's call.
You are a blessing to us all.] Deb Halleck - Hill Country Bible Church,
Austin, TX
--from SSTN: Thank you, Deb, for saying so! PS-I didn't place the whole
prayer, in that it has been run several times in SSTN. If anyone wants the
whole prayer, please use the Archives List, or check out 'A Jelly Bean
Witness' in the craft section at: ChristianCrafters.Com lovingly, Sarah <><
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11) Easter festivities
> I teach preschool (ages 4,5 and Kindergarten) SS. I was thinking of
> a "coloring sheet contest" and have prizes. I have done this before when
> I was a mgr. at McD's and it went over really well. But I was wondering
> if it's too "worldly".
Thanks for the great idea! We are using this idea as an invitation to get
children to attend our Easter festivities. On the back of the coloring
sheet (a cute little bunny with the words "JESUS LOVES EVERYBUNNY" over it
and the verse John 3:16 on the bottom) we have a place for the child's
name, address and age level. During our other activities, the coloring
sheets will be sorted according to age level and judged. Prizes will be
awarded at the end of the festivities. All the children that attend will
have their picture taken against a wall with the words (cut out of bright
construction paper) "Jesus loves me" taped to it. After the film is
developed each picture will be mailed (using the mailing address on the
back of the coloring sheet) to the parents of the child, with an
invitation to attend our church services. Lily in Jackson, KY
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12) F.R.O.G. VBS
Cut lily pads out of green construction paper and let the children stand
behind a line (masking tape) trying to toss a beanie frog on to the lily
pads. We always let them play until they win. At our fall festival we
always have the children recite a verse before they get their prizes. The
verses are always relevant to the games. Lily in Jackson, KY
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