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SSTN # 25 - April 25, 2007
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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:
1) Mother's Day songs?
2) Offering Ideas?
3) Volunteer Skits?
4) Playing on God's Team
Ascension Sunday Activity
5) Mother's Day Poem
6) Multiple Ages?
7) Graduation Criteria for ages K5-17?
8) Entertainment Response
9) Entertainment In Church
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1) Mother's Day songs?
Hi,
Just wondering if anyone knows of any 'choir' type music that children
could sing for mother's day. The music Director just asked me to see if I
could find anything - we don't want it to be to cutesy but to have some
cute factor but genrally just a good song about mums.
Thanks
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2) Offering Ideas?
Dear Sarah: As a pastor, I appreciate your Sunday School network
newsletter! In the last year or two, our Sunday School offerings have
diminished, so I was wondering if any of your readers would have ideas how
to build interest or give more priority to offerings at Sunday
School?
In His Risen Power, Lynn Potter
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3) Volunteer Skits?
I am in need of several whizmical or funny, however, serious enough to get
my point across skits to do in front of the congregation to show the
importance of volunteers for Children's Ministries. I saw one several
years ago which used a line of chairs on the front platform. They were
empty representing the workers who were not there, I think... Not sure how
it went...does anyone know about this one? Any others would be greatly
appreciated. Dianne, Alabama
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4) Playing on God's Team
I'm sorry I do not have any of the Gospel Light God's Team materials, but
I
wanted to share a few ideas for the baseball theme. Have you heard the
song "Homerun" by the Newsboys? It's PERFECT for this theme...part of it says,
"Now life can be like a baseball game...we're on the same team but we're
not all the same...that's why we've got to learn to play together. I
didn't join this team to sit on the bench...I'm going deep and swinging
for the fence...I've got some friends on base I've got to get home..." I
won't post all of it, but I'm sure if you google the title and band you'd
find all the lyrics. It's kind of an older song (like from the 90s or
something) but it's WONDERFUL and action-packed with even the sound of a
ball being hit. And I just remembered that the first part of the song
sounds like a sportscaster starting a game and announcing the
teams...Pretty cool :o)
You might divide the kids up onto teams for the opening part each night.
Hand out colored armbands or something as they come in, then compete to
sing the loudest, give the most offering, bring the most visitors, etc.
Make up names for all the places you'll be. Call the snack area the
Concession Stand and serve things like hot dogs, pizza slices, and
packaged
candies.Call the game area The Field (or name the Field to go along with
something familiar to your kids).Call the classroom area Training Camp and
the Meeting Place the DugOut.
Of course, the teachers will be called "Coaches." :o)
For crafts, you might make spirit banners, team t-shirts, and decorated
baseball caps.
Also...my husband always plays Bible Baseball with the kids at church and
they LOVE it! You play just like baseball, but you have the kids choose
the
level of difficulty of questions you ask them (single, double, triple,
homerun, etc.) If they miss the question, it's a strike. If they don't at
least guess, it's an out. He just basically made up his own rules for it
and adjusts them as needed each time...
Angie in WV<><
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Ascension Sunday Activity
Jesus Ascending Mini-Movie TM -- "...he was taken up before their very
eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight." Acts 1:9
A great craft project for Ascension Sunday! Once the flip-card pattern is
colored and assembled, children can watch Jesus ascend into the clouds.
Kids make it and take it home! Print out as many patterns as you need for
a small, one-time fee.
Find it located in the Easy Make N' Take section at:
http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/curriculum.html
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5) Mother's Day Poem
Here's a poem I wrote several years ago for Mother's Day. Feel free to use
it!
I printed copies of the poem, had the kids make cards, and put the poem in
the cards. I included a package of flower seeds with each card:
These seeds are here for me and you
And, Mommy, here's what we can do:
Together we'll search until we've found
A spot to plant them in the ground.
With rain and sunshine, don't you know,
Our flowers, like our love, will grow!
A constant reminder our flowers will be
That I love Mommy and she love me!
Another idea would be to have the kids decorate little flower pots and
include the poem, seed packet, and a pair of gardening gloves as a gift.
:o)
Angie in WV<><
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6) Multiple Ages?
i need some ideas for teaching my class. my church is not very big and
sunday school class is very small, but the kids i do have range in ages
4-12 it is very hard to find the right lessons that will fit all the
students. could someone please help me.
debbie spencer
buttugly1387@yahoo.com
--from SSTN: the Bible-4-Life series is designed for K-5th grade.
Read more at:
http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/Bible-4-life.html
Also, type "multiple ages" or "multi-aged" into the archives search at:
http://www.SundaySchoolNetwork.com
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7) Graduation Criteria for ages K5 - 17?
I am impressed with how the Holy Spirit is using you to develop
extraordinary Sunday School Lesson Plans, activities and other material.
I have received excellent ideas that I hope to implement in our Sunday
School. Since I have been at my church Greater St. Mark Missionary
Baptist Church I have held numerous positions, however this year I am
the Superintendent. I have discovered all the other positions I held
were a piece of cake compared to this monumental responsibility.
I am in hopes that you can help me in this specific area: Graduation.
I prefer that our youth graduate from one class to another based on what
they have accomplished in learning as opposed to graduating based on
age. My problem is I needed standards or a criteria for graduating the
age groups that we currently have: PreK ages 3-5; then youth:
Ages 6-8; ages 9-11; ages 12-14; ages 15-7
It appears to me that your expertise in this developing those great
lesson plans would also enable you to be wise counsel for what the
criteria should be for each age group. Please let me know your opinion
and whatever else you may be able to guide me with. Thanking you in
advance for your response and assistance.
--from SSTN: the inherent problem with graduating children in a church
environment based on Biblical learning & knowledge, as opposed to their
age groupings, is that you could end up having adults in a second grade
class. I say this because I know adults who have less Biblical knowledge
than some of the children in our church! I think you have a good point in
what you'd like to accomplish, but I don't think it is viable. Rather you
need to choose curriculum based on the children's ages and which focuses
on the subject matter that you want them to learn over a span of time, and
then teach it well.
Your webservant,
Sarah Keith <><
http://www.SundaySchoolNetwork.com
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8) Entertainment Response
>"You will know that it is worldly entertainment when the goats will come
>have a really good time. We are not to feed the goats but to feed the
sheep.
I completely agree that preaching the Word should be the main focus of our
worship services, but I am rather put off by a statement that presumes the
speaker is able to distinguish between the "goats" and the "sheep."
THANK GOD He gave me a different job, which, though difficult, is much
easier than being the judge: to love God and to love my neighbor.
We all have different tastes in music, different methods of worship,
different gifts and talents, and different ideas!!
I believe the original conversation was directed more at children's
ministry than anything. So even if we could judge the value of
*entertainment* by the sheep and goats, where do the kids fit in??
PLUS-- I am a *sheep* (praise be to Jesus for his mercy!) and I find God's
Word to be MOST entertaining :o)
Jesus entertained. He turned the water to wine at the wedding. He visited
with Mary and Martha and said that Mary made the better choice (spending
time with Him). He stopped his sermon to feed the hungry crowds. He
performed many many miracles (granted, these were NOT intended to merely
amuse, but HAD to be very intriguing!). He provided drama wherever He
went--
mud on a blind man's eyes, writing in the dirt, asking "Who touched my
garment?", calling a tax collector down from a tree to go and dine with
him, giving object lesson after object lesson! And on and on and on! Jesus
got people's attention and provided for their needs in order to have an
opportunity to teach them about God! He drew large crowds!!
I hope we realize that it's NOT about entertaining, but it's about
serving,
loving, and leading others to Christ. And I hope we can agree that God
uses things we personally may not understand to do so.
Blessings,
A fellow sheep in WV<><
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9) Entertainment In Church
In response to the following two responses regarding "entertainment in
church".....We have had some struggles with "bringing the world into the
church" as one lady put it. I do think we must be very careful not to box
God in. I am a 43 year old Christian Education Director, and I can tell
you that the things that we did when I was a child in Sunday School, will
not necessarily work with children today. The message should never
change. It is the Gospel of the Risen Christ, period. The venue,
however, does need to reach people where they are, and (fortunately or
unfortunately) we are in a media-driven, entertainment-demanding society.
Did Jesus only stand in the temple and preach? Absolutely not, He went
where the people were. Especially with children's ministries, we have
found that we must use a multitude of tools to reach and teach them, not
the least being that we better love them unconditionally or they will see
us a phonies from a mile away. Even in the adult services, a variety of
"media" seems to evoke a much stronger response than simply standing in
the pulpit preaching only. Remember that people learn in different ways,
some learn by hearing, others by reading, others by doing, even others
with music, etc. We must adapt the medium by which we share the gospel,
while never watering down the truth of the gospel.
In His Service,
Cyndi, Virginia
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