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SSTN # 63 - August 14, 2006


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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:


1) Shake Up Youth Dept?
2) Explaining the church
3) Jewels for Jesus Jello
4) Lessons For 2 Year Olds
5) Veggie Tales Costume
 
>>> JOIN the SUPER HERO TEAM

6) Senior High Dilemma
7) Where is Jesus now?
8) Advent Ideas?
9) Illustrating the Lord's Supper
10) Bible reading plan for 9 - 13 year olds



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1) Shake Up Youth Dept?

Hi,

I have a question regarding our youth grades 7-12.   I have recently
become more involved in our youth program.   The reason I became
involved is mostly to shake things up.     Our youth program is alot
of fun but very little substance.   The kids dress inappropriately,
they're clicky, selfish, often unkind.     I have addressed this (as
have many others who have subsequently left the church because of the
youth pastor) with the senior Pastor to no avail.

Please tell me how to shake things up and wake these youth and adults
involved out of this lukewarm "sleep" that they all seem to be in.
It's so frustrating because our Childrens Pastor is wonderful.    The
children learn, worship, pray, and serve but once they move up it's
very little substance.    I feel these kids are ready to chew meat and
bones and we're handing out chocolate milk christianity instead  :(

Thanks,
Vicki O.
Erie, PA

--from SSTN: if your leadership is unwilling to see the problem, you are
definitely in a terrible situation. Keep praying, ask for wisdom, be
willing to teach and find others who are willing to teach in that dept.
too.


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2) Explaining the church

When I taught this to the Junior class, besides telling the kids of this
spiritual side, I had different people come to tell them their job in the
church--an elder, the person who mows the grass, the janitor, etc.  They
really got to understand how important all those jobs are.  I also made a
floor plan of the church and had them write in the names of the different
rooms along with the teachers or whoever worked there.  We talked about
the wonderful things they could find in the church library, thanked the
Lord for all the dedicated people who work in AWANAs and children's
church.  Some of the children had never known a lot of grown-ups and they
enjoyed getting to know them.  I remember when I asked one of them who did
carpenter work at the church to speak, he brought a plumb line and
explained it's use, using a Biblical illustration to go with it.  They
were fascinated with it.
Helen Setser


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3) Jewels for Jesus Jello

You might want to try this.
Various colors of jello.
Poured into free formed molds make from aluminum foil.
Form the pieces of foil into bowl like shapes with crinkles and edges
like rock.
Pour in the prepared jello and refrigerate.
diane plum
dplum@hughes.net



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4) Lessons For 2 Year Olds

>I would like to know if anybody knows any lessons that can be taught
>to 2 year olds kids in Sunday school? 

Most curriculum publishers have age appropriate curriculum.
 


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JOIN the SUPER HERO TEAM

Get your kids on the Super Hero team when you teach them all about the
"Super Heroes of the Bible"; one of the great choices you'll find in
our "Bible-4-Life" curriculum series at:

http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/Bible-4-life.html 
(you may need to copy and paste the link to your browser)




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5) Veggie Tales Costume

I made a Bob the Tomatoe costume a few years back for a Veggie Tale avent
at our church. Get a Hallaween Adult Pumkin pattern and just adjust the
colors.


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6) Senior High Dilemma

I wanted to thank all of you that responded to my dilemma.  It is nice to
know that we are not alone, although I wish there was a quick solution for
all of us to getting teens excited about church.  I will pass along all of
your suggestions, and get the book.

Thanks, Cindy


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7) Where is Jesus now ?

> We developed our own rotation called Where is Jesus now ?

This is a great idea. I will be doing this in 2007. 
I would love to know more about your lesson plans. 

Thanks
Dee Anna
Dabecerril@kelsey-seybold.com



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8) Advent Ideas?

Although Advent is a few months away I need to plan ahead.  Has anyone got
any different ideas for a Children’s Advent Service using an Advent Ring. 
Also some ideas for Advent and Christmas crafts.  Thanks.

Jenny R

--from SSTN: there are TONS of ideas in the site. See the crafts section
and the archives: http://www.SundaySchoolNetwork.com 
Make sure you check out the Chrismon pages too:
http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/chrismon.html 



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9) Illustrating the Lord's Supper

Stephnie,
 
There are a number of themes related to the Lord's Supper.  Which you
choose to emphasize will affect what craft project you might use to
illustrate it. 
 
I love the way almost everything in the New Testament has a counterpart or
antecedent in the Old Testament.  When it comes to the Lord's Supper, we
usually think of the Passover meal as Old Testament background.  But, the
Passover is derived from the fellowship sacrifice (also known as a thank
offering, a peace offering, or a communion sacrifice) mentioned in
Leviticus 3, 7, and 17.  It was one of three main types of sacrifice along
with the whole burnt offering and the cereal offering. 
 
In the fellowship sacrifice, God and people share a meal.  The sacrificial
animal is roasted rather than consumed by fire.  The people eat the
roasted meat in an act of giving thanks.  The vapors from the barbequing
meat rise up to the heavens and appease the nostrils of God.  As we know
from the Gospels, when two parties share a meal in the Near East, they are
bound together in a covenant relationship often expressed by, "I will be
your God and you will be My people."  Jesus is the lamb of God sacrificed
for us.  The language and imagery of the fellowship sacrifice from
Leviticus finds its way into Ephesians 5:2, which says, "And walk in love,
as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and
sacrifice to God."  The Lord's Supper is the place where God wraps His
arms around us and takes us back to Himself in a meal, even though we ran
away from Him like Gomer ran from Hosea. 
 
The Lord's Supper is based in a meal, so many of the metaphors for it
would be illustrated well by a food item (which you are trying to avoid). 
The kids could make a representation of a lamb because Jesus is the Lamb
of God Who was sacrificed for us, on Whom we feast in the Lord's Supper,
Whose blood takes away the sin of the world, and the savor of Whom
appeased God.  Also involved is the idea of a covenant with God that could
be represented by something depicting a hug because God welcomes us back
to Himself in the Lord's Supper.  Perhaps this could be extended to
something that binds, like tying a special knot uniting two pieces of
cord.  Something that depicts a nose or smoke or smell could be used to
ilustrate the fellowship sacrifice background of the Lord's Supper.  I
realize these things depict parts of one way of thinking about the Lord's
Supper.  Perhaps each student could choose one aspect to illustrate rather
than trying to illustrate all of the Lord's Supper with one craft
project.  Much probably depends on the age level of your children, too. 
 
There is also an old prayer used at communion services.  It says
(paraphrased) as the grains of this loaf were once scattered over many
hills, but now are united into one loaf, so unite us in one body.  It
comes from one of the writings in The Didache, which you can almost
certainly find on-line or download.  A loaf would make a good device, but
you are trying to avoid food items. 
 
I hope something in this sparks an idea for you.
 
Rev. Phil Bohlken
Grace Lutheran Church
Caldwell, Idaho    
 


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10) Bible reading plan for 9 - 13 year olds


The UPCI has a Bible reading plan for both adults and children, called
B.R.E.A.D.


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