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SSTN # 87 - November 17, 2006


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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:



Advent Crafts & Recipes!

1) Making God Tangible
2) Soon it will be Christmas...
3) Student's Pictures
4) Younger Children's Christmas Play?
5) Push Being Saved


Pilgrim & Indian Finger Puppets...it's not too late to order!


6) Acts Board Game
7) Photography in classroom
8) Check-In / check-out Procedures
9) Check-In / check-out Procedures


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Advent Crafts & Recipes

Celebrate the Advent season with Kids Can @ Christmas Time!
31 easy-to-do crafts and recipes for kids and families! To learn more, go
to:

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



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1) Making God Tangible

I once told someone that I needed to feel and God and this person hugged
me. When they did this is was not like any other hug I had. I would
suggest you explain to the child, there are many things we cannot see, but
we have to trust God if we believe He is real. Then I would have somebody
hug him, and then you could hug him after asking God to show His love
through you. Allow the child to feel the difference in man's love and
God's love.


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2) Soon it will be Christmas...

We all know the Christmas story in Luke 2 begins with "In those days there
went out a decree from Caesar Augustus."  But, we probably have paid no
attention to the importance of the word "Augustus."

The Caesar's actual name was Octavian. The Roman Senate gave him the title
"Augustus."  It means "the revered one."  Connected to it were overtones
and expectations that he was the son of god and would be the savior of the
world.

In Luke 2:1 the one who thinks he is the son of god and savior of the
world
issues a decree and the whole world moves to comply.  But, a few verses
later the real Son of God and Savior of the world is born as a tiny baby
in
the most humble of circumstances.  It is a delicious irony that has many
applications for life even today.  It is also a point that is not
difficult
to teach even to children.  Adults appreciate it, too, and often gasp
audibly when they realize the surprising contrast in something so
familiar.

Rev. Phil Bohlken
Grace Lutheran Church
Caldwell, Idaho


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3) Student's Pictures

> RE: "What kinds of activities have you done that included pictures of
> your students? "

In Britain it is illegal to photograph any child without the permission
(preferably written) of their parent or guardian.  It is sad that the
world is such that this is the case.  I am not suggesting that we should
not take photographs of the children, but Sunday School staff need to be
aware of this.  I have just sent home permission forms to our kids for
both still photos and video.  I don't think anyone will refuse, but with
child-protection being the issue it is any child whose paren/guardian
refuses permission will not be photographed.  I don't know if the same
applies in other in other countries, but it is worth checking as there are
people who just love the chance to jump on Christians for this kind of
thing.
 
Frances


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4) Younger Children's Christmas Play or Skit?

I'm looking for a Christmas play or skit for the younger children.  These
children are age 3 to 6 years old and are either non-readers or beginning
readers.  I'm looking for something about 10-15 minutes long with little
or no reading parts (maybe 1 or 2 reading parts). Thank you in advance for
any help.
 
God Bless You All,
Donna

--from SSTN: check out "Instant Christmas Pageants" in our bookstore.
There are six to choose from. Just type the title into the search box to
locate them:
http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/bookstore.html 



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Pilgrim & Indian Finger Puppets...it's not too late to order!

Let your kids act out the first Thanksgiving in America with our
Pilgrim & Indian Finger Puppets. You can print as many patterns
as you need for a one time fee!

Download them today from the " Easy Make N' Take" section at:
http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/curriculum.html 
(you may need to copy and paste the link to your browser)



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5) Push Being Saved

I think that I must be the person that mentioned
this, Debbi.  And I agree with you.  I belong to a traditional but
liberal church denomination, and I will be leaving at the end of the
school year.  I am looking for a church that is more contemporary, but
does openly teach about the need for salvation.   Cindy



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6) Acts Board Game

RE: A board game idea to help teach about Acts

Why not make a huge board on the floor (I agree with Sarah~ a map would be
awesome!) and let the kids be the 'pawns'?

Angie <><


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7) Photography in classroom

Thanks to everyone for the "photography in the classroom" ideas.

Kim Richter



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8) Check-In / check-out Procedures

Sherri,
  I don't know much about your church size and the best answer to this
will depend quite a bit on your church size.  At a smaller church, we had
special numbered cards that were laminated.  Parents needed to sign in
their kids with a sheet that included basic details about allergies, where
they would be while on campus, etc.  "Member" kids had a picture taken and
attached to their card, but the cards were kept for reference.  The child
had a smaller version of that same card that could be attached to their
gear, I guess pinned on if appropriate (we were low-tech).  To pick up the
kid, you needed the matching tag.
  This is a pretty short description, but it sums it up pretty well.  We
had specific information we needed to know about the child (name,
allergies, age, anything else to know), the parents (name(s), location(s)
if we needed to find them, nothing else required), and that was pretty
much it.  The tags ensured that kids could not just go without the
appropriate parent.  The church we're attending now is similar, but they
have pagers - no pager that matches the kid, no kid.
  I actually work for a Church Management software company and they have
more elaborate options - a complete check-in station with pictures and the
other pertinent info from the database, notes for the workers (e.g. Uncle
Harry CAN NOT pick up this child), it can interface with a label-printing
system so both kids and parents get a bar-coded label for pick-up
purposes, certain people can just be approved in the system to pick up
kids so that if Dad doesn't have the label, he can still check-out his
kids, etc.
  I think that the Dallas Morning News did a story a while ago on one
church in the metroplex that designed their kids area with a lot of study
of airline terminals: one way in, one way out (that won't set off alarms),
non-authorized people do not enter the children's area - no exceptions. 
If I find the link, I'll try to post it.  It was a good story on a church
that takes children's security pretty seriously.

In Him,

-Peter


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9) Check-In / check-out Procedures

This really is a complicated thing. IN my age group we have a sheet where
parents write the childs name, sign them in and then sign them out. During
sign in and sign out times we try to have quiet, orderly activities
provided for the children and a leader stationed near the table so that we
can make sure that we know what is going on.

Part of our policy is that we make sure that each child has a list of
people who are authorized to pick them up and children can only go with
these people. We have tried to intoduce a policy of only people over 18
years of age can pick up but this has been difficult as many of the
families will often send down older brothers and sisters.

Anyway this is an outline of what we do - hope it helps.

Rachel


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