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SSTN # 113 - November 5, 2003


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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:


--> Christmas FunPak!

1) Bored In Sunday School
2) Festival Plan Thwarted
3) Creation ideas   
4) Poem on Snowflakes?

--> Hands On Lessons of the Bible

5) Festival canceled
6) Festival Plans Thwarted   
7) Evaluation of Sunday School Director?
8) Festival Plan Thwarted   

--> Instant Christmas Plays

9) Used Scuba Materials?
10) Preteen Sunday school   
11) Festival Plan Thwarted   
12) PreTeen Sunday School
13) Halloween crafts for Pre-K
14) Clown play   

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--> Christmas FunPak!

Great for gift-giving or Christmas crafting fun. Click on the
"Christmas FunPak" link in the "Christmas and Advent" section at:

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


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1) Bored In Sunday School

As a Sunday School Teacher with over 25 years of experience, I'd say don't
let yourself get trapped into trying to make things more fun for this one
child, especially if the others in the class are enjoying what you are
doing. It is okay to be bored, we aren't in the 'entertainment' business
after all.We are there to show these children Jesus.I suspect your bored
child is asking for attention, is he actually bored or is he craving to be
important to someone?If you try to spice things up just for him you will
be
rewarding his bad behavior, Instead I'd encourage him to join the others
and give him lots of positive feedback when he does.If at all possible
have
another person sit in your class to 'help' with situations.Someone who can
encourage each student to pay attention, or find the right crayon, or keep
the 'bored' child  from disrupting the rest of the kids.

Peace,
Edan


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2) Festival Plan Thwarted

In response to the festival dilemma. satan is the imitator...he has no
ideas...he takes the things of God and perverts them not the other way
around...but the fun ideas are great and definitely don't give up on using
them for the children to enjoy

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3) Creation ideas   

Our 3rd & 4th grade class had a few lessons revolving around the creation
and here's what we did:  Our lesson book had ideas for transforming our
Sunday School room into the Garden of Eden.  I asked each student to pick
one of the ideas, make it, and bring it with them to class.  Of course
they asked if they could make more than one!  Some ideas were making palm
trees from newspaper (take several sheets, roll them into a cylinder,
tape, then cut slits in one end, fray them out for the palm branches, and
paint-optional.), making tissue paper flowers, or paper bag vines (cut
strips, tape together to make a long strip, then scrunch and twist into a
vine.)  We also made butterflies (decorate plain white kleenex or paper
towels with marker, place on a towel on a protected surface and dampen the
kleenex or paper towels with mist; let dry.  The colors blend - it's
really cool! Then gather down the center, accordion style, fasten with a
colored pipe cleaner, and bend the ends of the pipe cleaner to form
antenna.); and origami frogs.  I also supplied some flowery swags, colored
Easter grass for grass and water, and tons of stuffed animals.  The kids
seemed to really enjoy decorating the room.  We left it in place as we
studied the creation, and Adam and Eve.  When we got to the lesson on the
first sin, when Adam and Eve had to leave the Garden of Eden, we
disassembled our Garden and took our crafts home.
In His service,
Julie


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4) Poem on Snowflakes?

I am looking for a poem or saying I had last year, on snowflakes. Each
year we do a theme for our children's area at Christmas and this year we
are using snowflakes.  The only sayings I can find now are not it. Can
anyone help me?? This is what I have so far:

a. Each snowflake is unique. Just like you!!
b. Jesus loves you SNOW much.
c. A creation from heaven, each one is unique.
    A long way to fall, no sound it will make.
    A shining, glistening snowflake.

Thanks
Debbie Elder

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--> Hands On Lessons of the Bible

KID-tested and teacher approved! Can be used with
rotation-type programs! Learn more at: 
http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html 


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5) Festival canceled   (SSTN #107)   

I have always felt there will be folks against whatever we
do in the name of Jesus. A Harvest Festival, or even a
Thanksgiving oriented Festival is simply a great way to
draw folks and kids attention toward God's care and love.
Many times the folks who criticize either do not work with
children or would never come up with a better idea. They
are simply jealous and trying to take control of your
situation.  Go ahead and re-name your Festival to a
Harvest/Thanksgiving Festival and hold it in November (early)
and cite the Festival of the Booths or the Harvest one
the Jews celebrated (can't remember both names properly)
and turn it into a celebration of God's Blessings. Ignore the
naysayers and do what the Lord has told you to do.
(They will get over it, really.)
Joys in Jesus - Nancy <>< 


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6) Festival Plans thwarted   

I understand your disappointment and it really upset me to hear that there
were people in your church that were trying to defeat your good
intentions!!  We have a church in my town (not even my own church but my
kids attend this) that has a "Hallelujah Party"  instead of a Halloween
party.  They offer all kinds of small carnival games (dunk tank, basket
shoot, baseball throw, tic-tac-toe, ball in the basket, cake walk) plus
some of those jumping tent, rock climbing, sumo wrestling pads, obstacle
course, etc that one can rent.  It really has turned into a big event!
Some kids come dressed up after they have gone trick or treating - but
most come in street clothes - the pastor gives a message every hour and
there is Christian music and bands, and raffles.  The kids and parents
sign in and are given a raffle ticket - they have food there and it is
just great fun for the kids instead of focusing on Halloween.  I think
people rea! lly get out of hand with this - I know I dressed up for
Halloween and it didn't kill me - we grow up and realize that it is just a
day to dress up without making a huge deal out of it!  I am Christian and
my children are Christian and they know the difference between right and
wrong (and worshiping Satan is wrong!)  We are huge ASU fans but we don't
think Sparky the Sundevil is evil!  He's just a character!  So don't let
people get you down and I think that you should do what you believe - and
if it is having a party for the kids to have a good time at - while
exposing them to some Christian ideas - let them be kids and have some fun
- you're not doing anything bad!  JC

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7) Evaluation of Sunday School Director?

I have been a SS director for almost a year now, and I would like to be
evaluated in order to get feedback for improvement.  Does anyone have an
evaluation form that they use and like? You may email me directly at
randall@aloha.net
Thank you, Karen

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8) Festival plan thwarted   

Dear worker for the Lord,
  I beg to differ with the ones that challenged you with the festival.  It
is not you that is mimicking the world, It is the world mimicking the
celebrations of the LORD. The Bible says that the devil is a thief and a
liar. He steals what belongs to God and perverts it. Harvest is a
celebration of firstfruits. And who says that outsiders can't participate?
What a great way to win souls to the Lord. I don't know if your pastor was
one of the people who challenged you or not. your heart was in the right
place and I admire you for humbling your self. But please Don't give up,
Those Kids  need some one like you. This reminds me of a song " I went
into the enemies camp and I took back what he stole from me." I can do all
things through Christ which strengthens me.
My prayers are with you
your sister in Christ
Cindy H


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in our Bookstore - Games & Skits section:

The Mouse's Tale,
Operation Baby King,
The Not-So-Silent Night,
Live From Bethlehem,
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you help to keep SSTN and the website alive! Tell your friends, won't you?

Thank you!
Your webservant,
Sarah Keith <><


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9) Used Scuba materials?

Dear Pam,
       I'm interested in the used Scuba material and the sunday school
material that you have.  I'm Sunday school director at my church and I
teach pre-school through third grade.  We have an older class too, but
I've been looking for material for the younger class.  If you are
interested in giving it to my church that would be great.  We are a small
Sunday school and could benefit from it.  Thank you.  Please e-mail if you
want to send me the materials.
HisLoveCoversMe@aol.com


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10) Preteen Sunday school   

>I currently started teaching the preteen Sunday School Class.  They are
>ages 10 thru 13!!!  I'm looking for some fun creative way to bring new
>students in.  Attendance has been low lately!!!

Dear Tina:

My class consist of 5-13 year olds. The projects that my teens liked the
most were "Treasure boxes" and Joseph's coat of many colors.

Treasure box

I bought inexpensive wooden boxes from Michael's, they can be the small
ones. I had them paint and glue jewels (the kind used for leather
projects) on them. Then I had them give them to people that they had not
gotten along with. I told them it was because they needed to explain that
God's love is a treasure.  And that even though someone might not get
along with you, you still need to love them with God's love.

Joseph's Coat

I bought packages of mens t-shirts (plain White ones. Then I took ribbons
of green (envy), Blue(sadness) Red (anger) Black (sin) and we glued them
on the shirt, designing their own Joseph coat. We use Fabric glue and they
turned out wonderfully.

Annette
anya58@mindspring.com

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11) Festival Plan Thwarted   

Don't loose faith just because a few people tell you differently. They
just can't see the big picture. I, too, was in a similar situation to
yours last year. I took some months to think about what people said to me,
pray to God for guidance and I'm back this year with a new empowerment to
keep what children we have in our church and to even try to increase
numbers. Kids want and need to feel like they belong. Keep up the great
work! God is on your side.
Judy

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12) PreTeen Sunday School

>ages 10 thru 13!!!  I'm looking for some fun creative way to bring new
>students in.  Attendance has been low lately!!!

Plan special fun events once a month (or every quarter) for the regular
attenders to invite their friends. Have it on a Saturday or Sunday
afternoon so other kids will be more comfortable attending on Sundays. For
example, check out the Survivor-Temptation Event in the Sermons section
at:  http://www.ChristianCrafters.Com

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13) Halloween Crafts for Pre-K

You could make pumpkins from toilet paper rolls and fabric. We tried this
with our little ones and they loved it.
Take a square of orange fabric and set a roll of toilet paper in the
center of the wrong side. Pick up all the edges and tuck them into the
tube. Then give each child a piece of brown craft paper to crumple and
twist to make a stem, lay a strip of green fabric across the top of the
pumpkin and stuff it part way into the tube with the paper stem. It was
simple and we sat in a circle and did it step by step together. The
children were so proud that they made something by themselves.

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14) Clown play   

I would suggest searching the site  www.clown-ministry.com


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