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SSTN # 23 - April 16, 2007
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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:
1) Mother’s Day poem 2) Baseball Theme Help? 3) Summer Children's Church 4) Entertainment In Church 5) Supersized Sunday program? 6) Summer Children's Church 7) Summer Children's Church 8) Saving Grace Day... Alternative VBS 9) Summer Children's Church
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1) Mother’s Day poem
Mother of Mine (A Mother’s Day poem by Teri Couture – Copyright 2007)
On this one day of the year We get to thank our mother dear For all the great things she has done There are so many; there’s a TON.
She taught us how to laugh and play How to work and how to pray How to love and to forgive How to watch the way we live.
When I’m sick, to God she prays And by my side all night she stays Until she sees the light of day And makes sure healing’s on the way.
She makes the house all nice and clean And comforts me when kids are mean She reads to me when I go to bed There’s so much more to be said.
But here’s the thing I want to tell I love my mother very well Though Mother’s Day comes once a year I’ll thank you always for your care.
I love you, Mom!
(option: before the last verse is recited, child gets his/her mother out of the congregation and says the last verse while looking at her and then hugs her).
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2) Baseball Theme Help?
Does anyone have the material Playing on God's Team by Gospel Light? They do not sell this any longer and it is not presently being published. I would like some help with ideas for a Baseball theme if anyone has some advice. Jeanne
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3) Summer Children's Church
Responding to Cathy about having no summer childrens church. The children in our church range from about 2-12 in age and we have about 6 regulars and 14 total, and only one usable classroom. My church has had a craft type time for the children in the summer, but Jesus has tugged at my heart for a while about the need for them to be still involved in learning about the Gospel. Long story, but a book came my way (God )and it was perfect. It is called "No Experience Necessary" by Elaine Clanton Harpine. It is great. It fits a broad range of ages. We are building our own church walls (framework) in our classroom. We have built our own cross and banners and we are working on a Lord's Prayer cloth. I have modified some things to fit the timing, our resources, special events, etc. and I have used some ideas gleaned from SSTN (like an Easter Mural we called "walk to calvary" and used the childrens silohuettes and large rolls of printing paper.)to fill in or add to the program. I gave up my own Bible study time and made a commitment to the Children's church. I believe you have to have a committed leader, but you might find them in unexpected places. The interesting thing is that I asked for adult helpers and any adults to come and join us at any and all times. There have now been several times when I have had as many adults as children. I try to get the fathers involved with building and such. The best thing about this progam is that it has a summer portion. I am excited to get to that part of the book. It is a News, radio, TV, roving reporter type program that reports the Bible Times. When we say "Why me Lord?", the Lord says "Why not you?" If He has placed it on your heart, you only have to answer and he will give you all you need to do the work. Hope it helps, Gloria
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4) Entertainment In Church
We all must be careful. Keep the Sunday services to preach the Word. Don't spend most of the time singing and beating drums and leaving little time for the Word. You will know that it is worldly entertainment when the goats will come and have a really good time. We are not to feed the goats but to feed the sheep. I believe true Bible believing Christians should know when something is wrong, because we should be led by the Spirit. I have in the past been wrong about things I arranged for worship but never been wrong with preaching the Word. We pray in our Church at our prayer meeting on Sunday morning: "Lord prepare our hearts for the true worship of Thee this day." I don't wish to list the things we should do or not do in the Church, but we should always consider if we are doing all to the glory of God and the people hear the Word clearly, because we are told in Romans 10:17 that... faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Billy Dickson Belfast
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5) Supersized Sunday program?
I would like to learn more about this "supersized" Sunday morning summer program and the 5-year rotation.
Thank you, Cindy cindyjohn96@msn.com
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6) Summer Children's Church
We had a new format for Sunday School last summer and we plan to do it again this year.
I surveyed the congregation to see what special skills people had and would be willing to teach a group of children (Grade 1-7). The skills included: hand sewing, paper mache, knitting, harmonica playing, sports, cooking, drawing, drama. After doing up a schedule and coordinating when the adults were going to be away on vacation, etc. I had the kids sign up for whatever they wanted. They were grouped according to their 1st or 2nd choice. Their session lasted for about 2-3 weeks. I also chose a theme: Psalm 139 and we all tried to memorize it as a summer project with prizes and all. We did a devotional relating to Psalm 139 each week in the large group before splitting up into our skills groups. I found this format worked very well as attendance is not consistent in the summer and things are changed up a bit from the regular curriculum. The kids had fun learning a new skill and interacting with some new adults. Also, the adults had an opportunity to see what Sunday School is like with a shorter time commitment. The entire summer sessions was called SUMMER SKILLS instead of Sunday School. This year's theme is going to be either The Lord's prayer or The Fruit of the Spirit.
Hope this helps. God bless . Anna (from Canada too!)
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7) Summer Children's Church
Last summer, in order to keep our SS going and also give rest to our teachers (few students and fewer teachers, esp. in the summer) we grouped all of the kids together each week, and rotated who would be in charge of the lesson. That way, each person only prepared 1 lesson a month. Any teachers who were not out of town, etc., came as usual, and provided support and assitance. For the last Sunday before school started, we had a Rally and Promotion Sunday. I prepared the lesson/activities, and even included the adult SS class. I used the colors of Christ from the SSTN site, including the beaded cross keychain, and developed a paper chain lesson, and a wall cross one as well, which are on the site. I intend to do the same thing this year for the summer, only I will start soon by hanging up a calendar and asking teachers to mark Sundays they want to lead, and ones they will assist, and when they will be gone. Not sure what the Rally theme this year will be, but I have a while! HTH.
Tanya (SD)
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8) Saving Grace Day ... Alternative VBS
Hello, This is in response to an alternative weekly bible school programs. Our church is a small one with few available adult volunteers for our children's programs. Our church has a SAVING GRACE DAY 4 times a year. We have it on a Saturday from 9am until around 3pm. We serve a light breakfast and a lunch that ties in with our theme for that particular day. We have chosen various bible stories and have also used vbs literature that we break up into 4 parts. Our focus for each Saturday is only one story with our crafts , music, skits, etc tying in with that story. We always have a good turn out and our adults always enjoy it too. Hope this helps, Yours in Christ, Brenda Goodwin
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9) Summer Children's Church
Good Morning, I have been working with children's church for about a year plus. The children really enjoy "Children's Bible Trivia". Any similar game would work as well I expect. Sometimes one may find Bible question cards sets in a dollar store. These one would need to check over as far as weather all the questions and answers are Biblical, but once that you done, one is set to go with it. One might also start a set of their own using file cards, writing questions and answers as they pop into the mind!! My husband used this technique when he was teaching Junior Church. Mary Starke NY
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