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SSTN # 72 - August 19, 2005


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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:



New Craft For Support Partners

1) Talking in front of adults
2) Temptation Island - Fear Factor?
3) Adam and Eve - the temptation
4) Shepherds - Speaking To Adults
5) Christmas Parade Floats?
6) How Do I Teach?

"Revolve: Teen New Testament"

7) Special services in October?
8) Family Activities
9) Family Activities
10) Family Activities


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New Craft For Support Partners

If you're a Support Partner of ChristianCrafters.com,
then you are entitled to receive the following
"I AM The Vine - Glass Mosaic Pattern" at:

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


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1) Talking in front of adults

This has been very well said. I enjoy sharing my personal experiences and
testimony, but have recently felt that I talk too much. I appreciate where
the writer mentioned speaking from the joy of her heart and that joy
spreading out to others in a manner as not to hurt others. Sometimes, this
will happen no matter how hard we try to be diplomatic; we just have to
trust God to intervene and reveal to others what He wants to teach them
through us. Thank you for your comments.
Jeanne


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2) Temptation Island - Fear Factor?

I am involved in VBS every year.  I am the program and song leader.  Every
year we have trouble getting the older kids interested in the lessons. 
They want to be the team leaders.  The idea of Temptation Island and Fear
Factor sounds interesting.  But how does it work for young children?  We
have from age 2-3 years to 11-12.  I try to pick a VBS program that I can
use music that the kids will connect to.  Using fast, different sounds and
some rap, goes well.  Also I usually change a lot of the motions to hip
hop or rap movements.
My question is...what was your basis for these VBS themes?   What stories
did you use?  What songs did you use?  Did you have a format that you
followed?  I am interested in working on something that isn't as
structured as some that you buy.  Any help would be appreciated. 

Thanks, Cindy
1stUCC Hamburg, Pa
 

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3) Adam and Eve - the temptation
 
After story time and snack we played a game. A basket was filled with
child toys (ours were sun glasses bought at a local party store on a card
12/1.99.  It was good for small children because the prizes were all the
same just different colors.)  The center piece of the basket was a
colorfully wrapped gift bag which the children were told they could not
chose if the music stopped and they were holding the basket.
 
 The children played pass the basket to a Sunday school song tape.  When
the music stopped they were allowed to choose a prize EXCEPT for the
wrapped prize in the center of the basket.  All the children received
their turn and their prize.
 
We decided that the sunglasses were "nice" but the prize I really wanted
was the one in the center,  the one Miss Edna told me I could not choose. 
Almost all of the children admitted to feeling the same way.  We then
wondered if perhaps Adam and Eve might have felt the same way.
 
We finally opened the center bag and out spilled the Chinese finger traps,
enough for each child.  We talked about how these were fun to play around
with until you got your fingers caught then it would be hard to do a lot
of things like simple things like eat..............
 
Sin is like that it is fun to play around with some times but then one
time it will catch you. God doesn't tell you not to do things because he
doesn't want you to have fun he tells us in his word these things to
protect you.
 
I was amazed that even my smallest children 3-4-5 year olds were entranced
by the finger traps.
 
This one was a keeper
Marilyn


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4) Shepherds - Speaking To Adults

Thank you so much to everyone who has responded so far, and those that
will respond in the future about the post I made concerning speaking in
front of adults. I have really appreciated all of the heart felt
responses, and I am glad to hear that I am not the only one who struggles
with this sort of thing.

To the person who inquired as to what a "shepherd" is, that is a concept
that goes along with the curriculum that we are starting in the beginning
of September. The curriculum is VeggieTales Connections, and it is a
"small group" based curriculum. A "shepherd" is a person who is in charge
of 68 children throughout the entire course of a Sunday school class,
helps them with the craft, helps them with the story, and so on and so
forth. A lot of the teachers are against the "shepherd" idea, just because
we have trouble staffing the classrooms that we have now. Our preschool
director and our new recruiting person think they can handle it, so we
shall wait and see what God has planned for this whole new adventure.
Love in Christ,
Sarah in California


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5) Christmas Parade Floats?

Anyone have any ideas for Christmas Parade Floats?  Our church is in our
local Christmas parade every year where we have a "homemade" float pulled
by an SUV and some of us walk beside it and hand out info about our church
and give goodies to the kids about the real meaning of Christmas.  Last
year we had the manger scene at the beginning of the float with some of
our kids then in the middle we had a big wooden cross and at the back we
had someone dressed up as Jesus in white and purple with a crown sitting
up high on a throne.  The crowd all along the route was in awe of "Jesus"
just like you'd expect them to be over Santa.  We are starting to make our
plans now for this year but just seem to be stumped on what to do since
our Jesus was such a hit last year.  Any ideas or themes would be greatly
appreciated.  We do want something that shares Jesus with the public and
the real reason we celebrate Christmas.  Thanks.  Rhonda

--from SSTN: you can find some ideas in the archives by typing "floats"
and "float" in the search box:  http://christiancrafters.com/archives.html



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6) How Do I Teach?

Aloha,
 
I have recently been choosen to be a sunday school teacher from ages 40
yrs and older, How do I teach when they have more knowlege then i do ??
I'm looking for Games or crafts to teach  the message of God to make it
fun ?
 
help... Hokulani... Gods servant

--from SSTN: I'm assuming you meant 4 year olds and older. Check out the
hands-on Bible lessons at:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html
Each lesson has a craft, game, enrichment ideas and are easy-to-use.

ysic,
Sarah Keith


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7) Special services in October?

Our church is having a series of special services in October, and, on the
last night, we plan on having something for the youth after service. We
don't want to do a lock in - we plan on either gathering at a local
community center or a banquet room at a restaurant. We want to eat and
play a few games. It will be geared toward the older youth - think 15-21
or so....Does anyone have any ideas for good group games for that age
group, icebreakers etc? We don't have a number of people yet, but I'm
thinking about 30 or so.... Thanks!

Kari
Trinidad, CO

--from SSTN: there are some great Ice breaker games in the games section
at:  http://christiancrafters.com/page10.html
 

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8) Family Activities

We have had a February Fun Feista which was just an Friday evening full of
family games and snacks. 

We have an Easter breakfast between services.  We have Sunday School
classes perform songs and skits.  We had an Easter hat or basket contest.

We had a Mall Party in our auditorium to raise funds.  We invited
community home sales people.  (Avon, Tastefully Simple, etc.) We had this
right before the Mother's Day weekend.  Was good for Mother's Day,
Graduation, Father's Day...

We have a Strawberry Festival in June and a Peach Festival in Aug.  Also
this year a Blueberry Fest in July. 

We have a church service and picnic one Sunday in July at a nearby park.

We worked on a youth musical last year instead of summer classes, for
Rally Day and had snacks afterwards. 

We gather at a nearby pumpkin patch in October for a corn maze and picking
pumpkins and gourds.  Then we met at the church afterwards for hot choc
and snacks.  We have a lady how makes balloon animals. 

Hope some of these will work for you.  Cindy 1st UCC, Hamburg, Pa


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9) Family Activities

> Would anyone recommend how many family activities should
>be done in a year?

In our church, St. James United in Simcoe Ontario, we have done a number
of
family activities that have gone over very well.  These include family
dances held in our auditorium usually 2-3 times per year (September for
our
Rally Weekend, December for Christmas and another in the February or early
March time frame for a mid winter pick up).  We have had various themes
for
our dances including a Hawaiian luau, a 50's theme, a beach party, a
Hallowe'en costume party (In October for Hallowe'en) and others with no
theme, just a family get together. We have also combined these with a pot
luck dinner which was also a hit with everyone!  We have also have several
"teen" dances for our youth as well as youth from the community-this was a
great success and we are looking to do several more of these in the next
few months as an opportunity for our youth to enjoy themselves in safe
Christian atmosphere and to also offer an outreach to our surrounding
community.  We have also had family BBQ's or picnics usually held in
September to coincide with our Rally Sunday for the Sunday School
Registration and in late May or early June to coincide with our Sunday
School awards ceremony and presentations to our Sunday School Teachers.
Hope these ideas help you out as we have had a wonderful time with these
and are planning many more!

Yours in Christ

Murray Barber
St. James United Church
Simcoe, Ontario
Canada


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10) Family Activities

Our church has a family night meal each month, last wednesday night,. at
our church the pastors wife  the help of a few church ladies), prepares
the meal which the church has purchased. families pay $2 per platest to
reimburse the church for the food. you could also just have church members
to bring pot luck meals. after dinner the pastor does a short devotion and
tone plays some sort of game or does an activitiy the pastors wife has
arranged for us. its always lots of fun and the fellowship is such a
blessing. it also gives members time to get to know each other.
thats especially good for new members. feel free to mail me if i can
explain it better.
   Connie
  Tenuhcmama@wmconnect.com

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