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SSTN # 81 - September 13, 2005


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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:



Tell Me The Story of Jesus

1) Reviewers Needed - 2006 VBS Curriculum?
2) Prayer Jar
3) Songs To Share
4) Pastor Appreciation?
5) Hurricane Relief
6) Hurricane Relief

Trinity Twister - Video Clip

7) Snacks in Sunday school?
8) For All The Fear Factor objectors
9) Fund Raisers
10) Lord's Prayer skit?
11) Fear Factor...What's the point
12) Fear Factor


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Tell Me The Story of Jesus

"Tell me the story of Jesus, write on my heart every word." Those are the
words, from that old beloved hymn, that inspired me to write my latest
hands-on curriculum series, "Tell Me The Story of Jesus". This two-semester
lesson series contains coordinating crafts, games, skits and enrichment
ideas to tell the story of Jesus, from childhood to Pentecost. One book is
all you need for TWO whole semesters! And it's value priced!
To download two complimentary activities, go to the Curriculum page and
click the book's cover at:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html

Your webservant,
Sarah Keith <><


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1) Reviewers Needed - 2006 VBS Curriculum?

I have received the following request for your help. If you reply, please
tell the editor you are responding via SSTN.
Your webservant, Sarah Keith. <><

Greetings:

I'm the editor of Outreach magazine (outreachmagazine.com), and we're
working on a piece for our Jan/Feb '06 issue about small churches and VBS.
I notice in the SSTN archives that several forum members have posted
comments about being in a small church that does VBS. I'm looking for some
VBS leaders/directors in small churches that we can interview for this
article, as well as names of a veteran VBS leader that would want to
review the January 2006 VBS curricula publishers will be debuting in 2006.

If you're interested in helping us with this article, please e-mail me,
Lindy Lowry, directly at  lwarren@outreach.com .

Thanks for your help. I look forward to hearing from you.
Lindy Lowry
Editor, Outreach magazine


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2) Prayer Jar

One of the best ways to teach children prayer is with empty plastic peanut
butter jars.  Clean them well.  Make one for each child and one for
yourself.

Label one side of each jar “From Me to Jesus”, label the other side: “From
Jesus to Me”.   Everyone writes down a one sentence prayer and puts it in
their jar.  You have to stick with your prayer and the prayer of each
child until each of you can write the answer on the back (no prayer is
ever over until you get the answer).  It is a promise from God and we
should teach our children to take it seriously … seriously enough to stick
with them and every prayer they pray until God answers.

One of the great lessons of the Prayer Jar is that HEARING from God is
almost always a better answer than GETTING from God.  Another great lesson
is that sometimes you should ask other people to pray with you.  Every
family’s journey will be different but the end will be the same…a
permanent lifelong faith that every prayer we pray IS answered if we just
learn to stick with them.  Having a prayer jar for each child in your
family or Sunday School class is critical.  If we have not taught them to
pray what have we taught them???

You don’t have to use a peanut butter jar but they are a good size and
shatter proof.  You can use almost any kind of mailing label or even
masking tape.  Or you can just skip the whole thing and do without and let
your children do without.

For other free parenting tips on prayer and 24 free Lord’s Prayer Coloring
pages visit www.teachustopray.com


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3) Songs To Share

I wrote a couple songs and want to share them with everyone if you want to
use them.  The first about fruit of the Spirit has my own tune which I
can't put down as I am not musically gifted but my grandson insists it can
be sung to the tune of the "Beverly Hillbillies" theme song.  "Choose for
Me" is to the tune of "In His Time"

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
The fruit of the Spirit is not sweet potatoes
Or apples or peaches or big red tomatoes;
The fruit of the Spirit isn't oranges or peas
It's not yellow corn, it's not any of these.
The fruit of the Spirit is love joy and peace,
Lone suffering, gentleness, goodness and faith.
It's meekness and temperance, God wants you to know
In your heartHe will plant it and cause it to grow.
 
I made a poster with two vines, one with all kinds of sins and the other
with the fruit.  On the one, I labled  Flesh and the other Holy Spirit.
 
CHOOSE FOR ME
(Tune: In His Time)
Choose for me, Lord, choose for me.
Your're all wise and I am not,
Choose for me.
Choose each moment of my day,
Choose each step along my way
And my thoughts and words I say,
Choose for me.
 
Choose for me, Lord, choose for me.
I will take from your dear hand,
Choose for me.
Choose my friends and what I do,
Choose my health and leisure, too,
And my times to worship You.
Choose for me.
 
I visualized this one by using silhouettes of kids doing the actions and
on the page about taking from His hand, I had a large hand reaching down
with a small one reaching up, etc.
 
Again, thank you for SSTN and all the good things you share with us.
 
In Christ,
Helen Setser

--from SSTN: you're a blessing, Helen. Thank you for sharing your talent!
ysic, sarah

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4) Pastor Appreciation?

I am looking for creative ideas to honor a Children's Pastor for more than
12 years of ministry to our church.  He is "retiring " from that position
but not leaving the church.  He is taking another role in the church's
leadership.  So, it isn't the typical retirement/farewell.
This man is very well loved by all and has made a huge impact on our
Children's ministry.  We want to honor him with more than a typical gift
or
act.  Do any of you have suggestions?

Kathy

--from SSTN: make sure you check the archives too at:
http://christiancrafters.com/archives.html


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5) Hurricane Relief

I am writing from Jackson, MS.  We have thousands of evacuees here from
the MS coast and from the New Orleans area.  Most of our shelters are
without power, clean water, and ice.  These people have nothing to go
home to and are being told they will have to stay for months in these
shelters.  They have only what they brought with them.  The media (from
what I can tell from the 1 TV station we are receiving) is not covering
anywhere housing evacuees... Only the New Orleans and Biloxi, MS areas.
We, along with other areas with shelters, are in desperate need of
donations.  We have no gas to run generators.  We have no clean water.
We have no ice.  I am asking anyone who can, PLEASE donate to relief
efforts.    You must designate your donation to Hurricane Katrina Relief
to assure it is used for their help. And please, please continue to pray
for these people who have lost so much.


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6) Hurricane Relief

Mercycorps.org  is another way to help. Additionally, check out give.org
for information on how your donations are spent by various non-profit
agencies.


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Trinity Twister - Video Clip

Check out our newest Make N' Take download craft to
coordinate with your lessons on the Trinity. View a short video clip too
at:

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


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7) Snacks in Sunday school?

Hi,
 I recently taught 1st and 2nd grade sunday school for the summer while a
lady had surgery. She would bring snacks every sunday, juice, crackers,
whatever. Now that she is back, I was asked to teach 3rd and 4th so I am.
My question is, now those children will expect a big snack like that, but
I cant always afford it. Theres about 6-8 kids and alot of them say they
dont even have breakfast. How can I just say no to snacks except a peice
of candy or something when alot of the kids dont eat in the mornings?
Plus taking 10-15 minutes away from class they could be learning more or a
fun activity. Please help with any advice on this.
You can email me to @  Rebadeb@aol.com
 
thank you and God Bless.
Debbie

--from SSTN: have a snack basket. Each week one child is given the "honor"
of getting the snack basket to take home and bring back the following week
with snacks for the class. If a child forgets the basket, then no snacks
for the class. This usually works pretty well. You can always follow up
with a phone call on the Friday or Sat. before church. ALSO, for anyone
replying, please reply directly to SSTN so all may share your knowledge.


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8) For All The Fear Factor objectors

When I used Fear Factor as a theme for a youth lock in it was safe and no
one was hurt. The kids had a great time and even asked for and anticipated
 the events. I have a large attendance for our group size and guess what?
we even studied scripture. The theme was a way for the kids to have funa
nd lighten up. Just because we are doing bible study and learning about
our most wonderful and merciful God doesnt mean we cant have fun sometimes
too. I dont feel inadequate nor am i using Fear Factor for instructions. I
firmly follow the Bible in my teaching. Using Fear Factor was just a
game... the same as Monoply ... Sorry or any other game u want to mention.
Maybe we all need to look at it as such and everyone lighten up and agree
to disagree. I will b happy to respond to any emails directed to my
address.Have a blessed day.
Connie
Tenuhcmama@wmconnect.com


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9) Fund Raisers

Our best fund raiser has been making pizzas.  We choose a day for delivery
(Super Bowl Sunday, or any day), then take orders.  That way we know how
many to make.

I called a local dairy for a donation of cheese.  The local grocery store
donated frozen pizza crusts, and a rancher donated beef and pork sausage.
All we had to purchase was pizza sauce and a little more cheese.  I had
the
kids call me in advance and tell me how many and what kind of pizzas they
had sold.  We met on delivery day, in the morning, and cooked our meats,
then put together our pizzas.  The grocery store manager helped us to use
shrink-wrap to wrap our pizzas.  It had been prearranged for delivery on
that day, and if our customers would not be home, they had told the kids
where to leave the pizzas.  Then, each kid (and mom/dad) hand delivered
the
pizzas they had sold to their friends and neighbors, along with a printed
instruction sheet on cooking the pizza.

This takes some calculating (how big are the pizza crusts, and how many
ounces of cheese should we use per pizza), more calculating (if we spend X
amount of money on supplies, how should we price our pizzas), and some
organizational skills.  But it's nothing to charge $20 for a large pizza,
and with donations, there can be a lot of profit there.  Hardly anyone
buys
just one, because you can freeze them for later.  Plus it's fun.

There's even a  Bible verse about cooking pizza (minus the tomato sauce
and
cheese) Leviticus 2:2 "The priest shall take a handful of the fine flour
and oil...and burn it on the altar...an aroma pleasing to the Lord" 
(Don't take me serious here!)


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10) Lord's Prayer skit?

Hello,
At the end of our Sunday School year, we have a bible breakfast where we
can "show off" what we learned. I teach a second grade class, and our
objective is the Lord's Prayer.
I am looking for any ideas for a skit that I can create to have the kids
act out than just get up there and say the prayer.
 
Thanks,
Cheryl

--from SSTN: How about using sign language?
There's a "Sign Language Dictionary" on our links page at:
http://www.ChristianCrafters.Com


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11) Fear Factor...What's the point

I am amazed to see that the majority of this newsletter over the past few
issues has been devoted to debating whether we should or should not use
the Fear Factor idea while teaching our children.  As a teacher and a
parent, I say that you have to gauge your own individual group as to
whether or not it is an appropriate method for teaching your children.  It
amazes me how Satan can turn even the best intentions into a situation
such as the one I see developing on this newsletter.  Instead of
developing and sharing ideas, helping to foster the spiritual growth of
the children we work with, we are tearing each other and our teaching
methods apart.  If you feel that God is leading you to use the Fear Factor
and Survivor ideas, wonderful!!  Go for it!!  You should always pray for
God's direction as you prepare your lessons anyway.  We all need to
remember that God uses many different methods to gather His flock.  Who
are we to question His ways?
 
In His Love,
 
Kelly M
West Virginia


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12) Fear Factor

In response of all those who believe it is horrible that people are
using this technique for getting kids for Christ.. May I please remind
you that we are IN the world, not of the world.. but in order to win
kids for Christ, we need to reach them where they are.  I don't
understand why there is such a problem with taking something such as
fear factor and utilizing it to win souls for CHRIST! If you are arguing
it due to it being "gross".. then I suggest you open your bible to the
Old Testament.  Things are not always happy and joyful. You could also
read about the torture Jesus endured when being crucified, in the New
Testament.  There are gross times in life and we need to make sure that
our youth don't have fear as a factor, but rather have the peace of
Jesus in their hearts.  Our youth need to learn how to deal with gross
evils.. not be put down because they have fun learning Godly lessons
with "gross" food. I personally have not used this lesson, but can fully
appreciate it's effectiveness!
t. morris - PA


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Your webservant,
Sarah Keith <><


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