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SSTN # 86 - September 28, 2004
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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:
Chalk-It-Up ... Encourages creativity in kids!
1) Teaching Youth?
2) Cain and Abel?
3) Praise to pass on
4) Pastor appreciation?
--> Spirit Gifts...An Introduction For Children
5) VBS 2005
6) Group Name
7) Bulletin board ideas?
8) Father & Son Respect?
--> Last Minute Teaching Ideas!
9) Used Curriculum?
10) Children in the Sanctuary
11) Sermon on Luke 19:1-13
12) Christmas Message?
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Chalk-It-Up ... Encourages creativity in kids!
Have fellowship fun with 22 Awesome Outdoor Games Kids Draw With Chalk.
Fun and wholesome activities for parties, icebreakers, and friendship
building!
Use them at church, school, youth groups, or for family-time
get-togethers! Comes with a pack of marble sidewalk chalk, a recipe to
make your own chalk, and directions to make some unique game
accessories. Includes games for older and younger kids (K-5th grade)! Get
two sample games and learn more at:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html
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1) Teaching Youth?
God Bless you! I am a Youth Director for my church and i teach the youth
sunday school. I was wondering if there was any new ideas I could use to
make it relevant to them. We have done skits and had video discussions,
but i fear it is getting too predictable for the kids. the ages range from
11-17, so as you see, they are a mixed bunch! Any suggestions would be
greatly appriciated! thank you and may God bless you and your service to
Him!
Rebecca
Buffalo, NY
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2) Cain and Abel?
Hello! I am teaching 5 year olds and we are doing a 3 week segment on
Cain and Abel. Any ideas on how to explain this to younger kids?
Thanks
Lisa H.
Marion, Wisconsin
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3) Praise to pass on
I became the coordinator of our preschool and children's church program in
January. Actually there wasn't one before me. I revamped preshool church
and started children's church. Well, I took a leap of faith and started
children's church without our teaching rotation filled. As a result, we
took a break for the summer due to a lack of teachers. We committed to
not
start children's church back up until our 4 month teaching rotation was
filled (by filled, I don't mean completely filled but the minimum that we
needed with my husband and I filling in the rest but also getting a little
break now and then.) Well I was really struggling with the rotation not
being filled, yet trying very hard to give it to God and not be the
control-freak that I usually am. I just had to share, that the last
teacher
that we needed to fill our minimum came through last night! We can now
start up again on October 3rd! I'm so excited! I just had to tell you how
God provided. I'm so glad I waited on Him. He is so worth it!
Gwen
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4) Pastor appreciation?
I'm very interested in ideas for my 4 and 5 year olds to pay tribute to
our
Pastor and his wife for Pastor appreciation. Any Ideas?
Thanks
Betty Davis
--from SSTN: make sure you check the archives too. There are a ton of
ideas in the site on this subject:
http://christiancrafters.com/archives.html
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--> Spirit Gifts...An Introduction For Children
An inspirational midweek program that contains a variety of fun lessons,
crafts, and games to teach the children in your ministry about the
following Spirit-filled Gifts: FAITH, WISDOM, MIRACLES, HEALING,
ENCOURAGEMENT, GIVING, MERCY, SERVING, and EVANGELISM.
To learn more, visit this webpage:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html
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5) VBS 2005
The Vacation Bible School 2005 programs are:
LifeWay - Ramblin' Road Trip: Which Way Do I Go?
LifeWay (new "club" VBS) - Beach Blast
Regular Baptist Press - Jungle Adventure: Discovering Gods Love
Gospel Light - Kingdom Of The Son: A Prayer Safari
Concordia Publishing House - Safari Adventure: Discover Jesus The King
Word Action - J-Force: Discovering The Ultimate Truth
Standard Publishing - Construction Zone: Building Character Like Jesus
Groups Publishing - Serengeti Trek: Where Kids Are Wild About God
Groups Publishing (Holyland Adventure) - Jerusalem Marketplace: Where
Jesus Walked To The Cross
Cook Communication Ministries - Good News Clues
Augsburg Fortress - Davey And Goliath's Circus Spectacular
Hope this helps!
Love in Christ,
Sarah in California
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6) Group Name
Hi, My name is Tammy I was looking at your web site and read that you are
looking for a name for your group. I thought about one that you might
like"Kingdom bound kids". I hope you can use this if not good luck and God
Bless!
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7) Bulletin board ideas?
Does anyone have some creative yet easy bulletin board ideas for Sunday
School?
Maggie
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8) Father & Son Respect?
This may not be the right time of year, but there is a slow disrespect for
men growing in our society. It has taken on the forms of: less time with
kids after divorce, fewer Father and son banquets in the church, email
jokes about men (does anyone REALLY pass along this rubbish?), ridicule on
national tv and radio, etc. etc.
Our men have given their lives for us, now and in years past. They provide
for our support and fix our broken things. They hold gently and gingerly
our newborn babies. I could go on and on, but I wonder if there is more we
can do as Christians (mostly women here) to uphold our men with dignity
and honor; to encourage them as fathers and husbands. Does your church
have a mother daughter dinner and none for the guys? What are your
opinions on this and, remembering that our lovely little boys grow up to
be men, what do you think we can do to bring the image of men back to the
level it should be?
Gloria
Children need both parents!
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--> Last Minute Ideas!
Give our "Easy Make N' Take Projects" a try.
Learn more at:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html
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9) Used Curriculum?
I am in a similar situation as Rhonda. I am the Children's Church
Director at my church. We have approximately 70 children enrolled but
approximately 25-35 who attend regularly. We are very limited financially
as it relates to purchasing curriculum, supplies, etc. for our children.
I and my assistant have basically used our own funds to get our Children's
Church setup. And we've also done this to keep it going for the last
year. I would be extremely grateful to receive used curriculum or any
other materials that may be beneficial to our children (ages 3-12). My
email address is: thall3@lsuhsc.edu.
Tonita Hall
--from SSTN: in case you missed the last SSTN warning, please proceed with
caution when exchanging $ for postage. My advice is to pay for postage
AFTER you've received your items or have the shipper use C.O.D. shipping.
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10) Children in the Sanctuary
At our Seventh-day Adventist church we are currently having the debate
over providing a paid child care during the service. Our church is large
but not large enough for 2 services, by which a group could volunteer
during the first service and then attend the second service. It is a long
standing Adventist tradition that all children attend the service and
begin learn the proper church behavior. However, we know that often times
it is difficult for parents to hear the sermon while they are trying to
keep their toddlers quiet and entertained.
Here are a couple thing that I know does help during our service:
a. Our pastor is committed to our kids and each week he has a certain word
that he announces at the beginning of his sermon. The kids are to keep
track of how many times he says that word. After the service all children
(doesn't matter how many they counted) can show their log to the
designated person and reach into a bag of foreign coins. The pastor has
been donated coins from all over the world. Many of the kids have pretty
good collections going. Even my 4 year old loves it!
b. To eliminate the need for a tired, loaded down parent bringing toys to
church, we have created a library cart. On this cart we have several sets
of felts, weekly children's bulletins (taken from a book) and the
extremely popular for all ages-art boxes. The only contain scratch paper,
pencil, crayons (one of each color) &1 hot wheels car (because we had a
bunch donated). Someone does need to restock and organize the cart each
week but it has been wonderful and it tells our kids that they are
important to the church.
Don't forget Jesus was only 12 when He began teaching the priests. We have
a lot to learn from our kids.
Yours friend in Christ,
Kara
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11) Sermon on Luke 19:1-13
> I am in need of ideas for a children's sermon based on Luke 19:1-13.
> Any sharing will be most appreciated.
There are many points you could bring out through the story of Zacchaeus.
Here are a few suggestions.
A. Why was Zacchaeus a cheat? The Bible doesn't say, but it does give us a
clue. He was very small. You could speculate that Zacchaeus' stature
caused him to have a tough time at school - e.g. name calling, bullying,
not being allowed to join in games etc. This could well have caused
Zacchaeus to become bitter, and have a desire to 'get even' when the
chance arose through his tax collecting job. Relate this to problems some
of your children may be having because they are 'different'.
B. Jesus knew Zacchaeus' name even though he had never met him before.
Jesus probably knew everything about Zacchaeus - that he was a cheat, why
he was a cheat, but most importantly what he could become if he allowed
God to change him on the inside. This reminds us that our God knows
everything. Here is a simple illustration you could use to teach that
truth :-
Take four pieces (you could use more if you wish) of differently coloured
cardboard - e.g. Yellow, red, blue and green. On the back of the yellow
card write "You will pick up the yellow card." Write on three small
pieces of paper "You will pick up the red card ----------------- blue
card. ------------------green card." Place these papers out of sight, but
in easily accessible positions e.g. inside a plain envelope which is in
full view of the class, inside the front cover of your Bible, etc.
Place the four coloured cards in full view of the class, and ask for a
volunteer to come and pick up one of the cards - stating that you know
beforehand which one they are going to choose. If the yellow card is
chosen, ask your volunteer to pick it up and turn it over - showing the
words "You will pick up the yellow card." They will probably think that
the other three cards have a similar message written on the back. Show the
class that this is not the case !
If your volunteer picks up one of the other cards, direct him/her to the
appropriate piece of paper in the envelope, Bible etc.
Conclude by stating that what you did was a trick (without revealing how
it was actually done), but that our God really does know everything - even
the future !
I have four more alternative illustrations on this theme. Email me on
mnmsweetsur@xtra.co.nz if you would like details.
C. Zacchaeus truly repented, and proved it by promising to give half his
money to the poor, and to pay back everyone he had cheated four times as
much. When we do wrong, it is very easy to say 'sorry' , but what God is
looking for is a 'Zacchaeus attitude'. If we are really sorry, we will not
only say 'sorry' , but truly change our attitude, and do everything we can
to put right the wrong. A fun object lesson on repentance, or changing
direction (Which way?) can be found in Newsletter 4 on
http://user.pa.net/~mycala/msmain.html
Maurice Sweetsur.
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12) Christmas Message?
Hi! My name is Shirlie and I am working full-time in my community church
as a Children Pastoral Worker.I need help in getting creative ideas on
delivering Christmas Message to children at the age of 6-12 years
old.Also, our country is tropical and we don't experience winter during
Christmas period.
I really hope to deliver good message in an extraordinary way to engage
the kids fully. Anyone wish to share your ideas?
Your help will be much appreciated=)
cheers, shirLie
--from SSTN: make sure you check the Christmas resources on the following
pages:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/sermons.html
http://www.christiancrafters.com/skits.html
http://www.christiancrafters.com/chrismon.html
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