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SSTN - Number 251
November 26, 2001
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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:
1) Let's Put Christ Back Into Christmas?
2) Ways to Encourage
3) Crafts for small kids?
4) Ideas for senior high class -follow up
5) Ideas for decorating
6) Art/craft activity for senior high students
7) Children's Ministry Course
8) Things found in nature?
9) "Dear American Soldier" letter campaign
10) Learning Centers for 4 and 5 year olds
11) Marching scripture memorization
12) Letter writing campaigns
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1) Let's Put Christ Back Into Christmas?
Our Children's group is doing a play called Don't X Christ Out. It calls
for a song called "Let's Put Christ Back Into Christmas". I can't find an
accompaniment track or sheet music for it anywhere can you help.
God Bless,
Ginnie Bayliss
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Make And Create For Christmas!
KIDS CAN @ CHRISTMAS TIME contains 28 crafts, recipes, and daily
devotionals to enhance your Christmas celebration! Many of the items in
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learn more, click the link or copy and paste it to your browser:
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2) Ways to Encourage
>>I agree, there is a better way besides candy. . .
You must teach different kids than we do. We have a hard enough time
motivating them with rewards, and when we tried it without -- forget it! I
totally disagree with Group and the Schultz. Yes, I read the book and was
not impressed. We are promised a crown a life, a mansion, etc. That is a
reward for doing right. Perhaps the folks who wrote the book teach in a
different area or to a different class of kids. We live in an area where
90 per cent of the homes are single parent homes. The kids are not self
motivated to do anything. In addition we have a lot of families living
below poverty level Even with rewards it is hard. When we tried no
rewards, we had totally uninvolved kids.
As a school teacher I include rewards and incentives as part of my
classroom activities. It sure works!
Teresa-La Marque, TX
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3) Crafts for small kids?
I teach a group of 10 young first graders who struggle with being able to
make even the simple crafts. Since I don't have a helper in class, it
makes it hard to have the children finish crafts in the short amount of
time we have in class. I would like for them to make a Christmas gift in
class to give their parents and would like some suggestions on a neat gift
idea that is very easy for them to make. Any suggestions?
Thanks, Kari Boyle
--from SSTN: Hi Kari: make sure you check out the Christmas crafts in the
Craft section of the site. There are many easy-to-do crafts for that age
group. My Chrismon-Kids pattern booklet is for kids ages 3 and up! Also,
if you have adult or teen helpers in class, this helps to get a project
done in a short time period. ysic, sarah <><
http://www.christiancrafters.com/page6.html
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Make a Christ-Tree!
Chrismon Snowflake Ornaments contains 32 ornaments of faith to decorate
your Christmas tree!
http://www.ChristianCrafters.Com/page2.html
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4) Ideas for senior high class -follow up
Although I do not have a formal curriculum for any particular show, I'd
love to pass on my idea to other Middle School and Senior High School
Sunday School Teachers and Youth Directors. I tape fifteen to thirty
minute segments from widely popular shows from Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, and
so on, that have moral lessons woven into them. I use the index of our teen
Bibles to find scripture that relates to the theme of each show, and it
has become so popular that the teens now request certain episodes that they
have analyzed on their own at home. This positive re-inforcement does not
stop at the classroom door. They carry it with them and share it with
unchurched friends. After competing with characters such as Sponge Bob and
Lizzie Maguire at discussion time, I decided to invite them into our class
and found them to be great guests!
Thanks for letting me share,
Christine, Stoneham, MA
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5) Ideas for decorating
>>I would like to have ideals for decorating our dining area for Christmas
>>dinner and for songs for children and adults and crowd games. How do
>>people deal with the issue of Santa. Our church has Santa visit the
We've put up a Christmas tree with lights and had each family bring an
ornament to put on the tree. The children's classes could also make
ornaments to put on the tree. One year we gave everyone in Sunday school
nursery-adults a slip of paper to put their name on and then made a big
church family chain to put on the tree. We don't have Santa at church.
We
have a children's Christmas Eve Celebration of Jesus' birth before our
communion service. We first sing Christmas songs as the kids arrive, then
we tell the Christmas story in an active way for the kids to participate.
Then everyone sits around the advent wreath, we light all the candles (the
kids get to see the Christ candle lit) We pass out cupcakes to all the
kids with a candle in it, while we are singing Silent Night. We light the
cupcakes and then sing "Happy Birthday to Jesus". The kids eat and then
everyone goes to the communion service. It takes about 30 minutes for the
celebration. It's 30 minutes on Christmas eve when the kids can take
their attention away from Santa and focus on the real reason for Christmas!
Good luck! Cynthia
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6) Art/craft activity for senior high students
Since all teenagers enjoy symbolism, why not try doing the flags that many
churches have put up these days. Also, you could try Chrismon ornaments as
they also are full of symbolism and yet are definately a creative art
project. Let me know what the response is.
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Find just about ANY book (Christian or secular) in our Bookstore! To find your book,
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7) Children's Ministry Course
Have you checked into the Concordia University System? They have colleges
in MI, TX, NY, CA, WI, OR, IL, MN, AL, and NE. Just do a search on it,
and good luck.
Jo in NE
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8) Things found in nature?
Need some ideas or have some new thoughts using natural grasses and things
found in nature. I am really trying now to do/find things tht are one of
a kind. later,a
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9) Dear American Soldier" letter campaign
Yesterday, I believe I heard American Family Radio's morning guy say that
the Department of Defense has stopped all bulk letter campaigns to our
armed forces. You might want to check with AFR before starting something.
Sarah, thank you for your ministry--you are a blessing to me.
Zoe Doyle,
Thompsonville (IL) Church of God.
--from SSTN: Zoe, thank you! Please pray for this ministry! sarah
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TWO FREE CHRISTMAS CRAFT PROJECTS!
http://www.christiancrafters.com/crafts_Christmas_Advent.html
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10) Learning Centers for 4 and 5 year olds
I teach the four, five and six year olds at our Youth Church. I was able
to purchase a "learning center" (which is a cassette player with hook ups
for eight head sets at once) from a school supply store. I often use
this "learning center" to play cassettes of children's bible stories that
pertain to our lesson. It is so popular now, some of the other classes
like to borrow it. If a cassette is unavailable on our lesson for that
Sunday, we read a bible story to the children using puppets to keep their
attention. I noticed that you are from Japan. Here is in the United
States you can purchase a cassette that usually comes with the storybook
and/or coloring sheets. This age group loves to color too! This is a
way of reiterating your lesson. Hope this helps.
Ahreita Griffin
Charlotte, North Carolina
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"Get em' in the LOOP!" Share our ideas!
Invite your friends, pastors, and coworkers
to join our discussion in SSTN.
http://www.christiancrafters.com/page3.html
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11) Marching scripture memorization
Dear Sarah,
Recently I wrote in about using marching to memorize scriptures and I
forgot to put my e-mail address for those who wished to have a list of the
scriptures I have already marked to the marching beat. Your readers are
welcome to e-mail me privately for a list.
Janet Smith
Paintsville, KY 41240
jsmith@webjammer.net
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12) Letter writing campaigns
I recently received notification that due to the Anthrax threats and
occurances in the U.S. Mail, group mailings to our U.S. Soldiers is being
discouraged. The annual "Dear Abby" letters to the military has been
canceled also.
Dodie
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