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SSTN # 44 - May 16, 2005


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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:


Psalm 23 Keepsake Wall Hanging

1) The Amazing "Psalm 23" Race
2) Day Camp
3) Rocks are such fun
4) Jesus to the Rescue
5) Rock Lesson
6) Christmas In July?
7) Bug Safari?
8) Lord's Prayer with colors
9) Small Class...what to do
10) Great Lesson for toddlers

Super Heroes ... a two semester series!

11) Lesson About Mothers?
12) Yellow ideas?
13) Summer Camp?
14) Reward System?
15) Used material


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Psalm 23 Keepsake Wall Hanging pattern

The "Psalm 23 Keepsake Wall Hanging" pattern can accompany
"The Good Shepherd" lesson series or be used as a stand alone project.
You will find it listed in the "Easy Make & Take Download" section at: 

 http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html   
(you may need to copy and paste the link to your browser)



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1) The Amazing "Psalm 23" Race

This game-event is loosely based on the popular television show,
"The Amazing Race". You'll find it listed in the games section at: 
 http://christiancrafters.com/page10.html  
(you may need to copy and paste this link to your browser)


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2) Day Camp

Dear Kim,
I was an intercity youth missionary.  That's all we did was day camps with
the children.
We had it country themed and had the sets for the various Bible stories
done with vistas for the vast open country sides.  We had a flannel graph
board with cut out figures and a puppet stage.  The sponsering church held
one at there church on Saturday and the next day we held a mini day camp
in-service.  The camp had the campers of the day before being ushers, and
singing and the picked the songs and they picked the visual lesson.  The
other missionary gave the sermon.  We had a campers crafts table and
display at the back of the church and gave away tracts and mission related
items to the church members.  Then we had a pot luck at the fellowship
hall.   You might want to pick a city to theme your day camp, after giving
prizes for the memory verse and attendance.  You could even have a
donation box for missions for your church.  Advertising and talking it up
will bring you more children.   Prayers ar ewith you.  Have fun.    
Gloria Jacobsen   Az.


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3) Rocks are such fun

One Sunday we had polished rocks and painted with the ink paint marking
pins the names of the children on them to use a paper wights.  It went
with building a strong foundation in Jesus.    One other time we used the
real small rocks and made a small stepping stone of plaster of paris and
the small rocks with the center being Jesus.
And then we used the rock for picture frames   Have fun.  Gloria in AZ



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4) Jesus to the Rescue

This is for Angie regarding the "Jesus to the Rescue" VBS.  We did this
program a few years ago and each night during our snack time, we had
special guests.  Each night one of the following would come and talk to
the kids about "rescuing" - a paramedic, a fireman, a policeman, and even
a vet for God's animals.  The children loved it.  Hope yours will too.
Rosilee from Arkansas


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5) Rock Lesson

This is in reply to the question for crafts using rocks.  I noticed one
week
you are talking about keeping priorities straight and keeping Jesus first.
This is a great illustration/craft for keeping first things first.
For each of the kids you'll need: 1 clear plastic cup, 1 medium size rock
that fits in the cup, some smaller stones, some gravel, and some sand. 
You could have these items in bins and let the kids scoop out how much they
want to use.

Here's what you do.  First you have the kids name some things that are
important to them or things they spend time doing.  Have the smaller
rocks/gravels/ sand stand for all these things.  Kids will fill up their cups
with these smaller items.  The teacher should also be demonstrating with their
cup.  When the cup is full of all these different things, then hold up the
largest rock.  Say "This stands for God. When we fill our lives up with
all these other things that are more important to us, we don't have room for
God"  Illustrate by trying to put the large rock in the cup that is
already full of smaller rocks/gravel.  It won't fit because there is no room for
it.
Then you and all the kids dump out their cup of gravel and sand and start
over.  Say "this time, let's put God first where he belongs!"  You put the
large rock in first.  Then you follow it up with other things that are
important (school, family, sports, etc).  Fill the rest of the cup up with
the small gravel, sand.  This shows that we can still have those things in
our lives, we just have to keep God first.
You could print the Bible verse on address labels and stick it on the side
of the cup to remind the kids what the craft was about.
Another option that we are going to do is to do this same illustration at
a banana split party.  The leader is going to show how to make banana splits
but forget to put in the ice cream.  What's a banana split without ice
cream?  What's a life without God?
Hope that helps! God bless!
Dawn in Ky


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6) Christmas In July?
 
Has anyone ever tried a Christmas in July program?
If so, what did you do?


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7) Bug Safari?

Hi.  Was wondering if someone remembered the motions to the songs for Bug
Safari or would have the book I could either borrow or purchase.  Will pay
shipping also.  I also need the Chadder Bug Safari video if anyone has
it.  Thanks.  Email:  tericout@yahoo.com



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8)  Lord's Prayer with colors

Hi.  In reponse to Jill Duck's request, we do a bead project in our class
for the Our Father, using the following colors.  Hope this helps.
 
Blue = our father who art in heaven
White = hallowed be thy name
Purple = thy kingdom come, thy will be done
Green = on earth as it is in heaven
Yellow = give us this day our daily bread
Red = and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass
against us
Orange = and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil (can
also use black)
Gold = for thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever
 
Jill T.


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9) Small Class...what to do

To Cindy in South Africa.  Your small class of 6 aged between 10-13 years,
is the same as mine.  Sometimes I have more kids, sometimes less, and the
ages range from 9-13.
 
We do play a lot of games.  They are a competitive group, so sometimes I
have them play against each other as boys vs. girls, or upper grades vs.
lower grades, or even one side of the table against each other.  At the
beginning of class, we have a brief prayer asking for the Holy Spirit's
guidance to help us learn.  Then, we may have a Bible drill, where I'll
say "John 3:16", and we'll see who can find it in their Bibles first, and
then read it out loud.  I'll have several verses pertinent to our last few
lessons, and we'll do this.  It is great fun.
 
Another game we'll play is "Old Testament or New Testament".  I'll name a
book of the Bible, and the class will have to tell me where it is found.
 
If I need to pick a helper for the day, or need someone to carry coffee to
the men's group upstairs (a coveted position), I'll ask the kids to come
up with a list of Bible characters beginning with the letter "J", or
something similar.  I try to vary the difficulty so that all the kids can
feel like they have a chance of winning (the topic "animals found in the
Bible" is one all these kids can at least guess at!).  Sometimes it might
be a trick question like "Name some animals that Moses may have taken on
the ark."  The answer is none - Noah had the ark!
 
Then, we'll practice singing the books of the Bible in order.  I may have
a treat for each child as they get them memorized.  Or, we'll work on
memory verses. 
 
The lesson is usually something out of a Sunday School curriculum book. 
We spend about 20 minutes on this.  After some "game" time, the kids are
more apt to settle down and listen to the lesson.  I try to make it
"meaty" but understandable.  I use a curriculum geared for the older kids,
but may have to take some time to explain things to the younger ones.
 
Then, I ask for prayer requests, and I assign each student to pray for one
person.  Often, I'll help them.  For instance my daughter brought up to
pray for our pregnant pastor's wife.  The boy that offered to pray for her
didn't know what to say, so I volunteered "that she would be able to get
the rest that she needs", or "that the Lord would keep her and her baby
healthy".  This is so good for kids to learn to pray out loud!  It is a
joy to see the kids get more and more comfortable with this!
 
I've taught for 15 years.  We didn't used to play games, but since we've
included the games we've got more kids (even unchurched kids) coming on a
regular basis.
 
Hopes this helps!
~Trish
 

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10) Great Lesson for toddlers

  I love finding new resources for our "toddling with
Jesus" sunday school class. The class consists of
1/2 hr of songs and a short bible "idea" or story and
a snack and lots of playtime. The class at our small
church is from infant to 3years. So.... the best
resource I know is "The Little Girls (and Little Boy)
Activity Bible(s)". They have great illustrations,
small stories, and a great "Mom & Me" activity at the
end.  We save lots over buying a curriculum too. If
anyone has some other great resources I would love to
hear about them! Heidi

--from SSTN: you can find these Bibles in our Bookstore by typing the
titles into the search box at:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/bookstore.html 


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--> Super Heroes ... a two semester series!

"Super Heroes of the Bible" is a two-semester series
which seeks to develop FAITH, COURAGE, and OBEDIENCE
in the lives of children and to change our world for Jesus Christ.

To learn more, go to this page:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html 
(you may need to copy and paste this address to your browser)


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11) Lesson About Mothers?

Hello, fellow servants.   I am interested in doing a special lesson on
mothers this coming Sunday.  Does anyone have any suggestions?  I cover
ages 2 through 3rd grade.  Thanks for your input.


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12) Yellow ideas?

Hi there

Amanda here from York, England.  Looking for inspiration in our 'God's
colours class' my designated colour is yellow.  The class is for
pre-schoolers.  Would love some tips!


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13) Summer Camp?

TO Kari in Colo
I loved your ideas for relays!!! Do you have anymore ideas you can share?
 We need some for our summer camp!!!!!   JEB   in NC


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14) Reward System?

We actually do a reward system on a regular basis at our church, however;
the way we do the system is based on participation, behavior, answering
questions correctly, bringing Bibles to class, memory verses, bringing
visitors, helping. I hope this helps and gives you a variety of things
that you can award tickets for.     In Him, Kristin


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15) Used material

I'm wondering why you are expected to provide the materials for this
ministry. Surely your church should help. One thing you might try is
asking members of the congregation to sponsor a child in Sunday school by
donating $25 a year. That would give you some money to get things off the
ground. However, if that is not possible there are a number of free
resources on the web.
Group publications has a bunch of free lessons
http://www.grouppublishing.com/free/Childrens/free_children.htm
MSSS crafts and resources is a veritable gold mine. It has loads of links
for lesson helps. http://www.mssscrafts.com/
Danielle's Place is good source for ideas, also check out their links.
http://daniellesplace.com/index.html
You might also try asking some of your local stores if they would
consider giving you a discount on craft materials. I'm amazed at how
generous people can be. You just have to ask!
Sharon


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