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SSTN  # 53 - May 22, 2002


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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:


1) Poem: "Please Be Patent" ?
2) Discipline Problems   
3) Discipline Problems    
4) Quest for Light Theme
5) Styrofoam trays and toxicity
6) Information on Disciples - for Tina   

-> Summer Sale On Curriculum Items!

7) Discipline Response Troubling
8) Morning Prayer?
9) Father's Day Song

-> Interactive Lessons for Youths

10) 3 day Bible School Ideas?
11) Gifts for VBS TEACHERS?
12) Rahab lesson ideas


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1) Poem: "Please Be Patent" ?

I am looking for a poem that ends with 'Please be patient, God isn't
finished with me yet' I think that there were 3 or 4 short lines. I have
looked everywhere for it. If not does anyone have a poem that would go
with hand prints for the children to do for Mothers Day? Thanks for your
help!
Lisa/Marion, WI

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2) Discipline Problems   

Totally disagree with this. It is not fair for one or two kids to disrupt
and keep other kids form learning. We have the 3 strikes you're out.
First is a warning, second is in time out and director is notified. Third
is time out, a talk with the director and parents are notified. Then out
to pastors class. We RARELY have to do this, and then it only happens once
and the child is glad to be back in SS.
extreme cases -- kids are suspended fro Ss for 3 Sundays.

Circus Theme -- Concordia Publishing's VBS is a Circus theme. If you only
need ideas, buy their decorating book.

Teresa
La Marque, TX


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3) Discipline Problems       

> Sunday School Teachers are special...they are also chosen by God,
> first and then by the Pastor.  Pastor's chooses Sunday school teachers
> they believe that individual can handle it. The purpose of children
> church and Sunday school is to give the parent the opportunity to hear
> of God without interruptions. 

Our Children's Ministries Committee believes that the purpose of Sunday
school, as well as all other programs for children at our church, is to
fulfill our baptismal vows to teach our children about God's love and
sacrifice for them, to help them to hide God's Word in their hearts, to
help bring them into a personal relationship with Christ, to give them an
invitation to receive Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, and to
help them to grow in faith.  Part of the responsibility of a Sunday
school teacher is to provide an environment in which these things can
take place, and part of my responsibility as Children's Ministries
Director is to assist them in this endeavor.  If a child is disrupting a
class, and the teacher is not able to redirect the behavior so that
learning can take place, the teacher asks for my help.  I start by taking
the child out of the classroom and asking him/her to tell me about what
the problem is. We discuss what might be a better way to handle the
situation, and I make it clear what we expect regarding classroom
behavior.  I also tell the child that God loves him/her, and so do I, and
so does the teacher.  We have a prayer together, and then the child goes
back to the room with a caution that if behavior does not improve, we
will have to get his/her parents out of church or adult Sunday school
class. It is VERY rare that I ever have to get the parents, but when I do
they are grateful that I have informed them and involved them in this
opportunity to help their children learn and grow.
Kit MacLeod,
First Presbyterian Church,
North Palm Beach, FL

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4) Quest for Light Theme

>>we're going to change the words to "I'm a Believer" to fit...

I re-wrote the "I'm a Believer" with Christian lyrics. The lyrics are
printed in the SSTN  # 24 - March 13, 2002 issue.
Hope they can help you out!
Nora, 3-K, Ohio

--from SSTN: Thanks, Nora, for the reminder of using the Archives...it's a
goldmine!!
http://christiancrafters.com/archives.html 

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5) Styrofoam trays and toxicity

Regarding the styrofoam meat trays (heating them in the oven):
I asked my husband (works in plastics engineering) about this.  He doesn't
think toxicity is a problem, since styro is mostly air and they're only
being heated for a short time.  He did mention that BURNING styro will
create toxic fumes, though, so please caution your subscribers to watch
the
oven carefully!  Sorry to have stirred things up...
Heidi/NY

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6) Information on Disciples - for Tina   

The book titled, The Twelve, by Leslie B Flynn, published by Victor Books
is full of information on the twelve disciples.
Shirley from Pennsylvania

--from SSTN: I did try to locate it for the bookstore, but was unable to
get it.


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Summer Sale On Curriculum Items!


Buggie For Jesus - I'm A BEE-liever! and the VBS FUNPAK
are NOW on sale for the summer! Get them at:

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


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7) Discipline Response Troubling

Responding to "discipline problems" writer:  It troubles me to hear from
one who participates in children's ministry who thinks that sunday school
and children's church is a place basically to dump kids off so that
parents can enjoy church.
("The purpose of children church and Sunday school is to give the parent
the opportunity to hear the word of God without interruptions.")  I beg to
differ:  children's church is not a babysitting service:  it is an
opportunity to minister to children in a way they understand and respond
to. In my opinion, children's church sows and reaps more into God's
Kingdom than the adult service ever could.  I hope that more churches
approach their children's ministry in an attempt to save souls and not to
cater to conveniences for parents.
-Amy

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8) Morning Prayer?

We are having youth night on May 26...I teach toddlers to age 12......our
program is about the importance of prayer in our daily lives.........Does
anyone know of a morning time prayer to say when we first get up of the
morning....you know like the "now I lay me down to sleep" poem.....any
other suggestions?...maybe a song? Thanks for any help
H&P, Sherry

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9) Father's Day Song

>> I need ideas for a Father's Day Program. Diane

I think most have heard the very old song for "Mother" .... M is for the
....

My sister's JR Church has performed that song for Mother's Day for several
years (they even had requests to do so :o)
She asked me if I could help her with the same tune - but words written
specifically for Father's Day. I supplied the following words. The
children
performed the song, and it too, was received very well.

F - is for the FAMILY that he makes for me
A - is ADORATION for his love
T - is for the TIME he spends on prayerful knee
H - is for him HEARING from above
E - is for his EYES that search the scriptures
R - is for the RIGHT words that he sees
Put that all together
It spells FATHER
A precious gift - that God has given me.

Joyfully Serving HIM,
Emmalea Butler - Trafalgar, IN

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Interactive Lessons for Youths

13 Interactive Lessons and Personal Devotions. Kids Learn by
Thinking and Doing.  Reproducible and kid Tested Activities. Topics
include studies of the book of John, Acts, Romans, Galatians, Psalms and
Proverbs. In the Christian Education section of the bookstore:

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


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10) 3 day Bible School Ideas?

I need help.  Our church is planning a 3 day Bible School and our director
just left, which leaves me in charge.  Having never done this I would like
some help. We are thinking of either a circus theme and call it "Under the
Big Top of God's Love" or something patriotic like "God Bless America".
What lessons would we use?  Craft ideas? Decor. Any help is
appreciated.Cindy Bright

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"Get em' in the LOOP!" 

L-eading kids to Christ,
O-ffering advice
O-pen discussion forum
P-roviding free resources

Invite your friends, pastors, and coworkers
to join our discussion in SSTN.

http://www.christiancrafters.com/page3.html 


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11) Gifts for VBS TEACHERS?

Hi, I am the VBS director in a small church.  This year I would like to
give the teachers and workers something special as a thank you.  Does
anyone have any inexpensive ideas?  I would greatly appreciate it.
Jayme - NY

--from SSTN: make sure you check the Archives List for a lot of great
ideas. Use keyword: "Appreciation": 
http://christiancrafters.com/archives.html 

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12) Rahab lesson ideas

Christy in Bloomington was looking for a Rahab lesson.  A couple of things
that I thought of (we're doing a lesson on Rahab for VBS this summer).  If
your group is little kids - you could hide something in a small mound of
hay or straw (like Rahab hid the Hebrew spies in flax).  Perhaps a roll of
nickels would be a fun thing for a bunch of kids to search for.  This
would have to be an outdoor activity--and you might have to know a farmer
or rancher (or horse owner).   I've seen this done before - it's a kick!
Especially if you hide a gold dollar in there, too!

I also think of jewelry when I think of a harlot.  You could make
bracelets out of "Friendly Plastic".  I haven't done this,  but I
understand that you can cut out "gem" shapes out of the Friendly Plastic,
and place the little pieces onto a 5" x 1.5" strip of Friendly Plastic.
Use a piece of tin foil under the plastic to lift the "bracelet" up and
place on an electric grill or skillet (medium heat).  It takes about a
minute for the little pieces to start melting and looking softened.  Then
you can use a spatula to lift the foil and "bracelet" off the heat.  At
this time you can push a few acrylic "gems" into the softened plastic.
Shape the "bracelets" over an empty paper towel tube (leaving the foil on)
before they cool.  Then peel off the foil when they are cool.  I have
these directions from a friend, but haven't tried it myself.  So try it at
home and make sure it works before doing it with a bunch of kids.   For
boys, perhaps you could make their bracelets wider and more "manly"!  Then
they could be Joshua's spies!

About the flax that Rahab hid the spies in - I have no idea what kind of
flax that Rahab used, but you can buy flax flower seeds.  Maybe you could
plant them as you talk about your lesson?...Or eat some dates.  Jericho
was known as the "City of Palms"  (Deut 34:3, Judges 3:13).   There is
more information about the history of flax from the Canadian Flax Council
at:  http://www.flaxcouncil.ca/hisindex.htm

The story of Rahab is another one of those that answer the old question
that every kids asks, "What if I was the only one  - would Jesus still die
to save me?".  You see, Rahab declared her faith in the Hebrew God (Joshua
2:11b).  She was the only one that believed.  Did God really need to send
the spies in, as he fought the battle by caving in the walls? Or was his
interest really in Rahab?!  Rahab demonstrated her faith - and because of
her faith, she and her whole family were saved.  She was the only one, and
God risked the lives of his spies to save her!

Have fun with your lesson!
-Trish in Nebraska

--from SSTN: Amen, Trish. Great ideas!

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