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THE SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER'S NETWORK
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"For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."
Matthew 18:20

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<>< <>< SSTN-Volume 1-Number 60 <>< <><
May 30, 2000
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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:
* Skit: Building on a rock
* Sonzone program
* Father's day Craft?
* Christian day care
* From alcoholic homes?
* Teacher Appreciation Day?
* Multi Age Classes
* Fishing themed craft
* Fishing themed game
* 'Hooked' on the Books of the Bible
* Summer Sunday School
* Summer crafts and activities

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Skit: Building on a rock

>"Does anyone have a suggestion on a drama that illustrates families building
> their homes on a rock instead of the sand?"

This Story is Presented with the use of 2 Big Heads, dressed as tool men.
Someone narrates the story (with enthusiasm) because Big Heads Never Talk!
Props needed: spray bottles of water, tool boxes, hammer, wood
Once there were two men. They were tool men. They had lots of tools that
helped them build all kinds of things. Most of all, the tool men built
houses.
The first man was a very foolish tool man. he didn't make very good plans
about what he was going to build. He just decided that he was going to build
a house one day, and that's just what he started to do.
The foolish tool man got some wood, and a hammer and nails so he could start
to build a house. He looked around for a place to build his house and he
found a nice spot on the beach. There was sand all around! It was the
perfect spot because he didn't have to walk very far to go for a swim in the
ocean. So, the foolish tool man started to build his house right there on
the sand. First he built the floor, then the walls and then he put a roof on
top. When he was all done, he stood back and looked at the house because it
sure did look nice!
Then all of a sudden a storm came. The wind started to blow and it started
to pour rain. (Prop people spray kids with spray bottles) It rained and
rained and rained. It rained so much that the water became a flood. The
storm got worse and worse.
The foolish man was sitting inside his house while it was storming outside.
All of a sudden, CRASH! His house fell flat to the ground!
The second tool man's name was Jim. Jim the Tool Man. He was a very smart
tool man! He was very careful to make his plans about building things. One
day Jim the tool man decided to build a house. He gathered up some wood, and
a hammer and some nails, and he began to look for a place to build his
house. He found a nice spot near the mountains. He thought to himself, "this
will be a great spot to build a house because it is right on top of a flat,
solid rock." So Jim the tool man got to work. First he built the floor, then
the walls and then he put a roof on top. When he was all done, he stood back
and looked at the house because it sure did look nice!
Then all of a sudden a storm came. The wind started to blow and it started
to pour rain. (Prop people spray kids with spray bottles) It rained and
rained and rained. It rained so much that the water became a flood. The
storm got worse and worse.
Jim the tool man was sitting inside his house while it was storming outside.
He was smiling to himself, because he knew his house would not fall down. He
was a smart tool man because he remembered to build his house on a rock!

Here is another one....
_ Bible Verse: Matthew 7:24
_ Materials Needed: Water tank, 2 houses (Monopoly houses work well), a
rock, and sand
_ Instructions:
1. Attach one house to a rock and the other house sitting on the sand.
2. Pump water into the tank and as the water rises show how the house that
is attached to the rock remains steadfast but the house sitting on the sand
floats away.
3. Ask each player who represents the rock (Jesus). Have them record the
answer in their books.

Hope these help someone.
Your sister in Christ
Carolyn

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Sonzone program:

There is a craft book called Discovery Lab crafts for Kids by Gospel Light for 14.95 that gives about 40 craft ideas for this program. It is broke down into age groups and is great, that is what we are going to use. Its money well spent. Bless your VBS. and the hard work you are doing. This is my first year as VBS. Director and I am really excited about reaching children through the Sonzone program. We are switching to using stations this year instead of 1 teacher doing it all, have any of you used stations and if you have do you have any suggestions for me?
Sharon, Fulton, MI

Peace, Joy and Laughter

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Father's day Craft?

I am looking for a nice non messy father's day gift that my 2 -3 year olds can make for father's day. If any one can help me.
Thank you,
Dianne

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Christian day care?

I am looking for Christian day care mom's that stay at home and take care of children. I have had a day care in my home for over 22 years and would love to get some fresh idea's on anything related to home day care.
Thanks,
Dianne

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From alcoholic homes?

I would love some ideas on how to get my Children's
Department heads excited about doing their own bulletin boards each month. Any
suggestions? That is not my major question. I wonder if anyone else has ever dealt
with this. Probably one-third of the children that come to our church are from
alcoholic homes. While the children are in SS, Team Kids, Children's Choir, etc.
their parents are down the street at the bar. On several occasions these parents
have come to pick up their children very intoxicated - to the point of one
actually falling down the other week. If we call the police we will never have the
opportunity to minister to these children or their parents again. If we do not do
something we are concerned there is potential danger to the children being picked
up and put in cars with intoxicated parents driving. Does anyone have any
suggestions of how we might assist the children, their parents, etc. in this
situation? Any advice would be greatly appreciated it. Also I would ask you to
pray for these precious little darlings and their families.
Rozanne in Charleston

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Teacher Appreciation day:

Help please! In the month of August is our time where we celebrate Teacher
Appreciation Day. We have about 40 teachers, normally we have a dinner and
give out certificates. We would like to do something different this year.
Still have the dinner but we would like to have crafts and games for the
teachers to do. Any suggestions?

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Multi Age Classes:

I attend a small church in the Tampa area. We have two Sunday School Classes for children. My sister teaches one class for the pre-school/kindergarten children and I teach the other class. My students range in age from 10 to 17, I have about 10 students when they all come. My problem is finding material that will speak to all the kids.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Our church also does not do VBS/AWANA or any other programs for the kids.
With summer fast approaching I would like to do some activities with the kids. I would
appreciate any ideas
in this area as well.

Dave Odom
Faith Baptist Church
Seffner, Florida

(From ChristianCrafters.com-make sure you check the 'Archives List', for some ideas already submitted. Directions below.)


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Fishing themed craft:

The craft I will be doing with the youth group I work with is a wall
hanging. Use plastic netting bags (onion,etc.) Trim bag, glue 2 craft
sticks to top with a 12" piece of plastic lacing in between. Cut out people
figures in craft foam or construction paper, cardboard, etc & place inside.
Glue 2 craft sticks to bottom. Write verse on crafts sticks as follows;
Top: "Follow me, and I will make you

Bottom: fishers of men." Matthew 4:19
I think to make it more personal I may put the same amount of people in the
netting that are in the child's family. You could even put names on the
figures. I don't know if this will help. Hope you have a wonderful VBS.
God Bless.

Debbie Pringle
Wilkes-Barre, PA
Girls ages 6 to 12


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Fishing themed game:

> Please help! I am in need of two more fishing themed crafts and several fishing >themed. Rochelle in Sandusky, Ohio

Hi Rochelle:

We have had a fishing game in the past that the children love. You cut out fish and put review questions on them. Make some of them fun questions that have nothing to do with church. This will really catch them off guard. You make a pole out of a dowle, string and magnet and put paper fish in a box. You put paper clips on fish. We have even put netting around the box for decoration. Two other projects the children have enjoyed are making blow fish and nets. Use large sheets of white paper. Have the children color the fish, stuff it with newspaper and staple around edges. For older children grade 2 and up have the children make nets. It is a group project. Get large piece of styrofoam, and loop string around styrofoam both ways so that you have small boxes. This should be done ahead of time. Have small lengths of string cut so that children can tie knots all over the styrofoam. This must be done on both sides. When done you can cut it off the syrofoam and hang on the wall. Decorate it by putting color fish inside made out of construction paper.

God bless,
Joni Wilson
Foothills United Methodist Church
La Mesa, California


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Get 'hooked' on the Bible:

We recently did a bulletin board entitled "Get hooked on the bible"
We enlarged a fisherman from a coloring book and placed him on one side of
the board with a fishing pole. At the end of his hook was a bible. We
added all of the books of the bible to look kind of like a library shelf.
We spent time each week reviewing the books in order. I think you could
adapt this somehow to work as a take home craft....maybe bookmarks or
something.

Kristina in Tennessee
3 and 4 year olds


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Summer Sunday School:

>Our Church is fairly small. Anybody have any good ideas on getting the ADULTS >charged up to want to teach Summer Sunday School especially those who
> haven't done it before. Also, any ideas that "bring the kids in over the summer" and >make them not want to miss. Thanks. Gina Kenney >>

Hi Gina:

I don't know how small your Sunday School is, but you can always expect for attendance to go down during the summer. It is important to do some kind of Sunday School, but different from what you do September through May or June.
Since you are a small church, you can combine classes as much as you want. Have parents sign up for 2 weeks and tell them the lesson is all planned for them. This doesn't sound like a large commitment for them. Have themes for the summer. One summer we had the teachers and children dress like in Bible times. These were made out of sheets and pillowcases. We had a carpenter shop, a cooking area, a pottery shop, the children weaved and of course they sang under a tent. They had color sashes and each week they would go to another station that they had not been to. They have a lot of good curriculum for the summer out there. We discourage our regular teachers from teaching during the summer so they will be eager for September.

God bless,
Joni Wilson
Foothills United Methodist Church
La Mesa, California


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Summer crafts and activities:

Try http://www.childfun.com. Go to the summer crafts and activities. There
are so many ideas for easy games, song and crafts, it is mind numbing.
Also, a list of other themes for the summer. Happy hunting.
Mary Summers, Arkansas


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SEND IN YOUR SUGGESTIONS, REQUESTS & IDEAS! :o)
Invite your friends and coworkers to join us!

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IMPORTANT INFO-PLEASE READ: (Especially for newcomers!)

Many of the free patterns and ideas in the ChristianCrafters.Com site are from the books I've written, or from books that I'm in the process of writing. If you'd like to know more about my Christian education resource books, email me at:
Sakeith@aol.com

I've recently published and released my Christmas-Advent Christian crafting book entitled, CHRISMON SNOWFLAKE ORNAMENTS. Check it out by clicking on "Chrismon Snowflake Photos" from my home page. The purchase of this book helps to support the SSTN ministry! Blessings to you, Sarah Keith.

Don't forget about the availability of free Bible Games and Christian crafts @ ChristianCrafters.Com! If you have a Bible game or Christian craft that you've created, email me, Sarah Keith, and share it with the rest of the world!

You can access past SSTN letters:
Go to www.christiancrafters.com and click on Sunday School Teachers,
then scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on 'Archives List'.

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