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SSTN # 118 - November 17, 2003


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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:



--> Christ-filled Snowflake Ornaments

1) Youth Room Decor   
2) Reaching Muslims
3) Evaluation of Sunday School Coordinator?   
4) Bored in Sunday School   
5) Christmas Bulletin Board Titles   
6) Happy Birthday Jesus Party?   
7) Learning The Books Of The Bible?   
8) Black and White picture of Jesus

--> Christmas FunPak...Order now for the holidays!

9) Memorizing Bible Books?
10) God purifies us object lesson
11) Pictures of Jesus
12) Disciples and egg cartons?   
13) Baptism Bulletin Board
14) Youth Leader and Mother


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--> Christ-filled Snowflake Ornaments

Great for Christmas gift-giving or family crafting fun. Get a free sample
too! Click on "Chrismon Snowflake Ornaments" in the Curriculum Creatives
section at: http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html 


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1) Youth Room Decor   

One of the things we did in our youth room that was really effective was
to have each child put poster paints on their hands, and then do a print
of their hands on the wall.  Under their hands, they wrote in permanent
marker their name and graduation year.  In the middle of the wall was
written "Children of God."

This has become a sort of right of passage for our kids.  The younger ones
look forward to their chance to put their hands on the wall when they join
the youth group.  It's always a big event when we put the hands up.

God bless,
Jen

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2) Reaching Muslims

>Very few Muslims at present have any chance, humanly speaking, of ever
>meeting someone who can tell them that Jesus loves them. All too often
the
>Muslim population of the world is viewed as the enemy of Christianity,
> instead of persons for whom Jesus died.

Mike & Linda, so true.  & I have an opportunity for folks to put action
behind those prayers, should they wish.

I have a Muslem friend over in Pakistan who is legally blind.  She wrote
me
about a year-&-a-half ago, requesting help getting a magnifier.  My first
problem was that the eye reports she sent me didn't have sufficient
information to determine what sort of magnifier she'd need.  She finally
got me another report, & a doctor friend of mine who specializes in low
vision recommended the magnifier, a telescopic lens for distance vision, &
a cctv (closed circuit tv) for both reading & enlarging her computer.  My
best girlfriend & I have already purchased the magnifier, which was the
least expensive of the 3, but the telescope & cctv remain outstanding.

If anyone would like to assist with this, please contact me privately at:
abletec@surfbest.net
for additional info/details.
I can't always control life, but I can choose how I react .
Jackie McBride


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3) Evaluation of Sunday School Coordinator?   

Hello all,
Wondering if whoever has this can post it through the list so that others
who are interested can access it as well.

Blessings,
~ Jess ~

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4) Bored in Sunday School   

Here's an idea that works well for Kindergarden and 1st graders.  Tear
construction paper into small pieces and let the children "color" with
it.  I always put the torn pieces into plastic bags and keep the colors
separated.  Glue the pieces onto another piece of paper to create a
picture.  This works well for fall themes (make pretty fall color
trees), Christmas (a tree with bright colored ornaments), Spring (you'd
be surprised at the wonderful flowers kids can come up with).  You can
also give them the start of a picture of a turkey and let them use the
torn pieces to make the tail.  When I'm fresh out of crafty ideas for
the kids, this is a great tool to have in my back pocket, and a fun
alternative to crayons. 

Suzanne in Louisville, KY



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5) Christmas Bulletin Board Titles   

This is in response to the person who was writing about Christmas bulletin
board titles. A few years ago I did a snowman bulletin for the winter
holiday with the title "Sunday School Is Snow Much Fun". We used regular
snowman for this one. Another bulletin board that I have seen done with
snowman was where the children had made the snowman and their photos made
the faces of the snowman. The title on that bulletin board was "Jesus
Loves You Snow Much". Or you can use just about anything you have on hand
and use the title "Jesus Is The Reason For The Season".
Love in Christ, Sarah in California


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6) Happy Birthday Jesus Party?   

Can anyone give me suggestions for a Happy Birthday Jesus Party for my
primary Sunday School Class?
Thanks,
Debbie Debbie Ledbetter

--from SSTN: YES, make Chrismon ornaments (Christ-symbols) and decorate
your tree with them, then eat a Jesus birthday cake. For some free
Chrismon ormnaments, check out the crafts page at: 
http://www.ChristianCrafters.Com 
Or to purchase some Chrismon pattern books, go to:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html 


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7) Learning The Books Of The Bible?   

Did you give out prizes to the players with the most money?

Debbie Ledbetter


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8) Black and White picture of Jesus

Hi Karen .... I am not the person who asked for these, but I have been
looking for them for over a year. If it is at all possible, could you
please send them to me as well? The best address is probably
Eaglefire_777@yahoo.com. Thanks soooooo much, and God bless.



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--> Christmas FunPak!

Great for gift-giving or Christmas crafting fun. Click on the "Christmas
FunPak" link in the "Christmas and Advent" section at:

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


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9) Memorizing Bible Books?

Hello,
I am in need of suggestions for teaching ages 8-10 the books of the
Bible.   Thank You.  

Donna

--from SSTN: there are a lot of suggestions in the website and archives:
http://christiancrafters.com/archives.html 


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10) God purifies us object lesson

My favorite one is to describe how God purifies us from our sin when we
ask for His forgiveness.
Ahead of time: (need 2 medium jars, and 2 babyfood jars)
a. Boil red cabbage in water for about 30 minutes.
b. Pour the "reddish" water into 2 medium jars.
c. Prepare a small babyfood jar with water and  baking soda. Label "Good
works"
This will turn the reddish color dark.
d. Prepare another babyfood jar with water and bleach (not much). Label
"GOD",
this will clear the color completely.
When in the classroom:
Use "Jesus Takes away our sins" under General TAlk
The "good works" will change the color of the sin  (in that you may not do
that sin again)  but only  "God" can purify them.
OF COURSE, BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THE BLEACH...IT does not take much
either..as you do not want to give away the secret by the strong smell.


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11) Pictures of Jesus

This is in regard to a note from Karen Young.  You stated that you have
black and white pictures of Jesus.  Would you please email me the picture
you were describing.  I make our VBS crafts and also do a Christmas Make
It and Take It night during our Christrmas Social.  It there is something
that you are looking for and I have, I would be glad to share it with you.  My
email address is khelman@superpa.net.   Thank you.

Karlene Helman
Bendersville, PA

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12)  Disciples and egg cartons?   

I've been searching to no avail for a craft I made with preschoolers years
ago using egg cartons. It was called the Twelve disciples using egg
cartons. Can you help me out? You used the egg carton and you used yarn
for the disciples hair. Thank you for any help you can give me regarding
this. God Bless.


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13) Baptism Bulletin Board

In our church - the baptism bulletin board is themed Lambs for Jesus and
each childs name is painted on a Lamb. It's really cute and as they age
there name is "graduated" when they start Sunday School and the Lamb is
sent home to their parents as a reminder that the children are old enough
for Sunday School.

Nancy Fidler

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14) Youth Leader and Mother

>I need some help. I am stuck in between my role as a youth leader and my
>heart as a mother.

I have followed this dilemma for some time before putting in my two cents.
I think there are many points to address, so this is going to be a long
one...my apologies.  There seem to be two camps...A)Tell the parents no
matter what and B)keep it secret so as not to alienate the teens.  For the
most part, I think the advice we have seen so far is drawing on the wisdom
of man.  What does the word of GOD say about a situation like this?  First
of all, the sin is sexual immorality (and as others have pointed out, the
boy must have had sex with another partner to get the STD he gave the
girl!)
so what does the bible say about sexual sin?  Read  1Cor 6:18-20...
"Flee immorality. Every {other} sin that a man commits is outside the
body,
but the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that
your
body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God,
and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price:
therefore glorify God in your body."
Have you read these verses with the teens?  While it is not up to us to
rank
sin, we can look to the Word for God's opinion on the situation...and
sexual
sin defiles the temple of God that is in us...what did Jesus do to those
who
defiled the temple?  Let's look at Matthew 21:12-13...
"And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and
selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and
the seats of those who were selling doves.  And He said to them, "It is
written, "My house shall be called a house of prayer'; but you are making
it
a robbers den."
Jesus threw those who defiled the temple OUT!  So this really is not a
question of keeping the teen's trust, or of not offending her parents.  It
is a question of obeying God's Word.  Now before you get up in the air, I
am
not suggesting throwing these kids out...but they need to be made to
understand the seriousness of their actions, not only in the sin itself,
but
in their lack of repentance.   We need to confront our brothers and
sisters
in Christ and try to aid them in "seeing the light" so to speak, and if
they
refuse to repent, it is a matter to be brought before the entire
church-that
is, the body of Christ- not just their parents...see Matthew 18:15-17
"Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault
between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother.
But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth
of two or three witnesses every word may be established.'  And if he
refuses
to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the
church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector."
This is more important than worrying about offending sensibilities...yes,
it
must be done with tact, and heavy reliance on God's word.  You stated that
this girl thinks that if she sins sexually, God will just keep forgiving
her...Though it is a popular notion in Christianity today that God's love
is
unconditional, He does in fact have conditions that must be met.  Our Lord
is not a doormat...read with her these passages...
Hebrews  10:26-31
"For if we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth,
there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful
expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the
adversaries.  Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the
testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you
suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God
underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a
common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?  For we know Him who said,
"Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,"* *says the Lord. And again, "The Lord
will judge His people."   It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of
the living God."
Romans 6:1-2
    "What shall we say then?  Shall we continue in sin that grace may
abound?
Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?"
These children's souls are at stake here!  Willfully sinning is worse than
ignorantly sinning...we know better!
Another point of note, the parents of these kids, a preacher and a deacon?
These men are supposed to be leaders of the church.  A deacon is supposed
to
have his own household under control, see 1 Timothy 3:12
"Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and
their own houses well."
Obviously his daughter is NOT under control, but how can he go about
correcting her if he is unaware of her sin?  This goes for the preacher's
son too...what kind of respect will people have for what this man preaches
if the church rumor mill is sniggling about his son's activities?  Look at
1
Timothy 3:5, although this passage's context is speaking to the
qualifications for an elder or bishop, it is by no means a stretch for it
to
apply to any man of God, especially a preacher who is responsible for
teaching and helping lead the flock
"For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care
of
the church of God?"
There are many spiritual issues at stake here, it goes beyond keeping the
"trust" of the teens...this sin is affecting the entire body of Christ.
The
children are at sin for sexual immorality, you are at sin for hiding their
sin, the parents are at sin for failing to control their children, the
entire congregation is being ripped apart from the inside out by satan
because of this sin.  Secrecy will only make it worse. Look to God's Word
for your guidance, and rely not on the wisdom of man, which is fleeting.
God knows.  Follow him.
"This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that
God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.  If we say that we have
fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the
truth.  But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have
fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son
cleanses
us from all sin." 1 John 1:5-7


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