February 9, 2016 -- Issue #5

In today's newsletter:

1) ASH Wednesday 2016

2) Easter Exhibit?

3) Valentines Day Sermon

4) Valentines Day Craft

1) ASH Wednesday 2016

 Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, and starts this year on February 10th. Many people will place ashes on their heads, in the sign of a cross, as a sign of sorrow for sinning against God. However, did you know the practice of placing ashes on people's heads, as a sign of repentance, dates back to Old Testament times?

The Bible tells us the punishment for sinning is death (Romans 6:23). In the Old Testament (before Jesus came to earth), people sacrificed animals--they put them to death--to take their punishment for sinning. They would then use ashes from the animal sacrifices and place it on their heads as a sign of sorrowful repentance, which means turning from sin--being truly sorry--turning to God, and asking his forgiveness.

Hundreds of years before Jesus came to earth, God told the prophet Isaiah to write about a special man who would die for the sins of all people. . . . 

Get our Ash Wednesday Lesson.

             Bible Lesson Plans

2) Easter Exhibit?

Looking how to exhibit for Easter--of Jesus from the garden to the cross, can you help?

--from SSTN: are you looking for a skit? What do you have in mind? Also, what age group?

3) Valentines Day Sermon

Can any of you tell me what we celebrate on February 14th?  

That’s right, Valentine’s Day.  If a person is your Valentine, that means they are the one you love the best!  Now, can anyone tell me how Valentine’s Day started? 

There was a priest by the name of Valentine.  He lived in Rome about 250 AD.  That was a long, long, time ago! At that time, Rome was ruled by an emperor by the name of Claudius. Some people called him Claudius the Cruel.  St. Valentine didn't like Emperor Claudius, and he wasn't the only one! A lot of people felt the same way.  Claudius wanted a big army. He thought men should volunteer to join.  Many men just did not want to fight in wars.  They did not want to leave their wives and girlfriends. So, not many men signed up to fight.  This made Claudius mad. So do you know what he did? He had a crazy idea that . . . 

Continue to the Valentine's Day Sermon.

4) Valentines Day Craft

Get our God is Love Heart Stamp Roller and service project idea.

Have you written a children's or teen's ministry resource? 
Don't keep it to yourself! SHARE your ideas!

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