The Sunday School Teacher's Network Newsletter - Great ideas for children's ministry!


The Place for Christian Education Communication Children need the Lord...teach them about Jesus!
Issue #2 - January 15, 2008 Previous issues can be found in the Archives.	Home \| Search \| Support SSTN
To reply or to post a new topic: Please TITLE your email to reflect the content of your message. When replying, highlight the text that is pertinent to your response, then hit reply.
"For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." -- Jesus
Scroll down the page to view articles. 1) Contest Winners & Solution 2) Pre-K Prayer Song Activity 3) True Friend Song? 4) Ten Commandments Skit? 5) Chrismon Colors? 6) Most Important Things We Do 7) Most Important Thing: Flexibility 8) Remembering Senior Citizens	(For grades K-5)
Bible-4-Life Curriculum Gospel Fun Activities Easy Make N' Take Downloads Holidays & Holy Days Christian E-books, skits, crafts and more! Premium Club Membership Discount Support the SSTN Ministry! Email a friend to join us at SSTN!	Bible Games Christian Crafts Christian Skits Missions For Kids Recycling Ideas Sermons & Object Talks *Search For Ideas*
	Name two tax collectors Jesus knew. (The answer is in this newsletter)
1) Contest Winners & Solution See the solutions and winners to the SSTN 2008 Contest at: http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/clues.html

2) Pre-K Prayer Song Activity Find it at: http://www.SundaySchoolNetwork.com/lesson_prek-prayer.html

3) True Friend Song? Happy New Year to everyone! I am looking for a Christian song that is about being a true friend, someone who doesn't necessarily tell you what you want to hear but what you NEED to hear. (song for children or youth) I found lyrics for "Iron Sharpens Iron" but no artist or music....Does anyone have a ny song ideas for me? Thanks so much, Amy S.

4) Ten Commandments Skit? Good Morning, I am looking for a skit or puppet show relating to rules & the 10 commandments. Do you have such a thing? Thank You! Dorene Poppe --from SSTN: Yes, check out "God Rules: The Ten Commandments Skit" at: http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/skit_God-rules-ten-commandments.htm

5) Chrismon Colors? Hello, good morning! I�m planning on having a Chrismon Tree for next December and I would like to know what colors are in a Chrismon tree? Gold only or silver and gold? Thank you for your help. GCH --from SSTN: The following page has a complete description: http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/chrismon.html

6) Most Important Things We Do Hi ya from Mae in Scotland, United Kingdom. It is a privilege to spend some time getting ideas from your website. I love the "Fruit of the Spirit" book and look forward to speaking to my team at church about buying it for our kids. We are called "New Stockethill Church of Scotland". We only have about 20 kids on the list and maybe on average 10 kids each Sunday. Answer 1 I would say that the one thing I do every week is to make sure each child has been given a chance to speak and be heard. We have children with learning difficulties and withdrawn and some who are extravert. I believe it is important for all the children to feel valued equally as sometimes they aren't always treated fair in the larger congregation. I know it seems an obvious thing but I believe the quiet ones don't always want to be quiet. Answer 2 The church we are in only really has children who's parents who come to the church. However, they are not all regular attendees. We make sure we have special parties and they all get a personal invitation at home. This definitely encourages them back. I believe the love of Jesus shown to the kids is just as important than the teaching of His word. We all go to the pantomime at Christmas which coincides with the family service. This again brings all the children together as fellowship is the key to them wanting to come back because they feel wanted and loved. Thank you for the newsletter as it is informative and I struggle for children's material off the shelf in Aberdeen. I look forward to hearing more of God's working in the USA. Cheers Mae McGregor

7) Most Important Thing: Flexibility Being flexible with my lesson is extremely important. I have a basic goal and lesson plan for the day, but if I see my lesson is not working and the children's attention spans are wandering, I mix it up and do something else to get them back into the lesson. Keeping them involved is the goal! One way this is accomplished is by having them act out the Bible story, either in an impromptu fashion or an actual written skit. I then reinforce the lesson with a hands-on activity, craft or game, that makes the same point as the lesson. I want my lessons to be fun, because this keeps them engaged. But more importantly, knowing they "get it" is the first part of the goal. The second part is receiving it! And that's the Holy Spirit's job! Your webservant, Sarah Keith <>< http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com

8) Remembering Senior Citizens Throughout the Year Many of us have aging parents or grandparents who tend to be lonely and in need of a tender loving hug, a phone call, a card or a letter. When it comes to gifts for an older person, it is difficult to know just what to give an older person to express our love and care for them. When we ask for ideas, they most often say, "I don't need anything. I already have all I need." Many times they are trying to get rid of their extra personal possessions, because of down-sizing their homes and they certainly don't need new appliances or knick knacks. So just what is a friend or loved one to give them? Here are a few ideas. Give a sturdy decorated box (covered with fabric or gift wrap) filled with fresh fruit and snacks from the grocery store that they enjoy. A shoe box lined with tissue paper works well. You might bake muffins, cookies and bread for great additions! Add a jar of jam made from only fruit. A nice warm quilt or throw would be a cheery welcome on cold winter evenings as well. Often elderly people living alone in their homes do not eat well, because they don't feel like cooking for just one or two people, and they will appreciate their favorite foods being ready to eat in an instant. You could prepare several of their favorite dishes in multiple small portions and give to them already frozen, to use as needed. Examples might be soups, casseroles, quick breads, muffins, mini meatloaves, chicken, mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes. Package several of the same food item together in a larger freezer bag. Prepare a book of stories, memories and pictures for your parents or grandparents. They will cherish that for sure! Have all the grandchildren together to make a musical cassette tape for the grandparents. They can sing some hymns and other songs. I know grandparents would appreciate this gift for a long time to come. Give coupons -- one for each month -- for something you will do for them. A back rub, foot rub, clean the bathrooms or the entire house, cook a meal in their home, offer to set up and take down some Christmas decorations for them, bake some cookies or muffins while you visit with them, give a piano concert just for them, give a foot massage, watch a Gaither Homecoming video with them, read a book to them, listen to their own childhood stories, help them to write checks and keep records, etc. Many older people don't get nearly enough hugs and tender touching as they need, so a good back rub would be so appreciated. An aquatic garden with a Beta fish or a birdfeeder with black oil sunflower seed would provide hours of entertainment and enjoyment. Give a "Reacher," or "Grabber," a long-handled instrument used for picking up things from the floor without bending or for reaching things on a high shelf without climbing up on a stool or chair (about $10). Give a long handled sponge for applying lotion to the back, without the help of another person. (about $6) How about a heating pad? The previous three items can be found at most drug stores. If your loved one is living in an assisted living facility or nursing home, a nice wreath for their door would be a welcome gift. Be sure to also provide a wreath hanger. An even better idea would be to change out their wreath to keep it seasonal. Since they have limited space to store things, offer to store wreaths from other seasons for them in your home. A good radio / CD player would be a very welcome gift, along with CD's of hymns and music they would enjoy. A calendar with scripture verses or family pictures would be enjoyed all year long. Calling cards are wonderful so they can keep in touch with friends and family on their schedule. Even if they are fed three meals a day in the facility, snacks would be a welcome treat. Take them a single rose or a few roses in a vase for many fragrant sniffs and smiles of contentment, but since many roses today have no fragrance, be sure the ones you give do. If you enjoy sewing, ask if you could do any mending or special sewing for their room - make a pillow or dresser scarf. Hopefully these ideas will be helpful for a birthday, as well as Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Christmas or any time you want to bring extra happiness and joy to an elderly loved one or friend to let them know how much you care. Send cheery cards. If their sight is mostly gone, but their hearing is reasonable, send them a musical card. Tell them how much you love them and care about them. Above all else, faithfully pray for them, and let them know that you do. By Lois Breneman, � 2008, Heart to Heart Newsletter, jhbreneman@juno.com
The answer to this issue's Bible trivia is "Zacchaeus and Matthew" (LK 19:10, Matt. 9:9)
Help SSTN To Continue Your donation of one dollar a month helps to provide the Christian educational resources in the website and newsletter. To learn how you can help, go to the following webpage: http://www.SundaySchoolNetwork.com/ministry_support.html Or, write your US check or US Money Order out to: S.A. Keith - Creative Imaginations (d.b.a.) Mail to: SundaySchoolNetwork.com 438 East Ilex Drive Lake Park, FL 33403 USA (In the memo section of your check write: "SSTN Subscription". Please include your email address.) Your webservant, Sarah Keith <><
ADVERTISE WITH US! To learn how you can advertise your business, ministry or product to over 16,000 Christian educators, please visit the following page at: http://www.SundaySchoolNetwork.com/advertising.html
SSTN Posting Guidelines: http://SundaySchoolNetwork.com/SSTN_guidelines.html
Copyright 1997 - 2008 / d.b.a. "S. A. Keith of Creative Imaginations Reproducing in any medium, commercial or noncommercial, is strictly prohibited without prior written permission. SSTN has contributors from all over the world who share their ideas. If you reprint any of the ideas from SSTN, SundaySchoolNetwork.com or ChristianCrafters.Com in any medium (websites, magazines, newsletters, etc.), you must contact the submitter, and website for reprint permissions. Any materials used must also include the submitter's name and where the ideas were gleaned from. The opinions expressed or advertisements displayed in the SSTN e-Newsletter are not necessarily endorsed by SundaySchoolNetwork.com or any of its affiliates. SSTN reserves the right to edit and or exclude information from the SSTN e-Newsletter. SundaySchoolNetwork.com \| ChristianCrafters.com \| Bible-4-Life.com ChristianTeachersNetwork.com \| Bible-Lessons.net

SUBSCRIBE -- UNSUBSCRIBE Directions To SUBSCRIBE a new email address, visit the following page at: http://www.SundaySchoolNetwork.Com/page3.html (If you are subscribing your friends, make sure you have their permission.) Return to the Archives