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SSTN # 50 - April 22, 2003


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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:


--> FREE Ten Commandments lesson, craft, and game

1) Children in bus ministry
2) Creation Science & Hominids
3) Teen Class Crafts   
4) Fruit-shaped Beads?
5) Wordless Books Crafts?

--> Buggie For Jesus - I'm A BEE-liever!

6) Joshua and the Battle of Jericho
7) God's love has no end   
8) Celebration Park VBS?
9) Discipline
10) Lord is my shepherd?

--> W.W.J.S.? Gospel Catchers

11) Fruit of the Spirit?
12) Rotation Method   
13) SCUBA vbs?
14) Concerned About Comments
15) Discipline problems   

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FREE Ten Commandments lesson, craft, and game

Get the first lesson with activities for free. Then purchase the booklet
with the rest of the lessons to support SSTN and to keep it free!
Your financial support makes this network possible.

http://christiancrafters.com/lesson_nogods.html 



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1) Children in bus ministry

Get a box of doughnuts, and some orange juice.  Get them eating.  Then
hand out  pen and paper and ask them to write  one or more suggestions
for  how   this  class can be the most outstanding.  Ask  them to think of
things  they can do to  make others  want to be a part of  our group.
Then  add to their list 2 or 3  objectives  that you wish to accomplish.
It's  possible they may offer no suggestions.  Then  share your thoughts
and ask what they think of it, how  can they help  make it  happen.

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2) Creation Science & Hominids

I am the person who wrote  in about old earth creation science and
hominids.  I am not going to get into a debate about "old earth creation
science" vs. "young earth creation science".  There are sincere Christians
in both camps.  If anyone really wants to know what "old earth creation
science" people believe, all they have to do is go to the "Reasons to
Believe" website.  If anyone simply wants to accuse people of not being
"real Christians" and offering sarcastic comments, then I don't feel that
they have the proper attitude.  The bottom line to me as far as Sunday
School is concerned as that those types of questions are best left to
parents to instruct their children about, along with other controversial
subjects such as end-times beliefs, divorce, creation, gifts of the spirit
etc...  I try to let the children understand that there are Christians who
believe differently about these types of things, but that we are all
Christian nevertheless.

In closing, I would like to say that the bible is not a science book, it
is a book about God's relationship with mankind.  I don't believe that the
biblical creation account is scientifically comprehensive.  For example,
it does not even mention the creation of insects.  I do believe that God
(with his wonderful sense of humor) has left a wealth of information for
us to discover and enjoy through science.

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3) Teen Class Crafts   

To Misty in South Knoxville, who wrote:  "I need help with crafts for my
class ages 12-16.... to help them realize they can have fun learning about
GOD AND JESUS and learning from the word of GOD"

How about a denim locker organizer, that either hangs on the coat hook or
magneticly sticks inside the door.  Multiple seat pockets hold a comb and
mirror, pens, notes or notepaper, pocket Bible, or whatever else can be
tucket inside.  Each teen can personalize with fabric paints, patches,
stamps, beads, buttons, etcetera.  It would be something useful for
school, Bible verses could be written on or tucked inside the pockets, and
maybe if someone asked about it then it would be a witness opportunity.

Materials: 
Cardboard.  Denim fabric large enough to cover cardboard.  3-4 denim
pockets each.  A shoestring to sew to the top for a hanger.  Six
heavy-duty magnets to hot-glue to the back.  Fabric decorating supplies.

Instructions: 
a. Cut a piece of cardboard to fit loosly inside the door rims.  (someone
will have to measure the actual doors.)
b. Cut a piece of denim with a one inch seam allowance on all sides - a
leg will be big enough.  (Optional:  Cut the fabric so one seat pocket is
already attached - leave  "at least" four inches of fabric above the
pocket.  Or you may want to include side seam stitches for character.)
c. Attach the cardboard backing by folding the cut edges behind it and
gluing them in place.  Let glue dry/harden.  (Optional:  Pre-cut two
pieces and sew a "pillowcase" to slip over the cardboard.)
d. Cut a shoestring in half and sew a cut end to each top corner.  They
can be knotted later to make a loop for a coat hook (or a hanger when
school is out.)  If you want to stick it inside the locker door now, also
hot glue a heavy duty magnet to the back of each corner and half-way down
each side.  (6 total).  Let glue dry/harden.
e. Attach additional pockets to the front with fabric glue or hot glue.  
You may decorate as you let the glue dry/harden.  (Optional:  sew the
pockets on before the fabric is attached to the cardboard)
f. Decorate with any fabric decorating material you wish.  Be prepared -->
your young men may only want to use a standard ball-point pen -- I suggest
having having black and blue fabric pens handy.

~~Vicki Logan yogieg@home.ffni.com

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4) Fruit-shaped Beads?

In SSTN #39 of March 25, 2003, Sarah of California wrote about two
different kinds of Fruit of the Spirit bracelets that kids can make.  She
mentioned a charm style bracelet on which you use fruit shaped beads or
buttons to represent each different quality.  The VBS that we are using
this year focuses on “fruit of the spirit.”  Does anyone know where I
could purchase these fruit shaped beads?  Our VBS has 200 students
attending so I need to be economical.  Thanks for your help.
Lorena in Pennsylvania
Lazarchick@losch.net

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5) Wordless Books Crafts?

Everyone is familiar with wordless books and the theories represented by
each color.  Does anyone have any other craft or lesson ideas that use the
same colors representing the theories? Thanks for your help. Lorena in
Pennsylvania

--from SSTN: check the "Colors of Christ" in the Crafts and Yummy
Devotions section at:  http://www.ChristianCrafters.Com/page6.html 

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Buggie For Jesus - I'm A BEE-liever!

Reproducible buggie crafts, games, lessons, and yummy devotions
to coordinate with your summertime VBS programs, or midweek classes.

In the Curriculum section: 
http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html 


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6) Joshua and the Battle of Jericho

One effective method is to bake two 9x13 cakes and cut the cakes into
rectangular blocks. Stack the blocks around the perimeter of a large pizza
pan to look like the circular wall of a city. Have the kids "march" little
people around the block wall at the appropriate time during the Jericho
story. When it is time for the walls to come tumbling down, have kids
knock the walls down. They can eat the walls of Jericho as you finish up
the story and reinforce the importance of following God's plan in our
lives. I have always found that making food a part of the teaching plan is
a special learning incentive.

God bless, Donya

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7) God's love has no end   

>One of my kidlets fave songs is There is no end to God's

We just did a lesson not too long ago about this topic!
We showed the children several different shapes, ending with a circle, and
had them name the shapes. After they named the circle, we told them that a
circle is very important because it helps us remember God's love. A circle
has no end and no beginning...

We showed the children a wedding ring and talked about how it reminds
husbands and wives that they love each other forever.

Then, we had the children get in a circle and hold hands. We played Ring
Around the Rosie with the following words (which I found in our Sunday
School Curriculum {Nazarene}):
   "God's love is amazing,
    Children thank and praise Him,
    Love Him
    Serve Him
    We all bow down!"

Then we asked them what other things were circles (balls, the earth,
wreaths, etc). We told them that whenever they see a circle, they can
remember that God's love for them will never end.

We ended the lesson by having them play with a parachute (which is a big
circle, too!)

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8) Celebration Park VBS?

Has anyone done the Celebration Park VBS?  If so, do you have any
materials.  All we have is the Director's book (seems from reading
there's a kit).  The VBS seems great & will be totally different from
anyone else's in our area.  Email me if you have anything for this VBS.
unity@atcc.net

Thank You


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9) Discipline

At our Midweek program we use a couple of discipline tools.  The first is
a letter of agreement that each child is required to read and sign the
first night of class.  Basically it's a statement that each child agrees
to uphold the golden rule and respect themselves, everyone else, and the
church. After everyone including the teacher has signed the agreement it
is displayed on the wall of the classroom.  If at any point the agreement
is broken, the teacher simply points to the agreement and ask the child if
he/she remembers signing it and if they realized that they were breaking
the contract.  The second tool is using 2-3 available men (if you are
short help, you could ask for volunteer from the adult Sunday school
class) as mediators. When a child starts to act up, after the teacher has
exhausted their disciplinary resources, they send the child to the
mediator.  The mediator then takes the child ! to another room where they
can talk (this ranges from asking the child if they are having a bad day
to explaining to them why their behavior is unaccceptable).  This prevents
the teacher from having to take their attention away from the class.
Usually the embarrassment of being removed from the class is enough to
discourage the children from acting up. If you would like a copy of our
contract feel free to email me at schubarthc@yahoo.com  Hope this helps.
Carrie

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10) Lord is my shepherd?

Hi
We are a very small church and we want to do thing for VBS and our theme
will be Lord is our Shepherd. I need crafts and other thing for our kids
to do.  Our kids are important but we've only little money but a lot of
kids come to our VBS that don't come to church every Sunday and parents
don't come with them.  I have a bible that i print every Sunday on my
comp. at home for our kids in Sunday School.  I try to do what I can so I
do my best in work on my comp. just about every night and all day on
Saturday to get it ready for them.  I'm glad I found you web sites I'm not
good I'm not good with words but if you can help me we will be very
appreciate. I'm also need thing for Sunday School for age's 2-7.
Thank you
Doris Locklear

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W.W.J.S.? Gospel Catchers

There's something much worse than cooties...it's called sin!  Now kids can
make Gospel Catchers rather than Cootie Catchers! A fun and innovative way
for kids to learn to share their faith with their friends!  Includes 4
Gospel Catcher patterns to make: the Colors of Christ (Gospel Colors), the
Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, and the Promises of God. Follow this
link to learn more:

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


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11) Fruit of the Spirit?

I work with 7-9 year olds.  I am planning to study the Fruits of the
Spirit next quarter in Sunday School, taking one fruit for each Sunday.
I would like any ideas on crafts, activities, games, stories (both Bible
and otherwise), and decorating. 
Thanks,
Esther

--from SSTN: check the Games page as well as the archives:
http://www.ChristianCrafters.Com 

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12) Rotation Method   

>I think we have a misunderstanding here.  We do not do learning centers,
>(we did that in the 70's and 80') we do rotation, but not the way it is
>done on rotation.org.

Dear  Theresa,
Rotation.org, to the best of my understanding, is the site started by Neil
McQueen the "father" of what we today refer to as rotation method.  The
use or nonuse of any of the workshops isn't the point.  The point is that
students study the same Bible story for four to six weeks rotating through
workshops that are designed to enhance learning through one of Gardner's
identified seven intelligences.  By the end of the rotation, children have
a life transforming understanding of the story.
Yours in Christ,
Gabby

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13) SCUBA vbs?

Hi everyone. First time I posted anything so I hope I'm doing it right. I
was wondering if anyone else is doing SCUBA vbs. This is my first year as
director and I sure would appreciate any ideas for fundraising, decorating,
crafts and snacks on the subject undersea adventure. Thanks, Lori

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14) Concerned About Comments

Am I alone in being concerned about the tone of some of the remarks
included in recent newsletters? (examples from today's below)  Some seem
personally critical, rather than helpful, and I certainly don't find
reading such comments a good use of my time. Is there any way to limit
such exchanges?
Thanks, Sarah, for your faithful efforts in posting many helpful and
supportive notes....
Louise

--from SSTN: you are welcome. :o)
ysic, sarah <><


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15) Discipline problems   

This is in response to Scarlett and her problems with the junior high
children being disruptive.  I would first like to address the issue of
referring to children as "bad eggs" or the "bad kids", as they have been
called in other discussions regarding handling children who are not doing
what we want them to do.  I am new to being a CE director, but not new to
the world of sociology and psychology.

Scarlett says that the kids who are most disruptive are members of the bus
program.  In most cases I have found that this means that the parents are
not able nor willing to attend church or put in an effort to teaching
their
children about the church.  But this does not mean we need to give up on
these children.  Before you are able to reach out to these kids, we need
to
not label them as the "bad apples."  If a child is told, or made to feel,
that they are bad, the behavior will begin to become bad because it is
expected.  Also, in some cases maybe acting out or negative attention
seeking behaviors are the only way these children know how to get any
attention at home.  Which would explain why some families appear to "not
care." I feel the solution, or beginning, for addressing these issues, is
to
understand the type of children you are teaching.  Only recently have
studies examined the different learning styles of people.  In fact it is
through the revelation of multidimensional learning that the Rotation
Model
was born.  I feel that by finding out what triggers these kids into
learning, you may find the disruptive behavior end.  I work in a church
that
is middle-upper class, and we too have children who have trouble sitting
still.  We were able to help address the problem by looking at curriculum
that worked with the type of personalities we had in the classroom.

Through prayer, we can really see children for who they are:  precious
gifts from God.  And, no matter how successful our program is, we will
always have a few who push buttons.  But aren't they the ones who really
need to know the love of Christ?  In the past articles on discipline, I
have seen many suggestions, from bribery to kicking children out of Sunday
School.  But here is a simple, inexpensive, Christ-Like idea:  why not
just love these children the way that Jesus loves us?

I know it is difficult sometimes, but no one said the path to Heaven and
God's grace is paved in Gold!

Heidi, WI

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