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SSTN # 11 - February 5, 2005


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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:


1) Heart Box Pattern
2) Ash Wednesday & Lent, the purpose and a craft.
3) Mini blinds lead warning
4) Busted mini blinds

Egg-Shaped Easter Story Cards / Booklet

5) Valentine Banquet
6) Gospel Clowning and Gospel Illusions
7) Recycled strawberry baskets
8) Valentine's Day craft and ministry idea
9) Valentine's Banquet
10) Books on death and dying?


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1) Heart Box Pattern

You can find the Heart Box pattern in the Curriculum Creatives section at:

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


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2) Ash Wednesday & Lent, the purpose and a craft.
 
Millions of Christians observe Ash Wednesday and the Lenten season, while
others barely know what it's about. I thought it might be helpful to give
a brief description for those that don't understand the purpose of these
observances, as well as offer a craft idea for use in your classrooms. To
read this lesson and get the craft idea too,
go to the following webpage:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/lesson_LentCross.html 
 
Your Webservant,
Sarah Keith <><
ChristianCrafters.Com


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3) Mini blinds lead warning

Please warn your readers that some mini blinds contain lead and can be
harmful to children.  I would not advise using the mini blinds unless you
are 100% sure they are lead free.  You can be exposed to the lead by
touching the lead dust accumulated on the blinds, then touching your
contaminated hand to your mouth, or by chewing on the blinds. 
 
Lori/Wisconsin


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4) Busted mini blinds

This message is in response to uses for busted mini blinds. I am hoping by
the word "busted" that you are meaning the remaining slats, and not broken
slats. On mini blinds that are broke (such as cracked or split in half), I
would throw the broken ones away, as the sharp edges are a real safety
hazard. The remaining slats, can be used for a number of things. You can
write on them with colored Sharpie permanent markers, or permanent paint
pens. Or, you can set your print program to column format (the number of
columns you want will vary between 3-6 depending on the width of your mini
blinds), and type in the information that you want. If you are making
something to be used over and over again, you can print out information
using your computer onto heavy weight cardstock.

Bible Jeopardy - You can make a Bible Jeopardy game by using the mini
blinds to make a board, you will need 36 blinds, arranged on the wall to
make a 6 x 6 grid. You can type up the categories, clues, and amounts to
make the game last a long time, or write the categories, clues, and
amounts with a paint pen. Use the standard Jeopardy amounts, or substitute
smaller amounts like $1-$5 in Bible bucks in regular Jeopardy and $2-$10
Bible bucks in double jeopardy. Play like you would normally play
Jeopardy. If you want the full instructions, feel free to e-mail me.

Wall decorations - You can make any classroom look like you had a "big
budget" by putting a few mini blinds side by side, and using an over-head
projector to project an image onto it. Then use a permanent marker to
trace around the image. Fill in the image with acrylic paints or plastic
paints. Model car paints work well for this purpose, and you can purchase
a whole set at stores like Wal Mart for around $6. You could make one of
these for each season, month, story, holiday,etc.

Hope this helps!
Love in Christ,
Sarah in California


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Egg-Shaped Easter Story Cards / Booklet

When the cards are cut, colored and assembled, players can play Easter Egg
Scramble and discover a secret Easter message! With two black and white
"cross" and "resurrection" drawings to color! Reproducible so your whole
class can make a set!

Find them in the Curriculum section at:  http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html  


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5) Valentine Banquet

Hello,  A great site with lots of women's ideas and a valentine banquet
idea is:  http://www.creativeladiesministry.com/ 
I adapt a lot of their ideas to use for whole church Sunday School
Specials at different times of the year.
 
Blessings, Jane


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6) Gospel Clowning and Gospel Illusions

Hello, I have been using Gospel Clowning and Gospel Illusions for about 1
1/2 years. I have had so much fun using these methods to teach. The kids
are crazy about it. I would love to hear from other clowns and
illusionists or anyone who would like to get started in this area. We can
swap ideas!
Trixi the Clown


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7) Recycled strawberry baskets

Just another thought on the baskets.  Are cherry tomatoes or grape
tomatoes sold in baskets in your area?  I am in California where the
baskets are used for these fruits, too.  Have you asked your produce
department?  Perhaps they could give you the name of basket company.
This company might be will to donate some to you.....

I did see a craft recently (at Lakeshore Learning Center) that came with
plastic baskets and something to weave through..ribbon, lanyard or foam
strips, I can't remember. 
Hope to be helpful,

Kim in California


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8) Valentine's Day craft and ministry idea
 
I personally did this last year (2005):
 
I had the children ALL ages and adults to make valentines with very short
messages on them and to SIGN THEM FROM JESUS. I had a few Sundays to show
them children what to do. (I have example pictures and a list of some
sayings I used).
 
Each child said they would make 10 and there were 25 children. I figured
they would do around 100. I personally do 100 myself. We made them from
cut out hearts from free wallpaper samples I had received from outdated
book given to me from a wallpaper store. I used the big sheets without a
busy side for the message. I decorated a lot with lace beads anything
pretty and some I made from pictures off the web. I furnished Bright
MARKERS (RoseArt and Sharpy). I cut a whole lot to make sure there would
be enough hearts to decorate. The children loved it. They went fast and
the children wanted more to give. I said, Sorry that's all the homemade
valentines. Maybe next year you can be making some all year if you set
your mind to it.
 
I set a time, date and store front for the children to give them out FREE,
no charge! I check the law restrictions for the town we work. All was a
go!
 
Those that showed up loved giving a Valentine from Jesus to the
shoppers. The shoppers didn't know what to think and tried to pay for
them. WE REFUSED saying; What God gives freely we give to you freely.
Jesus loves you.
 
The cost to do this outreach: 0 = nothing but time.
 
We received NO COMPLAINTS!
 
The store who allowed us to give out was K-Mart and the strip mall.
 
My only regret was we could have used more homemade valentines and should
have started earlier making them.  So you got less than a month to make
some. Get busy any amount you make can be used for a quick lesson on
meeting the public with what you got even if it is just one valentine.
 
As for this year and me doing it again, I can't because I now a widow
after 44 years of marriage and just now getting all the lose ends in order
that goes with death and grief. I am slowing getting in flow with the Holy
Spirit and the things of earth grow slowly dim. Its Jesus and me now and
we make a great couple.
 
Jan in Alabama.
 
  
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9) Valentine's Banquet

We are having a banquet this year. The game we will play has several
couples on the stage. They will be asked to look up a Bible verse and
figure out the "thing" they have to search for in the audience. If the
clue in the verse was "key", they'd have to go ask someone at one of the
tables for their keys, race back to their seats and try to get back first.
Some answers will be less obvious. If you have a person named "Adam", use
a verse with that name; then the couples would have to race to the table
where Adam is sitting and take him back to the stage with them. They
couldn't go to the same table more than once. There are many variations to
this game, and it's always fun!


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10) Books on death and dying?

I have been asked to recommend titles for a reading list on death and
dying for kids/youth.  The one asking is preparing a certification
program for young harpists who are training to play in pediatric unit,
hospital settings.  She has definite New Age leanings but is obviously
asking me fom my Christian perspective as a minister's wife whom she
knows ministers regularly in an extended care facility.  I'd be grateful
to learn of any Biblically sound reading material that deals with this
subject.  Along with any ministries or websites that deal with the
subject for children.
Marion

--from SSTN: a wonderful children's book is, "Someday Heaven".
You can find it in our Bookstore by typing the title into the search box
at:  http://www.christiancrafters.com/bookstore.html 


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