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THE SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER'S NETWORK
A Ministry of ChristianCrafters.Com
"For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."
Matthew 18:20
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<>< <>< SSTN-Volume 1-Number 135<>< <><
December 21, 2000
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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:
1) Advent to Epiphany
2) New Start-New Year?
3) Thank You
4) Mentally handicapped
Sunday school
5) 3-5 Children's Church
6) THANKS!
7) God Knows our needs!
8) Can You Find?
9) Angel Wings
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1) Advent to Epiphany
We started a new tradition in our family this year, and a new way to prepare for Advent and Epiphany (Epiphany-celebrated January 6, the day traditionally observed when the Wise men finally reached Jesus at the manger.) Using a nativity set, and at the beginning of Advent, place the wise men at the farthest end of your home. Each day, move the
wise-men a little closer, till on Christmas day, or Epiphany (Jan. 6), they finally reach the manger scene. Even my 12 yr. old boy has gotten into this!! Another idea I heard about and will do this year is to hide the baby Jesus (from your nativity set), then on Christmas morning the kids must find Jesus before they open their presents. (Play "hot & cold" to find the Jesus figurine.)
Blessings to you and yours this Christmas!!
Love in HIM,
Sarah Keith-Your Moderator
www.ChristianCrafters.Com
PS-the next letter will go out the Wed. after Christmas. :o)
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2) New Start-New Year?
I have children's Church on Dec 31st. For crafts we are going to make calendars for the New Year with
construction paper and stickers. The problem I need a Bible Story to go along with the craft and the idea of a new start in the new year. Any ideas? Thank You!
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3) Thank You
Thank you so much for your suggestions, Teresa & Mary. You gave me some great ideas and places to look for more information. I really appreciate you taking the time during the holiday season.
Karen Moulton - CE Director,
2nd Congregational Church-N. Beverly, MA
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4) Mentally handicapped Sunday school
> Hi my name is Kim and we teach a mentally handicapped sunday school class...
> I just wanted to make some crafts with them or something
Hi Kim,
I don't know if this is what you're looking for, but Oriental Trading has a lot of craft kits that are inexpensive and not that difficult to do. I think your group might enjoy some of them. Barb - use them quite often.
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5) 3-5 Children's Church
> I have been put in charge of the 3-5 year olds for children's church.
> I'm used to working with teens and I'm at a loss of ideas.
I teach that same age group, and what I find works the best is a story with pictures, and a short craft. Whether it is coloring a picture, or making something from the story. I have also found that if the children make the people in the story before the story is read they are more
likely to pay attention to the story, and use their people to follow along with the story.
Simple movement songs also keep their attention. hope this helps.
Amber Wolfe
--from ChristianCrafters.Com: The Children's Sermon section has free ideas for children's church, as well as the Bookstore-In Children's Sermons & Devotionals.
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6) THANKS!
This is to thank Mrs. Faith Scott of Christiancrafters.com for her skit " A Christian Play". The Intermediate II Children( 9th grade ) of our Sunday school performed this skit as part of our Sunday School Christmas Celebrations on 15th December 2000. The title we gave was " The spirit of Christmas". It was well received by the audience. The dress to the participants and the props on the stage could be arranged very well . My self and my students once again thank all of you.
Nagesh TN, Sunday School Teacher, St Peter's Church of South India
Congregation, Kuwait.
--from ChristianCrafters.Com: We also thank Faith Scott for her willingness to share her talent. Faith has TWO plays in the Christian Skits section AND she is a subscriber to SSTN!
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7) God Knows Our Needs!
Your letters are always such a blessing! You're not going to believe this, but being a single Mom of 4, things get kind of "tight", if you know what I mean. The kids wanted to participate in a Christmas play, and I was assured they would be able to borrow the costumes from other kids in Church. Well, when the time came, no one could find the costumes and here I was stuck trying to figure out a way to dress up my 4 kids! When I checked my emails today: COSTUMES! Praise the Lord...HE knows what we need even before we ask! Many thanks and God Bless You and all the ones who ALWAYS contribute to this blessed ministry. In Christ, Lori, Kissimmee, FL
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8) Can You Find?
I have recently began receiving your newsletter. I find it useful. A couple of years back I received a "goody bag" that contained a Christmas letter and the contents of the bag related to the letter or poem. The items were things like an eraser that erases the mistakes of our life and a
band-aid to show how God heals wounds. I would like to know if anyone has a poem or letter and idea like this for Christmas or the New year. Thank you.
--from ChristianCrafters.Com: It's in the Archives List. Search under 'Survival Kit'.
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9) Angel Wings
I noticed requests for angel costumes and the responses. I haven't seen the way we've made wings at our church yet, so I thought I'd share. Last year I scrounged supplies at the church and made a pair of wings in about 20 minutes right before the play because my daughter needed them (hers were missing). I used a hot glue gun to apply the tissue paper and
trim. To make angel wings, you will need two wire coat hangers per pair of
wings, white tissue paper (or fabric if you'd rather), strong tape, glue gun, and some metallic trim (small tinsel, metallic rick-rack, metallic cording,
etc.). You'll also need a supply of large safety pins or diaper pins to attach the wings to the garment.
Stretch out one corner of each hanger to make it rounded for the top of each wing. Squish together the opposite corner of each wing to make it more pointy for the bottom of the wing (not important if you're in a hurry-the pointy end may only be visible from behind). Flatten the hook that the hanger hangs from a rod by. Hold the two flattened hooks together with the rounded part of the hangers upward and the pointy part downward. Use medical tape, masking tape, electrical tape, duct tape, or other adhesive (white if you have it and you won't have to cover it with the white tissue paper or fabric) to bond the two hangers together at flattened hook.
Cover the hangers with white tissue paper, fabric, etc. Outline the "wings" with metallic trim to catch the light. I use tree tinsel but trim it so that the wings to look too "furry." Attach the wings to a white garment using one or two large safety pins or diaper pins (the more you squished the hooks, the easier it will be to attach with a safety pin).
Hope this helps! Cindy in Kentucky
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