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SSTN - Number 197
May 31, 2001

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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:
1) Process of remodeling
2) Coffee can craft
3) Wooden crafts
4) COFFEE CAN CRAFT - homemade ice cream
5) Carnival - woodworking plans?
6) Sports theme
7) MEMORY VERSE
8) Church Anniversary Ideas?
9) Kool aid container idea
10) The Lord's Prayer Activity sheets?
11) House Blessing
12) Expensive gift


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1) Process of remodeling

< Our church is currently in the process of remodeling and we are
< having our children help us with the project, by helping earn money. We

This isn't necessarily a craft, per se, but there is an excellent new book
out called Sacred Places that celebrates the uniqueness and beauty found
in the bricks and mortar of churches around the world that cross cultural
and religious boundaries. It's a wonderful celebration of the
commonalties we all share despite our spiritual diversity. For an
activity you could have a cooperative building game. Maybe make a bunch
of "building blocks" out of felt pieces and make a trivia game with bible
verses or whatever questions you choose to use. For every correct answer
have a different child take a turn to pick a block and build the new
church together.

(Just a side note, whenever I play this kind of cooperative game the child
who answers the question correctly is not necessarily the one who puts up
the piece, we simply go from youngest to oldest or in a circle with
everyone putting something up. Otherwise the kids who know all the
answers get all the fun, too, and it defeats the cooperative tone we're
trying to set.)

--from SSTN: the book, 'Sacred Places' can be purchased through the
Bookstore at ChristianCrafters.Com. Just type the title of the book into
the search box in the Bookstore to find it.

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VBS Resources
In the Curriculum section at ChristianCrafters.Com , as well as the
Christian Education and Craft sections of the Bookstore, are many great
resources to choose from for VBS-2001. Also, don't forget to use the free
patterns in the site to accompany your VBS programs!


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2) Coffee can craft

>I wondered if anyone had any ideas for crafts to do using 12-14 oz.
coffee
>cans. Thankyou.
>

The cans can be painted and decorated, and made into drums, using a "Make
a joyful noise until the Lord" theme. Also can cut a small slit into the
top and use as a bank, with a tithing theme.

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3) Wooden crafts

One year at the kids' VBS, the kids hammered nails into a board (approx 2
x 12 x 14). The nails nailed in the shape of the fish (ichthus?), about 2
inches apart. The bigger kids hammered their own nails, following a
simple pattern. The little kids were given a board with the nails all
ready for them. The next step was to take some embroidery floss, and make
one loop around each nail, until the entire fish shape was outlined with
the floss. Easy, and cute!

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Have A Bible Game Night...

Find a great variety of Bible Games in the Bible Game-Store at:
ChristianCrafters.Com


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4) COFFEE CAN CRAFT - homemade ice cream

This isn't really a "craft", but sure was popular at VBS. Each child gets
a small, clean coffee can, or zip-lock FREEZER bag. Fill each small
coffee
can or freezer bag with 1/4 Cup Milk, 1/4 Cup Heavy Cream, 1/4 Cup sugar,
1/4 teaspoon vanilla. Zip up the bag or tightly put the lid on the small
coffee can. Put this freezer bag or small coffee can inside a LARGE
coffee can. Add 1/2 Cup table salt and 2 cups of crushed ice (or
snow...if you can!) to the LARGE coffee can (these ingredients...the ice
and salt...are NOT part of the ice cream and should not touch the other
ice cream ingredients) Put the lid on the large coffee can and roll it,
shake it, etc. for at least 10 minutes or until the milk mixture makes ICE
CREAM! We did it with the small and large coffee cans. Sometimes the lid
on the small coffee can would come off and then the ice cream would taste
salty! So, I'd recommend the freezer bag method. Of course, we had some
pretty rowdy shaking going on! Have fun! --Trish in Nebraska

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5) Carnival - woodworking plans?

Love the newsletter! Hopefully someone can help me with this -- every
May we have a closing carnival for our Sunday School. We have made most
of the games, keeping it simple, with duck pond and bean bag toss etc.,
always connecting it to a Biblical story or scripture. We have some
skilled woodworkers in our church and we would like to expand our games
to include skeeball, etc. Our problem - we can't find any woodworking
plans to make such games. Anyone have any knowledge of where these plans
could be found? Thanks, Barb from Cedar Grove

from SSTN: Try contacting Mark Denson, a skilled woodworker, at:
mdenson50@hotmail.com
If his email doesn't work...then I don't have his latest address. (Sorry.)
If you reach him, tell him Sarah Keith sent you. ;o))

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NEW-LIFE PUPPET patterns

Once assembled, these puppets turn inside out to change from a tadpole to
frog, or a caterpillar to butterfly. Easy to make and children will learn
about becoming new creatures in Christ! Get a free puppet skit to go with
the puppets at: www.ChristianCrafters.Com In our Curriculum section


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6) Sports theme

Several years back we did a VBS on this theme. It was based on the armor
of God. The baseball center was connected to the breastplate and shield
of faith (chest protector and glove), hockey was sword (stick), football
was helmet, I think maybe soccer was having your feet fitted with "the
readiness that comes from the gospel of peace." It seems that the belt of
truth connected with the harness that mountain climbers wear. I can't
really remember any of the other details all though I might be able to dig
out the VBS kit if you need. Hope this helps.

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7) MEMORY VERSE

I teach ages 5 -9 in our Sunday School program. For the Memory Verse
portion of the lesson, I have found that putting actions to the verse
really helps. I have experienced a high success rate of my kids
memorizing the verses this way. For example, for the word "Praise" I
have them lift their hands over their heads. For "strength", I have the
kids "show their muscles". When I first started this, the kids acted like
they did not want to participate. After I used this a couple of times,
the kids realized how much fun it was, and I know use it regularly in
class. The biggest thing to remember is to have FUN. Be silly with the
kids. After all the "The joy of the Lord is our Strength".

Another game I use for Memory Verse is that I print the part of the memory
verse on different sheets of paper, tape the pieces around the room (not
in
order), and have the kids put it back together. This may not work if you
have a very large class, but smaller classes enjoy it.

I usually give to each child who participates a "reward" for at least
trying the memory verse. Each child needs encouragement, even if they
cannot remember the entire verse. Sis. Le Ann Rohm - Fremont, OH


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8) Church Anniversary Ideas?

Sarah, I first would like to must say what a blessing it has been since
myself along with the other Sunday School teachers have visited your site.
It is truly helpful and interesting. Our church 13th anniversary is coming
up in August and I would like to know if anyone has any interesting ideas
such as skits, songs etc. that patent to anniversary. May God bless you
and thanks in advance, Sister Michelle

--from SSTN: thank you, Michelle. Your words of encouragement are
appreciated! YSIC, Sarah<><

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Praise-Amations!

Great for lessons on Praise and Worship! Children color and assemble the
flip cards to watch their mini-movie. Includes 27 reproducible flip
cards. In the Curriculum section at:
ChristianCrafters.Com


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9) Kool aid container idea

Every year it's a challenge finding nice Lenten boxes for the children to
use. Cardboard ones cost $$ and often can't be used more than once. For
those of you who are unfamiliar with this practice, here's the scoop. Lent
is the 40-day period before Easter which for some churches is a special
time of focussing on study of Scripture/ prayer, giving alms and fasting.
Things we should always do, of course, but Lent is a good reminder. In our
Sunday school, we support a special mission project (this year: a health
centre in a poor section of Lima, Peru). The children each get a Lenten
box (we encourage the adults to take one too) and put in money they have
earned from extra chores at home or in the neighborhood, or from giving
something up (chocolate bar after dinner, water instead of a can of pop).
Every Sunday during Lent this year, we had the kids find Peru and then
Lima on a big map of the world (they loved the map). They also built a
model of a clinic with coloured popsicle sticks, and made scenery and
people. Another thing we did in Lent was to have a gym mat scattered with
toys, books and coats. Before we could have our prayer time there, we had
the kids put the toys and books away and hang up the coats. We explained
that this was just like what we wanted to do during Lent: making more
space for God in our lives. These are general activities you could use at
other times of the year as well. Belva from Quebec


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10) The Lord's Prayer Activity sheets?

Hope someone out there can help! I teach a group of 20 children aged 5-8
years. After the summer vacation we will teach them the Lord’s Prayer.
Does anyone know where I can source activity sheets based on the Lords
Prayer? I would need approx 8 different ones. Please email on
DL6970@hotmail.com. Thanks. God bless. Lynne

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11) House Blessing

The last time I was invited to a house blessing, it was actually performed
by a priest in recognition of the Philippine culture. I would suggest
calling the local Catholic Church to determine if there is a
Spanish/Mexican/Puerto Rican community that could advise you.
Elizabeth J. Peters

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12) Expensive gift

>> Our church just had our annual Teacher Appreciation Sunday. All of us
>> received a beautiful canvas carry bag with an embroidery of a grape
>> cluster/vine and the words, "I am the vine, you are the branches"

Hi Sarah: This sounds like a wonderful idea, but expensive. Do you have
many teachers? And where did Kit get her towels and canvas bags?
God bless, Joni

--from SSTN: I know that some churches cannot afford this...but Kit makes
it part of our budget, about $10 per teacher. We have 30 teachers.
We got the towels for $5 each at COSTCO (a membership warehouse type
store). There is a lady in our church who has an embroidery business.
She gave us a special price on the embroidery - $5 each piece. She
ordered the bags for us, at just under $5 each. Hope this helps. YSIC,
Sarah <><

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