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SSTN - Number 208
July 2, 2001

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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:
1) Old Fashion Day ideas
2) Sand art paperweight
3) Missionary Mail
4) Holding A Youth Conference?
5) Christian Flag Pledge
6) Missions day?
7) Missionary Mail
8) Including youth in a wedding
9) Volunteer Appreciation Idea
10) Teacher Appreciation Idea
11) Halloween
12) Curriculum

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1) Old Fashion Day ideas

>>I am looking for ideas for an Old Fashion Day. Any ideas ?

My daughter has asked for an American Girl birthday this summer, so I'm
putting together ideas for this theme too. We're going to use (cheap)
old-fashioned favors like a Chinese yo-yo, a paddle ball, and a
helicopter (a wooden stick with helicopter blades at the top--you rub it
between your palms to make it fly). (Not too expensive at a party supply
store.) We'll play old-fashioned games like a three-legged race (or a
potato sack race--little kids can use old pillow cases for this),
badminton, etc.. I may have the kids make their own "game of graces."
(Gee, with a name like that, I bet there are some good Bible
illustrations that could go with it.) That's a game from the 1800's in
which each player has two long sticks she uses to launch and catch a
ribboned hoop. (We'll use embroidery hoops..)

Be sure to ask folks to dress up! It's especially fun watching girls
attempting the games in a long skirt. :)

Check your library for the American Girls craft books. I believe one of
them includes the game of graces. There are also American Girls
cookbooks you can use to plan snacks. I'm also considering printing out
American Girls paper dolls from their website for favors. I'll pass on
more information as I finish planning! (How about a marbles competition?
A jacks competition? A jump rope competition?)

Dana Gagnon, St. Clair Shores, MI


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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, you'll find 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) Sand art paperweight

Our church is using the Truth Trackers theme for VBS. One of the crafts
that we are using is a sand art paperweight. I modified the craft slightly
to make it less expensive. Colored sand is too costly (especially when I
don't know if we will have 40 or 80 kids that night!), so I improvised by
using salt and sidewalk chalk for the colored sand. Here's the recipe:
empty one 26 oz. free flowing salt container into a bowl or bucket; add
dust of one piece of sidewalk chalk by using an old grater over the bowl
of salt. If you want more intense color, use more than one piece of
sidewalk chalk; for pastel color, use less than a full piece of sidewalk
chalk. I had a little difficulty finding enough baby food jars since many of
the babies at our church don't eat store-bought baby food, but then I
thought of asking day care centers for their baby food jars! It was a
bonanza, I got all sizes which allowed different classes to have slightly
different sand art paperweights. Also, using a coffee stir instead of a
toothpick works for the deeper jars. Hope this may help other Truth Trackers--or others needing colored sand. Yours through Him, Cindy Kennedy-Kuttawa, KY

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3) Missionary Mail

Belva: That must be the airmail price. Tell them you want to send it boat
mail. It will take longer (when we lived in Africa it took 3-4 months),
but it is greatly appreciated when it arrives. Another thing to consider:
does the receiving country charge duty on incoming items? If so, the
amount of mailing and duty may not be worth sending it. How about sending
it with someone traveling to the country? We found that additional
luggage was not overly expensive, and most people have more space when
they leave the US than when they return. OR you might check -- if you are
affiliated with an organization, about containers they are shipping to the
country. In our organization missionaries ship containers with household
items, appliances, etc. We also ship containers of food (rice, etc.).
Teresa-La Marque, TX

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For more info...click on 'Ministry Support' from the home page of:
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4) Holding A Youth Conference?

GOOD AFTERNOON MRS. KEITH. OUR CHURCH IS THINKING ABOUT HAVING A YOUTH
CONFERENCE PROBABLY THIS August. IF YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS ON ON YOUTH
CONFERENCES PLEASE SEND OR HELP PUT TOGETHER ONE.
THANKS !!

--from SSTN: The first thing to consider is what specifically do you want
to accomplish? What do you want the youths to learn from your conference?
For example, will the conference emphasize, How to share your faith? How
to stand firm in your faith? How to remain pure? etc. Invite church youth
leaders from the community to brainstorm and then hold workshops on the
different aspects of the subject(s) offered. Ask the youths what issues
are affecting their walk and faith? Invite a local Christian rock
band/Praise team to perform. Have Bible games to emphasize the workshops
that you offer. I look forward to everyone else's input on this!
YSIC, sarah keith.

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FOLLOW THE SUBSCRIBE-UNSUBSCRIBE

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5) Christian Flag Pledge

Someone wanted to know the Christian Flag Pledge- The one that I grew up
with and that is still said today is--I pledge Allegiance to the Christian
Flag and to the Savior for whose Kingdom it stands. One brotherhood
uniting all mankind in service and in love.

--from SSTN: to read a variation of these pledges...check the Archives
List at: ChristianCrafters.Com

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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) Missions day?

Thanks to Kim who sent in the Father's Day Lesson. We have yet to have
our Father's Day this year in Australia so this will come in very handy in
a few months.
I was planning on having a missions day at Sunday School and was wondering
if anyone had ideas for the lesson i.e. object lesson, crafts etc.
Laurie Nash - North West Community Church, Australia

--from SSTN:
Laurie: there is a Missions bookmark in the crafts section of the site....
and many other great Missions ideas in the Archives List too.
Your webservant, Sarah Keith
ChristianCrafters.Com

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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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7) Missionary Mail

>>Have any of you ever mailed a box to a missionary? We would like to send
>>box of craft supplies to a children's ministry worker in Romania, but
UPS
>>says it'll cost us $400!

In response to the email I would just like to say that it is very
difficult to get things sent and even if you could send it "free of
charge" from the USA when it reaches the 3rd world country where it is
destined the cost for the person receiving it, in customs duties and
clearance fees, is usually extremely high. Have you checked to see if any
of the local churches is sending someone either as a missionary or to do
some meetings? If so perhaps they would be willing to take it with their
luggage and then cover the cost for excess luggage for that person. Just
a thought. Nancy


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8) Including youth in a wedding

I am a sunday school teacher for ages 5-9 years and I will be renewing my
vowels in sept. in which the youth will be my ushers i have asked one of
theirs moms to help them the day of the wedding there is 14 total i am
letting them use their nice sunday clothes and buying them small flowers
to go on their dress or suit. april C chatt tn

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9) Volunteer Appreciation Idea

I've been organizing my folders this month and came across some more poems
that I have used in my program with teachers and volunteers.

I had one student from each class present a carnation to his/her teacher
along with this poem:

Volunteer Litany
Blessed be our Volunteers
who sow the seeds
of Christian service
by their good deeds.

Blessed be our Volunteers
who echo God's word
and teach our youth
what needs to be heard.

Blessed be our Volunteers
who share Christ's light
and give up their family time
on Wednesday night.

Blessed be our Volunteers
may you enjoy summer rest
In thanksgiving to the Lord,
for giving ___________ His best!
(Insert name of your church in the blank)

Have some more things that I'll send later on that I use in the fall and
Christmas season. Also, thanks very much to everyone who shared their
Fall Festival Carnival ideas. I have to get busy putting that project
together soon. Patty


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Full Armor of God Game

Kids scramble to be the first to build a full suit of armor using peel 'n'
play stickers; soaking up the lessons taught in Ephesians 6 while they
play!

In the Bible Game Store at: ChristianCrafters.Com

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10) Teacher Appreciation Idea

I took notecards about the size of a recipe card and glued these little
teddy bears on with a hot glue gun. (You can find them in craft sections
of stores). I had this poem on the cards:

I'm just a little bear
reminding you to pray.
Conversation with the Lord
is needed every day.

Teen-agers or old folk
God loves each one the same.
His blessings are for everyone,
He calls us each by name.

So a little bear like me
Is a reminder of God's creation.
Through prayer His graces are given
To every generation.

This year, I plan to purchase small teddy bears and tie this message
around their neck and place these bears on the prayer tables in each
classroom.


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11) Halloween?

I understand what you are saying. But I find it hard to believe that when
you say to a child the word halloween they do not get the impression of
witches and ghosts. Before I became a born-again I would take my children
out and parade them in there scarey costumes to see them receive there
candy. Once I was enlightened about what halloween is and where it came
from it opened my eyes to how the enemy will candy-coat something that
seems so harmless and entangle you in his web of deseat before you even
know it. If anyone would like to know the truth about halloween and where
it originated go to this web site and be enlightened. It might change your
mind about celebrating it at your church which is the house of God. A
Christian Perspective on Halloween Kim, Mebane,NC

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12) Curriculum

Cindy - Our church uses the lectionary-based Whole People of God from
Woodlake Publishing so that if our church had SS
before church as yours does, our kids would also have the "aha!" of
recognizing one of the readings and the sermon, and would maybe be more
attentive to them. Our practice is to have SS during the first half of the
service (liturgy of the word), then the kids return to church for the
second half, the eucharistic liturgy (communion). I would like to know if
your church makes any special adaptations to its worship service in light
of children's attention span. Our Sunday service can easily run to an hour
and a half, with the liturgy of the word (i.e, 3 readings, 2 hymns,
anthem, sermon and prayers of the people) at 50 min to an hour, making the
total service quite long for kids to sit through. Any suggestions? Belva
from Mtl


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