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SSTN - Number 222
August 27, 2001
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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:
1) College/Church Connection
2) Fund raising ideas?
3) College/church connection
4) Church Hour Names?
5) Children's Church Question
6) College/Church Connection
7) College students
8) Children's Ministry Ages?
9) 12 MONTHS = 3 YEARS
10) Beach Trek VBS?
11) Contemporary Christian music
12) Body Worship
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1) College/Church Connection
Every fall our Ladies class would make "care packages" for the college
students. These shoeboxes included notes, gum, pens, baked goods,snacks,
etc. I don't think it matters much what is in the packages, it just
matters that the children feel important and not forgotten. I have also
seen the idea of putting the pictures of the graduating seniors in the
bulletin. This would be a great time to include the address or college
that the student plans to attend.
The brunch sounds like a wonderful idea!
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2) Fund raising ideas?
I hope I am sending this e-mail to the right person. I have a question
for our fellow Christians to ponder: My church is in the process of
building a parsonage for our church. We are trying to think of successful
fund raising ideas for our church as well as for community participation.
Any ideas out there? Thanks! Laurie
--from SSTN:
Hi Laurie: You can't imagine how MANY wonderful ideas have been shared
previously in SSTN. To read those ideas, click on Archives List from the
home page of ChristianCrafters.Com, then type in "Fund raisers" and/or
"fund raising" in the search box.
YSIC, sarah <><
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Spread the Good News!
Invite your friends, coworkers, and pastors to join our discussion
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3) College/church connection
Every year we take pictures of all children kindergarten through college.
We mount them (usually on "shape" note pad pages), laminate, and make
available to the congregation. If you take a picture home, you are making
a commitment to pray for that child during the coming year. We also have
brought all the college kids up front to pray for them before they leave
home. We make available a list of addresses (e-mail would be a good idea
as well) and encourage folks to send them a note from time to time.
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4) Church Hour Names?
For our church hour we currently have K-2nd graders in "Children's Church"
and 3rd-6th graders in "Jr. Church". We are wanting to give special,
permanent names to these two different groups to add one more point of
interest for the children. Any ideas??
Dan Kerr
Children's Pastor
"Ministering to children in Partnership with parents."
--from SSTN:
Check the Archives List at: ChristianCrafters.Com
for some great ideas!
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5) Children's Church Question
I believe children's church is very important inspite of the number in
attendance it is vitally important for us to see to it that our children
are able to relate to the gospel message and be able to understand what
they are doing when they except Jesus Christ into thier hearts and lives.
Don't miss making Jesus excessible to our little ones and teaching them
how to develope a relationship with him. children's church
is a good idea my former church home has a powerful children's church
ministry. Remember God will give the increase. katie
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6) College/Church Connection
>>One thing led to another and we found ourselves brainstorming ways for
the church to >>make all kids feel like the congregation was aware of
their activities, they were >>supported and loved, and still had a
connection to their church at home.
Our church has a special Sunday service before college kids head back to
college in the summer, all of the kids are invited to the altar with their
parents and a special blessing is said for the college kids. Whenever
anyone leave for the military they are included in the prayers before they
leave. We also acknowledge all military personnel past and present the
weekend of memorial day with a special prayer as well as a greeting after
the service.
Gretchen-Ralston, Nebraska
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7) College students
In reponse to Sandy's request for ideas to keep in touch with college
students, our church sends "college care packages" two or three times a
year (during finals weeks) to our college students. The congregation is
asked to provide snack items, notes of encouragement, etc. and these are
all boxed up and sent to the students so they know the church is keeping
them in our thoughts and prayers. We usually get letters back from the
students (which are published in the church newsletter) telling us how
surprised and excited they were to get a "package from home" and how it
made them feel loved and cared for. This is an age where many young
people have been somewhat disconnected from the church since they are in
new surroundings, and it is a powerful statement to them that the church
they grew up in is still caring about them and praying for them.
Dee Potts
Wesley United Methodist McKinney, Texas
4th grade SS teacher and preschool office asst.
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Praise-Amations Flip Cards
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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8) Children's Ministry Ages?
What ages do you suggest for childrens ministry? I also need any
suggestions on behavior in church. Maybe a lesson that will teach them
how to sit out in worship, just the overall behavior in church.Thanks
Nancy
--from SSTN: start them young. A 12-18 mth. old child can begin to do hand
motions to songs, listen to short stories, simple puzzles, and begin to
color Bible coloring pages which the parents can review during the week.
He or she can also say a few words and begin to memorize short Scripture
verses and catechism questions and answers. My church happens to breaks it
down like this: a class for the 2 year olds, and the 3's, and the 4's, and
Kindergarten, then 1st grade, and 2nd, and 3rd, and 4th. We combine 5th
and 6th graders but separate the boys from the girls at this level. Same
with 7th and 8th. Senior high (9th -12th) meet together. ysic, sarah.
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9) 12 MONTHS = 3 YEARS
I also teach the preschoolers in a small church. We use LIFEWAY
Curriculum and I believe it is wonderful!! You can order 2 different
versions - according to the size of your church and age groups your
children are broken up into. The curriculum is quarterly and broken into
weekly plans. Each weekly plan gives you a study for the teachers to do
for themselves along with the story to teach the children. The curriculum
is so easy to use, yet gives you everything you need. You can also order
leader packets that include items to be used with the leader guide in the
classroom setting - such as a cassette tape, games, puzzles, felt back
figures, pictures, etc. Each lesson gives you about 9 different
activities that you can do with the children. It lists the items needed
for the activity and gets right down to things you can say to the children
to apply the activity to the story. I truly believe this curriculum has
everything you could need to teach young children about our Lord and
Saviour. And yes, I do believe children of this age can LEARN - even new
borns. And don't give up. We have had some opposition in our church
because this age group has basically been babysat all the past years and
we have come in and started many new programs. But the Lord is blessing
it and if you go into it with the right attitude, He'll bless your
ministry too. Yes, this is truly a MINISTRY!! V.Norman
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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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10) Beach Trek VBS?
Our church is thinking of purchasing Augburg Fortress's Beach Trek VBS
program for next year. If anyone used this program this year, I would
love to hear your opinion of it. We usually use Group publishing.
Diane-NJ
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11) Contemporary Christian music
I know that finding contemporary christian music for kids can be
difficult.
When I started as a director of children's ministry for our church over a
year ago, the kids were bored with the music- and rightly so. I did some
research and found Willow Creek Promiseland music. The kids absolutely
love it! The songs are easy to remember, relevant, and sound like the
music the kids are listening to on the radio today. The parents love the
music to! Every week I have parents stop me to talk about how they and
their kids were singing different songs all week long! You can order the
cds at their web page at www.promiselandonline.com or toll free at
1-800-570-9812. They currently have 6 or 7 cds available for different
age groups. Mp3 samples are available as well.
- In Christ's service, Kari Smalley
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12) Body Worship
Salt and Light Ministries has a whole set of videos that are songs that
are choreographied. They are great. You can contact them at
www.saltandlightmin.org
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