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SSTN - Number 242
November 5, 2001


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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:

1) First Graders Christmas program
2) Toothpaste Sermon
3) Meet The Kids
4) The Perfect 10
5) Song time chaos
6) Out of production material?
7) Easy animal costumes?
8) Scavenger hunt? / Modern nativity play?
9) Children's Evangelism
10) Christmas Parade Float?
11) Crafts for young
12) Centennial?

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1) First Graders Christmas program

<< For our Christmas program last year my little First Graders sang and did
the motions to "Do You See What I See?". I am looking for something
along
those same lines for the program this year. Does anyone have any ideas?
>>

There's a song I think is called "The Animals' Christmas" and it goes
through a list of the animals in the stable and what they did for Baby
Jesus. One of the verses goes something like this: "I, said the dove, from
the rafters high, I sang him to sleep so he would not cry, We sang him to
sleep, my mate and I. I, said the dove from the rafters high." I know
there's a cow and a sheep and more! It's very repetitive and would be easy
for them to learn. You could dress them up as the different animals. If
you're interested, I could mount an intensive hunt for the words. -- Belva
from Montreal

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FREE CHRISTMAS CRAFT PROJECTS!

KIDS CAN @ CHRISTMAS TIME - get two free patterns in the site! Kids Can...
is an Advent celebration of 28 crafts and recipes. Some of the projects
include: Epiphany Ornaments (a six-sided three dimensional ornament
inspired from the Orient), Ribbon Stars, a Paper Lace Angel, Paper Lace
Luminaries, a Nativity Windsock, a Chrismon Snowflake Butterfly (new
design), an Edible Nativity, Church Window Cookies, and the Jesus in the
Manger cupcake, to name just a few! To learn more, click the link or copy
and paste it to your browser:

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


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2) Toothpaste Sermon

Hello, Yes, I know exactly where to find the toothpaste sermon and much
more. You can find this and many other wonderful ideas in the Family
Night Tool Chest series written by Jim Weidmann and Kurt Bruner. The book
that has the toothpaste idea is in Book 1 An Introduction to Family
Nights. This is a wonderful series for home and church. I use it a lot.
Hope this helps.
In Christ! Lori Plenge/Wisconsin

--from SSTN: you can type 'Family Night Tool Chest' into the search box of
the Bookstore to locate it.
http://www.christiancrafters.com/bookstore.html 
Also, you can find another version of it in the Skits section of the site.

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

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3) Meet The Kids

Hello, Today I joined your support ministry, after receiving many of your
newsletters via email. So many ideas to help teach kids about our Lord!!!
I am adding an idea for your use that I found was well received in our
sister churches, Union and Willow Grove Methodist Churches in Pittsgrove,
NJ. Your dedication and love for children shines through your ministry.
May God bless you each and every day.
Love in Our Lord,
Heather Lindwall
Coordinator of Children's Evangelism

This past year I introduced a program to my two churches called "Meet
The Kids". Every week at the very beginning of my Children's Moments, I
reintroduced one of our children to the congregation using a short and fun
mini-biography, previously prepared. Also I prepared ahead of time a name
tag with their full name (in really fancy letters!) and attached ribbons
to
each. On the back was double sided tape so that each child got to wear
their tag on that Sunday, and be our special child. At the end of each
biography I always said how glad I was that he or she was part of our
church family, and invited everyone to acknowledge this child with
applause. It was a great way to reacquaint the older members of our
congregation with our children, and a great way to let our kids know that
they are loved.

--from SSTN: thank you Heather! If not for my support partners, it would
be impossible to continue! God bless you too! ysic, sarah <><

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4) The Perfect 10

I have been teaching the song The Perfect 10 to children for years now. I
have the song on the Splittrax tape called Kids Sing Praise 3. The song is
a "prefect" way to teach the 10 commandments to children. They love it!
Also the splittrax format is wonderful because you can cut off the voices
once the children learn the song. I am not sure if they are still making
the tape or not but it was produced by Brentwood Kids Company.
Hope this helps,
Mary M.

--from SSTN: this is also available on VHS tape, type, "Kids Sing Praise
3" into the search box in the bookstore at:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/bookstore.html 

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5) Song time chaos

>>Does anyone have any tips on how to get 12-18   3,4, and 5 year olds
>>for song time?...We ended up not singing last week because I couldn't
>>get them quieted down.

Nora, here's an idea: My daughter's preschool teacher frequently managed
to quiet down 18 rambunctious 4 year olds at circle time (as they were
coming to circle to jostle a place and sit down) by chanting "Can you do
what I do?" (sounds like it's sort of to the tune of "Do you hear what I
hear?" the Christmas song) and starting out with something like hand
clapping or foot stomping in rhythm with her chant and four beats between
repeating it. The next repeat she'd do something incrementally quieter,
like patting her knees, then her shoulders, then rubbing her hands, then
tapping her nose,all the while singing it more and more quietly... it was
magic, by about 10 repeats she had them all silent, sitting still and
tapping their nose as she nearly whispered, "Can you do what I do...."
(tap, tap, tap, tap)... it settled them down and got them ready to listen!
Good luck! --Gail

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6) Out of production material?

I'm looking for the performance/accompaniment tracks to an old Gospel
Light publisher VBS mini-musicale called "Young Explorers Amazing Journey
To Bible Times". I've checked with Gospel Light and learned from them
what I already knew - "it's out of production". I work with a girl's
choir on Wed. nights and think they would love this music - I've got the
printed music but not the performance tape. Do you or anyone on this list
know where I might be able to fine one?
Blessings,
Iris Wilson
ICWilsonFL@earthlink.net

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Chrismon Snowflake Ornaments

Bring new meaning to your Advent and Christmas
celebrations! 32 faith designs you can cut directly from the book.
Get a free pattern too! To see a video of the Angel Snowflake being cut,
go to:

http://www.ChristianCrafters.Com/page2.html 


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7) Easy animal costumes?

Hi all! First off I love this site and newsletter they are both so
helpful. Now on to my question. This year during our Christmas pageant
instead of not including the ones that are to little to memorize lines and
such we are using them as animals, sheeps lambs cows and the like, anybody
got any ideas for cheap and or easy costumes. Ill be doing them myself.
Love Jenn Mooresville NC

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8) Scavenger hunt? / Modern nativity play?

We recently met for our youth group planning meeting, we are in need of
ideas one for scavenger hunt ideas from the bible, with Thanksgiving theme
in mind, also anyone that has any ideas for a modern nativity play would
be greatly appreciated, Our church is having a parish wide dinner on Dec.
16th, and we would like our middle school youth to perform a skit but on
today's world meaning. But with definite Christian meaning.
any help would be greatly appreciated.
Joy Livingston

--from SSTN: check the Archives List for the scavenger hunt, and the Skits
section for the play: http://www.ChristianCrafters.Com 


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9) Children's Evangelism

I have been teaching "Children's Moments" every Sunday during worship for
two years. Since that time I have been honored to have had the office of
Children's Evangelism created for me. Our minister pastors two churches,
and I also teach at both churches. We have a total of about 25 children
from preschool to 17. All perform in our two yearly programs, and attend
Sunday School.

I recently formed a committee of nine, and together we are planning an
outreach program for 2002 that will include day trips into our community
for our youth, to spread the love of our Lord in various ways, i.e. Songs
for Seniors, etc.

This past summer four of our talented adults taught quilting to our senior
youth girls. The quilt the girls made was sold for $250. This money will
be
added to the offering taken during our Christmas Program to be used for
needy families at Christmastime. (We since have had the donation of
another
sewing machine, and many offers of fabric. Also the United Methodist Women
have volunteered to help the quilting class financially again next summer
so we can purchase thread, needles, etc. It was just a seed at first, and
it really is growing!!!)

From the quilting class came one of our girls' ideas to create a
collection
of recipes called the "Goodybook", based on our weekly snacks. It was
bound professionally by one of the girls' mothers, and we are now selling
copies for $5 a piece, the proceeds of which will be given for disaster
relief for the victims of the World Trade Center.

Next summer we will be quilting again...Crazy Quilting this time. Another
craft class will be added for the younger children, who will learn to make
all kinds of craft items to sell at a Fall Bazaar, with the proceeds again
to be donated to the needy at Christmastime. All activities will be
accompanied by prayer, laughter, and snacks, the lessons of service and
sharing our faith running like gold threads through the ministry.

I look forward to receiving your newsletters, and gleaning new ideas for
use in my ministry. Thank you for your inspiration and encouragement,
Sarah.
May God bless all you do.
Love in our Lord........................Heather

--from SSTN: Heather, thank you for your encouragement!
Great ideas, thanks for sharing them! sarah <><

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FREE CHRISTMAS CRAFT PROJECTS!

KIDS CAN @ CHRISTMAS TIME - get two free patterns in the site! Kids Can...
is an Advent celebration of 28 crafts and recipes. Some of the projects
include: Epiphany Ornaments (a six-sided three dimensional ornament
inspired from the Orient), Ribbon Stars, a Paper Lace Angel, Paper Lace
Luminaries, a Nativity Windsock, a Chrismon Snowflake Butterfly (new
design), an Edible Nativity, Church Window Cookies, and the Jesus in the
Manger cupcake, to name just a few! To learn more, click the link or copy
and paste it to your browser:

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


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10) Christmas Parade Float?

Does anyone have any suggestions on decorating a float for the Christmas
parade? The theme this year in our town is An Old-Fashioned Christmas.
Our town turns 100 this year.
Thanks,
Joyce

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"Get em' in the LOOP!" Share your ideas!

Invite your friends, pastors, and coworkers
to join our discussion in SSTN.

http://www.christiancrafters.com/page3.html 


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11) Crafts for young

Unfortunately I missed the original post on crafts for preschoolers but
I'd like to offer my experience. I taught the 3/4 year old class for 4
years until my kids moved on. I also sell children's craft designs. The
biggest thing to appreciate about that age range is the wide span of
abilities. However, if you take the process over product approach to
doing crafts with this age then you can till have a successful art
activity each week even though you won't be sending home masterpieces. To
try to save on e-mail space I'll just bullet some thoughts here.

1. Don't give a preschooler a bottle of glue. Instead, squirt some in an
individual egg container (cut out of a dozen box) and give them a half of
a popsicle stick for dipping. Much less messier. Also, all my kids
learned to enjoy saying my little expression about glue, "Just a dab will
do 'ya"

2. Vary your projects each week to keep it exciting. For example,
instead of having them color a picture in with a crayon, give them some
watercolors.

3. Let them help prepare the craft, if possible. If certain items need to
be cut out of construction paper, such as squares and triangles, let the
kids do it (although you will need to pretrace the shape).

4. Place all the components of the project in a single styrofoam meat tray
for each child. Show the kids a finished project and then take them step
by step through the assembly process.

5. Have some projects be group ones that remain in the class. One such
project we did was a wall mural for the creation story. The kids decorated
precut shapes and then we retold the story together as a class as the kids
mounted the appropriate picture at the right part of the story.

Hope this is helpful. If you need specific craft ideas feel free to
e-mail me privately and I can share some of my more successful projects.
Alessa.

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12) Centennial?

Thanks so much for this site. It has helped me numerous times!

Our church will turn 100 next year and I have been charged with the task
of
having a Children's Day Celebration based on the past 100 years. Does
anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks,
Joyce

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