Welcome to THE SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER'S NETWORK


**** A service of ChristianCrafters.Com ****


"For where two or three come together in my name,
there am I with them." -- Jesus.

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><


When responding to a topic:
Delete ALL TEXT that is NOT PERTINENT to your response
before posting your message. Reply to:  Sakeith@aol.com


SSTN - Number 257
December 10, 2001


<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:

1) Happy Birthday Jesus - Song
2) Ways to Encourage
3) Jr. Church - finding it difficult
4) Let's Put Christ Back Into Christmas
5) Carol Sing, Scripture Reading, & Possible Skit
6) The Animal's Christmas
7) Unused Curriculum?
8) Singles Sunday School
9) Bible flowers
10) Veggie Tales VBS?
11) Bible Flowers
12) Flowers and their meanings   


<>< <>< <>< <>< TODAY'S SSTN POSTINGS: <>< <>< <>< <><

1) Happy Birthday Jesus" Song

In response to Wanda for the "Happy Birthday Jesus" Song, I have that song
on a CD titled "Great Christmas for God's Kids".  Nice CD with 35
children's favorites.  I am not sure where I got it, thinking it may have
been the Christian Books and Gifts Store in Rochester, MN, but hopefully
she could order it from a Christian store in her area.  Joyce

--from SSTN: you can find it in the Bookstore by typing
'Great Christmas for Gods Kids' into the search box:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/bookstore.html 
   
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

2) Ways to Encourage

Re the issue of issuing rewards, candy etc. to children I would encourage
you to read an interesting article - "Are we bribing kids into the
kingdom"  You can find it on the kidology website - www.kidology.org and
go to the articles section.  Personally I give out rewards to children but
try not to make it so that they expect it every week.
Blessings,
Laurie Nash - North West Community Church, Australia.


<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

3) Jr. Church - finding it difficult

Hi all ~ Have a question and hope you can help. I'm from a rural area in
Alberta ~ small church under 60 people.  We have a wonderful kids church
outreach on Thursday nights.  There are up to 40 - 50 kids coming.

The lady who has taught ages 3 - 12 has been finding it difficult ~ such a
big age span.  So this year (my little girls are 2 & 4), I decided I would
try to help.  We started a Jr Kids Church ~ which I am teaching and has 12
- 15 two to five year olds.  It is a lively bunch (understatement)/  I
have my 10 yr old daughter and a mom helping every week ~ neither helps
plan or prepare although my two older daughters have said they will help
prepare....

My question?  I am having such a problem getting the planning done.  We
have about an hour and a half....and are together with the older kids for
the singing and a fun game/ activity. Then we split off ~ I have been
telling a story with flannel board
figures and doing crafts that support the story.

The thing is ~ they are all so little...  I have to do all the cutting and
prep work for all the crafts...  We do a lot of gluing & painting.   They
also have a play time for about 15 minutes.

I just have so little time to prepare ~ I homeschool (and have 4
children). I'm ready to give up ~ Don't want to ~ but it is making my life
crazy. Any thoughts?

My ideal would be to team teach (and plan for a month at a time,
knowing I would have the next month off) ~ but there is no one that
wants to do this.
Terry

--from SSTN: If the goal of the craft is to reinforce the lesson and you
are doing most of the work to prepare it, then the learning isn't being
done by the children. So what's the point of the craft? I would suggest
two things, first, make it mandatory for the parent(s) of the children to
help in the class once every two to three months. Second, make sure you
are doing crafts that are easy enough for the kids to do themselves. I
suggest the Pray & Play Bible book. If you're interested, you can find it
in the Bibles, Etc. section of the Bookstore:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/bookstore.html 
By the way, team teaching is a great option! This is how we run our
Sunday School dept at our church! We love it!

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><


Make a Christ-Tree!

Chrismon Snowflake Ornaments contains 32 ornaments of faith to decorate
your Christmas tree! To see a video of the Angel Snowflake being cut, go
to:

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


<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

4) Let's Put Christ Back Into Christmas

TO: Ginnie Bayliss, can you elaborate on this play.  I have a mix of
Sunday
School Children and have been stumped this year for a Christmas play and
this sounds like something I could use.  Sorry I don't know or have the
song, but if you could share the play it would be greatly appreciated.  My
e-mail address is DHalste@entergy.com <mailto:DHalste@entergy.com> 
Thank you so much for your assistance through Christ -
Dawn Halstead, North Volney
United Methodist Church.

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

5) Carol Sing, Scripture Reading, & Possible Skit

During our women's Christmas brunch a narrator read the Christmas story
from the book of Luke chapter 2 and Matthew chapter 2. At intervals during
the reading the narrator would stop and the women would sing a carol that
coordinated with the passage. For example, at the reading of the Magi, we
sang "We Three Kings", and when we read where Jesus would be born, we sang
"O Little Town of Bethlehem". We had a sheet with the song titles and sang
them in the order on the page, first verse only. If you've never done this
at your church this is a great way to tell the Christmas story. It could
even be 'acted' out as the narrator reads. Good for any age. Kids may need
the words printed. Your webservant, Sarah Keith <><

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

6) The Animals' Christmas

>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

If you go to this site it has the words and guitar chords for friendly
beasts It also has guitar chords for lots of other christmas songs, kids
songs, etc...

http://hot.virtual-pc.com/guitar/carols/friendly_beasts.htm


<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><


TWO FREE CHRISTMAS CRAFT PROJECTS!

KIDS CAN @ CHRISTMAS TIME - 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 


<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

7) Unused Curriculum?

I am looking for someone or someplace that uses unused Sunday School
Literature.  We have a huge box of "extra" Sunday School books that have
been left over from several years, and we need to find a home for them.
They are unused, they are just past dated.  If anyone knows where we can
send these, we would appreciate it very much!  Thanks!  Marie

--from SSTN: make sure you check the Archives List. There has been a few
postings about this:  http://christiancrafters.com/archives.html 

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

The Sweetest Story Ever Told

Begin a new family tradition of giving sugar cookies and sharing Jesus!
This book comes with five cookie cutters, a recipe card, and gift tags
that tell the Christmas story. In the Bookstore-Holidays section:

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

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

8) Singles Sunday School

>I was hoping that someone might have a good idea for teaching a Singles
>Sunday School. Ranging in age from 19 to 55?

Hi Casey,
I too have a small class from ages 13 to 48 (singles).  I used the series
"Becoming a Vessel God Can Use" and it was wonderful.  I am now doing the
series "Experiencing God" and it is also wonderful.  They have lessons
each day to do and we go through each of them on Sunday morning.  This is our
Sunday School Class).  You can't imagine the growth that I see in this
class. Hope this helps.
Rose-Baytown

--from SSTN: both books may be found by typing the titles into the
Bookstore search box:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/bookstore.html 

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

9) Bible flowers

hey, sarah!  I saw the q for Bible flowers and asked my mom.  Right away
she mentioned the Rose of Sharon as one flower mentioned in the bible.  I
believe there is a song (probably more than one) about Jesus being that.
lillies too, from Jesus sermon about provision.  I wonder if the goard
plant that Jonah liked so much had a flower too?  well, there is a jump
start.  Bet there is some stuff in song of solomon... hope it helps,a

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><


FREE Chrismon Snowflake Star!

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


<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

10) Veggie Tales VBS?

My mother is traveling to Togo in January to help a missionary with VBS.
Their theme will be Veggie Tales.  Did anyone use the Veggie Tales VBS a
year or so ago - what parts did the kids like/not like?  Any craft/game
ideas along the Veggie Tale theme?  Thanks for any help,  Becky

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><


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

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

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


<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

11) Bible Flowers

Sarah, I found this website last year & want to pass it on to the SSTN
http://home.att.net/~wegast/symbols/symbols.htm.
There is an alphabet 'pad' on the left.  Click on 'F' for flowers.  This
will take you to the "F" page.  Scroll down to 'Flowers"  it will tell you
to "Click here for symbolism of various plants, trees and flowers." I
believe this will help your reader.  This is a wonderful website .
Blessings,
Beth

--from SSTN: this is one of the Links from my Links page. You're right,
it's a great resource!  -- ysic, sarah <><

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

12) Flowers and their meanings   

The website annieshomepage.com has a bibical look at flowers
and their meanings. This may help with the jr.high class.

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

SSTN Voluntary Subscription

Your support subscription to SSTN helps to pay the expenses to keep it
coming each week! Help keep SSTN alive!

To learn more, go to:

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

Or, mail your subscription check to:

Sarah Keith <><
ChristianCrafters.Com
438 East Ilex Drive
Lake Park, FL 33403
USA

(In the memo section of your check write: 'SSTN Subscription'. Please
include your email address.)

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

--Copyright 2001 S.A. Keith--All Rights Reserved. ----

Please read the complete copyright information at ChristianCrafters.Com.
You will find the link at the bottom of the homepage.

The SSTN GUIDELINES are posted on the Archives List page.

Publication in any medium, commercial or noncommercial, is strictly
prohibited without prior written permission. SSTN has contributors from
all over the world who share their ideas. If you reprint any of the ideas
from SSTN or ChristianCrafters.Com in any medium (websites, magazines,
newsletters, etc.), you must contact the submitter, and
ChristianCrafters.Com for reprint permissions. Any materials used must
also include the submitter's name and where the ideas were gleaned from.
The opinions expressed in the SSTN e-Newsletter are not necessarily
endorsed by ChristianCrafters.Com. SSTN reserves the right to edit and or
exclude information from the SSTN e-Newsletter.

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

SUBSCRIBE--UNSUBSCRIBE directions:

--To SUBSCRIBE or CHANGE your email address in the SSTN e-Newsletter:
Go to the 'Sunday School Network' page at:
http://www.ChristianCrafters.Com/page3.html 
If you are subscribing a friend, make sure you have their permission.

--To UNSUBSCRIBE to the SSTN e-Newsletter:
At the bottom of this newsletter you'll find your unique code for removing
your email address. The exact code MUST be placed into the 'mail to' or
'send to' area of your email box. Copy and paste the ENTIRE code, then
click send. The code begins with the word, 'leave' and ends with the
letters, 'ws', use the ENTIRE code. Get it below.

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< 

Return to the Archives List