"For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." -- Jesus
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SSTN # 32 - April 25, 2006
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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:
1) Summer Sessions? 2) Bible-time props 3) Teacher appreciation 4) Pre-teen class 5) Mission Project 6) Hymn book angel 7) Teacher appreciation 8) Growing in God's word ... no time to look through archives. 9) Fiesta ideas?
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1) Summer Sessions?
I am looking for ideas for the summer sessions for children in ages 3-4,Kindergarten-, 1st - 2nd grades, and 3-5th grades. Now we have Sunday School, Children's Church, on Sunday Mornings, on Sunday nights we have Awanas. Wednesday nights, we show Biblical videos with a craft to go with it for 3 years - Kindergarten and have Mission for 1st thru 5th grades.
For the summer, I need something to fill the Awana time and I would like to be able to have a different curriculum for the other time slots. Something that I could give our hard working teachers a break. God bless you for any ideas. Mary
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2) Bible-time props
to Theresa- props for Bible times are very few. They would have had low benches or just carpets or cushions. A wooden stand or table with a candle on it, some sewing or embroidery for them to occupy their hands. Maybe some baskets with fruit or vegetables. Depending on how far you want to take it, you could have heavy pottery bowls and wooden spoons for one of them to be mixing something. The main thing is to keep it simple-less is more in these settings we have always found when doing a Bible times drama. Hope these help. Shawna in Canada
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3) Teacher appreciation
In regard to the request of Deb from Iowa for Sunday School teacher appreciation gift ideas, here are some things we have done:
a) One year we had personalized coffee mugs imprinted at a local graphics shop. On one side was the face of Jesus. On the other side was the name of the individual teacher and a short message of appreciation with the year it was given. The message was the same on each cup. Only the name was different. The cups for the women used a different font and print color than those for the men.
b) We have given gift certificates to a local Christian bookstore.
c) We have given fancy bookmarkers (medallion and ribbon or stainless steel with cut out images, etc.)
d) We have given pens. They were not especially fancy and not personalized.
e) We have sometimes learned about interests of various teachers and tried to get them something fitting. (I teach the adult Bible class. The people heading our Sunday School know I like almost anything liquorice. Of late I receive tins of liquorice Altoids.)
f) A couple of years we found some good teaching resource books on closeout prices from the catalogs of CBD in Peabody, MA. One year it was Paul Maier's "In the Fullness of Time." (This is a combination of three books on what we know from archeology and history about key facts in the stories of Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost.) Another year we got a book on daily life in Bible times. The sale prices allowed us to give more than our budget would normally have allowed.
g) One year in a previous church we gave a sound recording favorite Christmas hymns in very special arrangements. This was on an LP record at the time, but would now be on a CD, naturally. Sometimes it is possible to find a good version of the full "Messiah" by Haendel for five to ten dollars. It makes good listening at Christmas and at Easter.
I would agree it is difficult to develop a good idea year after year, especially when there is a relatively low dollar amount budgeted for teacher appreciation and the teaching staff is relatively the same from year to year.
Rev. Phil Bohlken Grace Lutheran Church Caldwell, Idaho
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4) Pre-teen class
Renee, I am 16 and I teach a group of K-2 graders. But as for your question. I remember that time very well and when I was those ages, it was very important for me to be treated like I was mature. I think it is also important to relate the bible stories to thier daily life. But, you have to be carefull to consider realistic problems. When your a 10-12 year old christian child your problems don't just consist of drugs,sex and alcohol. In fact, they may not be facing those at all. Try to keep it to "realistic problems" and "realistic answers". I.E. Choice for topics: Drugs: Ok or not? or Gossip, choose Gossip. They most likely already know that drugs are bad, but they may not know the best ways to deal with Gossip, and it's probably a big problem in their lives. But for ways to deal with Gossip if your choices to talk about are "Don't let it bother you" or "Get involved in something your good at to help build self esteem". Choose the second cause it is something they can really do. I also remembered that it seemed we learned more and had more fun when we did different things each week. Lots of our teachers thought crafts were too much work or that by 10 years old kids didn't want to do crafts. NOT TRUE! We loved doing crafts... in fact I still love crafts! Games are also a big hit with kids that age, as they are pretty competitive. Also try t keep the "kids in desk/teacher lecturing from front of room" time to a minimum. The kids will zone out and learn nothing. Another fun thing is skits... Hope this all helps! God's Blessings!
-Jacki
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5) Mission Project
I would like to suggest the "African Girl Project." This is a program where young African girls (the most forgotten person in Africa, often molested) are brought into a city to an intense training program where she is taught she is a person of worth to God. Then, she is sent home with a years worth of devotional materials, etc. At the end of the year, she returns to the city for a "crowning ceremony. Joseph made a difference to his people because he was sent (in a round about way) to Pharaoh. I am sure there were many times in his life when he felt worthless, but God had a plan for him. These girls can make a difference to their people by attending a training session conference. It only takes $25 to sponsor a girl. These will be launched all over Africa. I have the privilege of helping to write the curriculum!
Foreign Missions Division project #023.02/Children's Evangelism - TMS. Mail To UPCI Foreign Missions, 8855 Dunn Rd Hazelwood, MO 63042.
Teresa
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6) Hymn book angel
Directions for making a hymn book angel are available at http://www.craftbits.com/viewProject.do?projectID=1078 ... this appears to be similar to what Wixee was looking for. It looks like a lovely way to recycle old hymn books and/or Bibles. Happy crafting! N-Port Huron
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7) Teacher appreciation
To: Deb in Iowa From: Naomi in Nebraska
One year I used a garden theme, which worked well for cradle role, nursery on up through adult classes, likening it to how we grow through Sunday School. I likened the cradle roll to getting starts by planting seeds or transplants – taking root and watching them grow. Each class from then on was likened to different phases of gardening, plants and flowers. I ended with perennials (adults) – some think they continue to come back year after year, but they, too must be fed and nourished or they will die.
One song was "In the Garden".
I gave teachers "Son Follower" (sunflower seeds) placed in small paper bags, decorated with raffia and a label designed on the computer. Flower seeds would also work well for a May event. I called each teacher up to introduce their class and gave them their gifts at that time. I had little "gardening" segments for each class.
I hope I can explain this, but one illustration for the lower grades was based on the parable of the seeds. After telling the parable you explain that going to Sunday School has the same results. If you are like the seeds planted in the hard ground, you are not listening and will not "grow". If you are like the seeds planted in the weeds, bad things in life will choke you, etc., etc.
Now, this is the fun part. To begin telling the parable – you have items in a large grocery sack and when you have the children in front, you explain that you have a story to tell, but first you have to put your gardening hat on (mine was a straw hat with a large sunflower glued to the front) taken from the sack. Then you need to put on LARGE gardening gloves (important for what is coming) from the sack. Next you say you need a "pointer". This is a long stemmed artificial flower with one large and fluffy bloom on the end. You pick up the pointer, hiding the flower end in your glove. Then tell the parable – using the pointer to demonstrate scattering seeds – birds coming down to peck them up – pushing up through "weeds" (your other gloved hand) then pulling it down as it is choked out. Then, with a little practice and distraction, you switch the stem end around while you explain that the seeds that fell on the good ground, will not only grow – but will BLOOM. That is when you push the stem up – this time with flower on top – and it is such a delightful surprise when the kids see the flower pop out the end as you push it up through your gloved hand. It was very successful – just takes practice. You can then compare the different aspects of the parable to SS life - and they to will not only bloom but will produce more seeds! A good lead in to singing "I Love to Tell the Story".
Many other garden ideas will come to you – best wishes!
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8) Growing in God's word ... no time to look through archives.
I may hit a few nerves here, but why do people want someone else to do the work for them? All of us are busy, but if you are going to work with children, you must make that a priority. If God calls you to work with children, then there is a certain amount of sacrifice involved (your time). He will, however, help you if you make this a priority. You are impacting lives for the sake of the Gospel - take time to do it well.
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9) Fiesta ideas?
Hello fellow teachers...HELP!!! We will sponsorsing VBS again this year and our theme is "Fiesta"....we are a very small church with a very small budget. We have no decorations and would appreciate any recycling you and/or your church can do to help. Please contact me at bobkatjosh@netzero.net In Christ, kat
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