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SSTN # 35 - March 13, 2003


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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:


--> God's Top 10

1) Moses and the Plagues
2) Mother's Day & Father's Day?
3) Security procedures   
4) Confused...   

--> St. Patrick's Day Ideas

5) Confused...
6) Blank CD's?
7) Confused...
8) Easter Idea

--> NEW-LIFE PUPPETS 

9) Easter Bible verse ideas
10) Confused...
11) Confused...
12) Confused...

--> Egg-shaped Easter Story Cards

13) Words to song?
14) Leaving a congregation   
15) Moses & the Plagues
16) Teaching Memory Verses   

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God's Top 10

The Ten Commandments contain many "Do Nots". They teach us God’s holy
standard and show us how far we fall short of his perfection. But they are
more than this; in these "Do Nots", one can find a positive message: a
message of God’s love. To learn more, go to the following page:

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


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1) Moses and the Plagues

>I am wondering if anyone has an idea of how to tell the story of Moses
>the plagues from exodus

Dear Sandra,
We told this story by using two people portraying Pharoah and Moses.  The
children responded to the story with props consistent with the plagues. 
Scenario...Moses came to Pharoah and asked him to "Let my people go!" 
Pharoah responded with a resounding "NO!"  and then sat in his
throne.  For the first plague Pharoah pretended he was asleep.
Moses would in  a simple statement say what God did  ("After Pharoah
said  'NO' God made the waters run red with blood") 
For the first plague a child 'snuck' up to the throne and put a few
drops of red food coloring into a pitcher of water so that when Pharoah
woke
up and poured himself a glass of water it poured out red.
For the boils..again when Pharoah was sleeping the children snuck up
to Pharoah and covered him with those large red sticker dots.
For frogs the children threw plastic frogs at him as he sat in his
throne.
For flies..the same thing.
For livestock we got those animal shaped beach balls from a mail order
catalogue.  etc.
Both Pharoah and Moses were talking up both sides of their stories.
The kids had to really listen so they knew what thing to toss at
Pharoah.
They loved this and can still recall many of the plagues by the active
participation.
Fully Relying On God...Sue
If you have any questions email me at sborth@aol.com 

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2) Mother's Day & Father's Day?

Hi. I teach 1-4 graders.  Each year our youth does the Mother's Day and
Father's Day Sunday service.  I am looking for something my class can do
for each.  In the past we have talked about a father's love and God the
Father's love and held up the letters M-O-T-H-E-R and said a sentence
beginning with each: M is for . . .

I am looking for something a little different that my class can do (I have
about 7 students total) during the Children's Message.  Thanks for your
help and ideas.  Lori,  from Virginia.

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3) Security procedures   

<< I would like to ask others what sort of security procedures they use
<for their Sunday school programs: checking in children, identifying
<parents and identifying special needs for children.  Our church uses
<numbered tags >>

Oh my goodness, do you have that big of a Sunday School?  They sound like
cattle and not children. Our nursery is run differently from our Sunday
School.  Our nursery children must be checked in and out by the parent.
(Some
churches the parent is given a pager, or I have even heard that they are
given a number and if there is a problem the number will light up on the
board in church) We have one of the largest Sunday School's in the San
Diego
area and have never felt the need to number the children.  The children
meet
in church first for the 20 minutes, and the teacher meets them outside the
Narthex and escorts them to class.  We then take attendance.  After class
the
kids go home.  (First grade and under must wait until a parent picks them
up)
We have never lost a child.  I can understand your concern about a child's
safety.  We thoroughly screen our teachers and each class has two
teachers.
As far as special needs, the parents fill out registration slips and any
extra thing may be added to it as far as allergies.  If the child has ADD
or
any other special problems, the teacher will notice it and try their best
to
deal with it.
God bless,
Joni
   
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4) Confused...

Dear Sister,
I truly understand where you are, because I have been there. Your inner
lack of peace is a message from The Spirit of the living God, who lives in
your spirit.
He is letting you know that His Body is not an organization, with a
plethora of activities; but rather it is an organism filled with all the
fullness of His life.
Our God cares for you, knows what you're going through,and will lead you
to people who will really love you in Spirit and in truth. I would like to
recommend the following website to you; www.benisrael.org

It contains transcriptions of the talks given by Art Katz, a Messianic
Jewish believer in Jesus. Look up the talks on Community, and on the Body
of Christ.
Our community (True Vine Christian Fellowship, Staten Island NY) knows Art
personally, and we can say truthfully that he is REAL.

"And let the peace of Christ rule ( be the umpire) in your hearts, to
which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful." Colossians
3:15
In His love,
Jean

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St Patrick's Day Ideas

Looking for Saint Patrick's Day ideas? Make shamrock-shaped "Faith
Crackers". Learn how on the "Crafts page - Yummy Devotions" section at:
http://www.ChristianCrafters.Com 

And, remember to search the "Archives List" for even more ideas!


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5) Confused...

>"Our thing is...how can we honestly feel that we belong to this
>congregation when we have been there as long as we have and have not
>even one time in this period even been invited to another members home
>dinner?"

I don't know what area of the country you are from or how long you have
lived in that area. But, if you are new to the area, quite frankly some
areas of the country are just more outgoing about their personal
relationships within the church than others. That goes for the various
denominations as well. You may just be hitting a cultural brick wall. In
any case, you need to be fed spiritually and if this situation is not
helping you to do that, and you have confronted this issue with the
pastor or others, then you need to leave. It really is as simple as
that. Every experience prepares us for the next one. You now know what
questions you want to ask when searching for the next church. You now
know what is important to you to find in a body of believers. No one
ever likes to leave a church but we are instructed to fellowship with
others and I agree with you that this is an important part of a church
experience. How else can we stay strong in this world without our
Christian friendships? Finally, before you jump, pray, pray, pray. God
will give you the right answer on this - and it might just surprise you.
Your leaving could make others think. Or you may be the rock to ripple
the waters by staying. Or you could be just the people another church in
your area is praying to have meet their needs. The possibilities are
endless - so do earnestly pray for a couple weeks and listen for the
answer. You WILL know it when it comes.

--Ellen

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6) Blank CD's?

Firstly, Thanks to the person from India who shared the idea of snakes and
ladders, we played this game and the children loved it (we read a
scripture about sin every time they went down a snake and a scripture about
obedience, righteousness & mercy every time they went up a ladder).

Secondly, I work for a software company who produces their own software so
I have a whole lot of CD's that had bad data and could not be used so I
would like to use the CD's (which contain no labels) for a craft for the
teenagers, I though of a scripture written on in tied with some string
could be used to dangle it above their beds or in their rooms, if anyone
has any other ideas, then please help.

Thanks
Vicky

--from SSTN: check the crafts page for "Reflecting Christ Mirror" and "CD
Flower". I can't wait to hear more from everyone and will gladly post
unique ideas to the site.
ysic, sarah <><
http://www.ChristianCrafters.Com 

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7) Confused...

I have been in that situation in the past two years.  My husband and I
have prayed for the last two years that we be released from our church or
give us a heart to understand.  We're still at our church.  Sometimes I
can't stand going to church anymore, but I know if I don't God will not
bless my family if it is not in His Will.  Pray seeking God's wisdom and
wait until you hear from him on what do to.

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8) Easter Idea

hope this may be of some help
We done this last year with our sunday school

Red is for the blood He gave,
Green is for the grass He made,
Yellow is for the sun so bright,
Orange is for the edge of night.
Black is for the sins that were made,
White is for the grace He gave.
Purple is for the hour of sorrow,
Pink is for the new tomorrow.
A bag full of jelly beans,
Colourful and sweet,
Is a Prayer...is a Promise... Is an Easter treat

we attached this to a small bag with a ribbon adn appropriately coloured
the colour names

Karen Shaw
North Parish church
Scotland

--from SSTN: this is similar to a "Jelly Bean Witness" on the Crafts
page-Yummy Devotion section: http://www.christiancrafters.com/page6.html 


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NEW-LIFE PUPPET patterns 


When assembled, New Life Puppets turn inside out to change from a tadpole
to a frog, or a caterpillar to a butterfly. They're easy-to-make and
children will learn about becoming new creatures in Christ! Get a free
puppet skit too! In our Curriculum section:

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


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9) Easter Bible verse ideas

Hello and God Bless,
Why don't you have your class share the Easter story.  Or if you have
enough children and/or teenagers you could have an Easter play.  The
reciting of the Easter story would be really dramatic.  You could have
several students tell about the various events leading up to Jesus death
and resurrection.
Karissa Alabama

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10) Confused...

Dear Confused...what to do,
As a member of a church, and most definitely as clergy and
clergy's wife, I feel that you would be better off finding another
church home.  Your son's spiritual needs need to be met before he gets
turned off from church forever.

Don't take it personally.  Sometimes the different personalities
just aren't the right blend, and you need to find a church home that has
members that share your interests.  There is absolutely nothing wrong
with this!  It is much easier to build relationships when people have
things in common, and sometimes having the same aged kids isn't enough.

You will be much happier, and so will your son.  Don't feel
guilty, just find a church home that will feed your spiritual AND
emotional needs!  God bless you and your family!

Teresa W.
Corunna, MI


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11) Confused...

Dear "Confused":
I can certainly relate to your dilemma - you feel your church members
should be more warm and inviting, become more involved in your and your
husband's lives, and not be just a "hi and goodby" element. You're right!
A church family is just that - a family that loves you and helps you along
with your struggles to become a better Christian. To be there when you
have questions, and if they don't know the answer, to help find them for
you. To be able to pray with you and to pass along advice - whether it be
an interpretation of a Bible verse, or a new recipe for a pot luck dinner!
My husband and I had a great church, but had to leave the town for the
city in order to find work. I miss my little church so much! The city has
numerous churches, but none seem to be as warm, inviting and welcoming as
our little church we had to leave behind. We have not yet found another -
we are still searching, of course, but not having much luck.
However, our old Pastor (who is as wise as Solomon!) has passed on a
little "story" that could apply to churches as well as towns. It goes like
this:

A farmer was out working in his fields one day, when a car, loaded to the
rafters with suitcases and furniture, stopped by the fence for directions.
The driver asked "We are moving to your little town. What kind of a town
is it?" The farmer replied by asking them a question - "What kind of a
town was it that you left?" The wife said, with a disgusted look on her
face, "It was a terrible town! Everyone was a backstabber, the children
stole from the neighbours, our church congregation was full of gossips and
every store owner was a real meanie!"
"Well", said the farmer, "that's exactly what this town is like."
A couple of days later, another car, again loaded to the rafters with
suitcases and furniture, stopped by the fence for directions. The driver
asked "We are moving to you little town. What kind of a town is it?"
Again, the farmer replied by asking the question "What kind of a town was
it that you left?" The wife started to cry. "Moving away from our town was
the most difficult thing we have ever had to do! Everybody was friendly,
we loved our neighbours and our church, the children were well-behaved and
the store owners were generous to a fault!" The farmer said "Well, you're
in luck - that's exactly the kind of town this is!"
I guess it all depends on how you accept the fact that it seems like God
has plans for you that do not include the church you are currently going
to. Look at it as an adventure - visit other local churches and talk to
the congregations (I've always found that, if there's lost of music,
there's lots of friendship!). Good luck on your search - don't forget -
God is ALWAYS WITH YOU, no matter which church you attend.
We will keep you in our prayers.
YFIC - FrancieL

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12) Confused...

Wow!! I could have written this letter myself.  I have just left my church
of 8 years where I have served in many committees and classes.  It was a
difficult decision, but the anger from the lack of true relationships,
especially with the Lord, was what made my final decision.  I had been
trying to promote true commitment to the Lord through VBS, Children's
church, and Bible studies.  This made many of the people very
uncomfortable, but when the pastors made excuses for why no one came for
Bible studies, or why we didn't have Bible memorization, and why the 7-8
grade confirmation class didn't know how to look up a scripture reference,
I decided that the way we had relationships on Sunday is just the way
people wanted to have a relationship with God.  I wanted so much more for
them, but couldn't do it without it coming from the pastors.  My anger and
reluctance to go to church really spurred me on to leave.  I still haven't
found a church home, we are still looking.  But I can tell you that this
turmoil has helped me to really define where I am as a Christian and what
I truely believe.  I know what I am looking for in a church and trust God
will lead me to a place where I can grow and to be used again.  I am
slowly working out the anger and am allowing God to work in me again.  If
anger is keeping you from growing and serving the Lord with gladness, I
think he will show you where you need to go.  Trust in Him, even if it
seems really difficult.  He wants so much more
for you.
   
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Egg-shaped Easter Story Cards

Ten Egg-shaped cards that tell the Easter Story - When the cards
are cut, colored and assembled, players can play Easter Egg Scramble and
learn the Easter Story! Reproducible so your whole class can make a set!

In the Curriculum section: 
http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html 


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13) Words to song?

I am looking for the words to a song we used to sing
in Sunday School when I was little. I only remember
the first line:

"I'm not gonna let the rocks cry out for me,"

That's all I remember. The song also mentions not
letting the mountains sing for you. Does anyone know
the rest of the words? Thanks in advance.

Kari
1st UPC
Ages 3-12

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14) Leaving a congregation   

In response to the family deciding whether or not to leave a congregation
- we, too, have been in a similar situation.  It was an agonizing decision
for us, and particularly hard for me since I taught pre-school for 5 years
and loved every minute of it. Although we participated in evening Bible
Studies, church suppers and other social events, served on Boards and
attended youth activities, we also found it difficult to have a friendly
relationship with other families outside of Sunday morning.  But the real
reason we sought another church is this - while I was enjoying the
preparation and presentation of Bible lessons for my little ones, my
husband and teenage daughter were suffering from an extreme lack of really
being fed spiritually. We returned to a church I attended years before and
are very happy being members of a smaller and older congregation, where
the pastor vibrantly preaches the gospel and the love of Jesus Christ. We
love and have compassionate concern for each one in our new church family,
yet, we still do not have a friendly relationship with others, (except one
that we knew before) outside of Sunday morning.

I now teach early elementary Sunday School, and find it more difficult
than the pre-schoolers, simply because they've had a taste of "real"
school, are older and need more of a challenge in learning their Bible
lessons. I do think people today have so many other diversions that they,
too, might be struggling just to get to church on Sunday mornings. Worldly
influences are strong, and pull us in all sorts of directions.  Unless the
social issue is not the only reason you're looking elsewhere, I'd take a
second look at how to forgive the oversight of these people, and continue
to serve the Lord with enthusiasm!

Serving Him in Illinois
<'}}}<

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15) Moses & the Plagues   

>>idea of how to tell the story of Moses and
>>the plagues from exodus

I found some great ideas for this at
http://rotation.infopop.cc/6/ubb.x?a=frm&s=1206067121&f=7796068121

Angie  :o)

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16) Teaching Memory Verses   

"New Techniques for Memorization"
I have a long list of memory verse activities if you'd like to email me at
Phoenix01@zoominternet.net.

Also: I came up with a lot of memory verse activities on my own using a
really simple method. I had my son come up with 2 things that started with
each letter of the alphabet. Then I thought of ways to use those things in
activities.

Some examples: A=apple~ I could make a big tree and put each word of the
verse on apples. The kids could either come up and arrange the apple-words
on the tree in the correct order, or they could each come up and take an
apple word down one at a time as we recite the verse together with more
and
more words missing. I might even tape a piece of apple candy to each
one...

OR D=duck~ We could play Duck, Duck, Goose, and whoever didn't make it
back
to a space would have to be it and would have to say the verse...

Or Z=zoo~ I could have the names of different animals on index cards and
give them out to the children. I'd let them practice making their
respective
animal sounds and then all the ducks would say their verses together
(stopping after each word to "quack") and all the lions would say their
verses together (roaring between words), etc... You'd be surprised how
many ideas you can come up with in this manner!  :o)
Angie

--from SSTN: please share more memory techniques with SSTN. ysic, sarah <><

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