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SSTN  # 84- August 16, 2002


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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:

1) Evening VBS
2) Back To School Blessing?
3) Teaching the apostles?   
4) Reward Ideas for Sunday School, etc.   

--> Armor of God Game

5) Activity Bags
6) Tower of Babel
7) Water game ideas?
8) Kid's Bulletins?
9) Fruit of the Spirit
10) B-I-B-L-E Poster
11) Used Curriculum?
12) ShipShapes


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1) Evening VBS

>Hello my name is Sandra. I am planning a VBS for my first time. The hours
>are from 5 pm-8 pm. What are some of the activities that you do. Or do
>have some sort of outline that you can share? THANKS!

Hello Sandra,  We have done an evening Bible School for several years with
great success.  We kick it off during children's time at church the Sunday
before it starts with a skit.  Each night we serve a light supper from
5:30 till 6:00, have music with the entire group from 6:00-6:20, divide the
children into 3 groups, using youth as group leaders, and rotate through
20 minute sessions (crafts, Bible Exploration and recreation).  We get the
whole group back together for a finale at 7:40.  On the last night we have
a potluck supper at 6:00 and closing program from 6:45-7:30.  I am also
looking for a church that would like us to send this year's materials to
them as we will finish ours this week and the teacher's manuals,
cassettes, etc. can be used again.  Our program was "Bug Exploration" by Group.

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2) Back To School Blessing?

Does anyone have any great ideas for a "Back To School Blessing" service?

--from SSTN: for your Scripture inspiration you might want to use
Colossians 3:12-17.

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3) Teaching the apostles?   

I am going to be doing a 13-15 wk study on the apostles and was looking
for some good teacher guides or material you may have found on individual,
maps of journeys, deaths, etc... Would love to know any advice you have on
the topic to teach from k-adult we are doing it on mission nights...my
personal e-mail is kjfm99@yahoo.com or you can mail any copies or written
advice to
kjfm
po box 73
alsey IL 62610

thanks for all of you help!

--from SSTN: please remember to copy to the network so all may benefit.
Also, please include ISBN/product codes for book suggestions.

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4) Reward Ideas for Sunday School, etc.   

God's blessings to all of you!
When I sent out that note I hardly expected to get any reply but I got
lots.  I am sending this to every one who asked and will forward more
ideas as they come.
For rewards, frequent that dollar store near your home.  The aisle where
the party favours are is great as there are lots little things there you
can use.  Here are some examples I have used, been given or have adapted
from other people.  I cannot and will ot say they are original because
nothing is original any more.

apple-    a great teacher.  You can buy these as Christmas decorations and
write a little message on them.  For example- To a great teacher and put
the date.
Maze-     those little plastic one - Sign it "to an amazing person"  or
"Thanks for helping me through that maze", etc
bell or ring-     Here's some one to ring a bell for.
Thousand Dollar bill-      Break open that toy money guys-  Your idea was
worth lots to me.
notepad-      Look around for pads that show pictures that your staff
would like-  little kids, kittens, etc.-  'This is one very noteworthy
person'
airplane-     'You helped us take flight' or 'An idea above all the rest"
pom poms    a team player'
puzzle-   Thanks for fitting in so well'
penny-     For sharing your thoughts'
sand-     'Hugs sand kisses'
praying hands-     Thanks for your prayers or You're in my prayers
pickle-     You sure got me out of that pickle
jam-     You really got me out of that jam
lifesavers-     You're a life saver
patch-     You helped me through a rough patch
potpourri-    use this sparingly as people like me are allergic to it
You've given us the sweet smell of success.
plunger-     Thanks for taking the plunge
seeds-     You may not see the seeds you plant grow but God does
watering can-     Thanks for watering the seeds that have been planted
spoon-     Thanks for spooning out a helping of the Word
soup mix-   You made us the right mix
staples-     A staple of our group
skipping rope    We jump for joy when you are here
spices    you spice up our group
pepper    You're idea was nothing to sneeze at
salt            The salt of the earth or Thanks for spreading your salt
with us
playdough    Thanks for molding the future
popcorn    Thanks for popping in to my life
sugar cube    You make my job a little sweeter
salad dressing    Things were a little plain without you
stick    Thanks for sticking with it
glue    You are the glue that holds us together
present    Thanks to you this project is almost wrapped up
Peach    You're a peach to help us
shovel    Thanks for getting in the trenches and helping us out
gold coins    the chocolate wrapped kind You are worth a lot to us

Here is a list to get you started.  I know that if you surf the web,
especially some of the craft sites, there is more out there.  A friend is
supposed to be sending me more ideas and I will forward them when they
come if you want them.
Yours in Christ
Sue Valcourt

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Armor of God Game

Kids scramble to be the first to build a full suit of armor using peel 'n'
play stickers, and soak up the lessons taught in Ephesians 6 while they
play!  In the Games section of the Bookstore at:

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


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5) Activity Bags

I have been restocking our activity bags this summer. We have 4 crayons
(sometimes use the little boxes you get at restaurants), a small notepad
made from scratch paper, pencil, 4 books (sometimes a coloring book) and 4
small, quiet toys. IMO our toys need the most work as they are donated and
often consist of happy meal type toys, etc. I like small cars, small
dolls, "Little People" type figures, lacing cards, small puzzles. We also have
activity/color sheets greeters pass out to children as they enter.  I
found cheap magnifiers at a party store and I have seen kids use those with the
Bible's, also at a party store there were mirrored compacts, but those
disappeared (!).   I sew the bags to about the size of a large coloring
book and they are hung on pegs. I am always looking for suggestions for
small, inexpensive, Quiet toys for the bags!

For my son, I bought a little felt activity book that we only use on
Sundays, also. $10

Carrie

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6) Tower of Babel?

I'd like to teach a unit (3 Sundays) about the Tower of Babel during
Children's Church (ages 4-6th grade).  I've already done a search through
the archives, which was helpful.

I'd like to ask if anyone has any additional ideas or suggestions.  Thanks
for your help.

Cathy Bodell
Frankfort, Michigan

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7) Water game ideas?   

We're going to have a labor day party at the church & I would like to have
some water games for the kids. I need some creative & unique water games
that we can play using soaker bombs, water balloons, sponges, anything
except squirt guns. Also some crafts or activities using water that they
can
do.

--from SSTN: you might try the archives list. Type water+games into the
search box: http://christiancrafters.com/archives.html 

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8) Kid's Bulletins?

>>>Additionally, our magnificent Children's Ministry Director, Kit MacLeod,
>>provides a kid-friendly bulletin

I'd love to hear more about kid's bulletins. I have worked up several for
the rotations we will be starting in the fall, but am ever in need of
inspiration, resources etc. Thanks.

Maureen

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9) Fruit of the Spirit   

We used the Fruit of the Spirit for VBS 2 yrs ago & it was great fun.  We
used a banana for "Faith" & the teacher had a big cut-out of a bunch of
bananas that she drew a face on & played "pin the banana on the bunch"
She'd drawn an open mouth & the kids needed to get their banana closest to
the mouth. For "Patience" we used the orange & typed out the chosen scripture & cut
it in strips & tied it to cand orange slices that were wrapped in plastic
& tied with orange curling ribbon.  (I think all the classes did that with
what ever their scripture was)
Someone found a song that we used for one of the theme songs called "The
Fruit Song" that went:  "He's a peach of a Savior, He's the apple of my
eye, I go stomping through the vinyards as the grapes are growing high.
He's so plum wonderful, that's the raisin why, I just go bananas for my
Lord!" I made up motions to make it an EXCELLENT action theme song.  I
could go on & on so if you want to e-mail me back & I'll give you more
ideas on other classes, music, & crafts. (hiwahiwa1969@yahoo.com)

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10) B-I-B-L-E Poster

>I wanted to make a poster using the letters B-I-B-L-E. Do you have any
>suggestions for it?

Editor's note: I received a number of responses to this request. Most
contained the same info. For the sake of unnecessary repetition, I'll post
one:

Basic
Instructions
Before
Leaving
Earth

With the BIBLE in the center - place different types of Instruction
Manuals on the poster, like: Computer Games, Game Boy, Model making, cook
book or recipe, a school book, etc. If you have a digital camera available
- you could photograph easily identifiable instructions manuals and post
the photos on the board instead of the real manuals - which may be too
heavy for a regular poster board.

Local art/framing stores will often give fairly large scraps of foam core
board - great for smaller posters. It never hurts to ask. The store I
asked truly appreciates getting rid of the scraps for a good cause. This
would be able to support heavier material attached to it.

We had a presentation to Future Farmers of America (FFA). A farmer from
our community showed the instruction manual from their "OLD" tractor. The
manual had really been used - no doubt about it! The message they gave to
the young people was to use the "instruction book" that God provides for
us in the same way - wear it out!

Hope this is a helpful suggestion.
Joyfully Serving HIM,
Emmalea Butler
Trafalgar, IN

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"Get em' in the LOOP!" 

L-eading kids to Christ,
O-ffering advice
O-pen discussion forum
P-roviding free resources

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

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

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11) Used Curriculum?

We are from a smaller town and sometimes coming up with all new curriculmn
is a lot of money.  If there is a church that donates their used VBS
curriculmn that would be great.  We currently use (I can't think of the
publisher now that I am writing) it is the one with the friend "Chatter"
and this year I believe the stories involved "BUGS".  If you could email
me at tmckb91@yahoo.com   we would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,
Iowa Church

--from SSTN: I believe the last SSTN # 83-Aug 2002 had someone wanting to
give their old curriculum away. It will be posted in the Archives List
later today:  http://christiancrafters.com/archives.html 

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12) ShipShapes

>I have a copy of Ship Shapes.

Dear Mary,
Thank you for your kind offer.  We have now managed to get a copy of the
book and I will mention the video at our planning meeting on Monday night.
If you found any of the activities particularly good, we'd love to know.
You can contact me by e-mail to mollyvannan@aol.com.  This is the first
SSTN response I have had and it was exciting.

Thanks again and best wishes.
Molly

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