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SSTN # 87 - October 1, 2004


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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:


Chalk-It-Up ... Encourages creativity in kids! 

1) Let your light shine
2) Craft after balloon release
3) David Spares King Saul?
4) Operation Christmas CD?

--> Spirit Gifts...An Introduction For Children

5) Kristine: Children In Church
6) Children in church
7) The Great Late Potentate?
8) Balloon Project

--> Last Minute Ideas!

9) Ideas for Heaven lesson
10) Praise streamers
11) Children in Church...can we stop
12) Communicating and Archives


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Chalk-It-Up ... Encourages creativity in kids! 

Have fellowship fun with 22 Awesome Outdoor Games Kids Draw With Chalk.
Fun and wholesome activities for parties, icebreakers, and friendship
building! Use them at church, school, youth groups, or for family time
get-togethers! Comes with a pack of marble sidewalk chalk, a recipe to
make your own chalk, and directions to make some unique game
accessories. Includes games for older and younger kids (K-5th grade)! Get
two sample games and learn more at:

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


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1) Let your light shine

Hi,
I just used this last Sunday.  My daughter has glow in the dark stars on
her ceiling and I read and pray with her often at bedtime.  We noticed
the stars weren't very bright and one thing led to another...

Put a star in a well sealed box.  Poke a hole in the  opposite end.  Let
the kids look in (see nothing) as you talk about the song "This little
light of mine" and what it means.  When you shine a flashlight in the
hole, the star might glow a little or not at all.  But when the box is
opened and the light is placed very close, the star  really glows.  When
we are closest to God, we can glow too.  We get close by many ways but I
chose prayer to discuss with them.  Then we can show others what God is
like by "shining" for Him.

God Bless,
Cindy Haag


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2) Craft after balloon release

>"looking for a simple craft to do with the kids...after they do a balloon
> a note and verse in them" project with


A: Go with the "round" shape of ballons, and make a beaded bracelet or
necklace using the Salvation colors. (the webside has the colors
listed).  You might use one of these: 
* Round pony beads
* Balloon-shaped beads
* Construction paper cut into quarter-sized ballon shapes, with a hole
punched in them
* Buttons
 
~~Vicki yogieg@home.ffni.com , Reynolds Indiana
 

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3) David Spares King Saul?

I'm looking for a simple preschool craft to go along with the story of
David sparing King Saul's life From I Samuel 26.  Any help would be
greatly appreciated.  I need it like "yesterday"!
 
Janet Vandeventer
vandymama@hotmail.com

--from SSTN: for those responding, please send to SSTN so all may benefit
from your knowledge.

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4) Operation Christmas CD?

I am wondering if anyone can help..  My church is going to do Operation
Christmas Child this year for our Christmas program.  The performance CD
is really expensive.  I am wondering if anyone has done this in the past
and would be willing to either loan or sell some or all of their
supplies for this program.  If so please contact me at
sboot@rothcpa.com
.  Thank you

Sonya, Iowa


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--> Spirit Gifts...An Introduction For Children

An inspirational midweek program that contains a variety of fun lessons,
crafts, and games to teach the children in your ministry about the
following Spirit-filled Gifts: FAITH, WISDOM, MIRACLES, HEALING,
ENCOURAGEMENT, GIVING, MERCY, SERVING, and EVANGELISM.

To learn more, visit this webpage:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html 



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5) Kristine: Children In Church


Kristine wrote:

>"I have waited to make reply to "Angie's" response to my posting so that
I
>could do it in a spirit of love, and not one of anger of offense.  My
>point was NOT that every Sunday kids should be included in the regular

Kristine, I just want to apologize if I misinterpreted what you were
saying! I feel so bad that you took offense to my response! Obviously,
there's an opinion for everything on earth, and I certainly didn't mean to
imply that my opinion was right and yours was wrong. I will say that I did
misunderstand your statements and responded by how I viewed them at the
time. I find in reading your new response that we do actually agree on a
lot of aspects of this issue! :o)

I got the impression from your intitial posting that you felt like
children should always be in the adult worship service. A lot of people
feel this way with very good reason. I wasn't attacking you by any means-
again, I'm very sorry if that's how it appeared. I was sort of defending
my position, or at least explaining that there are other valid opinions
(with good reason) on this subject.

"To suggest I have no tolerance for kids like this makes me so mad.  My
friends child is
disabled."

Kristine, I wasn't suggesting that you had no tolerance for "kids like
this." I was just reminding you and everyone that every child isn't the
same. A lot of people forget about children with special needs and a lot
of people think children should act like adults. Funny, isn't it, how
Jesus told us to act more like children? lol Perhaps if we took this to
heart, this matter wouldn't need to be debated at all- we'd be perfectly
happy having children (with all their child-likeness) amongst us! :o)

Again, my sincerest apologies!!

Love in Christ,
Angie<><

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6) Children in church

I have been reading with interest for quite some time, the debate of
children in church. I often hear at church parents saying they want their
children to be part of the service.   That is until ten or so minutes into
the service.   It was suggested that Sunday School started 30 min before
church and than the children would either go to creche or stay with their
parents.  Unfortunatly the parents didn't want to come earlier.   For
those parents reading this ask yourself  'are you doing what is best for your
child, or just what suits you?'  It is important for children to feel part
of the church family, however the cognetive needs of children are going to
vary,  it should be up to the parents to decide if theiir child goes to
creche or comes into church.

Your in Christ
Mary Sydney


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7) The Great Late Potentate?

Hi, my name is Kim and our children our performing the Christmas musical
"The Great Late Potentate" this December.  If anyone has done this musical
before and has any costume or prop ideas that they wish to share I would
be interested, please post to the website.  However, if you have any
pictures, you could email them to krodeheaver@eca-eaec.com.  Thanks for any ideas
you can share.

Kim in WV


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8) Balloon Project

I just did this two Sundays Ago!

Today we did our balloon launch. The postcards that were attached to the
balloon said:

Hi! My Name is ______________ (ONLY FIRST NAME FOR SECURITY PURPOSES)

I am ____ years old

This is coming to you from the Sunday Kids Club at Grace Lutheran Church,
Streamwood, IL

I wanted to say "JESUS LOVES YOU!"

Please write where you found this and mail it back to the church! We are
trying to see how far we can reach with the love of JESUS!

(Where you found it) ____________________

Thank You

At the end of the day all the children were gathered outside in the
parking lot. I told the kids that at the count of 3 - they were to yell...
Jesus Loves You... and let their balloon go.... I explained to the
children that we would yell Jesus Loves You and that their message would
go to whoever found the balloon and that hopefully when someone found it
they would mail it back to the church. If any come back ... we will be
marking a map that we have on the wall where the balloon was found ...
then we could see how far the Love of Jesus went. It was awesome!

IF YOU HAPPEN TO SEE A BALLOON WITH A POSTCARD ATTACHED --- PLEASE RETURN
IT! IT WOULD MEAN ALOT TO THE KIDS!

Nancy Fidler


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--> Last Minute Ideas!

Give our "Easy Make N' Take Projects" a try.

Learn more at:  http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html  


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9) Ideas for Heaven lesson

I read your note about needing ideas how to teach kids about heaven.  I
have used the "Children's Ministry Resource Bible".  It has a great sermon
idea and scriptures attached about heaven.  I have that this Bible is
amazing in lots of other topics as well.  It generally is for the
elementary age group though.  I purchased mine at a local Christian Book
store.  It's by Nelson publishing so you can propably get it online.  I
hope this helps you out.
Erica Johnson
Children's Pastor
Spokane Christian Center

--from SSTN: You can find the "Children's Ministry Resource Bible" in our
bookstore. Type the title into the search box at:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/bookstore.html 


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10) Praise streamers

When I made praise streamers with my pre school class we used chopsticks
that were donated from a local restaurant and glued streamers to them. It
worked very well. Mary
 

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11) Children in Church...can we stop

Sarah,

Can we please stop with all the postings of Children in Church?  This is
suppossed to be a network of Christian Educators who glean ideas from each
other.  This has become a forum to debate and argue your points and
opinions.
   Why dont we just chalk it up and agree to disagree?

Have a great day!!
Denise

--from SSTN: Hi Denise, point taken. When this first started it wasn't to
debate the right or wrong of children in church, but to learn what works
best for different churches. Hopefully that is what has been accomplished
on SSTN and we have all gleaned important information for our particular
church situation.

Your webservant,
Sarah Keith <><
ChristianCrafters.Com

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12) Communicating and Archives

Dear Sarah,

Thank you for all you do!! This web site has been such a blessing to me in
many ways.

First and for most, it is exciting to communicate with others all over the
country who are as enthusiastic about children's ministries as I.
Especially after those moments when you run into someone who doesn't
appreciate the amount of thought and effort that it takes to run a good
program consistently week after week.

Secondly, nearly every week I use the archives for additional ideas and
crafts. That is such an awesome service!

May God bless you and all that you do!

Sincerely,
Kara Claridge-California

--from SSTN: thank you, Kara. SSTN blesses me as well. Please continue to
pray for me and the site. Pray that God would continue to bless me with
ideas and that I would have the resources to continue providing this
service.

Your webservant,
Sarah Keith <><
ChristianCrafters.Com


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Your webservant,
Sarah Keith <><


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--Copyright 2002 S.A. Keith--All Rights Reserved. ----

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