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SSTN # 88 - October 3, 2005


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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:


1) Why have Sunday school
2) Why have Sunday school
3) Discipleship Training for 1st - 6th Grade?
4) Christmas programs for 2-10 year olds?
5) Yankee Doodle Christmas program?
6) Why have Sunday School

--> Tell Me The Story of Jesus

7) Snacks in Sunday school
8) Snacks in Sunday school
9) Help in youth group?
10) SS class falling apart - what can I do?
11) Snacks in Sunday School
12) Adventures Club?


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1) Why have Sunday school

This is in reply to Karen in Montana regarding Why have Sunday school?

Wherever two or more are gathered in my name there I am too.  I pray that
your church does not decide to cut out the Sunday school program for your
church.  We have teachers in our church that have discussed it also and
I am so grateful that we have had pastors who do not believe in doing this
same thing.  Stop and ask the ones who want to cut out the Sunday school
if God ever comes to them and says "I dont think I am going to take care
of you today because you haven't talked to me in prayer for a couple of
days".  GOD NEVER GIVES UP ON US even though we sometimes give up on him. 
Since God NEVER gives up on us we should not give up on his littles ones
that come to him faithfully each Sunday to hear and learn his word.  I
pray that your Sunday school program is not dropped and that those
children do not have to be told that they can no longer come to hear about
Jesus on Sunday.


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2) Why have Sunday school

Dear Karen in Montana,
Sunday School classes are very important. No matter how many children you
have. Our Sunday School Class is very
small (from 1 through 6 students) and their ages are from
8 years old to 12 years old. The only way to keep the children in the Lord
is to teach them the word of God. You might have visitors coming from out
of town and come to Sunday School also. I enjoy teaching Sunday School
because not only are they learning, I am also.Don't turn the kids away.
You are to bring them into the house of the Lord and teach them. It
doesn't cost much neither.I will keep you and your church in my prayers.
God bless you,
Carol


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3) Discipleship Training for 1st - 6th Grade?

I am beginning a discipleship training class for 1st through 6th grade. I
would appreciate any suggestions to keep attention for such a difference
in ages.
God Bless,
Kim in Tennessee

--from SSTN: this is the general age range for which I've developed
the Hands-on Bible Lessons. You can read more at:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html  
your webservant,
sarah keith


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4) Christmas programs for 2-10 year olds?

I teach childrens class es in a small church. we have anywhere from 25 to
30 children on most nights. we  have childrens church for two services on
sunday mornings but our "sunday school program" is on wednesday nights. I
need help finding a new christmas program that can be used with 25-40
children only about 15 of them are there each service but the rest will
show up once in a while. we want to give all of the children a part in the
program but we can not count on them to be there so doing plays or
programs where all parts hinge on each other dont work well. any
suggestions would be helpful

--from SSTN:
There are many skits to choose from at: http://www.ChristianCrafters.Com 
Beyond those there are some easy-to-implement programs in our bookstore
skits section at:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/bookstore.html 


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5) Yankee Doodle Christmas program?

Jeanne,
 
Please post the rest of the Yankee Doodle christmas program . it looks
like something alot of small churches might be looking for. Thank You


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6) Why have Sunday School

One argument I often raise during discussions about Sunday School, Bible
Study, etc when the minister wishes to cancel them due to lack of
participation is:  There may only be 10 children but if those 10 children
enjoy it why would we want to take it away from them.  Not only will you
lose those 10 children but their families will look for other churches to
fill their needs - therefore losing potential furture growth of your
church.  I have at times taught 1 child - but everyone should be important
enough to receive God's word.


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--> Tell Me The Story of Jesus

...from childhood to Pentecost. One book is all you need for an entire
classroom and it's value priced! To download two complimentary activities,
go to the Curriculum page and click the book's cover at:

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


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7) Snacks in Sunday school

I worked very hard one day and pre=made about 300 cinnamon rolls from
scratch. It wasn't that expensive (probably about $15 worth of
ingredients).  I froze them, unrisen, on cookie sheets, and then bagged
them in Ziploc freezer bags, and stored them in my freezer.  Each
Saturday night, I'd take out about 30 of them. They rose overnight, and
we just baked them in the morning. I did 30 because that's what my own
family would then eat for breakfast before church. :)

It was a lot of work for a couple of hours one afternoon to get them all
made up, but from then on, it was no big deal to just pull them out and
bake them.

We were studying Luke, so there were 24 Sundays where we did this. At
the end, any child who had read at least 20 chapters was invited to a
pizza party.  Children could make up a missed chapter at any time (and
bring me a note from home saying they had read it), but they could only
get a roll if they read the chapter assigned that week.

Brenda


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8) Snacks in Sunday school

In regards to having snacks in Sunday School:
 
 I am very fortunate that I have a very small class (average five kids on
Sunday mornings).  Therefore, providing snacks is not a hardship.  It can
become costly after time, even with a small class, so if that is a factor,
maybe others could donate either food or money towards the cost.
 
My husband also teaches one of the adult classes, and they (the church)
have always had something like donuts, muffins, etc in the morning.  We
put out a can with "Donations" written on it, and each person puts in what
they can to help cover the cost.  The person providing that days snacks
keeps the donations. 
 
Also, in my class, I try to have a snack that goes along with that day's
lesson.  For example, for The Last Supper, we had grapes, cheese,
crackers, and juice.  This not only gives the kids some needed nutrition,
but ties the lesson together with everyday things.
 
I also agree with the comment Nancy made....if the kids are hungry, how
can we expect them to pay attention?!  In my mind, this is part of my
ministry, and my contribution to it.  But, as I said, I am blessed to be
able to do it because of my class size. 
  
YSIC 
Sherry



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9) Help in youth group?

I need Help!!! My youth group can't do anything. every time we get
together, it's just fights and arguments. They can't agree no matter what.
if anyone out there has any suggestions they would be greatly appreciated.


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10) SS class is falling apart - what can I do?

I have been teaching a Sunday school class for about 1 year now. 
Initially I had only 5 kids, consisting of mostly family.  I attend a
small church with 80 or so members in a rural town.  After I had been
teaching the class for about a month or so, my class enrollment grew to 8,
10, 12, and eventually topped out at 14.  The ages ranged from 2 to 12. 
During the past year, 2 churches in a neighboring larger town have built
very large new buildings with beautiful gymnasiums, playgrounds, weight
rooms, classrooms, etc.  Most of my students and their families have left
to attend these churches.  At this time, our church has only 2 Sunday
school classes for children, mine and one for the teens.  I can't blame
anyone for deciding to attend a larger church, in that there is so much
more available for the children.  My church is just so small that we can't
compete with them.  My own sister (who was also co-teaching with me)
decided to leave our church last month to attend one of the larger
churches.  My class has dwindled to almost nothing.  I put hours in every
week planning my lessons, crafts, etc.  We have other children in our
church who come for the worship service and have come to Sunday School
occasionally, but I do not know what else to do to get their parents to
bring them to Sunday School.  I have tried talking to the parents, sending
out cards, letting my students send out cards, etc.  I don't know what
else to do, and I am becoming increasingly more burned out every week. 
Does anyone have any suggestions? There is one other lady in our church
who is involved in our children's ministry (primarily in the
summer). However, it seems that whenever there is a need/problem involving
our children's program, everyone looks to me to solve it, teach a
new Sunday evening class, etc.,  but no one else really seems willing to
get involved at all.   Many have made comments such as "I did it when my
kids were little, it is someone else's turn now".  Others have said "I
work all week and just don't have time to take on anything else".  I
understand this, but we can't all have that attitude, or our children will
have no teachers!  I know I am not the first one to go through this.  Any
advice will be greatly appreciated!  Sorry this is so long.  I am just
very frustrated and upset.  Thanks!


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11) Snacks in Sunday School

I started giving the children a snack initially because of a particular
situation that was occurring in our Church.  We don't give large or
expensive snacks, and the drink is often water out of the tap which costs
nothing. 
 
I don't think it is an issue of 'should,' or 'shouldn't,' but having
started it I realise that when we all sit down together and share
something that, in itself, is a form of fellowship.  I have come to value
that, even when it is a plain biscuit (cookie) and a glass of water. 
However inexpensive and uninteresting it is a time of sharing.  Our
children spend half an hour in worship with the adults and then an hour
and a half (sometimes longer) in Sunday School.  After some lively games
or songs children are ready for a drink at least.  Sitting down round a
table together and sharing a snack makes a good calming down activity and
it is often possible to steer the conversation round to prepare for the
story or talk about things generally.  You get to learn about their lives,
what is important to them, how they relate to one another, and sometimes
discover issues for prayer.  [Our children learn from a very early age to
pray for one another as well as for others].  When we take time to sit
down with our children and listen we are nurturing them.  You learn a lot
more about what really makes them tick while you are eating and drinking
with them than ever you do during a formal circle time!   We don't just
serve the children we share with them - even if only a glass of water for
those on diets!  No one has ever complained about the simplicity of what
we eat or drink.  It's doing it together that counts.  ...and even clean
water and a biscuit is more than people in some countries would have in a
day.
 
I am not saying that all Sunday Schools should do this.  I don't feel it
is a 'should/shouldn't' debate - I just wanted to say what this time means
for us.  Incidentally in our Church when we meet midweek in our homes we
don't rush our evening meals to be there we start by sharing a meal
together - and it is my turn this week so I had better go now and peel the
potatoes.
 
Frances  Wales, UK


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12) Adventures Club?

I hope someone out there can help me. We are starting Sept 28.
I have elected to do the Adventures Club program offered by Cook
publishing  a few years ago and find out now that we are about to start
that we are missing our music, and some of the pages from the preschool
program book if some one out there could help I would be greatfull it is a
shame to have the program sitting incomplete in the church and not be able
to revisit it.

Also if any of you have some ideas for crafts that worked snacks and
decorations activities for the family and community It would help not
having to invent the wheel all the way. This is the first year of me
runninhg the program so there is so much to do and keep track of we get
upto 50 kids in our little church for the program and have started having
a walking school buss to guide especally the younger kids from the school
to the church.
creationsbysue46@yahoo.com


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