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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:
1) The Books of the Bible-VHS Tape
2) Halloween Alternative: Games, & Pumpkin Parable
3) Looking For Ideas
4) Inexpense gifts for class
5) Paper advent wreaths
6) 10 Commandments song
7) Birthday Party?
8) Grandparent's Day

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1) The Books of the Bible-VHS Tape

Responding to:  "I am teaching a 4th through 6th grade class for the
first time this Fall.  I would like some hints on how to better get these
kids acquainted with their Bibles." GK-EUCC-Missouri

May I suggest "Bible Break - A Totally Cool Way to Learn the Books of the
Bible."  This is a VHS video and can also be purchased as a cassette
sing-a-long.  The lyrics are on screen on the video with Old Testament
Hop and New Testament Rock.  I have used it successfully during the week
of Vacation Bible School.

Ahreita Griffin
Charlotte, North Carolina

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2) Halloween Alternative: Games, & Pumpkin Parable

We started having our festival right on Halloween to be an alternative to Halloween but then it still looked like a Halloween party to the world so  we moved it to another night to be a different celebration and not an Oct. 31st hoopla.

Some of the games we did were Bean Goliath, we had an artsy person of our church create a 3-d Goliath on a large piece of plywood, cardboard would work as well. The kids had 3 tries to hit him in the head with ping pong balls or nerf balls, shot from a sling shot. They painted Goliath on the board to but added fabric pieces and suede work gloves to give him dimension. I have also done something similar on butcher paper for Children's Church.

We had a newspaper toss. We constructed a fake door frame and front steps, out of cardboard and scrap wood, complete with address, mailbox, welcome mat and potted flowers. The children get to don a newsies type cap and sling a news carrier sack over their shoulder(my nephew was a carrier at the time and I swiped his) We had 3 small newspapers, rolled up and rubberbanded. They got to toss the papers at the door, different little prizes for hitting a step, hitting the door, etc.

Another game was with two liter pop bottles. Peel the labels off, or hot glue fall colored construction paper around the bottle. Fill bottles 1/3 full to 2/3s full of water and cap tightly. Rig small fishing poles to have the hooks replaced by embroidery hoops. The trick is to cast on a bottle, marked to represent different point levels, and get the hoop to land on the bottle, then try to pull it over. They will wobble and usually stand back up, this was rather fun for me.

We covered empty oatmeal containers in fall colored paper and stickers and set them up like bowling pins. We then picked them off with bean bags; old Toss Across games, are fun to use as well.

Very popular with everyone was tossing a wet sponge at the pastor. We had, out of plywood, a big board with a large clown painted on it. The face was cut out and the pastor, bless his heart, stuck his face in there. You had three, sloppy wet sponges to toss. This was popular with our deacons. The pastor wore a pancho while behind the board, to try to keep dry.

Another fun one revolved around a rubber Satan mask on a bottle or bowling pin, sitting on a chair, in a Sunday school room with red lights, too look like Hell. You had to say a bible verse to throw the ball and try to hit Satan. (we had a list of verses posted to chose from) You had the kids real close so they could not miss. The object being that scripture is important to beat out the devil and with God, you always win!

We had raffles, guess how many candy corn are in the mason jar. We had a craft table, with non-ghostie or goblin like crafts.  We had a goodie walk table, similar to the cake walk table but with cakes, brownies, cupcakes, pies, yum. We also borrowed some of the small games that our local elementary school did for their fun fair. These are usually not really owned by the school and spend time in people's basements. Ask around, it may take a few phone calls but we had at least 3 or 4 games, on our floor, from the schools. You can make mazes out of cardboard boxes, duct taped together. The list is endless.

We also had a story area and I wanted to mention some good books that are out there. I really like "The Pumpkin Parable" forgive me, the authors name escapes me, but this is good for younger kids. Also CEF Press has a few good set ups for devotions and salvation messages. I also have a preschool story/flannel board story,  that I use in Toddler church about Perky the Pumpkin and wanting to be something different....God made us the way we are....But the absolute best one I have is a devotion that has been floating around our area for the last few years and I am not sure of it's origin. You can do it several ways but it involves a carved pumpkin, lighting it, naming it and telling a story about it. Each time the pumpkin/child lies, a piece it replaced that you carved out. For example, Peter told his Mom that he brushed his teeth when he had not, (replace mouth part for lying) "Poor Peter, his light is not looking so bright. " By the time you get to the eyes and nose the candle goes out, but you had precarved a cross in the back that the kids don't know about. Remove it, light the candle again and say, "See, all of Peter's sin made his light go out, but with Christ in our lives, (turn pumpkin around to show it is glowing) Your light will never go out. Ooh, it gives me chills!

I give my children the choice of participating in their school party or going to a hotel with a pool instead. They always choose the pool and we haven't celebrated Halloween in almost 5 years! We have to save for it but it is worth it. Hotels are cheaper during the week than on weekends.

Anyone interested in the complete copy of Peter Pumpkin, Percy Pumpkin or the Pumpkin Prayer, email me, I would be glad to share.

YSIC
Diane Bracher (brachermrsb@aol.com)
CE Chair
Bay City, MI

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3) Looking for ideas?

Looking for ideas and games for a back to school bash lockin at our church.
The Theme is "out of this world"

Got any fresh new ideas that we might use? Here is the background decorations:
Misty floors with white lights twinkling to represent the heavens. Also we are making a tunnel of clouds to crawl through to the kingdom this will be used to tell stories need game ideas and even possible movie. This is an all night event!

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4) Inexpense gifts for class

Responding to "Virginia Evans" in reference to "inexpense gifts for class
of approximately 35 students.

Last year for Christmas gifts for our Sunday School class of 15 third, fourth, and fifth graders, I went to our local Pizza Hut in hopes of getting Pan Pizza gift certificates.  I was hoping that I might be able to get a discount since it was for SS.  To my pleasant surprise, the store donated the coupons to me!!  So I put each coupon inside a card, tied ribbon around it like you would a gift box.  I then took red netting and place a couple of Hugs & Kisses candy pieces inside the net, attached it to the ribbon with a tag saying "hugs and kisses to you".   The kids LOVED it and it was really inexpensive for us!!!  Suzanne

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5) Paper advent wreaths

A couple of years ago, we made toilet paper holder advent wreaths.
1.  Take styrofoam rings and spray paint green.
2.  Wrap the toilet paper holders in blue/purple paper.  The third week in pink.
3.  Insert the holder into the styrofoam.
4.  Cover the top of the holder with alum. foil.
5.  Insert a yellow flame (construction paper) into the foil.
Each week of advent, a candle was constructed and information given about what each candle represented.  Easy, cheap, and fun for the kids. Suzanne

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6) 10 Commandments song

I found a song that is to be sung to the tune of "Michael Rows the Boat
Ashore" in the Sadlier text "Coming to God's Love"

The words are:
Ten Commandments for your life
I now give you.
Laws to love and to obey
for My Kingdom.
Live in love, have self-control,
be my people.
Live with freedom. It's My
plan. Peace be with you.

Hope this helps!
Danielle  - 4th grade PSR

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7) Birthday Party?

Hi, can you give me some ideas on games to play for birthday party we do the partys at  church so I would like for them to be related to the bible. Thank you.

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8) Grandparent's Day

Dear Bette,
Parents and grandparents always love pictures of their children.  Borrow (if you don't have one) an instant camera and take a picture of each child.  The kids can make picture frames for their pix from assorted items:
Glue together popsicle sticks and paint them,  or make paper plates wreath frames. You need 2 paper plates per child,  (cut the center of one out just large enough to frame the pixure and let the kids decorate the rim with fall leaves, potpourri, etc. Then glue the pix to the center of the  2n'd paper plate, place the decorated plate with the frame on top and glue the  2 plates together.  Or you can just make fall wreaths out of paper plates if you don't have a camera.
Blessings,
Linda Lawler Pittsburgh, PA

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