"For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." -- Jesus
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
To reply or to post a new topic:
When replying, delete ALL TEXT that is NOT PERTINENT to your response. Please TITLE your message to reflect the content.
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
SSTN # 38 - May 10, 2006
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:
1) Candyland VBS 2) Tadpole to Frog Puppet Skit 3) Cowboy Western Theme 4) Crying children
Dares From Jesus...
5) Starting a Youth Group? 6) Three Stories 7) Teacher appreciation for VBS 8) Growing In God's Word 9) Growing In God's Word 10 Pentecost lessons
<>< <>< <>< TODAY'S SSTN POSTINGS: <>< <>< <><
1) Candyland VBS
As soon as I saw your title I immediately thought that you could write your own words for the song "Sandyland" ('Don't build your house on the sandy land/Don't build it too near the shore/...') using "Candy land". I don't know what your message is, but there's also the lovely song "Apple Red Happiness." Hope this helps! Sharon
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
2) Tadpole to Frog Puppet Skit
TADPOLE:
"Hi, my name is Thadeus Tadpole, but you can call me Tad. I'm very happy today! You know why? Because I don't have to be a tadpole anymore! Sure it's fun to swim around in muddy water all day, but if I don't change soon, I won't be able to hop and play outside of the pond in the sunny, green grass! I've even heard there is another beautiful pond of fresh, clean water I can drink from. The only problem is, I've got to change into something else before I can take a drink!"
"Here I go! I'm about ready to change! When God changes me into a new creature, do you know what I become?" (Listen for answers.)
"Okay, don't peek, I'm going to show you!"
FROG:
"Ta-Da! Now I'm a FROG! Fred the Frog, that's my new......"
This decorating idea is acctually universal for any theme of VBS and we've used it for a long time at our church. Find clip art (works best if it is just an outline, but colored pictures work as well) and have it copied onto a transparency. Get a plain sheet or plastic table cloth and hang it on a wall and then shine the picture with an overhead projector onto the sheet. Use black permenant markers to trace the outline. Then turn off the overhead and then paint it however you want. We have used it the past few years to trace daily characters but we've also used it for back ground scenery. We've found that a sheet and tempra paint work best, but we've also used plastic table cloths but the paints tends to flake off expecially if you have to fold it. Hope this gets you started on some ideas! Courtney, NY
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
4) Crying children
I haven't seen anyone reply to this post yet for March 30th. Those 3,4 and 5 year olds are hard. Mine was one of the criers. The problem is that the child can use that against the parent. I am not saying this is the only way, but what I did, is sat in with my son for a few Sundays and then was up front and told him pretty soon he would have to be here on his own. I would make him participate with the other kids and not be solely with me. After he started being there by himself and would cry, the co-teacher would step in and take him from me. I always told him I loved him and that after the bell I would pick him up and that I had a bible class to go too. Pretty soon he realized that I wasn't coming and after a while he loves to go to class by himself like a big boy. I realize there is a difference between crying and throwing a fit. If this happens, try not to immediately summon the parent. Have a co-teacher take the child out and talk to them and try to calm them down. If the parent does need to come, I would say that the parent needs to bring the child into class. If you simply let the parent take the child out for the rest of the class time, you are defeating what you are trying to accomplish and now the child know how to get out of class. From experience, it will be longer before the child learns to go again. Hope this helps. Lisa in SD
Our church wants to begin a youth group program for teens ages 13-18 and asked if my husband and I would be interested in organizing it. It has been about 15 years or more since the church had an active youth group. We have a great Sunday School program, but the children in this age group feel they are too old to participate. As we are prayerfully considering accepting this position, I am interested in knowing what other youth groups have done in the past; when and how often they meet; things of this nature. We are a small congregation and will have very little financial help to get this started. Suggestions so far have been to meet one evening a month; to open the doors to everyone - not just members of the church; earth day clean-up event; fundraisers, and a movie night. Any suggestions to help get this program off on a positive start would be a blessing. You may also contact me at gmm926@comcast.net with youth group in the subject line. Thank you, Mary
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
6) Three stories
To MFEMFE MFEMFEM the stories you need remembering are from a flannelgraph series called Three thrillers the three stories are The Boy inside His Clothes The Foolish Frog and He took my Whipping. I have used this on many occasions - published by McCall and Barbour edinburgh Scotland - it was copyrighted in 1948 and copyright renewed in 1967 - although old it has never lost its appeal to children - if you need any further information please contact me R maxwell robertmaxwell@btinternet.com
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
7) Teacher appreciation for VBS
You could use “Hugs”, $100,000 bar. I recommend two books by Susan Cutshall, “Treatin’ Kids Right!” (70 sweet ways to help kids feel special) “Treat ‘Em Right!” (tasty ideas for encouraging volunteers) These books are wonderful and have reproducible scripture cards to go along with each sweet treat – I used t hem a lot when I was the C.E. Director – great encouragement for both children and adult volunteers.
I know what it's like to have little time and need lessons quickly. I'm just now reading this e-mail and it's already May. The first thing that comes to mind is the Parable of the Sower; Luke 8: 4-8, 11-15. We have to listen to and obey God's word in order to be more like him. Small children like to pretend to be the thorns and the birds, covering and eating the seeds. You could use small beach balls or something like that to represent the seeds. I hope this helps some and if I can think of anything else or find something I will pass it along. I want to offer you some encouragement and I will be praying for you.
God bless the teachers and children's workers who have the time and resources to do the work you have called them to do and God bless the teachers and children's workers who have been nominated into their positions even though they have a full time job, a family to care for and need help managing their time. We all need help every now and then, we know we can count on God, sometimes it helps to be able to count on your brothers and sisters in Christ.
I love this resource and the ideas and opinions everyone shares. It really does help.
God bless, Margaret
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
9) Growing In God's Word
I am embarassed by the reply of a fellow Canadian. I feel the need to apologize for the crass and unjustified comments. If this is how Shawna does her work there will not be much "Growing in God's Word" in her children's programme. I, along with many others who use this wonderful resource, are also very busy "actually talking to and interacting with children", but part of our job is to do the necessary preparatory work - not order others to do it for us. We share resources, knowledge and ideas - not do your job for you. I doubt that Shawna will see this reply as she just doesn't "have time to sit around and play on my computer". It is obvious to me that Sarah, who spends many hours maintaining this fantastic site, and all those who post helpful ideas, care very much about children. So yes Shawna, you can definitely use the word "stupid" when referring to yourself. You most certainly owe Sarah an apology. Trudy, also in Canada
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
10) Pentecost lessons
Check out www.Sermons4kids and type in "pentecost" in the search box...you will get several lessons.....its a great site.
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
Help SSTN Continue
Only one dollar a month helps to provide the Christian educational resources in the website and newsletter. For more info, go to this webpage:
Reproducing in any medium, commercial or noncommercial, is strictly prohibited without prior written permission. SSTN has contributors from all over the world who share their ideas. If you reprint any of the ideas from SSTN, SundaySchoolNetwork.com or ChristianCrafters.Com in any medium (websites, magazines, newsletters, etc.), you must contact the submitter, and website for reprint permissions. Any materials used must also include the submitter's name and where the ideas were gleaned from. The opinions expressed or advertisements displayed in the SSTN e-Newsletter are not necessarily endorsed by SundaySchoolNetwork.com or ChristianCrafters.Com. SSTN reserves the right to edit and or exclude information from the SSTN e-Newsletter.
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
SUBSCRIBE--UNSUBSCRIBE - and Change of Address directions:
