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SSTN # 47 - April 10, 2003


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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:


--> God's Top 10 - Understanding God's Love In The Ten Commandments


1) Laura's Cancer has returned
2) Easter Flowers   
3) Recipes in a jar
4) Youth Ministry Source
5) Learning The Bible Books

--> Buggie For Jesus - I'm A BEE-liever!

6) Children in Adult Worship Services
7) Recipes In A Jar   
8) Palm leaf cross?
9) The Lord's Prayer Dialogue?
10) No End To God's Love

--> Kidzoo-Shuffle Playmat Game

11) Jamie Nettles on evolution   
12) Teacher Recognition Ideas?   
13) Kids Fun Pack
14) Ain't gonna let the rocks cry out for me   
15) Creation Science vs. Evolution

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God's Top 10 - Understanding God's Love In The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments contain many "Do Nots". They teach us God’s holy
standard and show us how far we fall short of his perfection. But they are
more than this; in these "Do Nots", one can find a positive message: a
message of God’s love. (Developed by Sarah Keith for Kindergarten to 5th
grade) Follow the link below to learn more:

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


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1) Laura's cancer has returned

We got very bad news about Laura today, her tumor in her lung is back. She
is having a CAT scan and then the doctors will decide what plan (if any)
they have for her. We are heartsick to say the least and need "the family
of Christ's" prayers and thoughts once again.
Many thanks,
Sandy Valentine

--from SSTN: please EVERYONE, send prayers to Jesus for Laura's
healing.
ysic, sarah keith <><

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2) Easter Flowers   

We also have a wooden cross with chicken wire on it to put flowers in.
The
only difference is that we have the children file in at the beginning of
the  service waiving palms.  They lay the palms at the bottom of the cross
and put a flower in the wire.  It really looks pretty in the sanctuary.

Pat Koehne, Bunker Hill IL


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3) Recipes in a jar

do a websearch on cookies in a jar or brownies in a jar and you will find
bunches

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4) Youth Ministry Source

Dear Misty,
A really great site for anyone working with teens is
The Source For Youth Ministry. Their address is

http://www.thesourcefym.com

They have lots of really useful ideas for games,
activities, fundraisers, etc, and all FREE!!!

Yours in Christ,
Patricia Pollard.

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5) Learning The Bible Books

I learnt an interesting way to remember how many books are in the bible.
OLD TESTAMENT = 3 letters in the word OLD, 9 letters in the word TESTAMENT
= 39 (39 books in the old testament)

NEW TESTAMENT =  Using the number of books from the old testament ie. 39,
then you multiply the two numbers together, ie. 3 x 9 = 27. (27 books in
the new testament)

Another interesting way to turn to the Gospels is to find the approximate
half-way point in the bible, open it, then find the half-way point towards
the back.  You usually open up at one of the Gospels.

Hopes this helps a little.
Sharryn - Werribee Salvation Army (Aus)

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Buggie For Jesus - I'm A BEE-liever!

Reproducible buggie crafts, games, lessons, and yummy devotions
to coordinate with your summertime VBS programs, or midweek classes.

In the Curriculum section: 
http://www.christiancrafters.com/curriculum.html 


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6) Children in Adult Worship Services

Children can and should have full participation in the worship services.
They can help make and process with banners, serve as ushers, stand at the
front and welcome people into the church, give out the children's
bulletins
to other children, read from scripture, establish a junior altar guild for
this group to help prepare the altar for Sunday mornings, they can be
trained on assisting at the altar (as acolytes) and even preparing them to
serve as Lay Eucharistic Ministers (assist with distribution of
communion).
If you have some that like to sew, they can prepare simple altar linens to
reflect the youth in your church. (In the past, we have done the
children's
handprints on a altar cloth and then made stoles for the clergy to wear on
special occasions!) They can also help in flower arranging. You can work
with older children to help prepare the message for the younger ones and
they could present it as a part of the regular sermon time. Older children
can also help serve in all forms of children's church. You can even help
train up leaders to do the sermon on occasions. If a child has a talent
for
drawing, engage them to help prepare a booklet for the younger ones to
know
what is going on during the service. (In establishing these types
ministries, reverse your natural instinct to come up with ideas and fill
them with the kids you have. Look for the child's creative talents first
and
then find spots that would interest them.)

Good Luck!
Sabrina

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7) Recipes In A Jar   

While I am unsure which recipes in a jar you were trying to obtain from
that individual, there are many at:
http://www.geocities.com/myqtpies/Cookies.html
http://members.tripod.com/~HeresPoo/
http://www.grannyskitchen.com/jar.htm
Hope this helps
Love in Christ,
Sarah

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8) Palm leaf cross?   

Does anyone have instructions on how to make a cross out of the palm leaf
that many churches give out on Palm Sunday?

--from SSTN: check out the Free Resources on the home page of:
http://www.ChristianCrafters.Com 

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9) The Lord's Prayer Dialogue?

I once found a children's lesson on The Lord's Prayer which was a
dialogue between a child and God.  Example:  Our Father Who Are in
Heaven (child), Yes (God).  It was so well done but I cannot find it
again.  Can you help?
Sandie Johnston

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10) No End to God's Love

> One of my kidlets fave songs is There is no end to God's love, so that
> be a great idea for an object lesson but I am drawing a blank.

Since your children love that song, why not do a lesson about circles.
Little ones respond quickly to something they know about. You could make a
big circle on the floor with masking tape and have the children walk it.
Guess what? There is no end to the circle, just like God's love. Have them
search for circles in the church itself. Make circles with paper chains to
remind them that God's love never ends. Should be a good concrete way to
show them this concept, plus it dovetails with the song.
Grace and peace,
Amy
Abilene, TX
   
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Kidzoo-Shuffle Playmat Game

Kidzoo-Shuffle is a blast to play indoors or out! While playing,
children will develop eye-hand coordination, depth perception skills and
strategy plays.

Find it in the Products section under "Children's Exercise" at: 

http://www.therapyzone.com 


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11) Jamie Nettles on evolution   

Hello,I usually don't send email to this forum, but it was refreshing to
read Jamie Nettles email on evolution.  Yes, I agree with him.  I don't
know if there is truth in evolution or not, but regardless God is bigger,
and if time eventually shows us that this is true, than let's let God out
of our box we make sometimes.  My kids ask me if evolution is true, and I
tell them I don't know, and I guess we won't know for sure.  But the point
isn't how were we made, but who made us.  God did, and how he chose to do
it is His objective.  When we focus on trying to draw a line in the sand,
on whether we are right or not, we lose the essense of the love of God.
The remark made by Jamie, in that many people years ago refused to believe
we revolved around the sun, is a good example of how are demand to be
right can blur our vision.Lynne

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12) Teacher Recognition Ideas?   

I am a new young sunday school "superintendent".  Upcoming is our sunday
school teacher appreciation sunday.  Does anyone have any creative gifts,
ideas, songs, skits, etc.  Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.
Thank You.

--from SSTN: make sure you check the Archives page:
http://christiancrafters.com/archives.html
Use keywords, "recognition" and "appreciation"


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13) Kids Fun Pack

Jami Nettles - thank you for an interesting and thoughtful post.

Children in the church service - I created a "Kids Fun Pack" for
children who stay in the service.  It is basically a cosmetic tackle box
with one or two religious books, four pages from a religious coloring
book,
and crayons.  The parents pick it up from the ushers at the doors to the
sanctuary, and they are asked to take home the pages their kids color.
This does not work perfectly - there is occasionally noise from kids
playing with the clasp, or if they are allowed to use it during the
singing part of the service they're bored with it by the time the sermon
comes.  Ideally, the kids should sing, stand up, etc., then use the box
during the sermon time.  So, although it's not perfect, I'm pleased with
the results.
Karen Young


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14) Ain't gonna let the rocks cry out for me   

This song is in a book called "Down By the Creek Bank".  I don't know if
it is still in print.  We did this musical at church about 25 years ago
and it was alot of fun for the kids and us.  Hope this helps.  I can
probably find the words, but I think they would be copyrighted.   Peggy K

--from SSTN: yes it is still available. Find it in our Bookstore by typing
"Down By the Creek Bank" into the search box:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/bookstore.html

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15) Creation Science vs. Evolution

To Jami Nettles: Thank you for your wise words.  I realize that it takes
courage to say such things.  I believe the point of the Creation story in
Genesis 1 is that God created the world (out of nothing) and proclaimed it
good.  Because God created the world he has full authority of it and
everything in it.   The Bible is many things, but (for better or worse) it
is not a science textbook.  The point of the Creation story is not HOW God
created but WHY he created.  He created out of sheer love.  Christians
should unite on this principle, no matter where we fall on the
evolution/creation debate. I personally believe that you can be a
Christian and believe in creation science or evolution. I don't think
either theory negate the awesome or creative power of God.  I do believe
that Christians should be in honest, intelligent, respectful dialogue
about difficult matters of our faith.  I also think we should keep things
in perspective.  I don’t think the creation/evolution debate is an
“essential” of the faith.  So let’s be calm and rational and not resort to
cruelly criticizing our opponents.  History will eventually answer this
question.  Unfortunately, new controversies will take its place.  God
Bless, JJ


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