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SSTN # 20 - March 6, 2006
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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:
Twelve eggs tell the Easter story!
1) Book of Esther Controversy
2) Venting & Listening
3) Survivor ideas?
4) Country and western songs
5) Venting and Listening
Easter Story Cards
6) Kids Under Construction Song
7) Kids Under Construction
8) Noah's Ark Crafts
9) Bandaid song (words)
10) Venting and Listening
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Twelve eggs tell the Easter story!
Get the complimentary "Palm Branches" pattern with explanations at:
http://www.christiancrafters.com/craft_eggholders.html
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1) Book of Esther Controversy
Cathy
Why are you surprised at the response to your class?As a parent, I
too, would have been furious had my child come home from church
wanting to know what a virgin is. I am surprised that you felt it
necessary to have to mention that the King was looking for a virgin -
especially in a multi-aged class! (You did not give the age range of
your class). Wouldn't it have been enough to say he was looking for a
wife/new queen? I feel it shows insensitivity to the younger and
more 'innocent' members of your class when all the 'gory details'
have to be dealt with, just because it is in the Bible. When it comes
to dealing with questionable topics like this, why not allow for
and take into consideration the needs of the younger members rather
than assume that all are as 'sophisticated' as each other. I feel
the less said , the better. I prefer to be the one who explains s -e-x
to my children rather than the SS teacher. There are certain Bible
stories that are not suitable for younger children as they could be
frightened by them eg David and Goliath, Abraham sacrificing Isaac
etc. and we need to be sensitive.
Sharon
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2) Venting & Listening
I have been in your situation while working as a teacher in our church.
It is hard to go to church and feel strained or uncomfortable and the last
thing that should happen is that people feel compelled to get involved and
take sides.
We are each a unique creation of God and our raisings and enviroment
shapes our outlook on life. It doesn't make either party wrong or right,
just different. The most important thing is to remember that you are a
leader of children, no matter what their ages, and all youth will look to
you as a leader because of your position. I have found that while I
sometimes cannot control the way I feel about a situation when confronted
with someone who strongly feels opposite of me, I can control my reaction
to it and what I say. I have said on more than one occasion to my kids,
teens in their hormonal stage, when talking to them about their behavior
toward a fellow christian, "You cannot control anyone else's mouth and
temper, but you can control your own." At one point of weakness in my
temper, the one of mine who has had that said to them the most got the
opportunity to say it back to me. lol I had lost my temper completely
with the one who was my stumbling block and did it with witnesses. I went
home that night feeling terrible.
My temper was the biggest thing for me to overcome once I became a
christian and it is the one thing that I must guard against Satan using to
make me stumble in my walk with God. I immediately sat down and sent an
email to the one I had hurt and apologized sincerely for my behavior. I
told her that while I still felt the same way, I could have chosen a
different way to handle the situation. She immediately answered back that
she had forgiven me before I had asked and apologized for hurting me.
While we may not always see eye to eye with each other on matters
concerning the youth or planning events, we respect each other as two who
care very much about some of the same matters.
Max Lucado's books have such wonderful life lessons in them sometimes. I
can't recall which book I found one that has stuck with me, but I think it
was "It's Not All About You." He tells the story of the preacher who was
presented with three who made his life and assigned church
position miserable for years. He called them his stumbling blocks and
learned to praise them for keeping him on his toes and the relationship
changed. Our pastor says that it is hard to argue and stay mad at someone
who will only tell you they love you and looks at you with love in their
eyes. lol
My suggestion to you is to pray, pray, pray, not for God to change the
other person to view things like you do, but for Him to change you. Ask
Him daily to bless this person. I am not saying that you are the one in
the wrong as I don't even know the situation. It is just what the Bible
says to do. An inside change will eventually become an outside change.
I am not saying that you will not ever again be presented with adversity
as long as you are an active member of your church. It will happen and it
happens in every church. It is how you choose to handle it that makes the
difference, to you and to the ones that witness it.
I thank you for your article and I pray that God blesses you in a major
way and He moves in that church to cause a revival of spirit like never
before. I bless you for working with youth. It is a challenging job
sometimes, but you can't help but love them.
God's blessings to you,
Anita
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3) Survivor ideas?
I tried emailing Kathy concerning her Survivor ideas but it came back as
unknown. Could you help with this?
Thanks
Mary Ann Freeman
Drjamafree@aol.com
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4) Country and western songs
amen to sandy......God is bringing forth artist in the country and western
songs..to give him praise. Carrie Underwood s song is the number one
hit....God will be glorified however he chooses....good point
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Easter Story Cards
Read how one of our teachers used the egg patterns during her lesson time:
http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/curriculum.html#EasterCards
(you may need to copy and paste the link to your browser)
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5) Venting and Listening
Dearest Wanda,
Did I read your letter right? Did you say you were praying for
PATIENCE???
Romans 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing
that tribulation worketh patience;
I USED to pray for patience too! lol
But seriously, sometimes I think that the Lord tests us... and we fail!
Let me share something that just might help you! There is a woman that
goes to our church that I just couldn't get along with! At one point, I
truely thought I hated her! But as I failed God's little tests time and
time again, the Lord revealed to me that it was my own stubborness that
was keeping me from liking this woman. Don't get me wrong... she has
certain ways about her that just GET ON MY NERVES!! lol But, I learned
to LOVE her, and overlook her shortcomings. After all, we all have
something about us that is irritating to others! Even me! lol And once
I was able to do that (only with the Lord's help), I could see just how
much she loves the church, too! And now we get along most of the time!!
Don't give up your class! Just keep praying!! This just might be one of
those little tests.....If you need someone to talk to, please email me!!
Singer1966@aol.com Sandy from Indiana
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6) Kids Under Construction Song
The Rex Humbard family singers sang this song on an album titled "Kids
Under Construction." Hope this helps!
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7) Kids Under Construction
It's in a book called, "All the Best Songs for Kids" With 230 songs.
I found it in Sarah's bookstore by typing the title into the search box
at:
http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/bookstore.html
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8) Noah's Ark Crafts
Hello and thank you for any help you can give me.
We are having our VBS this year on the theme:
"Who built the Ark?" Do you have any useful, keepsake crafts or snack
ideas with this theme? Our ages are from 4-12. Thank you for any help
you can give.
Kathy
--from SSTN: make sure you check the archives too:
http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/archives.html
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9) Bandaid song (words)
We love that song too! Our kids love it! We found it on “16 great kids
classics, Volume 1” CD from 2002 Daywind Records
Chorus: They’ll be no bandaids in heaven. No medical emergency care.
They’ll be no skinned knees, no stings from the bees. They’ll be no
bandaids up there....
In His ministry.
Rhonda, Oklahoma
--from SSTN: we cannot reprint all the words due to copyright law.
You can find it in our bookstore by typing the title into the search box:
http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/bookstore.html
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10) Venting and Listening
I feel for you being involved in Sunday School and feeling like you are
being shunned. There was a time in my life I was shunned in a different
area. I am a Sunday School teacher now and I know how important it is to
be involved in Sunday School and how important it is for your growth as
well.
First of all you probably should not have lost your temper with the other
person in the congregation because it just makes matters worse as you can
see. Things are never as bad as you believe and it sounds like you did go
and apologize. You could always pray to God to help you and this other
person get along. I did this once between someone that I had differences
with and it worked they became more open with me, kind of a small step at
first. God was really involved in it. You can ask God for help with
people, don't be afraid to ask for help. Then things change.
Whatever you do, don't quit, it sounds like teaching Sunday School is very
important to you. As far as the other people working in Sunday School try
and communicate with them, suggest that you get together sometimes and
discuss projects, like over coffee. You may find they want to share
things just as much as you. I hope things will resolve for you, but
remember you can ask God to help you with your temper as well. I will pray
for you.
Sunday School Teacher in Canada
Betty
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