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SSTN # 2 - January 9, 2007
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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:
1) Needing Prayer
2) Needing Prayer
3) Needing Prayer
4) Valentine's Day skit?
Bible Lessons for 2007
5) Needing Prayer
6) Plays, Skits?
7) Oldie Wed Game?
8) Visiting Bethlehem?
9) Breakfast in Bethlehem
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1) Needing Prayer
>I need the prayers, support, and help of all my fellow brothers and
>sisters in Christ. Has anyone ever said that they don't like the
>Christmas season? Well part of me doesn't. I want the Holy Spirit to
>work so badly in my life and reflect to others I come into contact with.
Dear Wanda,
I would like you to know that I am praying for you. Concerning your
children who are now I am assuming Teens or young adults? Yes it would be
ideal if we raised our kids from the time they are young to know God but
even that sometimes doesn't always guarentee they will follow Christ. We
can only do the best we can right here and now. Continue to pray for your
children and lift them up to God. We have no control over their actions
and we can only love them unconditionally. When they mess up we just love
them through it. One of the worst things that you can do is to keep
pointing out their flaws over and over again. If you have already given
them Godly advise and they continue to dissobey you then ultimately they
are dissobeying God. This is their sin that they are responsible for and
you can not control them. Not to say you shouldn't pass out punishments
don't get me wrong. If they break the rules of the house then they should
reep the consiquences of that punishment. This still means that you love
them. If you didn't you would allow them to continue breaking your
rules. They will still have to make that choice of rather to follow the
rules or break them and again this will be their choice.
Now about church. I have always enjoyed church and find myself at church
a lot also. This is what I would suggest you do. Examine why you go to
church. Why do you feel good going to church? Are you enjoying church
because of how it makes you feel? Are you going to church based on your
love for Christ? We as humans tend to mix our feelings up with our
service to the Lord. In other words is it a satisfaction to you on a
human level or a spiritual level? Ask God do you need me to work with the
kids or do you want me to do something else at this time? Also, pray for
the other teachers the ones that you say are pushing you out so to speak.
God has a hand in everything and it may have been time for you to put your
talents else where? I used to teach the youth in our church. They did
not have a youth leader so I stepped up to help teach them. My son was in
the youth group and he resented me being the teacher so I may have been
helping the other kids but my own son was being squashed spiritually. I
enjoyed the satisfaction it gave me to have the kids look up to me. At
the same time I was teaching the youth I was continueing to teach
childrens choir, singing in the choir, and helping out in the nursery once
and a while. We got our new youth director and he called me into his
office and very nicely explained to me that I was stretched like taffy and
that he needed me to step down as the Sunday night youth leader because he
wanted to start teaching them. I think I surprised him by saying great!
I told him that he was an answer to prayer because they needed a youth
director and it was wonderful that he wanted to do his job. ( The youth
leaders in the past would not teach on Sunday nights.) I could have gotten
upset and bogged down and had my feelings hurt but I knew it was the right
thing to do. Yes, it hurt my heart to see the youth and not being able to
be a part of their lives directly. They would all come to me for advise
and tell me their problems and I knew this would change. But I knew God
was handling the situation and that they would be ok and I would too.
Maybe you have been trying to hang on to the children in the same way and
maybe God has been trying to tell you it is time for others to do his work
in that area. Try not to be affended and try looking at it through God's
eyes. There might be another oppurtunity for working with kids come up in
your church that you can help in and will be well suited for. Keep you
focus on Christ and not centered on the church.
Sincerely
Lisa Pannell
Austin TX
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2) Needing Prayer
This is for Wanda. I too had been a young Mother and didn't take my first
3 children to Church. When my youngest was about 8, we started serving the
Lord and then 4 years later I had another baby. Not that my first three
can't be saved, but I already see God working in my 4 year olds life.
As for Christmas? Well Sarah is right, this is a busy time of year and can
be very depressing especially when you see all the stuff about Christmas,
but not Christ. I started celebrating Hanukkah along with
Christmas about
5 years old and it is strange, I think because Hanukkah is not an American
holiday, it goes alot easier and I can focus on the Lord better. As for
Christmas, since I am usually just finishing up the Hanukkah celebration,
I am more relaxed though it does bother me some when my daughter and her
family comes over and it is like a typical Christmas. The Grandkids tear
open their gifts with not even a thank you, and they don't know who Christ
is.
I am not handicapped physically, but with only one car and living away
from everything, I too felt a need to do some kind of service for the
Lord. I don't know if this is allowed, but last summer my daughter got a
myspace account and I told her that if she was to do this, 1. her profile
had to be private. and 2. I had to be one of her friends. So I also got
one, but instead of just keeping an eye on my daughter, I found it can be
a great witness of Jesus to those who don't know Him. My profile is also
private and I prayerfully accept friends, (I have turned down many who
profess to be Christian, because their profile didn't show it.) And those
who are not Christian are personal friends or family and I believe that
through my profile, they receive the Word.
Hope that helps,
Bev
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3) Needing Prayer
Wanda,
There is not any one person who can give the right answer for what someone
else should do in a situation. I know for me what I had to do. I attended
a church that I loved and enjoyed doing allot of things (various jobs) in
the church. I was very active and spent much time at the church and loved
it immensely. I felt at such peace in the job that I was doing as well.
There was criticism and I did not feel that the pastor was
completely supporting me in all that I did. I finally came to the
realization that I needed to find a new church. I had been fighting this
decision for it seemed a long time. The day I made the decision and sent a
letter of resignation from my duties was so hard and painful. Since, I
have found a church that I love, truly love, and feel God has placed me
there. Maybe His first will was for me and the church I left but people
stood in the way, and this can happen sometimes. I have found such
happiness and God has blessed me abundantly in placing me in a position
that far succeeds what I could imagine. I am only so grateful to Him. He
knew my pain, but found a better place for me to serve Him.
Jeanne
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4) Valentine's Day skit?
Hi There --
I'm afraid I don't have a Valentine skit but wondered if you received any
you'd care to share. I need a skit for a Valentine's party for my son's
comedy club.
Lois
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Bible Lessons for 2007
Teach your children well using our Bible-4-Life Curriculum!
Learn more at:
http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/Bible-4-life.html
(you may need to copy and paste the link to your browser)
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5) Needing Prayer
To Wanda:
I read your testimony and was touched deeply by your pain. I have felt the
same way you feel now. I still have issues with my church and 'religion'
in
general, but God is slowly teaching me that one reason He called us to be
members of a body (the church) is so that He could teach us to deal with
people of all kinds! It's truly in our struggles (the times we feel
frustrated or inadequate) that we become willing to give HIM the control
of
people and situations. Ask God (as I have to do EVERY day) to teach you
how to let go of situations that are out of your hands...ask Him for strength
and courage to change things that you can change. I have begun telling Him
each morning that today my life is out of my hands...and into his will.
This is helping me greatly!
I pray, Wanda, that God will give you purpose and patience...I pray that
you (and I) will be able to get past the failures of the human race and
depend entirely on God who is the Author and Finisher of our faith!!
Many Blessings,
Angie <><
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6) Plays, Skits?
I am seeking your suggestions on books that includes plays in skits.
There are several books available which makes choosing one or two
difficult. The plays/skits should be for a small groups.
God bless
--from SSTN: this past summer we used an excellent book of skits based on
the book of Acts. You can find it in our bookstore by typing, "Quick
Skits/New Testament" (by Steven James) into the bookstore search box at:
http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/bookstore.html
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7) Oldie Wed Game?
Would you please send me a list of the questions you used in the Oldie Wed
Game in the past? I am planning to do this game with the seniors at our
church in February and need some ideas for questions. Thank you for any
assistance.
Sincerely,
Lenette Glass
IAWL Committee
1st Presbyterian Church
Chattanooga, TN
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8) Visiting Bethlehem?
I like the idea of visiting Bethlehem. Did you have just the two rooms?
The stable and the room with 4 stalls that looked like Bethlehem. Please
share more about the 4 stalls and how they used their objects to
illustrate the gift of christmas. Also, what gifts did the wise men give
the children.
Thanks for sharing.
Nicole
Iowa
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9) Breakfast in Bethlehem
This is to add to the idea about visiting Bethlehem. I know many of
you have heard about this, but our church
does "Breakfast in Bethlehem" where the children are asked to come
dressed as in Bethlehem's day. We offer
them dress up clothing if they don't have their own. We provide
Breakfast and we put tables down low to the floor
as in if they are eating at a picnic. We have crafts indicative of
olden times, like wood working, painting, etc.
We have a photo-op and give them a picture to take home. Some years,
I hire a petting zoo to bring over a camel,
cows, donkey, etc and we re-enact the whole story for them. The
pastor always reads the Christmas story
to them. Lots of fun!!
Susan in Sunny, SC
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