The Sunday School Teacher's Network Newsletter - Great ideas for children's ministry!


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Issue #38 - September 9, 2008	Home \| Search \| Support SSTN
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"For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." ~ Jesus
In this issue of the SSTN Newsletter Scroll down the page to view articles. 1) Lord's Army song 2) From Homosexuality to Holiness 3) Submitting Ideas to Website? 4) SSTN Past Issues Invite your friends and coworkers to join us. Click here! 5) Armor of God Recyclables 6) Armor of God Recyclables 7) Importance of Children's Music 8) The Case for Children’s Choirs 9) Armor of God Recyclables
F-R-E-E Stuff: Bible Games \| Christian Crafts \| Christian Skits \| Object Talks \| Missions For Kids \| Recycling Ideas
Ministry Resources: Bible-4-Life Curriculum \| Gospel Fun Activities \| Make N' Take Downloads \| Holidays & Holy Days \| E-books \| Premium Club Discount
1) Lord's Army song I just wanted to say thank you to all who responded w/ more versions of I'm in the Lord's Army song. My kids love it. Thx Beth --from SSTN: for anyone else who may be interested in this topic, you can search it out using the "Search" link above.
2) From Homosexuality to Holiness Can homosexuals change? Many believe not. But through the blood of Jesus Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit, and for the glory of Almighty God, CHANGE IS POSSIBLE! In this video, Christopher Yuan gives his testimony with his father, Leon, at a Thanksgiving service: http://www.godtube.com/view_video?viewkey=ba3b8f89aa0a75a1a36a .
3) Submitting Ideas to Website? I have used this site as a reference for teaching my children and youth and love the ideas and info on it. Thank you so much for all the help. Last year I wrote a play for our small church for Christmas and would love to share it with anyone who has a small group like we have, how can I do that? Thanks Donna --from SSTN: you may send website ideas to: submissions@sundayschoolnetwork.com
4) SSTN Past Issues All past issues of SSTN, through August 08' have been added to our archives. You may access them individually or search by topic at: http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/archives.html Your webservant, Sarah Keith <>< SundaySchoolNetwork.com
5) Armor of God Recyclables > I am doing a study for 6 year old on the Armor of God. For the activity I want to make each item out of something to recycle. You could also use the cardboard for the shoes, belt and helmet. For the shoes, just make the FRONT of a boot and attach them to the child with string. You can punch holes in the side of the cardboard to put the string through. The belt.... cut the cardboard in about a 2 inch strip and do the same thing (tying it with a string through punched holes). The helmet..... works on the same concept as making a crown with cardboard, but just cut out the shape of a helmet in just the front. Punch holes and secure with a string. Whoohooo!!!! It's done!
6) Armor of God Recyclables We did an Armor of God theme a few years ago for our VBS weekend, and did the following: Sword - Home Depot donated the LARGE paint sticks to us. They have two sizes, and the big ones are perfect for swords. I spray painted these ahead of time, silver all over, and black from the indent part up for handle, because we didn't want the kids breathing the fumes, but we had the kids make the other items. Shield - bought pizza rounds from Gordon Food Service and had kids cover them with foil. We punched holes in them ahead of time and they used black cord to tie on handle, before covering the front with foil and decorating with religious foam stickers Breastplate - made vests out of grocery paper bags. We actually had volunteers pre-cut them and the kids just decorated them, with crayons, markers, and more foam stickers, but the kids might be able to cut their own, depending on age. Shoes - We used foam sheets, had the kids trace around their feet, and then used cord to string through them and around their legs (punched 6 or 8 holes in them). But you could probably do the same with cardboard. Basically, they looked sort of like sandals. Helmet - We had people donate empty plastic milk gallons (or juice gallons), and we soaked off the labels, cut off the handle part, and turned them upside down to be helmets. Again, I spray painted them with silver paint ahead of time, so they wouldn't be exposed to fumes. Our craft person poked holes through the top in advance, but the kids added a colorful plume feather (from craft shop) and our craft person had the pointy end go into a pencil eraser, so the kids wouldn't get poked (and so feathers wouldn't fall out). We punched a hole on each side and ran elastic cord through it. They looked incredibly cool! Belt - I think we just used more paper bag strips and string/cord for the belt. It was probably the part we put the least time into. I don't remember the exact details now, but we had some sort of paper taped on the back of the shield that explained ALL of the pieces, and we also used cord to tie on laminated pieces of card stock on the handle of the swords (I think that was a memory verse?). We marched everyone in for our closing where we did something with Joshua and the Battle of Jericho. We had wood blocks stacked up on a table that we knocked over after walking around it seven times. ---Wendy Farran Hampton Park Christian Church Toledo, OH
7) Importance of Children's Music Dear Friends, I just read my newsletter and was moved to write after reading the person's question regarding the importance of music for children in the church. I am a 68 year old woman who wasn't raised in a Christian home, but, thankfully a neighbor woman took me to church and Sunday School with her daughter. I loved music and so enjoyed the music at Sunday School. I memorized all the little songs and they stuck in my mind throughout my childhood. I never forgot them. When I was 13 years old another girlfriend invited me to go to church with her and in a few months I understood enough to see my need of a savior. The little songs I had known all those years began to really make sense to me and had new meaning! Years later when I was married and had children of my own, I sang the little songs to them and taught them about Jesus. I also taught the little songs I learned at church to my grandchildren when I was blessed with two. I've taught them to children at church for 51 years as I've taught Sunday School because I know what the children's' Christian music did for me. I will forever be grateful that someone led me in learning Christian music when I was a child---not being raised in a Christian home---it exposed me to Christ in little tunes that I could remember and feed on. The lady who had written the question had wondered how children's' music fit into the church, but I'm more excited to tell about how it fit into a lost little child's life and how it eventually led me to my Savior! Thanks for letting me share my testimony and my belief in the power of Christian music in the life of a child. In Christ's love, Sue Baker
8) The Case for Children’s Choirs An article entitled “The Case for Children’s Choirs” can be found at: http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/files/lwcF_CRD_mus_CMS_the_case_for_childrens_choirs_part_01.pdf http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/files/lwcF_CRD_mus_CMS_the_case_for_childrens_choirs_part_02.pdf Christine Corley Minister of Childhood Education
9) Armor of God Recyclables First of all, what a great idea to incorporate being a good steward of God's earth! For a helmet, you could cut off the bottom of a milk jug or 2-liter pop bottle and flip it upside down. You could punch holes and use yarn or ribbon to loosely tie it on. What about leftover rope, yarn, or fabric scraps for a belt? Shoes, you could get plastic grocery bags (make sure there are no holes) have the kids put one on each foot and tie the handles at the ankle. Then have the kids step in a shallow basin of water to see how the bags protect their feet.
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