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


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Issue #32 - July 28, 2008 Previous issues can be found in the Archives.	Home \| Search \| Support SSTN
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Scroll down the page to view articles. 1) PBS says, "Bible not True" 2) Prayer Board Update 3) Lord's Army Song 4) Lord’s Army Indiana Jones Motions? 5) Missions Conference Invite your friends and coworkers to join us. Click here! 6) Theme Ideas 7) Go, go, go! song? 8) Missions Conference 9) SSTN Curriculum available in e-Books?
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1) PBS says, "Bible not True" I know that this is not Sunday School related, and I understand if you do not post it. I am very concerned that the educational broadcaster that I grew up with is showing programming of this nature. I thought your site would be a good way to make people aware of this. The Public Broadcasting System (PBS), probably the most liberal network in America, will present a program this fall that says the Old Testament is a bunch of made-up stories that never happened. "The Bible's Buried Secrets" says the Bible is not true. It is scheduled to air on November 18. Producer Paula Apsell said: "...It's (The Bible's Buried Secrets) designed for intelligent people who are willing to change their mind. …it will give intelligent people who want to read the Bible in a modern way a chance. If we insist on reading the Bible literally, in 25 years, nobody will read it any longer." Among highlights of "The Bible's Buried Secrets": • The Old Testament was written in the sixth century BC and hundreds of authors contributed. • Abraham, Sarah and their offspring didn't exist. • There is no archaeological evidence of the Exodus. • Monotheism was a process that took hundreds of years. • The Israelites were actually Canaanites. • The Israelites believed that God had a wife. "The Bible's Buried Secrets" is simply one more reason Congress should stop supporting PBS with our tax dollars. Congress gives PBS hundreds of millions of tax dollars to help support the network." For more information, go here: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/tv/orl-exodus2108jul21,0,1058188,print.story --from SSTN: PBS stands for "PUBLIC" Broadcasting System, which means they use OUR TAX dollars to spread their heresy. This IS relevant to us as Christian educators. Everyone really should write/email their representatives to express their opinion on this.

2) Prayer Board Update Hi all, I hope you have taken some time to visit the SSTN Prayer Board to pray for your fellow brothers and sisters in Jesus, and to post a prayer request if you have one. There was a glitch last week, if by chance your request was deleted, feel free to repost it at: http://sstn.org/corkboard/index.html. Your webservant, Sarah Keith <>< http://www.SundaySchoolNetwork.com	F.R.O.G. "Fully Relying On God" Light Switch Cover An easy Make n' Take Download craft from Sunday School Network.com

3) Lord's Army song We sing the Lord's Army song in the soldier version (the regular way), the cowboy version and the Indian version where the motions are different but the words are the same. I'll try to give you an idea: I may never march in the infantry - Regular military march Cowboy: bowlegged saunter Indian: Crouched like stealing through the woods Ride in the cavalry Military: Two hand on the reins, very formal Cowboy: Western ride, like a cowboy Indian: Riding bareback on a pony Shoot the artillery Military: Fire a rifle Cowboy: Shoot six-guns from holster Indian: Shoot a bow and arrow I may never fly o'er the enemy Military - Zoom in a jet Cowboy - Flap wings like a bird Indian - Flap like a chicken But I'm in the Lord's Army. (shout) Military: Yessir! Cowboy: Howdy pardner (while tipping hat) Indian: Woooo!!ooooo! (hand making Indian sounds while rapidly patting the mouth) I'm in the Lord Army (appropriate shout) I'm in the Lord's Army I may never fly o'er the enemy but I'm in the Lord Army (sound for whatever version you're doing.) For the cowboy version, the piano uses a rocking western bass hand, and the Indian version the piano uses a tom-tom beat in the bass hand. Then here's the Mexican version: I may never travel down to Mexico Ride a donkey oh so slow Eat a big burrit--io I may never wear a big sombrer--io But I'm in the Lord's Army Si, Señor! I'm in the Lord's Army Si, Señor! I may never ride a donkey oh so slow But I'm in the Lord's Army Si, Señor! Hope this helps and your kids love it as much as ours do! Sue Findlay, OH

4) Lord’s Army Indiana Jones Motions? > Indiana Jones, he ain’t the kinda man I am - I’m in the Lord’s army! I would love to know the actions to the new verse of the Lord's Army. I'm not sure what to use for Indiana Jones. Thanks --from SSTN: Indiana's famous for his whip. Crack a whip motion and make a snapping sound, "chick-aah", at the same time.

5) Missions Conference We also did a missions conference last year, and what we did was ask all church members to donate/lend any cultural outfits, costumes, or hats they had for the children to wear. They got inflatable beach balls that were shaped like the globe and flags from different countries; and they had the children perform. They sang "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" with a verse: He's got Africa and Asia in His hands; He's got Europe and America; I'm sure you could think of other countries to add. We also had a couple of the older children sing or recite a poem in English and then in the language in which they were wearing costumes. Good luck!



6) Theme Ideas First, I want to say thank you for a newsletter & site like this. With a small church with about 20-30 kids who vary much in age from 3 years to 17 years, it is such as blessing to have a place to go with many, many ideas and activities related directly to church & Christian living. This has been helpful especially because we have kids that might not be consistent in coming. Also due to the cost and complexity of curriculum, we usually are coming up with our own ideas for activities, lessons, plays, VBS & lock-ins. I wanted to share some of the ideas/themes that we have had through our 8 years of dedicated ministry. VBS: In the begging (the days of creation through the time of Noah's ark)...one craft idea which the kids really enjoyed is where we made a chain rainbow with construction paper. You take the colors of the rainbow...take each color of construction paper & cut in strips & link one color of strips together like a chain. Then line the colored chains in row & staple together. We even used wire & fed through the top (red) color chain & bent it like a rainbow. Crossroads...used felt roll roofing paper & laid like paved roads. Used yellow duct tape as the yellow dashed lines in the road. Used caution tape, construction cones, cars, road signs. To track attendance, made a smaller road to hang on the wall; allowed each child color a car (put their name on the front) & taped to the paper road; each day they attended they received a new decal (sticker) on their car. This can even be adapted for a racing theme with checker flags and such. Sports...for activities, had relay, football toss; each night had a different sports theme Plays: Slumber Party...pillow fight, food, makeovers, snippets of Christmas carols Christmas Vacation...what Christmas means to you, sharing the true meaning of Christmas with non-church going friends Today's World...for the beginning, one character only spoke slogans and lines from songs, TV, movies. Eventually, a second character started doing the same. The other characters did understand at first then became & let it be known that they were annoyed. During the last scene, all characters are talking normally and discussing how it takes God, prayer, practice & giving up of something that we may enjoy to be able to change and truly live for the Lord. Since we have a small group, I usually search the internet for different ideas & themes, then incorporate them into the script that I write. Those participating in the play even get to choose the name of their character they will be playing. Since it is not feasible for us to have a choir, we incorporate some songs, but like to use human videos best. Lock-ins: Luau...can purchase many supplies, decorations & games from Oriental Trading and many stores Camp out...scavenger hunt, camp fire where we roasted hot dogs & marshmallows, made make shift tents with rope & tarps for kids to sleep under Rain forest...strung vines & brown rope throughout the main room; also strung stuffed animals that you might find in the rain forest throughout the room) Each year at our lock-ins, we have a pie eating contest, which each look forward to (even adults). We divide those participating by age and have small groups go at time while those spectating and/or waiting their turn cheer the others on. First year we started with whipped cream only, then add an ingredient each year. We now have whipped cream, one scoop ice cream, one gummy worm/bear, about 5 banana slices, a few mini/bite-size cookies. We are looking for a new ingredient for next year. Thank you for the opportunity to share what God has given us to use in our ministry. Hope that others may find this helpful. Sincerely, Wendy Stockton Pastor JC Club Ministries

7) Go, go, go! song? There is a song we learnt as children. The Name of it is GO! The words are "Go, go, go, the Bible says to go. To every land till every man and boy and girl shall know. That Jesus dies on Calvary to bring to all Salvation free, oh who will go? Oh will you go. Pray, Pray, Pray the Bible says to pray..." (and this is where we are stuck no one can remember the rest of this verse) Is there any one out there who knows this song. God bless Sheena G Williams Trinidad, W.I.	Teach your kids to act on their faith! Based on the Gospel of Mark Impromptu Bible skits for your children's ministry. No memorization required! Watch a short video too! Click here!

8) Missions Conference Go to YouTube and download a short video clip on 'Zulu Dancers'. You can use UnPlug option that comes with the Browser FireFox, but you need to download a Flv player to watch the clips. You need energy, whistles and can make some sort of a noisy seed ankle bangle for the girls, and a shield and spear for the boys. their dance is exhilarating (if you are 10 years) exhausting if you are as old as me!! We tie it up with the teaching on the Shield of Faith and the Sword of the Spirit. Granny D'

9) SSTN Curriculum available in e-Books? Have just read today’s post and thought I might mention that I think it would be fantastic if we could purchase curriculum resources as e-books. As far as I can tell they are not available in this format but I definitely would purchase if available in this format. Keep up the great work. Kind regards, Mel --from SSTN: Hi Mel, as a matter of fact we recently piloted one of our curriculum books, "God's Top Ten" in e-book format, as well as several of our Gospel Fun books. You can locate them at: http://www.sundayschoolnetwork.com/curriculum_ebooks.html

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