"For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." -- Jesus
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SSTN # 5 - January 20, 2007
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IN THIS ISSUE OF THE SSTN e-NEWSLETTER:
1) Prayer Songs 2) Planning A Conference 3) Children's Church 4) Children's Worship
Bible Fun Facts...Do you know?
5) Building Solomon's temple 6) Father Daughter Dance? 7) Children's Church 8) Valentine's Dinner? 9) Solomon's temple
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1) Prayer Songs
This is for Mary Ann who was looking for prayer songs for VBS. Below is a website that I found when I did a K-1 SS class series on prayer, using the Lord's Prayer as a framework. The songs are available for free download and use. I put them on CDs and gave them to the kids with a note to their parents about the website and other resources available there.
The website states - "The songs are the heart of Family Worship, and we've always had a policy of making them freely available to use. On this site you can download free audio files (mp3, midi, RealAudio and Windows Media), pdf sheet music, Sibelius files, guitar chords and lyrics."
Here is a direct link to the page with the song list. http://www.familyworship.org.uk/songs_az.htm
Some of the songs we used from this site were: Pray at all times, Oh Don't Worry, Our Father in Heaven, When you pray, Prayer can make a difference, If you believe, Is anyone in trouble, Watch and pray, Be joyful, Oh I'm fighting.
This is a wonderful non-profit website ministry based in the UK with family-friendly music in various musical styles. They also have articles on how to include all ages in worship and what children need most, seasonal resources (including Mothers Day), and a Kids Zone.
Another website with music from scripture is Pastor Pendleton Brown of Georgia (US). He has downloadable samples on the page listed below. http://www.pendletonbrown.com/pensmusic.html
One is a song called 'The Effective Fervent Prayer' which includes the Lord's Prayer in it. Another fun one on this page is 'No evil for evil'. I found this site when searching for a song for a unit on the Apostles Creed. He has a wonderful song that will help children (and their parents) learn the creed easily. He also has other CDs available that are not listed on his website yet. I have another one of his titled 'There is No Other Name'.
I hope these sites are helpful. God bless you for your work on a VBS program. Many of the churches near us didn't have VBS programs last summer and some have stopped children's Sunday School. It is a sad statement about our society's priorities.
Kathy in MN
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2) Planning A Conference
Here are some great resources: a. Takeout Training For Teachers by Group Publishing b. Teacher Training On The Go by Group Publishing c. Teacher Training Series by Karyn Henley (Not such if still available) d. Help For New Teachers by Gospel Publishing (Also great for experienced teachers) e. Step One Guide: A Guide For Teachers by Gospel Publishing (Nursery, Early Childhood, Elementary guides) f. O Taste And See That The Lord Is Good: Enriching Your Teaching Ministry by Abingdon Press
Here are some great resources: a. Children's Ministry Resource Bible by Child Evangelism Fellowship & Thomas Nelson Publishers b. Growing A Healthy Children's Ministry: A Step-By-Step Handbook To Cultivating Christian Kids In Any Environment by Steve Alley/Standard Publishing c. Children's Ministry Smart Pages by Gospel Light d. Hearts, Brains, & Growing Pains: Terrific Teaching That Changes You & Your Kids by God Prints/Cook Communications Ministries
A wonderful thing I have been doing in our church is following the Pastor's sermon teaching. Each week I put together an activity and children's sermon based on the same scripture and sermon title that our preacher is preaching on. I encourage the children to share with their parents what they have learned as they will have heard many similarities in adult worship as their parents. You need to have a creative side to you however it is a satisfying feeling knowing you are providing families with ways to share their faith experiences together. A quick site for children's sermons is sermons4kids. It has scripture based sermons with coloring pages. Their are many resources and books and I must say that things are running quite well. Our families rotate each Sunday and I (children's minister) take the first and last Sundays of each month. We provide children's worship for both services and I schedule our folks so that all may attend Communion which we have once a month.
Be His, Ms. Laura
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Bible Fun Facts...Do you know?
The Bible was written over 1500 years by 40 different authors. The Bible is the world's best-selling book. There are more translations of the Bible into different languages than any other book.
These are just some of the fun Bible facts included in the Bible books card game, "Bible Stack-O!
We used the shoebox idea for our Solomon lessons and the temple. Check out our pictures at http://faithquest.spaces.live.com/ Look under photos, Solomon workshops. The older children started the temple one week and the younger children finished it off the following week.
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6) Father Daughter Dance?
Greetings to all in Christ: Our church is planning a Father Daughter dance for March 17. We are wondering if anyone else has held such an event. All we have in mind now are the following: 2 sessions, one for 2 - 4 year olds, one for Kindergarten-5th grade year olds to last 40 minutes Sessions are ''back to back'' so everything is done on one day and Fathers with daughters in both age groups could take both No theme (no St. Patrick's) A church member to take Father-Daughter photos in front of a backdrop (swag sheet) and print the photos from a small photo printer Cookies & (easy, non-staining) punch Local dance studio to give mini-lessons before dance. Holding the cost to about $10-12 per family. What we need specific suggestions with is wording for invitations, how to publicize in church, and table decorations. Thanks for your ideas.
Beth
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7) Children's Church
To the person who wanted some ideas for organizing children's church for ages 5 - 8: We wanted our children's church to be more than a play time or a repeat of Sunday School. Our youngsters 3 - 8 leave the adult sanctuary after some hymns, prayers, and a children's moment. A member suggested we read the book entitled, "Young Children and Worship" written by Sonja Stewart and Jerome Berryman. If you want children to have a worship experience in community with their peers, but led by adults, I recomment the approach and material from this book. We have been been using their material for 6 years now and the children enjoy it. Parents report back that the children tell the stories at home and sing the songs. We sit in a circle on mats on the floor, following a simple order of worship: Greeting, songs, story and wondering questions, presonal creative activity in response to the story (not necessarily a craft), come together again to light the Christ Candle and leader reads scripture pertaining to the story, extinguish Christ Candle, take offering, have feast, distribute bookmark w/scripture to take home, blessing and benediction song, "Go Now in Peace". Lasts about 45-50 minutes. We have orientation at the beginning of September to familiarize new children with "worship. We say and that it is important to "get ready" to be with God and to learn the stories of God and the best way is to do that is enter quietly. We have very, very few discipline problems. If you would like more information on how to get started, you may email me at rosem@bellsouth.net. Rose
I remember making Solomon's temple out of sugar cubes and glue when I was in elementary school. It worked pretty good, but it took a while- you'll need a bit of time. Judy
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