Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Initial Poster Craft

Let your students know that just as God had a plan for Bible people, God has a plan for each of them, too. Give each child a 4- x 5-inch piece of poster board, a pencil, glue, scissors, a paper clip, glitter or colored sand, and an empty shirt box or shoe box.

Have the child draw his initial in thick block style to fill the poster board. Let him cut out the initial, print his name on the back, and glue or tape a paper clip to the back for a hanger. Have him coat the front with a thin layer of glue. Let him sprinkle glitter or colored sand on the initial to cover it completely, then shake the excess into the box. (If you have time, let each child make 2-3 initials—one for his first, middles, and last names.) Talk about how God has a special plan for each person. Encourage your students to hang their initials where they will be a reminder that God can use each person to tell others about Jesus.

Monday, July 19, 2010

New! All-in-One Kits with Reproducible Student Sheets

New for Fall 2010, the Primaries All-in-One Kit for combined grades 1-3! The kit includes a spiral-bound Leader's Guide, colorful teaching visuals (Bible Teaching Resources), plus a CD-ROM with reproducible student sheets (both Classroom Activity Sheets and Take-Home Papers) for 13 weeks of materials. Now you can print just as many student sheets as you need each week. No need to worry about running short…if you have lots of visitors, simply copy more student sheets. If you have kids on vacation, simply print fewer activity sheets that week. The All-in-One Kit is completely flexible. If you need to have two classes of students, just order an extra Leader's Guide for your second class. Take a look at samples from the Primaries All-in-One Kit and then order your Primaries All-in-One Kit for a risk-free 60-day review. If you're not completely satisfied, return it for a full refund. The Primaries All-in-One Kit is a $125 value for just $79.95.

All-in-One Kits are also available for Preschool so you can teach two- to five-year-olds in one class or divide them into two classes using the reproducible student sheets. The quarterly kit includes a spiral-bound Leader's Guide with 13 weeks of materials, colorful teaching visuals (Bible Teaching Resources), and Classroom Activity  Sheets for Honeybees (2- to 3-year-olds) and Cubby Bears (4- to 5-year-olds) plus Take-Home Papers on the CD-ROM. The Preschool All-in-One kit is completely flexible. You can use it to teach a class of 2- to 3-year-olds, a class of 4- to 5-year-olds, or a combined class of 2- to 5-year-olds.  If you have two classes, order an extra Leader's Guide for your second class. The Preschool All-in-One Kit is a $150 value for just $99.95.

If you have a combined group of children ranging from Grades 1-6, take a look at the Explorers All-in-One Kit. The Explorers Kit includes the basic Bible teaching you've come to expect from the All-Stars for Jesus Explorers curriculum, but with the student sheets on CD-ROM. The Explorers All-in-One Kit is a $125 value for just $79.95. The quarterly kit includes a spiral-bound leader's guide, colorful teaching visuals (Bible Teaching Resources), plus a CD-ROM with reproducible student sheets (both Classroom Activity Sheets and Take-Home Papers) for 13 weeks of materials. Now you can print just as many student sheets as you need each week. Take a look at samples from the Explorers All-in-One Kit and then order your All-in-One Kit for a risk-free 60-day review.

Questions? Call one of our helpful All-Stars for Jesus specialists at 1-800-854-1531. We'll be glad to help you decide which program is best for your church and your students. We enjoy offering you service with a smile. After all, we're serving our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Monday, July 12, 2010

Every Child Can Be an All-Star for Jesus

God loves his children. He commanded parents to "train up a child in the way he should go" (Proverbs 22:6). We want each child to know that he or she is a star in Jesus' eyes, no matter what the child's skills and abilities are. Jesus loves children just as they are. 

All-Stars for Jesus Bible Clubs are designed to help churches and parents teach children to know God, to believe in Jesus as their Savior, and to live for Him. All-Stars for Jesus Bible Clubs help children to feel loved and accepted so they, in turn, can share the love of Jesus with their friends and families. Researchers say that 43% of people who are Christians accepted Christ as Savior before the age of 13! We want to help you reach that 43%...and more!

Bible clubs also offer a non-threatening place for children who might never attend a regular church service or Sunday school class to learn about Jesus in a fun, casual atmosphere. In a whole where children are exposed to a variety of bad influences coming from all directions, All-Stars for Jesus Bible Clubs are places of love and encouragement, where kids can safely learn how to say no to those bad influences and learn how to live a victorious life in Christ!

So...what exactly IS All-Stars for Jesus?

All-Stars for Jesus provides everything you need for an exciting ministry to children!

All-Stars for Jesus is:
  • A multi-use Bible curriculum in a fun club environment for age 2 through grade 6, with an optional awards program.
  • A program that provides solid Bible teaching in a fun and interesting way for kids—one that directs them to know and follow Jesus.
  • Curriculum that is easy to teach and includes helpful options for teachers, giving you maximum flexibility.
  • Age appropriate memory verses to help children hide God's Word in their hearts.
  • Bible- and curriculum-based, rather than activity-based. Each part of the lesson focuses on God, Jesus, and God's Word.
  • Age appropriate and fun for kids of all ages.
  • Bible-centered—every activity helps kids focus on God's Word and begin to share what they learn with others.
  • A way to help churches reach the children and families in their communities for Christ.
The All-Stars for Jesus Bible Club program is designed to lead children from age two through sixth grade to a personal faith in Jesus, to teach them about God's love and care, to encourage them to grow spiritually, and to give them a solid biblical foundation for their lives.

All-Stars for Jesus partners with churches to extend their outreach from just Sunday school to mid-week, Sunday evening, or other times children can gather to learn about Jesus. All-Stars meetings are fun, less formal time with a variety of interesting and fun activities to direct the child's attention to God's Word. The optional awards program offers a further way to extend the Bible learning into the home.

What unique features does All-Stars for Jesus have?
Each All-Stars for Jesus age-level Flex-lesson Leader's Guide has everything you need for two meetings a week—to use for Sunday morning and mid-week, Sunday evening and after-school Bible club, or whenever great Bible lessons are needed. Or, you have extra options for one meeting a week!
  • Easy-Trac meeting plans direct the leader step-by-step through each weekly program, and let you see at a glance which activities and materials to use.
  • The optional awards program provides more opportunities for kids to learn about Jesus by completing Bible learning activities in their award books at home. When each activity is completed, children earn colorful awards to place on a cap or pennant. Plus, each child could have ALL first-year awards for as low as 82 cents per week!
  • All-Stars for Jesus offers not only five age-level programs for children age 2 through grade 6, but also the All-Stars Explorers program for combined grades 1 through 6 in one classroom and the Preschool All-in-One Kit for combined ages 2-5 plus reproducible activity sheets.
  • There are no membership fees, dues, or doctrinal requirements—just fun, Bible-based, solid Christian learning.
  • The All-Stars Promo Kits (included with your Starter Kits) offer great resources to promote your clubs: promotional posters, clip art, fundraising ideas, and club kickoff plans!
  • All-Stars for Jesus offers lots of colorful "fun stuff" as gifts, awards, and promotions.
  • All-Stars for Jesus is an affordable program. The Flex-Lesson Leader's Guide provides two lessons a week!
  • Christian Ed Warehouse offers Standing Orders on All-Stars for Jesus quarterly curriculum so you don't even have to remember to order! Plus, Standing Orders receive a 10%-%15 discount every quarter. We'll send you an email reminder so you can make changes before your curriculum ships.
  • There is no requirement that you use all available materials—just choose the options that will work best with your group and your finances.
Does all this sound like something you would like for your church? Visit eChurchDepot.com and order your Starter Kits for a 60-day risk-free review! Or download FREE samples of each age level and order a FREE Lesson Sampler to review with your church. May God bless you as you lead children and their families to a personal relationship with Jesus.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Those Creative Preschoolers (Part 2)

A walk in the rain, a seed planted in a flower pot, a magnifying glass, colorful leaves, a thank-you note to Grandma, a castle made with blocks—the ideas for creative growth are all around us. They extend to your own interest areas, too. Young children like nothing better than to be included in your activities and hobbies, even if it’s cooking, auto repair, or carpentry. To help children keep and expand the creativity of their early years requires understanding:

  Recognize that everything is new for your young students. “Everything” includes the sky, clouds, rain, stars, and wind, and extends to tiny insects, pebbles, snowflakes, and leaves that most adults seldom notice. After all, small children are often a couple of feet closer to them than we are!

  Accept the idea that the exciting world comes to them through their eyes, but also through sounds, tastes, and smells, and by way of their fingertips, too.

  Realize that we have to show interest to help them retain theirs, but it’s foolish to fake it. Most children, even young ones, are alert to adults acting as thought they enjoy childhood games, when those games are really a bore to them.

  Emphasize that the pictures they draw, the sounds and words they create, and the body movements they make are their very own. They are as much theirs, and theirs alone, as are their fingerprints.

Allow each child to be the creative being God has made him or her!