Decoration Photos, First Installment

This is our main bulletin board for the elementary group. The items on this board are images out of the main Bible lessons. For example, the fish on the left with the coin in its mouth comes from the first day's story, about Peter and the temple tax. To make these, we trace line drawings (mostly out of coloring books) onto overhead transparencies (using wet-erase markers), project them up onto posterboard, trace the lines with pencil, and paint. Once the paint dries, we outline with black marker and cut them out.


This is the bulletin board in the preschool room, which is built around the Wordless Book lessons. Each strip of color represents the concept for one day's lesson, with a corresponding picture.
In the teen room we don't have a bulletin board, so instead we just put posterboard directly on the walls. This year we went with a missions theme for the room, hence, continents with people on them.
Between the auditorium and the foyer, our building has some internal windows. For Bible School we always do a three-panel scene made to fit. Putting them behind the glass really brings them out, we think. Anyway, this scene is supposed to represent following Jesus, which goes with one of the Bible lessons.
I don't know when or why those cuphooks were put up over the auditorium doors, but they sure came in handy for hanging this net. This is just the first batch. We've also got wall decorations (fish), decorations hanging from the ceilings (more fish), and a couple of other things, but I'll save those for another post.

Now What? Discussion Questions

Friday:Now What?
Missions Concepts: Missionaries disciple new believers, plant churches, and train pastors.
Missions Examples: Project Timothy (Uberlandia, Brazil)
Bible Passages: [needed]
  1. In the skit, what did the fisherman need to do?
  2. What do people need after they come to know Jesus Christ as savior? Why?
  3. What do the missionaries in Brazil do once people accept Jesus?
  4. What can we do here?

Reel 'em In Discussion Questions

Thursday:Reel 'em In
Missions Concepts: Missionaries must present the gospel to unbelievers.
Missions Examples: India (starting churches).
Bible Passages: Romans 2:12-13, 3:20-24, 5:15-18, 6:10-18, 7:22-8:11, 10:10-15, 12:1-8.
  1. In the skit, what did Bob need to do once a fish started nibbling at his bait?
  2. When we're talking to people, what do we need to do once they're interested?
  3. How can we do that?
  4. What do the missionaries in India do once the people in a village become interested?

The Right Bait Discussion Questions

Wednesday:The Right Bait
Missions Concepts: Missionaries look for opportunities to interest people in the good news.
Missions Examples: Peter Bejenke (Germany), Paul Rajan (India)
Bible Passages: [needed]
  1. In the skit, why wasn't Bob catching any fish?
  2. What was Peter Bejenke doing in Germany to create opportunities to talk to people?
  3. What kinds of bait are Paul Rajan and his fellow workers using in India?
  4. What kinds of things can we do here in Galion?

Fishin' Gear Discussion Questions

Tuesday:Fishin' Gear
Missions Concepts: Missionaries must be properly equipped for missions.
Missions Examples: Vermont (Tom Ricker)
Bible Passages: [needed]
  1. In the skit, what was Sally's problem? What did she need to do differently? Why?
  2. What did Tom and Janelle Ricker do to prepare for God's work in Vermont?
  3. Why was that preparation important?
  4. How can a church help people prepare to do missions work?

Goin' Fishin' Discussion Questions

Monday:Goin' Fishin'
Missions Concepts: Missionaries go where the people are, but they need consent to come.
Missions Examples: India (no missionary visas)
Bible Passages: [needed]
  1. Why was the character in the skit dangling a line in the water? Was he being effective? Why?
  2. How is fishing for men similar to fishing for fish?
  3. What kinds of missions work can a missionary do on a tourist visa? What kinds of work require a longer stay?
  4. Do you know of some places where there are people who need to hear the good news? Where?

Fishing for Christ

Fishing for Christ

[logo]
This was the first theme we thought up, and while it's not the most conceptually cohesive, it does make for great decorations. The lessons here are pretty basic, covering the deity of Christ, his substitutionary death, his resurrection, and the commission he gave to his disciples. There is an emphasis on salvation.
This theme is mostly complete and online now.
Elementary Preschool Teens
Monday Bible Lesson:The Fish with the Coin. Bible Lesson:The Coin in the Fish's Mouth Bible Lesson:The Fish and the Coin*
Memory Verse:Matthew 16:16 Second Lesson:Black Discussion:5 Questions
Missions:Goin' Fishin' Missions:Goin' Fishin' Discussion Questions
Craft:CD Fish* (see here or here) Craft:CD Fish (ibid) Craft:Polished Aluminum Scene
Game:Oven Mitt Relay Game:Fish Coin Hunt Game:Oven Mitt Relay
Snack: Chocolate Coins (updated 2015)
Tuesday Bible Lesson:The Sign of Jonah Bible Lesson:Jonah: Obey God Bible Lesson:Sign of Jonah
Memory Verse:Romans 6:23 Second Lesson:Red Discussion:5 Questions
Missions:Fishing Gear Missions:Fishing Gear Discussion Questions
Craft:Sign of Jonah Craft: Craft:Sign of Jonah (teen version)
Game:Team Slide Game:Diving into the Whale Game:Team Slide
Snack: Whale Cookies (updated 2015)
Wednesday Bible Lesson:Raised from the Dead Bible Lesson:Feeding the Big Crowd Bible Lesson:Raised from the Dead
Memory Verse:1st John 4:10 Second Lesson:White Discussion:5 Questions
Missions:The Right Bait Missions:The Right Bait Discussion Questions
Craft:Sponge-Painted Tomb Scene Craft:Basket of Fish and Bread Craft:Colored Sand Tomb Scene
Game:Wet Sponge Relay Game:Twelve Baskets Full Game:Wet Sponge Relay
Snack: fish sticks (updated 2015)
Thursday Bible Lesson:Following God Bible Lesson:Fish in the Net Bible Lesson:Following God
Memory Verse:2nd John 1:6 Second Lesson:Gold Discussion:6 Questions
Missions:Reel 'em In Missions:Reel 'em In Discussion Questions
Craft:Fishing All Night Boat Scene Craft:Peat Pot Tomb Scene Craft:Memory Verse on Heart**
Game: Hula Hoop Net Race
Snack: Goldfish crackers
Friday Bible Lesson:Fishers of Men Bible Lesson:Fishers of Men Bible Lesson:Fishers of Men
Memory Verse:Matthew 4:19 Second Lesson:Green Discussion:6 Questions
Missions:Now What? Missions:Now What Discussion Questions
Craft: Wordless Bracelet
Game: Fishermen's Relay
Snack: Cupcakes
* - Items marked with an asterisk are incomplete or otherwise need work.
Substitute Indoor Games:
Decorations:

Fishing For Christ Decoration Plans

  • We took some outline pictures of fish (from the Open Clip Art Library and other sources), printed them, colored them with markers, cut them out, laminated, and used Handi-Tak to stick them to the walls all over the place.
  • We also hung some fish from mobiles from the ceiling.
  • We got some decorative fish nets (Oriental Trading Company sells them) to hang from the ceiling, and we put small stuffed-animal fish in them.
  • On the elementary bulletin board we placed pictures representing the Bible lessons: a fish with a coin in its mouth, a whale with the numeral 3, an empty tomb, a fire with fish cooking over it, and a globe hanging from a fishing rod. To create the pictures, we traced coloring-book pictures onto overhead transparencies, projected them onto posterboard, traced, painted, let them dry, outlined in black marker, and cut them out.
  • For the preschool bulletin board, we decorated to go with the wordless-book lessons: five vertical stripes in black, red, white, yellow, and green, with a picture on each: a group of children fighting to represent sin, a crucifix, a heart shape, a golden city, and a family going to church.
  • We've got one place in our building where we always put a scene made from three large posterboard panels. This year the scene was a path, with hills and mountains in the background, and Jesus is walking the path at one end (the beginning of the scene) followed by a long string of other people, starting with four disciples with a fishing net, then other Bible characters, and progressing to modern-day people, including children.
  • For the walls in the teen room, we did continents, with people on them representing corresponding ethnic categories. (Well, we tried. Some ethnicities can be hard to draw if you live in rural Ohio and don't see very many foreigners.) We originally intended to have the people being pulled out of their continents by grabbing onto Bibles or crosses or something on the ends of fishing lines, but it turned out we didn't have the artistic skill to make that happen.
  • We're also thinking of using various non-sharp fishing gear (cane poles, bobbers, etc) around the building, probably on the walls up high enough to be out of reach of the younger children.
I've got a digital camera now, so once we get our decorations all put up I'll post some photos. Update: see the first batch of decoration photos.

Now What?

Friday:Now What?
Bible Lesson: Fishers of Men
Memory Verse: Matthew 4:19
Missions Concepts: Missionaries disciple new believers, plant churches, and train pastors.
Missions Examples: Project Timothy (Uberlandia, Brazil)
Bible Passages: [needed]
[Start with the skit, Unprepared Fishermen V.]
Introduction: Fishing
In the skit, what did Bob need to do with the fish, after it was out of the water? That's right, he needed to put it in the bucket, with the other fish.
Did you know, after people come to know Jesus, they need something similar? Do we put them in a bucket? No. But they do need to be with a group of other believers, who are learning about God. What do we call a group like that? (A church.)
Example: Project Timothy
In Uberlandia, Brazil, Pastor Sebastian is Fishing for Christ. But now, he's not doing it alone, because he has other men working with him – men who are trained in the Bible, and are planting churches. Do you know where these men came from? They came from Pastor Sebastian's church. When these men heard the good news about Jesus, he didn't just send them on their way. He continued to teach them, everything that they needed to know, about Jesus, about God, and about the Bible. Now, some of these men are ready to go fishing themselves, and they are planting more churches.
The Point: Discipleship
[needed]
Application: Now What?
This week here at Bible School, some of you may have received Jesus, or maybe some of your friends heard the good news about how to be saved. Should you quit coming once that happens? Should you quit bringing that friend who got saved? No! Once we're a part of the body of Christ, we still need to be learning, everything God wants us to know, so that we can grow in our faith and be able to share with others.
Invitation: Missions
Invite any children who want to do missions work to stay after the lesson and discuss it further.

Reel 'em In

Thursday:Reel 'em In
Bible Lesson: Following God (Fishing All Night)
Memory Verse: 2nd John 1:6
Missions Concepts: Missionaries must present the gospel to unbelievers.
Missions Examples: [needed]
Bible Passages: Romans 2:12-13, 3:20-24, 5:15-18, 6:10-18, 7:22-8:11, 10:10-15, 12:1-8.
[Start with the skit, Unprepared Fishermen IV.]
Introduction: Fishing
In the skit, Bob reeled in the fish using his rod and line. When we're fishing for Christ, how do we reel people in for salvation? The Bible asks a question: how can people believe in Jesus if they've not heard of him, and how can they hear if nobody tells them?
So, after we use our bait and start talking to people, to our friends, how do we reel them in? What do we tell them about Jesus?
Example:
[needed]
The Point: Share the Good News
Once you have someone's interest, and they want to know about God, what can you tell them? What do they need to know to be saved? [Accept some answers.]
First, they need to know that they need to be saved! Why do we need a savior? Why do we need Jesus? [Accept answers.] Our sin separates us from God. Because God is perfect, the bad things we do make us unacceptable to him. He can't take us in, if we're like that! Can we change, and be good on our own? No, we can't. Our sin traps us, and keeps us from God.
So after our friends know that they need to be saved from their sin, what else do they need to know? Don't they need to know where salvation comes from? So, what do you tell them? How can our sins be forgiven? [Because Jesus paid the penalty for us.]
Application: Reeling in Your Friends wiht the Wordless Bracelet
[Explain how the wordless bracelet (which they will be making in crafts the next night) can be used to share the good news. Talk about the meaning of each of the five colors and how these five things add up to make a gospel presentation.]
Invitation: Evangelism
Invite any children who want to share the good news with their friends to stay after the lesson and discuss it further.

The Right Bait

Wednesday:The Right Bait
Bible Lesson: Raised from the Dead
Memory Verse: 1st John 4:10
Missions Concepts: Missionaries look for opportunities to interest people in the good news.
Missions Examples: Peter Bejenke makes bread. In India they maintain orphanages and build houses.
Bible Passages: [needed]
[Start with the skit, Unprepared Fishermen III.]
Introduction: Fishing
In the skit, what did Bob need, in order to catch fish? That's right, he needed bait.
Did you know, missionaries use bait too? Now, they don't use worms, and crickets, and minnows, and they're not trying to trick people into getting caught, but missionaries do have to get people interested in what they're talking about. They need bait.
Example: Bread Ministry
In Germany, Peter Bejenke was having trouble getting people to come to his church. He wanted to tell people about Jesus, but they didn't know they needed to hear, so they didn't realize they should come. Do you know what he did? He started baking bread. Now, Pastor Peter used to bake bread before, before he was a pastor. But now he's baking bread again, and people come into his bakery store to buy bread. Now, people are coming to Pastor Peter. Now, he has an opportunity to talk to people. And now that he's talking to people, he can tell them about Jesus.
Example: Orphanages
In India, Paul Rajan builds orphanages, to help young boys who have no good place to live. While they're there, he can tell them about Jesus. Sometimes they build houses for people who have lost their homes. And they can tell them about Christ. At one of the orphanages, the children are very excited about Jesus. They sing songs, and they worship. And now, some of the families from the communities come and see the orphanage, see what is being done for the children, and [become interested].
The Point: Bait
Here, sometimes we need a way to tell our friends about Jesus. Sometimes we need bait.
One thing that we use for bait is Bible School. Your friends will want to come have fun at Bible School – and they will have fun, but while they're here, they can also here the good news about Jesus.
What else can you use as bait? [Accept some answers.]
Invitation: Missions
Invite any children who want to do missions work to stay after the lesson and discuss it further.

Fishing Gear

Tuesday:Fishing Gear
Bible Lesson: The Sign of Jonah: Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sin.
Memory Verse: Romans 6:23
Missions Concepts: Missionaries must be properly equipped for missions.
Missions Examples: Vermont (Tom Ricker)
Bible Passages: [needed]
Introduction: Fishing
[Start with the skit, Unprepared Fishermen II]
In the skit, what did Sally find out she needs, in order to catch fish? That's right, she needed a fishing rod, and a line, and a hook. The rod and reel and line and hook are the equipment that fishermen use to catch fish.
The Point: Missionaries need to be equipped.
Did you know, that if you're fishing for Christ, you need to be equipped for that, too? You don't need a fishing rod or a hook, but you do need to know your Bible, so that you know the message that you're giving to people, and you do need prayer support from others, and if you have to leave the country to be a full-time missionary overseas, you would need financial support and other things.
Example: Vermont
Last month, Pastor Tom Ricker, and his wife Janelle, left their home in Ohio and went to Vermont, to try to start a church in Burlington. In order to do this, they had to be ready. They needed fishing gear. What do you suppose they did, to get ready to go? They studied maps of Vermont, so that they would know the geography of the area. They studied the culture: what the people in the area are like, and what's important to them, so that they would know what kind of people they're going fishing for. They had to know what things cost in Vermont, so that they could be prepared and have a plan for how to live there. They talked to churches and gathered prayer support, and also financial support.
Most of all, Pastor Tom had to be trained. He took Bible classes, and theology courses, and other kinds of training. He spent years doing his. Then he practiced under another man, an older pastor, in Ankneytown, so that he would be ready. Now Pastor Tom has been a pastor on his own for several years, and he's been tested by other pastors and approved, so that all the churches who are supporting him can know that he is qualified.
So now Pastor Tom is equipped to take the good news about Jesus to the people in Vermont. He's got his fishing gear, and he's ready to get started.
Application: Equipped for Missions
When you're fishing for Christ, at school, or in your neighborhood, you need to be equipped too. How do you get that training? [Accept some answers.] That's right. You should be coming to church, to learn the Bible. You should be reading your Bible, and praying. Those things are your fishing equipment. Make sure you go home and memorize your Bible verse tonight!
Invitation: Missions
Invite any children who want to be better equipped to stay after the lesson and discuss it further.

Goin' Fishin'

Monday:Goin' Fishin'
Bible Lesson: The Fish with the Coin: Jesus is God
Memory Verse: Matthew 16:16
Missions Concepts: Missionaries go where the people are, but they need consent to come.
Missions Examples: India (no missionary visas)
Bible Passages: [needed]
Introduction: Fishing
[Start with the skit, Unprepared Fishermen I]
In the skit, what were the two things that Bob and Sally learned they need to do in order to catch fish? [Accept answers.] That's right. They needed fishing licenses, and they needed to go where the fish are.
Did you know being a missionary is a lot like being a fisherman? Missionaries are fishing for Christ.
First Point: Where the People Are
Just like Bob needed to leave the swimming pool and go to a place where fish would be, like a stream or a lake, missionaries need to go to a place where there are people. They can't go be missionaries in the middle of the woods, or an empty cave, or the middle of a lake. If they're going to tell people about Jesus, they need to go where there are people. There are lots of different places where there are people. Some people can be missionaries right where they are at home, telling people about Jesus in their neighborhood, or at school, or at the mall, ... but there are other places too, and some missionaries go to a place far away from home, because they know that there are people there in that place who need to hear about Jesus.
Second Point: Permission to Go
The fisherman's license gives him permission to fish. Just like a fisherman needs permission, a missionary needs permission too. Now, in this country, we don't need special permission from the government, because we already have freedom of speech. But sometimes, even though there's no law against telling people about Jesus, we still need permission in another way. If I'm going to bring children to Bible school, I have to have their parents' permission. I can't just go take kids from the playground, tie them up, and bring them here. I have to have permission. Missionaries also need permission from their church. If their church doesn't agree with them going, who will provide their prayer and financial support for the missions work? Missionaries have to be sent by a church. And if you're going to be a missionary in a foreign country, you have to get permission to go to that country. You need a visa stamp from the country you're going to on your passport, or they won't let you into their country without a visa. So you have to have permission to come.
Example: India
One country we'd like to send missionaries to is India, but India doesn't give visas to missionaries just so they can come and tell people about Jesus. If you want to go to India, you have to have another reason, a reason that is approved by the government of India, or they won't let you come. In May, Tom and Janelle Ricker, and Ike and Nancy Graham, went to India. They were sent by our churches, but they could only go for a short time, because they only had a tourist visa, which doesn't last very long. You get a tourist visa if you're going on vacation in a foreign country, but you can't stay for a whole year. So our missionaries that went to India are back here now, in the United States.
Application: Parental Permission
Just like fishermen need a license, and foreign missionaries need permission to go into the country, if we bring our friends to Bible School, we need their parents' permission to bring them.
Invitation: Missions
Invite any children who want to do missions work to stay after the lesson and discuss it further.

Unprepared Fishermen V

Skit: Unprepared Fishermen V
[Bob and Sally are sitting by the lake, fishing.]
Bob: Hey, I think I've got another one!
Sally: Are you going to reel it in this time?
[Bob pulls up on his line and starts to reel in the fish.]
Bob: Yeah, yeah, here it comes. Hey, he's a big one!
[Pause]
Bob: So, now what?
Sally: What do you mean, now what?
Bob: 've got the fish on my hook, right here, what do I do now?
Sally: Take it off the hook, and put it in the bucket with the other fish we caught.
Bob: Oh, yeah.
[Bob puts the fish in the bucket.]

Unprepared Fishermen IV

Skit: Unprepared Fishermen IV
[Bob and Sally are sitting by the lake, fishing.]
Bob: Hey, I think I've finally got one! I think that bait does work!
[Bob just sits there, watching the fish on the end of the line, in the water, for a minute.]
Sally: Aren't you going to reel it in?
Bob: Oh, I think the fish got away. Hey, where's the bait? I had bait on that hook.
Sally: I think the fish took your bait and left. You didn't reel it in. Next time, when a fish bites on your hook, try pulling up on your line and reeling it in.

Unprepared Fishermen III

Skit: Unprepared Fishermen III
[Bob and Sally are sitting by the lake, fishing.]
Sally: Oh, I think I've got another one. This rod is working out great!
[She pulls up her line, removes a fish from the end, and places it in her fish bucket. Bob appears envious.]
Bob: Another? How many is that for you? I still haven't caught a thing!
Sally: Oh, I think that's fourteen now. You haven't caught any? What are you using for bait?
Bob: Bait? I'm using this nice rod and reel, and this line, with a hook on the end. What do I need bait for?
Sally: If you were a fish, would you just bite on a hook, for no reason, just so you could be caught?
Bob: I don't know. I've haven't been a fish lately. I guess I never thought about it.
Sally: Why don't you try putting some of this bait [gestures to bait bucket] on your hook, and then see if the fish are biting.
[Bob adds a worm to his hook and drops it in...]
Bob: Hey, I think I've finally got one! I think that bait does work!

Unprepared Fishermen II

Skit: Unprepared Fishermen II
[Bob and Sally walk in. Bob is carrying the same fishing rod he had yesterday, and a tackle box. (Inside the tackle box is a small retractable fishing rod, not revealed, but no lures or bait.) Sally has a bucket of bait.]
Sally: I'm so excited, I'm finally ready to fish! I have my fishing license, and bait, and I finally got you to the lake where there are fish! This is my favorite spot. It's nice and shady, and there are usually lots of fish.
[Bob starts preparing his rod. Sally grabs something out of the bait bucket and dunks it in the water, with her hand.]
Bob: Sally, what are you doing?
Sally: Isn't it obvious? I'm fishing!
Bob: Where's your fishing rod?
Sally: A fishing rod? What do I need that for? I have bait!
Bob: So how are you planning to real in the fish when they start biting?
[Sally suddenly looks alarmed and jerks her hand away from the water.]
Sally: Biting! Fish bite? Doesn't that hurt?
Bob: Well, you're not supposed to put your fingers in the water for the fish to bite. You're supposed to use a fishing rod, with a line, and a hook. You dip the line in the water, and you hold onto the rod, like this [demonstrates]. When the fish bites the hook on the end of the line, you reel it in.
Sally: Oh. I don't have a rod!
Bob: Wait, I think I have a spare rod in my tackle box.
[Bob rummages around in the box for a moment , pulls out the retractable rod, extends it, and hands it to Sally.]
Sally: Oh, great! Thanks!

Unprepared Fishermen I

Skit: Unprepared Fishermen I
[Fisherman Bob is sitting beside a small portable swimming pool with a rod and reel, dangling his line into the water, whistling tunelessly. Sally, walking by, carrying a bucket of bait (but no rod or reel), stops to talk to Bob.]
Sally: Hey, Bob, are you getting ready to go fishing?
Bob: Getting ready? What are you talking about? I've been fishing here in this pool for three and a half hours.
Sally: That's a pretty small pool. Say, isn't that a swimming pool?
Bob: Yeah, why?
Sally: I don't think there are any fish in that pool. Looks like just water to me.
Bob: What's that got to do with anything? I've got my rod and reel right here, see, and my fishing line, and...
Sally: But Bob, there are no fish in that pool. Don't you want to catch fish?
Bob: Of course I want to catch fish! I wouldn't be fishing if I didn't want to catch any fish.
Sally: Bob, if you want to catch fish, you have to go where there are fish. Like a lake, or a river, or the ocean...
Bob: But I like this pool. And I've got everything I need right here. I've got my rod and reel, my fishing line, and I've got my fishing license right here in my wallet.
Sally: A fishing license? What's that?
Bob: You can't fish without a license! It's illegal.
Sally: Wait, I was headed to the lake to do some fishing, but I've never had a license!
Bob: Well, if you're going to fish, you should get a fishing license first.
Sally: Okay, I'll tell you what. If you take me to get a license, I'll take you to the lake, and then we can really catch some fish!
[Bob stands up and they leave together.]

Fish Gack

Ingredients:
1½ cups of water, divided (faucet-hot)
1 bottle Elmer's school glue (4 floz)
1¼ tsp borax
5 TBSP cornstarch
food coloring (optional)
We're still working out exactly what ratios of the ingredients for this recipe get the best result, but the instructions that follow should work well enough. Update: We've now perfected the recipe.
Put the cornstarch in a bowl. Add about some of the water, a little at a time, stirring slowly, until you get a thick shear-thickening non-Newtonian fluid. (This takes about half as much water as cornstarch. Incidentally, this stuff is pretty interesting all by itself. If you've not encountered it before, take a few minutes to amuse yourself before proceeding.) If you desire coloring, stir it into the cornstarch mixture now.
Set the cornstarch mixture aside. In another bowl, mix a small bottle (4 floz) of Elmer's glue into a roughly equal amount, or a little less, of the faucet-hot water. Stir until smooth. Then, still stirring, gradually sprinkle in the borax. This will transform the glue into a lumpy foam. Continue stirring until further stirring does not increase the amount of foam (about a minute).
In a blender, combine the excess water, the foam mixture, and the cornstarch mixture. Blend briefly; you should get something with approximately the texture of scrambled eggs initially, but it will flow together after a moment. Remove it from the blender. (It may stick to the sides a little) and place it in a bowl. Knead it until it has a smooth and consistent texture. The result is white in color, similar to the glue, unless you used coloring.
The consistency of this stuff is adjustable. If it's too thick, put it in a bowl of water, and it will thin out as it absorbs the water, forming longer strands and thinner sheets and becoming slimier to the touch. If it's too runny, remove it from the water and work it with your hands, it it will firm up into a moldable lump, almost like putty.
For a firmer, stiffer foam product, use these amounts (instead of the ones above):
½ cup of water, divided
1 bottle Elmer's school glue (4 floz)
1½ tsp borax
3 TBSP cornstarch
food coloring (optional)
For a stickier slime, use only 1 tsp of borax, and increase the water until you get the consistency you want.

Polished Aluminum Scene

Monday: Polished Aluminum Scene
Bible Lesson: The Fish and the Coin: Jesus is God
Memory Verse: Matthew 16:16
Age Groups:
  • teens
Note: We've not actually tested this one for practicality yet, so caveat lector.
Supplies Needed:
  • cardboard
  • string, yarn, or fishing line
  • tape (transparent or masking tape will work)
  • aluminum foil
  • shoe polish
Instructions:
Draw or trace a line drawing of a scene from the lesson onto the cardboard. Tape down string or yarn along the lines.
Place a piece of aluminum foil overtop and rub it so that it gets creases corresponding to the lines.
Remove the foil and brush it with shoe polish. The polish will accumulate around the creases, creating dark lines on the otherwise smooth foil.

Example Publicity Poster: Fishing for Christ

I finished up our publicity poster for Galion, so I thought I'd post it just as an example. (The images you see here are taken from the Open Clip Art Library.) We also did a half-page greyscale ("black and white") version to hand out as fliers.