I'm sinking ....

[Mindy]

You can tell any kind of Bible story with or without props. The kids will be attentive because you are a clown!!!!!

[RSVP Clown]

Yes, I think you are right about doing anything and getting the children's attention just because of clown attire. I do plan on using my clown coloring book, I've used it at birthday parties etc. and it is effective. Think I can relate giving all the children magic colors and letting them blow the color's from their hands onto the coloring book, and telling them hoe GOD created all the color's of the sky and the grass and even the color of their clothes etc. Working on it.

I appreciate your advice, surely do ned all I can get from you pro's, because ..... of all the things I've lost in my 64 years, I miss my mind the most! Dimples the RSVP Clown

(RSVP, in case some may not know, stands for Retired Senior Volunteer Program. It is part of our Senior Citizen group.) My clown name is Dimples, my grandson named me because .... well you guessed it, I have a chubby face (body too!:-( ) and Dimples!

[Fitzwilly]

Janet Tucker has written a couple of clown ministry books as has Janet Sutherland, Sitherland?. I think that is her proper name. One I have just started is "Fool of the Kingdom" by Philip D. Noble. Ralph has a number of inexpensive booklets on Chalk art, as well as spiritual skits and balloons.

[Chuckles The Clown]

I recently went to a Steve Kissell lecture and it inspired me to go to Party City where they have all kinds of animal noses. You can even get some adults involved with it and who knows what they come up with. Have them put the animal noses on, and you start "OLD McNOAH HAD AN ARK". Have them make the noises by directing them individually throughout the song and have a grand finalie with them doing it in unison their assigned charector, all holding hands....

[saphireSue]

I got my noses from Steve. I've had a lot of fun with them and I agree, put them on the adults, kids and adult alike have more fun, esp. if you can get the preacher/pastor to put on one too.

[Fast Eddie]

Do any of you use a magic prop called Stratosphere?

with the right patter it can be a powerful demonstration of how God is always in our lives and the devil can not stand between us and him if we believe, even through his death and resurrection he is STILL with us, all this can be shown with this one prop.

[Nettie Belle]

Yup! I have one. I've never used it. I got it in Indianapolis when I was at the Midwest Roundup, the first part of October. I wasn't sure how the story was supposed to go for a Christian usage, but that sounds good. Right now, I'm mostly concentrating in keeping it all together. I've lost the balls that go with it twice. I just want to keep it all together, nice and neat in it's little suitcase so I don't lose the stuff ever again!!

Thanks for the input. Maybe one of these days I'll get it out again. I suppose it would lose the effect if I tied the balls to the stratosphere thingy with string, huh? It certainly was NOT cheap, but the way Harry Allen demonstrated it, I just HAD TO HAVE IT! He's good ... very very good!

AND I'M A REAL PUSHOVER!!

[Fast Eddie]

Well Nettie the first and only time I did it it was totally off the cuff about 11 years ago, I just had time to learn the mechanics the night before. It was for my nieces birthday party, WHY I went with a Christian patter I have no idea but at the beginning of my magic show the parents were in the kitchen by time I was halfway through the Stratosphere there were on the couch with the kids LOL.

Here it is how I remeber it, BUT the order could be wrong follow your Stratosphere instructions for the routine.

Basic Idea was starting out with Jesus always being in the church we go to for worship, Mine had 2 yellow balls (Jesus) one Red (Devil), Blue (People) So Yellow ball followed by Blue people coming to church, red ball Devil following the people or people bringing there troubles with them.

Next round yellow Ball Jesus in the Church, Red Ball Devil trying to get to church before the people, Blue ball People coming to church Lift WALLAH! God is still First.

(This step I THINK could be removed for time constraints) Next round Red Ball first devil trying to sneak into church before Jesus to tempt the People, People enter looking for Jesus, Yellow Ball Jesus shows up to comfort them Lift WALLAH! he was there first all the time.

Next round have a patter about the crucification and put Jesus in the Tomb (the Break away box) Devil goes to church first, People come in to find Jesus missing and start to pray, (Maybe have the kids say a little prayer now) Do that nifty move to show the break away box is empty Lift the TUBE and WALLAH!! a miracle of resurrection Jesus is First with his people again.

Practice the mechanics till its easy and smooth then build a patter around this (Suggested) setup and you are sure to wow your Kids AND the grown ups. If not blame me and have them send all hate mail to me :-)
If this was useful let me know.
If anyone see mistakes I made please feel free to correct me.


Fast Eddie

[Squiggles]

I made this up and it gets some good laughs especially if played up real big...I took a piece of heavy cardboard and wrote the word faith on it with the definition. I then ask for a volunteer and tell them they have to have alot of faith...of course everyone thinks they do and I usually try to get an adult for this one...the Pastor is a really good volunteer. I take 2 cups that are not see thru but are white inside and I put gel power in one. I then have someone pou water into the cup out of a bottle of water and have them hold it up high while pouring so all can see the water being poured..then play it up and ask things such as "did you shower today" and "O man, whats that smell". Play that up several times saying things like well you wont smell for long..you are about to get a shower..thanks for volunteering..i was wanting someone who didnt shower etc. and then pick the cup up off the persons head and put the cardboard over top of the cup and turn it upside down over the persons head..being sure to hold it above it for all to see...the say so do you have faith? and have the audience count till they get there shower and pull the cardboard off...even the adults wanna know where the water went. Thank your volunteer and tell them there faith is great. Make sure you practice this a few times to get enough gel powder because once I did it and the water wasnt thick enough and the gel went on someones head. it was sooooo gross...God bless you!