So you’ve been assigned to lead a Bible Exploration & Award in club. It’s exciting to help children dig into God’s Word and see what it has to say to them today! But where do you start?

An unchurched parent drops off their son and daughter for Pioneer Clubs each Wednesday night.

Now that club has started, you as a leader have a room full of excited and energetic club members. How can you love, support, guide and “be there” for your club members unless you know them? Here are some ideas to get you started.

When preparing for the club year—consider including a Pal program in your Pioneer Clubs ministry. Children benefit from positive, caring attention from adults.

Supplies
appropriate “This Is Your Pal” form for each guest, pencils, camera(s), small bow-shaped pretzels, pretzel-making ingredients (see below), cookie sheets, baking spray, spatulas, bowls, mixing spoons, measuring cups and spoons, brushes, oven mitts, wire racks, water or apple juice, cups, napkins; optional: picture-printing supplies, cheese dipping sauce.

One of the easiest ways to guarantee a positive and productive club year is to equip your leaders and committee members with training and support.

At this time of year, the search is on for leaders and others to volunteer.

Ideas for promoting club to your church and community

     Promoting your Pioneer Clubs program makes a difference! Plan to get the attention of your church and community this fall, draw in new club members and recruit club volunteers.

An official kickoff event is a great way to launch your Pioneer Clubs program this fall.

Keeping in touch with club members over the summer is one way to keep the fun of Pioneer Clubs and goes a long way towards encouraging them to come back in the fall. Here are seven ideas to consider.

How to recruit over the summer
 

Now that summer is here are you wondering how to completely fill your club leadership in the next few months? More importantly, is it even possible when vacations and summer schedules intrude? Recruiting during the summer may involve a little more creativity, but here are some ideas to get you started.

Your leaders have planned events for club members all year long. Now it’s their turn to have a special event planned for them! Your leaders will enjoy being the honored guests for a change. Also, this is a great way to show your leaders how much you appreciate their efforts, time and commitment to the kids in club.

Here’s a way to help club members learn be grateful. Give them the opportunity to help you recognize their club leaders at the end of the year.

Spring is a good time to step back and take a bigger-picture look at your children’s ministry. You’ll want to evaluate how well your club routine, events and policies have worked, to help you plan for next year. Receiving feedback from leaders, parents and others is a good place to start.

Once you get this feedback, a planning committee can help you process it and build a stronger Pioneer Clubs program for the coming year. Having a planning committee means you’re not alone in deciding how to implement changes in your club program—a welcome relief! During the year you may have found that there were areas of club you couldn’t devote time to due to a lack of resources or volunteers. A planning committee spreads out the work so that all areas get the attention they deserve.

Kids love special events. You can have a mini special event each time you hand out awards. Adding even one simple, special feature to the presentation can make it a winner in kids’ eyes.

Award Presentation After Each Unit
Unit Your leader plan book suggests giving awards at the end of each unit for immediate reinforcement. Allow a few minutes during each fourth meeting of a unit. Ideas:

• Add a guest(s). Your leader plan book has ideas: parents, the pastor, the whole family, your club prayer pal. Let the guest hand out the awards. Or have the guest clap for the club members and pray for them.
• Make a display. If club members have made projects for an award, set them out for guests to see.
• Add a snack. Serve something quick and easy after the presentation, such as cookies or popcorn.
• Use a giveaway. Fast food becomes more fun with a giveaway toy. Why not apply the principle to your awards? Try handing the club members a Pioneer Clubs balloon with their awards. Or how about a Dove bar that stands for “Definitely One Victorious Effort!”

Part of a Catch-Up Meeting
If many club members need to make up award work to finish their awards, plan a catch-up meeting as a fifth meeting for your unit. You could make it a “ketchup” meeting (catch-up—get it?) and serve snacks that take ketchup, like French fries. Have your award presentation at the end.

Bigger Ceremony
Consider asking your pastor if you can have some time during a church service for a big awards presentation once or twice a year. Ideas:

• Print names. Print children’s names and awards earned in the church bulletin or on the website.
• Add affirmations. Write a note for each child that says, “I noticed (a positive quality) in (child’s name) as he/she worked on the awards.” Read it for the congregation as you hand the club member the awards earned. Then give it to the child to take home.
• Perform. If club members have practiced something (skit, song, verse, etc.) for an award, perform it for the congregation. This lets the kids shine and lets the church see what they’re learning. If none of the awards included something like this (how many songs would be in the Woodworking award, after all?), help club members make up a skit ahead of time that tells something about what they learned.
• Show pictures. Take pictures or video of the club members working on the awards, and show this before you hand out the awards.

Adding a special touch—big or small--to each award presentation can make awards even more memorable for your club members.

Last week for the Let’s Pretend Activity Award, 7-year-old Tyler acted in a skit for the first time—and beamed when his club leader applauded him. During the Sewcraft award, 10-year-old Lisa learned that she could make her Pant-Leg Purse look the way she wanted it to--if she just kept trying.

José runs over to you as you’re trying to set out supplies for the next activity. “Look at my painting!” he exclaims, waving it at you. Do you:

1. Say without looking up, “Great; set it over there to dry”?
2. Pause to look it over and say, “I like the bright blues and greens”?

A recent TV commercial shows a dad building a treehouse with his little girl. The girl goes inside and makes a peanut butter sandwich for Dad to say thanks. We get to see his expression of surprise and delight.

Moms and dads and other caretakers are touched by simple expressions of their kids’ love for them. As a club leader, you can help your club members learn about showing love. Here are some ideas.

By now, most club leaders have settled into a routine with their coleader and have adjusted—more or less—to each other’s leadership style. But what makes a good leadership team? What components are key to a strong coleader working relationship?

In any kind of relationship, communication is always foundational for working well together. And there are several areas that coleaders should be clear on.

Both public and personal touches will help you show appreciation to your club leaders this winter. Leaders who feel appreciated are more likely to volunteer again next year.

It’s hard to believe, but before you know it, you’ll be hitting the midpoint of your club year. This is a great time for a club check-up, and a mid-year evaluation is a good way to do it.

By now, your club has gotten off to a good start and been up and running for several weeks. You and your leaders are getting to know your club members and each other better--but what about parents? Each week parents drop off club members. They smile, chat with the leaders and sometimes receive flyers and information about Pioneer Clubs--but how can you better connect them with your club? Well... here are some simple ideas to get you started.

A respectful style of discipline allows children to get involved. Let the kids, especially the older ones, be a part of the rule-making process.

Try these ideas from veteran club leaders to help your club meetings run more smoothly.

These take-home cards will:

Behind every successful Pioneer Clubs program are the volunteers and leaders who give their time and talents to make it possible. How do you find gifted and willing volunteers? Where do you start? Successful recruiting means starting with the right attitude. Remember—you’re helping people find a place in church where they can use their gifts to serve God. Here’s a few tips that will help you.

Your beginning leaders need to know how to run a successful Pioneer Clubs program. Assure them that you will not just hand them their leader plan books and throw them to the little “wolves.” Explain the training you have planned.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 53 million Americans have disabilities, which means about 53 million families struggle daily with overcoming obstacles to fit in with society. Sadly, research shows that one of the obstacles these families often face is a lack of acceptance in churches. Even in the body of Christ, people who are unfamiliar with disabilities and special needs often feel uncomfortable interacting with those who have them.

This need not be the case in Pioneer Clubs! If you have a child in your club with special needs (and chances are good that you do), you may wonder how best to include the child and help him or her feel welcome. Whether a child is dealing with a noticeable physical disability or with learning and behavioral issues such autism, ADHD or dyslexia, your intentional efforts to reach out and love that child can go a long way toward helping the child understand God’s love and grace. You’ll also be helping other children understand what it means to truly love our neighbor.

Hebrews 13:8 (NIV) says that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Because of this we have confidence that verses our club members memorize today will be relevant when they are adults. 

Encouraging club members and recognizing their achievements are key objectives in Pioneer Clubs®. But don’t forget to recognize the hard work of your club leaders.

An ongoing recognition plan for children and volunteers creates a positive club atmosphere. Club members who feel affirmed will want to return and bring friends. And club leaders who feel appreciated will be motivated to volunteer again.