Pioneer Clubs coordinators eNewsletter–Beat the winter doldrums!

January 2006

Dear Christian Leader,

Welcome to the latest edition of the Pioneer Clubs^® Coordinator’s eNewsletter, where we provide resources to assist you as you plan, recruit, and train—enabling others to share God’s Word with children. This month we would like to help you beat the winter doldrums and create new enthusiasm for what your club program is doing.

Raise Club Visibility

Whether your club is just starting up now, or you have been running since the end of summer, the start of a new calendar year is a good time to think about generating excitement for what your Pioneer Clubs are doing within your church and community. One way to do this is to create some hoopla in a church service on February 12 (or a date of your choice) by celebrating Pioneer Clubs Sunday (see Pioneer Clubs Announcements below):

Spotlight club members’ achievements for their parents and your church to see.
Recognize the adults involved in your clubs.
Call your church’s attention to club needs—and ministry.

Be sure to spotlight your clubs throughout the year by including club news in a church bulletin or newsletter, or by creating posters or a club bulletin board that can be updated regularly. Encourage your leaders to choose service projects that involve club members in the life of your church, so club members feel they are useful parts of the church and so the church sees what your clubs are doing. If some projects need extra adult help, use that need as an opportunity to approach newer members of your church about helping.

Now that your church knows more about your club program, take it to the streets and attract some new members. Plan to get outside your normal meeting rooms this spring and put on your hiking shoes April 22 (or a date of your choice). Organizing a Spring Kids for Kids Hike will:

increase your club’s visibility in the church and community
provide a missions project for your club members, through which they help other kids have Pioneer Clubs

For more information on the Kids for Kids Hike, including forms you can download, go to Pioneer Clubs’ Web site at www.pioneerclubs.org.

Whenever you plan a special event, use local news media to help spread the word. Most local newspapers, and some radio stations, eagerly accept information about community happenings for calendar listings. Just remember to get information to them early enough—usually two to four weeks in advance. Check with your local news sources to see what they require. You might even spark their interest enough to get some coverage of the event as well as publicity beforehand.

Raise Some Enthusiasm in Club

Stay Active. Take your club members outdoors for game time or another part of the meeting. Even in a snowy northern winter, your club can enjoy being outside. Enourage your leaders to keep moving, adjusting their club time outside according to how cold or windy the weather is. Little kids love making snow angels, and it’s never too cold to let loose some energy with a quick game of tag outside. If you have enough snow and the temperature is near freezing, have clubs cooperate on an all-club snowman—or let each club work on its own snow creation.

Hold a “Walk in His Ways” party. Plan an all-club winter party on a hiking theme, or let leaders plan parties for their own groups. Create some new excitement about following Christ! Have kids wear hiking outfits and invite friends. Play nature games from the Games Galore book (catalog # 2724). (Order at the following link: http://www.shoppioneerclubs.org/store/product.asp?ItemID=831&CategoryID=31&HeaderCategoryId=29&returnUrl=&RandomSeed=T6EC6.) Share the devotional “Key Verse” from the Talks That Teach book (catalog # 2725), about the Bible as our light to show us God’s ways. Serve trail mix and sports drinks. (Order Talks That Teach from the following link: http://www.shoppioneerclubs.org/store/product.asp?ItemID=1177&CategoryID=177&HeaderCategoryId=29&returnUrl=&RandomSeed=T6EC6.)

Action Ideas for January

Make time to listen to your club leaders—make appointments to talk if you need to. They’re your partners in ministry, and they need to know you’re there for them.
Each week or each month, send the pastor a very brief e-mail explaining one good thing that happened in club or one thing a club is working on. This will help the pastor feel connected with club and supportive of it. Ask the pastor to include some of these things in sermons or prayer and praise announcements.
After a church service, have club members hand out appropriate invitations to or announcements about any upcoming club events. If you’re doing Pioneer Clubs Sunday, use foot- or boot-shaped notes.

Ideas for Encouraging Leaders

Photocopy the “gift certificates” in Chapter 5 of the Promoting Your Club Program book and hand them out to leaders. Order at the following link: http://www.shoppioneerclubs.org/store/product.asp?ItemID=1192&CategoryID=192&HeaderCategoryId=29&returnUrl=&RandomSeed=T6EC6
If you’re doing a Pioneer Clubs Sunday, create foot- or boot-shaped cards with each club leader’s name and a prayer request. Distribute the cards to the congregation for prayer.

Changed Lives

“We are always amazed at the power of God. ... Our good friends’ son was murdered just before Christmas 2004 and, at the memorial service at their church, we picked up a pamphlet on their church’s Pioneer Clubs. ... We announced we were starting a club in church Sunday. I have never had so many people say to me, ‘This is an answer to prayer!’ We have a new family in church (desperately seeking) who started by coming to Pioneer Clubs. And even the unchurched neighborhood kids are very faithful in attendance. How can we not see the hand of God at work in our lives? Who else but God can take senseless tragedy and make something incredible out of it! Keep the faith, do not be discouraged, and God will bless the work of your hands!” —Rhonda Wasnock, East Shelby Community Bible Church, Medina, New York

We’d love to hear testimonies of how your club has seen God at work. Please e-mail Becky at ballenpowell@pioneerclubs.org with your name, church name, and how you’ve seen God at work in your club.

Pioneer Clubs Announcements

A Way for Club Members to Say Thanks

Please join us in thanking people all across North America who financially support the national ministry of Pioneer Clubs. Our supporters would be delighted to receive a word of thanks from a child in club. Just have your club members write a sentence or two thanking those who give and telling what they especially like about club. Those too young to write can draw a picture of their favorite club activity. Please indicate the child's first name and club age level.

Please send the notes to us, and we'll see that members of our 21st Century Lamplighters group receive them. Mail notes by January 25 to: Pioneer Clubs, Attn: Connie Powers, PO Box 788, Wheaton, IL 60189-0788.

Pioneer Clubs Sunday, February 12, 2006

Invite your congregation to celebrate your children's ministry on Pioneer Clubs Sunday (February 12 or whatever date best suits your church). For ideas and plans for Pioneer Clubs Sunday activities and celebrations, click on the “Pioneer Clubs Sunday” link at www.pioneerclubs.org. This year's theme is “Walk in His Ways.” More ideas:

Hiking outfits. In addition to their club outfits, have club members wear hiking boots and carry hiking sticks or backpacks when they participate in the church service.

Video. During a club meeting or service project, videotape club members in action. Show the tape so the congregation can see the club members walking in God's ways.

Songs. Prepare club members to lead the congregation in some songs that fit the theme, such as “Step by Step” (“Oh God, You Are My God”); “We Are Marching”; “Trust and Obey”; or “Thy Word,” Pioneer Clubs’ theme song. Order a Thy Word CD (catalog #2726) at the following link: http://www.shoppioneerclubs.org/store/product.asp?ItemID=1301&CategoryID=303&HeaderCategoryId=61&returnUrl=&RandomSeed=T6EC6

Please be sure to ask your pastor about taking a special congregational offering for Pioneer Clubs’ national ministry.

Annual Phonathon

Pioneer Clubs staff, board members, and others will gather at national headquarters to call our current leaders and donors during the months of February and March to thank you for your partnership, let you know what’s happening in the national ministry, and ask for your continued financial support. We look forward to talking with you!

Kids for Kids Hike

Mark your calendar for the springtime Kids for Kids Hike: Saturday, April 22! For information on the Kids for Kids Hike, including forms you can download, go to Pioneer Clubs’ Web site at www.pioneerclubs.org.

Join us for a Pioneer Clubs^® training teleconference!
You may participate in these sessions from any location that has a telephone for only $20 per telephone line. These teleconferences are now scheduled throughout the year. Topics covered are:

Leader Recruitment and Retention
Promoting Your Club Program
Basic Training
Group Discipline

Pioneer Clubs training teleconferences will benefit every club coordinator and leader—and it's easy to register today! For a complete schedule and online registration forms, visit http://www.pioneerclubs.org/trainingwork.htm. We hope you can join us!

Camp Curriculum

January is a great time to start reviewing curriculum for summer camp. Pioneer Clubs^® Camp Cherith provides Bible-based, interactive, and easy-to-use Bible study curriculum with corresponding devotional books for grades 2-4, grades 5-7, and teens.
Read what others say about Pioneer Clubs camp curriculum:

“We have used Pioneer Clubs Camp Cherith^® curriculum for twenty years. Our counselors find the materials easy to use, and they appreciate the clearly organized format. Many of our campers say that Bible Exploration is one of the most important parts of their day at camp!” Paula Worden, director

“The curriculum has plenty of options to choose from. The kids love the opening activities. And these activities set the stage for the Bible study, getting the kids involved and interested.” Maria Hoak, counselor

“There are a variety of activities to supplement the main lesson, and this keeps the campers interested in the lesson, even if they all have different interests and personality types.” Leah Yerpe, counselor

Review Pioneer Clubs Camp Cherith curriculum for your camp. Order at the following link: http://www.myministrybuilder.com/prodpages/products.html#Camp, or call 800-694-2582.

Reflections

What are you doing to communicate the worth of your Pioneer Clubs program to your church and to encourage your church members to support the program more fully and personally?
How can you help leaders encourage club members to invite friends?

Lighter Side

A little child in church for the first time watched as the ushers passed the offering plates. When they neared his pew, the youngster piped up so that everyone could hear: “Don’t pay for me, Daddy. I’m under five.”