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| June / July 2007 Vol. 2, No. 6 |
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Welcome  
Passing the Baton
The outcome of a relay race often depends on the handoff. Without a solid handoff, a team loses time and momentum. These critical moments determine if the runners get a crowd-cheering victory or walk away in defeat. About this time each year, vital handoffs take place in the adult leadership positions at many Pioneer Clubs. When I talk with a "green" Pioneer Clubs coordinator or leader, I'm reminded of just how important it is to do a good job of passing the baton of leadership to them. Coordinators or leaders who are moving on have a great deal of information to share. At my Pioneer Clubs program, for instance, we've been blessed with the same team of coordinators for more than five years. Can you imagine the "know-how" they've accumulated? Floating in their heads (and I'm sure at least some of it on paper somewhere) is everything from simple lessons learned to the minute details that make our club run so smoothly. So if you're moving on as a club coordinator or leader, take the time to pass that baton with care. Share your vision for club and the importance of a quality children's ministry in your church. Go over the details and schedules that have made Pioneer Clubs a success this past year. Share your "insider secrets." If you're new to the role of coordinator or leader, I encourage you to seek out those who've served before you. Call, email or meet in person (maybe even all three). To make the handoff even easier, check out the 10 Easy Steps to Pass the Leadership Baton article in this newsletter. You'll find a useful checklist that will help you continue to race with full momentum. Blessings!  Judy Bryson President, Pioneer Clubs® P.S. Are all the people on your Pioneer Clubs leadership team signed up for this newsletter? If not, encourage them to go to www.pioneerclubs.org today to subscribe. It Worked at Our Club Pioneer Clubs offers opportunities for church
members of all ages to help out, as Janice
Knapp, club coordinator at Amherst Community
Church, Massillon, Ohio, discovered when
looking for a solution to manage the extra
energy of children who arrive early.
"I sent out a 'plea' to the general congregation; a former bishop of our denomination came up with the 'Paper Bag Mystery Story.' Children who come early bring a paper bag with an object in it. They keep this object a secret. A number is placed on each bag and a coordinating number is placed in a basket for a drawing. What's Up at Club? 
Bibles are being studied. Club members are
busy with activities. Awards are being
earned. Kids are laughing and making new
friends. But don't keep the fun to yourself!
To send us your stories and
digital
photos, click
here. Who's behind that mask? Third-grade girls from the Pathfinder Club at Christian Family Chapel in Jacksonville, FL, got creative and then modeled their efforts as they worked on the "Make a Mask" requirement of the Masks Activity Award in their Pathfinder Handbook. 10 Easy Steps to Pass the Leadership Baton If one thing is certain, it's change. Even
the people most dedicated to Pioneer Clubs
may find that outside forces or circumstances
lead them to adjust volunteer commitments.
This handy Coordinator's checklist will help
you make sure the baton of leadership passes
smoothly and your club program continues to
minister to the children of your church.
(If you're a new coordinator, you can use
this checklist to see what you need to learn
about and receive from the coordinator who's
moving on.)
Stay in Touch This Summer If your Pioneer Clubs program takes a break
in the summer, it can be almost four months
from the end of one club year to the
beginning of the next. To start the coming
year strong, here are some ways you can
minister to club members during the summer.
Start a round-robin email or letter, letting club members share what they're up to this summer. Include prayer requests, too, and encourage kids to type (or write) their prayers for these requests right in the email or letter. Actually seeing others' prayers for them in print can be a real encouragement to the ones in need. 2007-2008 Ministry Resources Catalog coming soon! 
What's new? What's different? Dig into our
2007-2008 catalog, set to arrive in early
July, to find out. For starters, the catalog
includes our new exciting Voyager material,
with new award activities and Bible
Explorations. Plus, starting this year, we're
including one of the newest members of our
ministry - Discovery Club®, the perfect
all-in-one children's ministry solution for a
small church. And you'll see other new items
sprinkled throughout the catalog. As always,
each resource has been carefully selected to
help you create a memorable year during which
kids have fun learning about God and his Word.
So, keep a lookout for the 2007-2008 Ministry Resources Catalog, coming soon to your mailbox. May God bless you as you work with him to transform the hearts of children so they become life-long disciples of Christ. Games: Outdoor Fun We want to hear from you! What games
do your
club members really love? Send us your
favorites at newsletter@pioneerclubs.org.
Please indicate your
club size, how many kids can play the game
and the age level for the game. Also include
your name and church. We look forward to
hearing from you! Water Balloon Sandwich Play this game outdoors in warm weather! Have players pair up and stand back to back at the starting line. Place a water balloon between their backs. At the signal, each pair heads for the finish line. If the balloon pops or drops, they have to return to the starting line for a replacement. News from Pioneer Clubs Headquarters Pioneer Clubs Donors Get the Job
Done Many thanks to you and other members of the Pioneer Clubs family for your generous support of our Annual Phonathon. We have received over $118,000 in pledges toward our target of $135,000. We need only $17,000 more to reach the goal! Your support enables us to complete our Voyager curriculum revision for children in grades 1-2. These new materials-written, revised, and evaluated by a score of curriculum writers, artists, editors, and children's ministry experts-feature Parent Pages, additional leader support, new activity award projects, service project ideas, and more. We're excited about how these new materials will help Voyager Club members across the United States and Canada learn biblical truths and apply them to their everyday lives. The new curriculum will be available for clubs to use this fall. Thank you for your investment in the eternal and day-to-day lives of children. We value your partnership in helping children make Christ Lord in every aspect of life. |
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| Copyright (c) 2006 Pioneer Clubs All rights reserved. PO Box 788 Wheaton IL 60189-0788 | ||||||||||||
