Pioneer Clubs eNewsletter-Staying Connected

June/July 2003

Dear Christian Leader,

Welcome to the latest edition of the Pioneer Clubs eNewsletter, where we provide resources to help you build your Pioneer Clubs ministry.

This month we want to focus on ways to stay connected with your club kids over the summer months. Here’s a few reasons why.

The relationships built with club members can continue to deepen over the summer.
Unchurched kids will continue to receive interest and spiritual input.
Kids newly promoted to another club age-group will feel a part of that club in the fall.
You’ll get to know new kids.
Excitement about club will remain high during your summer break.

Using a few of these ideas will help you.

10 Ways to Stay Connected with Club Members This Summer

1. Provide a photo yearbook on CD-ROM. If you’ve taken pictures of your club members during club meetings and special events, burn those pictures onto a CD-ROM and send copies to your kids. Personalize the CD by recording a special message from yourself onto it.

2. Plan a pool party. A special event like a Fourth of July pool party would be a good time to get together with your club members. Don’t make the event too involved; the idea is to maintain contact, not spend all your time planning.

3. Plan a picnic. Most kids would love a cookout in the middle of the summer. Finish the day (or evening) with s’mores.

4. Plan a service project. Help the kids see how meaningful it is to do something for others in the community. It may be as simple as picking up trash in a park. For older kids, it might involve doing some house-painting or collecting items for a food pantry. Or consider a free car wash for those in the community.

5. Have a VBS get-together. If your church holds vacation Bible school, take the opportunity to introduce visitors to Pioneer Clubs. Have club members put on a skit. Leaders could talk to the children attending VBS about what goes on in Pioneer Clubs. Or work with club members to show visitors what a typical club meeting looks like.

6. Study a topic that club members may be facing at home, with their friends, or in their larger community. Pioneer Clubs’ Issues in Focus books each contain four Bible Explorations. The six titles are: Guys and Girls: Building Relationships (catalog # 3561), Grief and Suicide (#3564), Media Messages (#3562), Health Hazards (#3566), Substance Abuse (#3563), and Let’s Talk About Child Abuse (#3567). Though designed for upper elementary, the lessons can be adapted for younger kids or for the children’s particular needs and interests. You could use these books as a special series in midsummer.

7. Plan a museum outing. Connect with your kids in a place where all of you can learn. Some ideas: a museum of natural history, science museum, aquarium, planetarium, local history museum, kids museum. Some museums have free days or reduced rates for children.

8. Do a project together. The Pioneer Clubs Easy to Make Projects book (catalog #2723) has directions for over 200 projects that use clay, fabric, paper, paints, and wood. You might want to pick projects that you can do together outside.

9. Encourage camp participation. Camp Cherith^®, Pioneer Clubs’ camping ministry, is an exciting extension of your club. Camp is an excellent way for children to build lasting relationships and get closer to Jesus. Send them postcards if you know they’re there. Or, better yet, go with them as camp staff. If they attend, upon their return, ask them to share their Cherith experience at a special get-together with the other club members. For a directory and location of camps, go to www.pioneerclubs.org/campcherith.htm.

10. Pray for your club members. The most meaningful way of all to show interest in your club members is to pray for them this summer and let them know it. Call them and ask for specific prayer requests. Then e-mail them or drop them a note to let them know that you did pray for them.

Changed Lives
“Since we recognize the importance of maintaining relationships with the kids involved in our Pioneer Clubs program, our leaders decided to take advantage of the summer months and provide ongoing activities for the kids in our area. We have found that the relationships built over the years are nurtured because of this. The kids get extremely excited by the different activities that we make available to them. Things as simple as mini-car races, bike trips, and a carnival to kick off the fall season help us build into the kids’ lives in a positive way. We have found that our Pioneer Clubs program benefits greatly from simply spending some fun time with the kids throughout the summer months.” –Shaun Wick, pastor, The Gospel Chapel, Vanderhoof, British Columbia

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

Today’s Kids...
..have high energy levels and enjoy physical activity. They also tend to be conscious of others’ needs. Channel that energy this summer by planning events and projects where they can burn up some of that energy. Service projects always help kids get their eyes off themselves and onto others.

Pioneer Clubs Announcements

For U.S. Pioneer Clubs-

We’re Looking for Pioneer Clubs/Pioneer Girls^® Alumni
If you attended club or Camp Cherith^® as a child, we want to hear from you! Please e-mail Carlene Smith at csmith@pioneerclubs.org or call the Pioneer Clubs Development Department at 800-694-2582.

Honor Someone Special
Is there a club leader or Pal whose service the past year was particularly outstanding? A great way to recognize him or her is through an honor gift to Pioneer Clubs. The recipient will receive a certificate suitable for framing and have his or her name listed in our inContact newsletter. To make an honor gift, let us know the name and address of the person to be honored and whether you want the certificate mailed to the honoree or to you, so you can present it in person.

Reflections

“Cherishing children is the mark of a civilized society.” – Joan Ganz Cooney

Lighter Side

A little boy came home eating a big candy bar. His mother (remembering he had already spent all his allowance) asked him where he got it. “I bought it at the store with the dollar you gave me,” he said. “But that dollar was for Sunday school,” his mother replied. “I know, Mom,” he said, “but the pastor met me at the door and got me in for free!”