May 2004

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.

Summer is just around the bend, and the forecast is for lazy days and hot rays. But don't forget about club! If you do a few proactive things this summer, you'll be in better shape for the start of the new club season. Try some tips from the following "calendars" for coordinators and leaders.

Summer "Tips of the Month"

--For Coordinators

May. Continue recruiting new club leaders as needed. Ideas:

• Help club members make and sign personalized "official invitations" that you can give to potential volunteers.
• Visit adult Sunday school and Bible study groups, showing pictures and giving testimonials from the club year.

June. Poll both incoming and veteran club leaders to see what training topics would help them. Page 47 of the Promoting Your Club Program book has a polling sheet already created for you to photocopy and hand out. Then you can use the training videos (catalog p. 5) and the Leader Training Outlines book (catalog #2754) to begin planning training to help your leaders start the new year feeling supported and confident.

July.

• Visit vacation Bible school groups and talk up Pioneer Clubs. If you made a video of club this year, show that to the VBS kids.
• Invite VBS leaders to continue ministering to these kids by serving in Pioneer Clubs.

August. As you plan the upcoming club year with club leaders, jot down prayer requests and submit them to the church to be published in the bulletin or read from the pulpit.

For a complete calendar of ideas for coordinators, see Pioneer Clubs' Club Coordinator's Manual.

--For Club Leaders

May. Work with your coordinator to hold a fundraiser with club members to help provide scholarships for summer camp (first check your church's policy on fundraisers). Club members could make and sell something related to camp or nature, such as Clothespin Refrigerator Magnets (p. 60, Easy to Make Projects book [catalog #2723]) decorated with nature items instead of pom-poms. (For camp dates for the kids and volunteer opportunities for you, check http://www.pioneerclubs.org/campcherith.htm.)

June.

• Work with your coordinator to make sure each club member has a church to attend this summer (or a standing invitation and offer of a ride to yours!).
• Invite Pioneer Clubs kids to VBS.

August. Create anticipation by sending postcards (catalog p. 26) to former club members and potential new ones, announcing the date and theme of the Club Kickoff.

Changed Lives
"Last year, a young boy began attending our Pioneer Clubs ministry. His single father would bring him to Pioneer Clubs and Sunday school, but the dad wouldn't come to church himself. He was always very friendly, but just was not ready to attend. The boy was very faithful, however. He began asking his dad spiritual questions that his dad had no answers to. Finally, last June, the father began attending church. He came every Sunday and listened intently. He very carefully investigated for himself the claims of Christ, and in November, he accepted the Lord as his Savior. He has begun voraciously devouring the Word and every other good, scriptural book he can get his hands on. As a result, he is growing immensely! Last month, the son accepted the Lord for himself, so now they're united in Christ." –Elaine Rudy, Anchor Baptist Church, Genoa City, Wisconsin

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 less unscheduled, unstructured time than kids used to. Some club members may even carry day planners! Summer can be a great time to plan less-structured club activities where kids can just be kids. Plan summer club activities well in advance and make sure parents know about them in time to work them into their kids' calendars.

Announcements

• Thanks to all who participated in the Kids for Kids Hike! Please remember to complete your Hike Report (downloadable at http://www.pioneerclubs.org/lrc/HikeRpt.pdf) and mail it with your check to Pioneer Clubs, PO Box 788, Wheaton, IL 60189-0788. And please enclose a photo we can post on our Web site (photos become the property of Pioneer Clubs).

U.S. Pioneer Clubs

• Club coordinators: Please be on the lookout for a letter you'll receive later this month asking you to encourage your church to make a special end-of-year donation to Pioneer Clubs. The ministry is experiencing a significant shortfall of church contributions, and we really need your help. Thanks in advance for encouraging your congregation to make a gift at this crucial time.
• Attention 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.

Canadian Pioneer Clubs

• Clearance items available in limited quantities! Order now to receive great savings on the following items: #6743 Sports Bottle, #6724-6728 Postcards, #2769 Big Book of Bible Skills, #2767 Big Book of Bible Games, #2768 Big Book of Bible Crafts, #3579-3585 Teen Books, #3577 The Word on the Sermon on the Mount, #3575 Pulse. For Canadian orders go to http://www.pioneerclubs.ca/view/?pageID=119222 or call 800-465-5437(in Canada only).

Reflections

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" (Matthew 25:40)

Lighter Side

A little boy's prayer: "Dear God, please take care of my daddy and my mommy and my sister and my brother and my doggy and me. Oh, yeah, please take care of yourself, God. If anything happens to you, we're gonna be in a big mess."

Featured Products

Leader Training Outlines

Item #2754
Catalog pg. 4

All the information you need to prepare and conduct great leader training sessions. Includes topics like Basic Training, Leading Bible Exploration, Making Bible Memory Fun, and How to Recruit Club Leaders.

U.S. orders >>>http://www.pioneerclubs.org/lrc/orderresources.asp