November 2002

Dear Christian Leader,

This month we want to share with you some ways to use your Pioneer Clubs program as an outreach tool. Many churches say that Pioneer Clubs is the best outreach tool their church has!

First, you’ll find 10 tips for reaching unchurched kids. But we don’t stop there, and you don’t have to either. As new kids join your club, their parents are likely to become interested in club, too, and then in your church. So we’ve added 10 ways you can be intentional about using Pioneer Clubs to help along this process.

20 Ways to Reach Unchurched Kids and Families

10 Tips for Reaching Unchurched Kids

1. Advertise your Pioneer Clubs to community parents. Check Promoting Your Club Program (catalog #2771) for ideas and reproducible promotion items.

• distribute flyers through the church neighborhood
• put club information and pictures on your church’s Web site
• use the Outdoor Welcome Banner (catalog #6700) in front of the church
• hang posters in businesses or schools (be sure to get permission)
• send club information to TV and radio stations that do free public service announcements

2. In your promotional materials, advertise club as a resource for building good morals and spiritual values into children. Both Christian and non-Christian parents appreciate help in teaching children values, and many parents want their children exposed to church even if they don’t attend.

3. Encourage kids to bring friends. Plan a special Bring a Friend meeting with an unusual theme or maybe unusual animals to meet (reptiles from a local zoo or pet shop, police dogs, etc.). You can find a complete Bring a Friend meeting plan plus customizable invitations under Creative Meeting Ideas in the Leader Resource Center (password: kids) at www.pioneerclubs.org.

4. Encourage club members to wear their Pioneer Clubs T-shirts to school on club days, as an “opening” for talking to kids who ask about it. Provide club members with invitations to hand out; check Promoting Your Club Program for ones to reproduce. (Check the school’s policy.)

5. Make a fuss over visitors when they come. Introduce them and have everyone cheer for them. Let visitors choose a small gift from a “prize bucket” containing toys and knickknacks from the Pioneer Clubs catalog. Give them a Pioneer Clubs name button (catalog #6780). Send a “Glad You Came” postcard (catalog #6728) to follow up.

6. Arrange carpooling between unchurched parents and church-member families. This provides a service and helps parents get to know each other.

7. Get names, addresses, and phone numbers of kids who come to VBS, and send information about Pioneer Clubs to their parents.

8. Sponsor a community event (fun fair, ice cream social, spaghetti dinner, etc.). Have an information table with Pioneer Clubs materials, club members’ projects, and club brochures. Have club leaders staff the table to talk with interested parents.

9. Sponsor a Pioneer Clubs booth at other community events. Or enter a Pioneer Clubs float in a local parade.

10. Encourage church-member families to invite kids in their neighborhood. Provide them with invitations (see Promoting Your Club Program for ones to reproduce).

10 Tips for Reaching Unchurched Parents of Club Members

1. When unchurched parents form relationships with people from your church, they’re more likely to receive Jesus and become involved in church. Sponsor an activity for parents during club time. Encourage church-member parents to attend, too, to get to know the unchurched parents.

• parenting group
• couples small group
• MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers)
• weight control class
• craft club
• aerobics
• basketball
• “What does the Bible say about...” discussion group

2. Encourage church-member families to invite unchurched club members’ parents to church social events.

3. Send a “video packet” home with club members to enjoy with their families:

• Christian family video or a video showing club in action
• information about upcoming club and church events, plus contact information

4. Add Pioneer Clubs families to your church mailing list and e-mail list.

5. If you hear of a crisis or major event in a club member’s family, find someone to follow up (the child’s club leader, a church member who has gone through a similar circumstance, the pastor, etc.). Have all the kids and leaders in the child’s club make a giant card for the family with drawings and signatures.

6. Recruit a greeter to chat with and get to know unchurched parents when they drop off kids for club and pick them up. Provide coffee and refreshments.

7. Ask unchurched parents for help in club:

• bring the snack
• help lead an activity award that matches their hobby or profession
• help chaperone an outing
• take pictures or videos of a club meeting or special event

8. Ask unchurched parents for help in church, in an area where they can work alongside church-member parents:

• ask a computer whiz to help get your church online
• ask a parent to run sound or video equipment for a Christmas program or Pioneer Clubs Week
• ask a parent with drama experience to help with the skit for his or her child’s club for Pioneer Clubs Week

9. Hold a parent/child or family/child event (talent show, indoor winter beach party, etc.). Allow time for a question-and-answer session. You’ll find events like these written into your Pioneer Clubs curriculum in many units and awards, which will help you plan. Look in Unit Extras listings, award Extra Credits, and Parties and Special Events (catalog #2721) for more ideas.

10. Plan to have club members help during a church service. Invite parents to come and feel proud of their kids. Urge church-member parents to introduce themselves and talk with them. Kids could usher, sing, make banners to go with the theme of a sermon series, and so on. Look for more ideas in awards about the church.

Changed Lives

Matt and his family, all non-Christians, started attending Pleasant Hill Community Church and signed Matt up for Pioneer Clubs. Matt trusted Jesus for the first time during a Pioneer Clubs meeting. Later, Matt's dad also accepted Christ, as a result of a video given out to all Pioneer Clubs families. Next, Matt's mother surrendered her life to Christ, as well! Their pastor says this outreach has sparked a new excitement in their church.

Pioneer Clubs Announcements

• Has your church sent in your Pioneer Clubs registration form and fee for the 2002-03 club year? The registration deadline was October 1, 2002, but if you take care of your club and leader registration right away, your leaders will receive the winter issue of Perspective^® on time.
• You may be able to double – even triple – your gift to Pioneer Clubs^® through a matching gift by your employer. In some cases, companies will match gifts from retired employees, spouses, or members of the board of directors. Some will even make a financial contribution based on time an employee volunteers for a nonprofit organization. To find out whether your company has a matching gift program, and for specifics on how to request a matching gift, contact your Human Resources department. What a great way to help even more children learn to make Christ Lord in every aspect of life!
• 2003 Kids for Kids Hike Countdown. Here’s what to do this month to plan for your club’s hike:
  • Get permission from your church to participate in the hike.
  • Put your hike date on your club calendar. You can hike on the official hike date, April 26, or whatever date works best for your church.
  • Consider selecting a committee to do the hike planning.
  • Consider inviting others to hike with your group—your pastor, family members, members of the congregation, friends, etc.
  • Consider doing a joint hike with another Pioneer Clubs group. For a list of churches with Pioneer Clubs in your area, call 1-800-694-2582.
• Bring a Friend meeting. If you have not downloaded your free lesson plan and invitations, do so now by clicking on Creative Meeting Ideas when you visit the Leader Resource Center at www.pioneerclubs.org/lrc (password: kids).

Reflections

“You cannot hope to realize this side of heaven the impact you will have on one child. Likely you will have an impact on many. But there will be one child who may turn from an impossible life ahead to a profoundly useful one, and by God’s grace, you have been the fork in the road....And you never know which child it will be.”

–Dr. V. Gilbert Beers.

Lighter Side

A new Sunday school teacher had to iron out some problems with the Lord's Prayer. One child had to be corrected about repeating, "Howard be thy name." Another youngster prayed, "Lead us not into Penn Station." Still another surprised the teacher with, "Our Father, who art in heaven, how'd you know my name?"

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