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| September 2006 Vol. 1, No. 2 |
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Welcome!  
In two short weeks Pioneer Clubs will be in full swing
at my church. Basic training is done and we’ve
mapped out the year ahead. It’s an exciting time
because I know in the coming year I’ll see many kids
grow in the Lord and some others hear about him for
the first time. I’m sure the same will happen at
your
club. It’s a great blessing to work with children.
Take a moment to read “Seven Secrets to Club Management” in this issue of the Leadership eNewsletter. These tried-and-true discipline tips will get your club off to an excellent start. And don’t miss “Activity Awards Made Easy.” Activity awards help children grow as whole persons—an important part of Pioneer Clubs. Plus, kids love them. Remember, we’re here to help you make club the best it can be. Click here to send us your questions, thoughts and ideas so we can address them in this eNewsletter. Until next month... Blessings!  Judy Bryson President, Pioneer Clubs It Worked at Our Club Pastor Cliff Randall, of Monterey Church of Christ in
Monterey, Louisana, shares these ideas:
Club Promotion Every member of club was given a yard sign promoting Pioneer Clubs (similar to the signs used for political campaigns) to post in his or her front yard. Seeing the signs got people talking throughout the community about Pioneer Clubs. Birthday Night At Monterey Church of Christ, celebrating children’s birthdays was once reserved for Sunday morning children’s church. Since we had so many children, we decided to make it part of our Pioneer Clubs. During our opening assembly we announce the birthdays for that month and have the children come up and blow out candles on cup cakes. Afterward, we all have cupcakes and drinks. In addition, I give kids a present a bookmark with a seed pad inside. When they plant the seed pad the flowers grow in the shape of a cross. We wanted an extra way to say, “we love and care for you.” Kickoff Theme Our kickoff for this year is a space theme: “Shoot for the Stars.” STARs is an acronym that stands for: S— seek, love, and follow Jesus; T—trust, explore and live God's Word; A—actively serve the body of Christ; and R—reach out to the community with the love of God. If you have ideas that you’d like to share, please send them to us at newsletter@pioneerclubs.org. What's Up at Club? 
Most clubs are just now starting up, so we hope
you’ll soon be sending us plenty of fabulous photos.
We’d especially love to see what creative events you
organized for your fall kickoff. To send us your stories
and digital photos,
click here. Pictured are club members from Amity United Methodist Church, Mt. Vernon, Ohio, at their spring 2006 Kids for Kids Hike. If your club wasn’t able to have a spring Kids for Kids Hike, then consider participating in the Autumn Kids for Kids Hike on October 14. For more details on how to plan a hike, click here. For more pictures of what’s going on at club, click here. Seven Secrets to Club Management While it takes time to create a club discipline policy,
it’s worth the investment. As you map out your
discipline policy, employ biblical principles to create
an action plan grounded in love and servanthood.
Outdoor Games Fishing Two players form a “net” by clasping both hands. They then try to catch a “fish” (another player) in this net. When they catch one, the three of them form a net or circle. When they catch a fourth player, the four of them become two nets. This continues until all are caught. Limit the playing area so the fish will not be too scattered. Activity Awards Made Easy 
The skill-building activities introduced through Pioneer
Clubs activity awards help children grow as whole
persons. That’s an important goal of the Pioneer
Clubs program. Activity awards cover five categories
of skills: Arts & Communication; Myself, My Family
and Others; Hobbies and Projects; Outdoors and
Camping; and Sports and Games. When you follow
the curriculum outlined in each leader’s plan book,
you will introduce club members to a complete
spectrum of new skills. Activity awards can
strengthen areas of interest, enrich club members’
lives, and encourage them to have fun with friends in
a Christian environment. Here are some tips for using
awards:
Award choices. Two activity awards are included in each meeting. You may do one or both as time permits. Requirements for each activity award are found in the club member’s handbook. You may replace a suggested award in the leader’s plan book with another of the awards listed in the handbook, if you prefer. News from Pioneer Clubs Headquarters Autumn Kids for Kids Hike Join us this fall for the Autumn Kids for Kids Hike! An autumn hike makes a sensational kickoff for your club year. It’s also a great way to increase your club’s visibility and to get unchurched kids involved early. Our official autumn hike date is October 14, 2006, but you may choose whatever date best suits your club. Click here for all the information you need to have a successful and fun hike. Or call 800-694-2582 and ask for the development department. If the autumn hike doesn’t work well for your church, then consider the spring hike on April 21, 2007. |
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| Copyright (c) 2006 Pioneer Clubs All rights reserved. PO Box 788 Wheaton IL 60189-0788 | ||||||||||||
