Try one or more of these methods for thanking your club leaders and motivating them to come back next year.

  1. Bulletin Recognition – List all the club leaders’ names in the church bulletin, along with a quote about why they enjoyed leading club. Use a heading such as “A Giant Thank-You to Our Faithful Pioneer Clubs Leaders!” This will also have the benefit of catching the eye of members of the congregation, who may decide to volunteer next year.
  2. Website – Post this same information on your church’s website.
  3. Song – Pass out a flier with this song to parents to ask them to help their child learn a song to thank leaders. Help club members sing it in a church service or at the start of club for all their leaders.
    • Thank you, leaders, thank you!
    • We’re so glad to have you!
    • You teach us about God
    • And you care for us, too.
  4. Church Presentation – Ask for a few minutes in a church service to recognize club leaders. Have them all stand up so the congregation can see them. Spend a little time talking about club and how the leaders make the good results possible. With permission from the people involved, talk about:
    • the joy that the kids experience and express (“Chris accepted Christ in Pioneer Clubs this year,” “Noah prayed for the first time last week,” etc.
    • the joy that this brings you, the leaders, and parents (“Mr. B. said that he had tears in his eyes when he heard his daughter quoting memory verses around the house.”)
    • the importance of the program in the lives of the children
  5. Graduates’ Presentation – Instead of just speaking yourself in a church presentation, try asking the kids who are graduating from your club’s oldest age level to take turns saying a few words about what Pioneer Clubs and their club leaders have meant to them. They could answer the questions “I’m glad I was in Pioneer Clubs because ___________” and “My club leader helped me learn _____________.”
  6. Flashlight – Give a small flashlight to each leader with a note to say, “Thank you for your willingness to light the way to Jesus for club members.” Add a note about something a parent told you about how club affected his or her child.
  7. Gum – Ask a crafty person to make new labels for sticks of gum that say, “We’re stuck on you!” Add a note with all the club members’ signatures.
  8. Birthday Candles – Present leaders with a package of birthday candles: “Thanks for letting God’s light shine through you to the club members!”
  9. Strawberry Social – Ask several people in the congregation to make a treat featuring strawberries. Set them out after church for the congregation to enjoy. Hang a banner that says, “Thank. you BERRY much!” and includes club leaders’ names and the Pioneer Clubs logo.
  10. Prayer Time – Set up a time when you can pray with each club leader individually. Come armed with ways you’ve seen the club leader make a difference in club this year, so you can thank God specifically for those things. If the leader is unsure about returning next year, pray for his or her decision. If the leader is comfortable sharing the reasons he or she is hesitating, you can pray for each reason specifically. Praying about specifics in these ways will touch the leader much more than general statements that could apply to anyone.