Welcome

1. Welcome

2. What is Awana? Awana comes from the key verse 2 Timothy 2:15 “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”

3. What clubs are in Awana? • Awana divides the children into different clubs, based on the children’s ages. • Cubbies is for 3-4 year olds • Sparks is for K-2nd graders • T&T is for 3rd-5th graders

4. Sharing the Gospel • The whole point of Awana is to reach boys and girls with the gospel of Christ. • Look for opportunities to share the gospel with the clubbers. Explain verses to them. Look for signs that God may be working with them.

5. Tips for Gospel Sharing • Talk to the clubbers individually. • Use concrete terms (try to stay away from “church” terms or at least explain them. • Present the gospel frequently • Do not pressure or manipulate. • Use open-ended questions. • Maintain an attitude of prayer

6. Leader’s Responsibilities • Paperwork The leaders main responsibility is to ensure that the paperwork is filled out correctly, so that the clubbers are given their correct awards. (We will explain paperwork soon) • Discipline of the class – it is your job to keep order in the class (often a controlled chaos), so that clubbers can work on saying sections. • Starting and ending handbook time on the correct time.

7. Listener’s Responsibilities • Listen to clubbers as they try to pass sections (more on this later). • Help the handbook leader by getting supplies from the Awana office, etc. • Help the handbook leader with discipline issues the class.

8. Opening Ceremony • Leaders and listeners are asked to be here by 6:15 if possible. • Before opening ceremony begins, help us keep clubbers seated in pews. • When the five count starts, help by being quiet yourself and reminding clubbers to get quiet and listen.

9. Missions Time • Leaders and listeners are asked to go with their clubbers to missions time. • Please sit in the middle of the clubbers, instead of all the adults grouped together. Participate in the class, along with the kids. • When the five count starts, help by being quiet yourself and reminding clubbers to get quiet and listen. • Assist the missions teacher, if she needs it.

10. Game Time • Leaders and listeners are asked to go to game time with their clubbers. • Help clubbers get lined up on correct color, so they can start playing games. • Don’t group together as adults to talk, be involved in game time, helping explain directions helping kids be quiet so everyone can hear, and help with the enthusiasm level. We want game time to be fun!

11. Cubbies will be in the Hopper Handbook this year. They must complete the Bear Hug Brochure before they receive their handbook. • All Cubbies work on the same section (called Bear Hugs) each week. (If they start late, they start where the class is and can say more than one verse each week to catch up.)

12. If a Cubbie wants to do “extra” work, they can also complete the Apple Tree. They have an activity to do at home and three review verses to say in Awana. • Each “Bear Hug” has a Bible story and coloring sheet to go along with the verse.

13. Cubbie Awards • Cubbies earn awards every few weeks – to keep them motivated. The first award they earn is their rank patch. • After that, they earn either Luv E. Lamb patches or Ern E. Elephant patches to go on their uniform vest. • Awards are given to the leader by the Awana secretary to be given to the clubbers at the end of the night. Cubbies need to be wearing their uniforms to receive their awards. • See the Awana secretary if an award is missing. Rank Patch Patches

14. CubbieAwards, cont. • Cubbies also earn attendance awards twice a year. • For first year Cubbies, they will earn a Zebra patch if they have not missed SS more than twice from August-December. For second year Cubbies, they will earn a Giraffe patch if they have not missed SS more than twice during that same time period. • The Lion patch is awards for Awana attendance for the semester. Clubbers are allowed up to two absences (if they miss due to a family trip or illness, it does not count against their awards. They just need to notify the Awana secretaries.

15. End of the Year Cubbie Awards • Cubbies who complete their book will receive a “Book Award.” For first year Cubbies, it is a miniature Cubbie Bear. For second year Cubbies, they will receive a ribbon. Both can be worn on their uniform • For Cubbies who complete all of the Apple Tree sections in their handbook, they will receive a Cubbie bear pin. • All Cubbies will receive a Parent Certificate. • Any Cubbie who does not finish their book will receive a participation certificate. (Every clubber will get their name called out, get to come on stage, and receive some kind of award.)

16. Sparks have three handbooks: HangGlider, WingRunner, and SkyStormer. They must complete the Flight 3:16 brochure before they receive their handbook. • Sparks must complete one handbook before moving on to the next one. • Sparks work at their own pace and can complete up to 3-4 sections each week, as time allows.

17. If a Sparks clubber completes his/her handbook before the year is over, there are Frequent Flyer “extra credit” books they can complete. • If a clubber in Kindergarten completes the HangGlider book, they may go on to the Frequent Flyer book, but they may not go to the WingRunner book. • 1st graders may not go beyond the WingRunner book into the SkyStormer book, but they can do the Frequent Flyer book.

18. When a clubber comes to the Sparks club, they all start with Flight 3:16, then they progress through the other three handbooks.

19. Sparks Awards • Sparks earn a rank patch for their vest, then they are awarded “wings” with jewels to go in their wings. • Awards are given to the leader by the Awana secretary. The leader passes out the awards to the clubbers at the end of the night. • Clubbers need to be wearing their uniform to receive their awards. Rank Patch Wings with jewels SS Emblem Charter numbers

20. Sparks Awards, cont. • Sparks have a chance to earn the blue jewel 4 times a year (at the end of each quarter). As a leader, you don’t have to worry about these – the Awana secretaries will award them when appropriate. • Sparks have a chance to earn the SS emblem twice a year. Again, the secretaries will award these when earned (based on info gathered at sign-in)

21. Sparks Awards, cont. Extra Credit Awards: • Clubbers who finish the review in their handbook will receive a review patch (given at the end of the year ceremony) to be worn behind their wings. • Clubbers who finish a Frequent Flyer Book will earn a Frequent Flyer Pin (given at the end of the year ceremony)

22. End of the Year Awards • First Book Award – Green ribbon for any Sparks clubber who finishes their HangGlider book • Second Book Award – Blue ribbon for any Sparks clubber who finishes their WingRunner Book • Sparky Award Plaque – For any Sparks clubber who finished their SkyStormer Book.

23. End of the Year Awards • Any Sparks who was not able to finish their handbook during the year will receive a Certificate of Participation. They will still get their name called out and get to come up on stage.

24. T&T stands for Truth and Training and is really two clubs in one. • 3rd-4th Graders are in the Ultimate Adventure Group • 5th-6th Graders are in the Ultimate Challenge Group. • There are two handbooks for each age group.

25. Each group has its own uniform and award system. • Each club starts with a Start Zone that clubbers must complete before earning their handbooks. • Clubbers in T&T are allowed to work at their own pace and can say as many sections as time allows.

26. Each handbook contains “Silver” and “Gold” sections that are extra credit. These sections are not required to earn their handbook awards.

27. T&T Adventure Awards • 3rd-4th Graders work in the Adventure series. Their award bar is a dog, with a bowl to add different color “bones” to it. The book one bar is red, and the book two bar is blue. Clubbers earn a “bone” each time they finish a discovery in their book.

28. T&T Challenge Awards • Clubbers in 5th-6th grade have a separate uniform. They earn patches that they can place on their uniform anywhere in the white areas that they choose.

29. T&T Awards • Awards are given to the leader by the Awana secretary. Leaders give out the awards to the clubbers. Make a big deal out of their achievements and really encourage them for a job well done! • Clubbers need to have their uniform on to receive their awards.

30. T&T Awards, cont. • T&T clubbers are awarded stickers to be placed in the back of their books (4 times a year for club attendance and twice a year for SS attendance) • Clubbers who complete all gold and silver in their books will receive a special award at the end of the year ceremony. • Clubber who were not able to finish their books during the Awana year will still receive a Certificate of Participation

31. T&T End of the Year Awards • 1st Book in T&T – Alpha Award • 2nd Book in T&T – Excellence Award • 3rd Book in T&T – Challenge Award • 4th Book in T&T – Timothy Award

32. So, what does handbook time look like? • Handbook leaders are asked to start each handbook time with prayer.

33. Handbook Time, cont. • After the prayer, handbook leaders need to check the sign-in sheets to make sure all the clubbers signed in and that all the clubbers that signed in made it to your room The secretaries will come by and pick up the attendance sheet early in the handbook time.

34. Handbook Time, cont. • Then the real fun begins. Hopefully, clubbers have studied at home and come to church ready to say sections, but in reality, this doesn’t happen very often. Be prepared to work with clubbers who need help. • Clubbers will bring their handbook to a free listener (or leader) to say their section.

35. Handbook Time, cont. • As a listener, your job is to see if the clubbers can pass their section. At the end of each section, you will see a place to sign their handbook if they pass the section correctly.

36. Handbook Time, cont. • Clubbers are allowed two “helps” to pass each section (not just each verse). • A help can be a word or a gesture to give a clubber a hint. • Each section must be completed entirely in one try (not just each verse but the entire section). If there’s more than one verse per section, they must be said together. (Most common mistake is allowing a clubber to say one verse then go back and study the next verse. They must say all verses for that section at one time!) • Many sections also contain a trivia question or other activity that the clubbers must complete too. Please check to make sure they have done all the work necessary to complete the section.

37. Handbook Time, cont. • Sections in the handbooks must be completed in order, so please check and make sure that clubbers have completed the section before the one they are working on. • If clubbers need help to be able to pass a section, feel free to work with them to help them learn how to memorize. Many clubbers do not have parents’ help at home, so encourage them and help them when they need it. • Leaders need to watch and if a clubber goes 2 weeks without saying a section, then they need a listener assigned to them the next week to help out. We want everyone making progress.

38. Handbook Time, cont. • After clubbers have completed their section, they need to make sure the handbook leader records their section on the forms, so they can earn awards. We are having problems with all sections passed not getting written down on this sheet. We want everyone to get credit for what they pass, so please make sure all sections said during a night get recorded! • That’s all there is to it

39. Paperwork, cont. • Section forms are completed by handbook leaders and turned in to the Awana office. All you have to do is write each clubber’s name (first and last please), what handbook they are working in, and circle the sections that they complete.

40. Paperwork, cont. • Handbook leaders are also asked to keep a Clubber Record form. We will compare the Awana office records with these records if there is ever any question about what a clubber has completed. Each form is for one clubber. It has a place to keep attendance, as well as a place to record each section as it is passed. Please write down the date that it was passed, not just a checkmark.

41. Awana Calendar • Each night of Awana is a “special” night. Clubbers are encouraged to participate to either earn extra points or participate in prize drawings. • Leaders and listeners are encouraged to participate too! • Visit http://www.foothillsbaptist.org/awana to download a copy of the calendar.

42. Awana Store • Clubbers earn points each week by coming to Awana, wearing their uniform, bringing friends, etc. They also earn points for passing sections. They can spend these points at the Awana store to buy things for themselves or others. We will have a store night the last night we meet in December, then again in March, and in May.

43. Clubber of the Quarter • Each quarter, we award a clubber of the quarter to each club. The clubber who has passed the most sections during that quarter wins. We award a clubber of the quarter for the Sparks and T&T. • Once a clubber has won the clubber of the quarter, they cannot win it again that year. • At the end of the year, we award a clubber of the year award to the clubber from each group that passed the most sections. • At the end of the year, we will also allow each clubber who has finished their book to put a cool whip cream pie in their leader’s face.