October is in full swing, and so is football season! That means tailgates and concession stands full of hot dogs, burgers and all the trimmings. Or maybe you’re the apple-cider-taffy-apple-anything-apple kind of person in October. One thing we know: it’s all good!

If it’s October, most Awana clubs are in full swing too! How is your’s going so far? Some say that October is the most important month in your Awana ministry year. Here’s why: Whether you started Awana in later August or in September, October is the time to E.A.T.:

• Evaluate your club start
• Adjust where necessary
• Tailor what your club needs next

We’ll give you more suggestions for E.A.T.ing in this issue of Awana Ideas.

Oh, and did you notice that October 31 falls on a Wednesday this year? If your club meets on a Wednesday, of course you did! So what are you planning to do? Read on for some easy Halloween ideas other clubs have used.

In the meantime, enjoy your next tailgate, taffy apple or candy treat! We’ll see you in November.

Yours for kids,

Dale & Jodi

EVALUATE YOUR CLUB START

1. Don’t forget about parents!

• How have you considered their role as primary spiritual nurturers of their children as you planned your ministry year?

2. Let’s get practical:

• How is your club doing space-wise?
• How is Awana affecting the rest of your church ministries? Walk around and ask questions to find out.

3. Take care of your own:

• Now that you have enough leaders to start Awana, how are you taking care of them, encouraging them, training them?

ADJUST WHERE NECESSARY

1. Consider a parent connection:

• Do parents know why you have Awana? Or who to ask if they don’t know the answer to this question?
• As a starting point, consider sharing a Parent Welcome Booklet or a copy of Awana Starts at Home.

2. Practical matters:

• If you’re crowded, here’s an idea: some churches run a “constant” Game Time and Handbook Time throughout those two portions of their club night. Kids play games until called into the Handbook Time room, then go back to the games when they’re done. Not having everyone doing handbooks at the same time removes the need to have as many Handbook Time rooms.
• Many ministry leaders love Awana, but sometimes struggle when it creates conflicts with other ministries. Any adjustments you can make will strengthen your church’s commitment to Awana!

3. Care and feeding of volunteers:

• Do you have enough volunteers for the ideal ratio of 10 clubbers to two leaders? If attendance grows, will you have enough volunteers? Are you praying for your leaders, and telling them so? Do you have plans to give them small gifts of encouragement?

TAILOR WHAT YOUR CLUB NEEDS NEXT

1. Partner with parents!

• Pray about introducing HomeBase™.
• At minimum, put a copy of God’s Grand Vision for the Home into the hands of every parent. If necessary, approach a generous giver in your church to consider funding this investment. It’s that important!

2. Pray (and plan) for growth:

• Take a look at your club attendance lists, and the rooms they meet in. What will you do if club attendance grows by as much as 50 percent, or even doubles? (It happens as kids invite their friends!) Make a plan now.
• Here’s a big one: if you’re overcrowded, should you consider running Awana twice a week to properly minister to all the kids? Pray about it – and for additional volunteers. Many churches haven chosen to run club twice a week!

3. Let’s get better…together!

• OK, has everyone been through Awana Basic Training? This is the essential starting point! Even if you’re a seasoned leader, this is a time to reinforce why you do what you do, and how to do it better.
• Want to grow from there? Check out Rorheim Institute.
• Commanders, you must consider Commander College. This new growth and training opportunity is tailored to the unique demands of the commander role. Those who attended said it was the best thing that ever happened to their Awana ministry!

• Some clubs, especially those with a large number of church kids, have “dress up like a Bible character” night.  You could even have kids come prepared to share the favorite thing about their character, and make that part of your Large Group Time on God’s amazing cast of characters in Scripture!
• Clubs with a larger attendance of unchurched kids have featured “Affliction Night.”  Everyone comes dressed up in some kind of injury or affliction! Games can include using crutches as batons or using them as pushers for bathroom tissue (bandage) rolls. You can also race to unroll your bandage rolls, or race to bandage your leader by wrapping each team’s leader with a roll of tissue.  Be sure to bring your camera! Large Group Time centers on the great affliction we all have – sin - and its cure found only in Jesus Christ.
• Other churches run an Awana fair as a Halloween alternative activity, often in tandem with the “Trunk or Treat” concept. Fair booths are moved outside to the parking lot next to leaders’ cars, trucks and minivans. Kids enjoy the games and then “trunk or treat” at each car for sweets! The fair time is always followed with a special Large Group Time, which may include puppets, singing, a guest speaker or children’s video.
• Still other ideas like the “Pumpkin Patch Party” can be found in the Awana Encyclopedia of Ideas, pages 11-12.  While you’re there, check out the suggestions for Thanksgiving and Christmas … coming soon!
• This is also a great time of year to run a Parents’ Night or activity.  See Powerful Programs for Parents, pages 27-40.
• Kidology.org has a full resource section to help churches plan redeeming alternatives to Halloween. (Membership required to access most resources; our mentioning this site does not constitute an endorsement of the site or its contents.)

At the Awana Forums, you’ll find friendly folks from all over who:

• Freely share from their Awana experience
• Love to encourage fellow Awana leaders
• Offer practical solutions to common ministry challenges
• Encourage, brainstorm with, and pray for you when you have an UNcommon ministry challenge!
• Link you to solutions they’ve found
• Pray for each other

Find your forum, then browse or search the topic threads. Enjoy!

Question: are you interested in something like this? RBGY asks that you take a look, leave a response or send feedback on how to blog better for the sake of all you Awana leaders out there.  

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