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Welcome To the Awana Home Page
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WELCOME TO OUR AWANA HOMEPAGE AT FFC.ORG!!
Note from your Awana Commander:
Dear Parents,
SPECIAL CHRISTMAS AWANA NIGHT!!!
Wednesday night, December 23rd we WILL have Awana. It will be a very special Awana night; CHRISTMAS EDITION! I hope to see you all there!!!
PARENTS OF 3RD - 6TH GRADERS (T&T) - EVERYONE NEEDS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BIBLE QUIZ!!!
Wednesday night, December 9th we held our first official practice for the Awana Regional Bible Quiz to be held RIGHT HERE at First Family Church! The Awana Regional Bible Quiz will be held on Saturday, February 6th. This is a competition between dozens of other churches throughout our region that quizzes clubbers on their knowledge of their Awana handbook. We need ALL CLUBBERS TO PARTICIPATE!
We will be holding practices at 6:00 PM every Wednesday night in the Praiseland, INCLUDING December 23rd. Then, starting Saturday January 9th, we will be holding practice from 10 am to Noon in the Executive Dining Room. After each Saturday practice, there will be a PIZZA PARTY!!! We'll also have some snacks and drinks for Wednesday practices as well. Let's represent First Family Church and our Awana club to the BEST OF OUR ABILITY! I am praying for 20 boys and 20 girls to be COMMITTED to competing in the Bible Quiz. For more information, email me at rogers@ffc.org.
PARENTS WE NEED YOUR HELP! GRANDPARENTS WE NEED YOUR HELP! ANY ADULTS - WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!
Another thing new this year is volunteer leadership requirements. We will be asking EVERY parent of a clubber to volunteer for one Wednesday night per month. Our biggest club needs now are with our CUBBIES (pre-K) and our T&T Boys (3rd - 6th grade).
Maybe you are thinking there is no way I can be a helper in any of these rooms. WHY SHOULD YOU GET INVOLVED WITH AWANA ON WEDNESDAY NIGHTS? HOW CAN AWANA BENEFIT ME AND MY SPIRITUAL GROWTH? If you've found yourself asking these questions, read this amazing testimony below:
I will be the first to admit that I was hesitant about wanting to help in Awana. Because of job conflicts, a dual-income family, picking up kids from after-school care and getting them fed for dinner, we have struggles getting to church on Wednesdays, let alone getting there on time for Awana. But after several recruitment efforts from Roger Stuart, Heidi Breshears, and Aaron and Dawn Beggs, I finally said...."alright, I can commit to once a month to help out".
I started out the first week of Awana not knowing what to do, but I was there -- fulfilling my commitment to serve. Fortunately, I knew a lot of kids from Sunday School, where my wife Mindy and I teach the Kindergarten class in Yellow D twice a month. It was welcoming to see so many familiar faces from our Sunday class. That said, the first week we divided up kids and assigned a leader to each table in the classroom. As I sat down with the kids for the first time, we got to know each other and shared stories about what we did the past summer, what we like to do, etc. The first night was hectic, but that was to be expected. It could only improve from there. I ended the night thinking..."alright, it was a little hectic, I didn't know exactly what I was doing or how the system works, but I enjoyed being with the kids and the experience wasn't bad. OK...I'll see you next month." Later that week, I thought to myself, "wait...if I'm not there next week, these kids have to connect with another leader and won't gain any consistency. They may struggle if they have a new leader every week. I need to be there." As the next Wednesday night came around, I realized I never told or asked anyone if I could show up unscheduled to help out...I just did. Each week, I'd show up, sit down with my table (of all boys), and we would go over our verses, share stories, and develop a routine (very beneficial with Kindergartners). That's it...I just started showing up. No questions, just gratefulness form the other Awana leaders.
To my delight, one of my good friends, Mike Tzang also started "showing up" as well. Mike began helping at my table and eventually we became co-table leaders to keep up with the demand of an all-boy table. When Mike began showing up, I told my wife..."hey, why don't you come and help out in the room. All you need to do is show up. No need to know what to do." Within the next two weeks, Mindy started "showing up" at first to help with snacks and crafts. One week a table leader was absent in our room and I jokingly said to Mindy..."there you go, you'll have to take the table this week." It was true, we were short that night and Mindy led the table. I spoke to her after the night was over, joking with the same reasoning I had when I first started..."well, you have to come back now, your table is counting on you. You are the new table leader." Sure enough, Mindy became table leader from that night forward.
I love the stories I receive from the kids each week, which carry over to Sundays when we teach. I love when you connect with the kids and get acknowledgments with waves, high-fives, and hugs. What a blessing it is to have a positive influence on them. These kids (thanks to their wonderful parents) are some of the best and brightest I know. I was fortunate enough to lead one little girl to Christ a few weeks ago and what a blessing it was to even have the opportunity. I will always remember welcoming that little girl as my sister in Christ as one of the greatest joys I have had in Awana. I've learned that my part in this this ministry is not about fulfilling a commitment to serve, it is about the future of these kids and to help them grow spiritually. This is God's work and I am happy that He is using me as a part of it.
I have formed great friendships with other Awana leaders that also have a passion to share themselves with the children. They are great teachers and I learn by observing them. I would say to those who don't think they are suited to be a Sunday School teacher or an Awana leader, that I had the same thoughts. But what you will find out is that if you can connect with your own children, you can connect with others their age. You don't have to know what to do, you just have to show up and let God take care of the rest.
We have many more leader testimonies just like this. The one thing you will find very quickly is that THIS MINISTRY IS EXCITING!! You may not think right now you are a good fit for Awana. But God will show you differently. This is a ministry that God's hand is really on, and we need you as an Awana parent to come share in the experience. We will have a final training coming up towards the end of April to make sure you are prepared for an Awana night. Email me at rogers@ffc.org, or contact me at 913-681-3341.
PLEASE TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY ABOUT THIS WEBSITE!! The kids only page is going to be AWESOME! Clubbers will compete for PRIZES to be given out at Awana on Wednesday nights!!
COME SHARE IN THE JOY! SHARE IN THE FUN! SHARE IN THE EXPERIENCE! AWANA!
If you have any questions, you can reach me by email at rogers@ffc.org or you can call me at 913-681-3341, ext 2002.
God Bless!
Roger Stuart
Awana Commander
First Family Church
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