AWANA

Awana registration is full.  

Awana Calendar '23 - '24 HERE

 

awana

What is AWANA?

AWANA is an international Children and Youth ministry made up of thousands of clubs in 134 countries around the world. Here at Willow Creek, we have been blessed to host one of these clubs for the past 18 years! AWANA stands for Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed and is taken from 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.” Our goal is to reach boys and girls with the gospel of Christ, and train them to serve Him.

AWANA caters to children from ages 3 to 12th grade, fostering scripture memorization, practical application learning, engaging games, and achievement rewards. The younger clubs emphasize memory and application, while the youth clubs concentrate on in-depth study, practical application, and completing the Bible within a 4-year span.

Kids find AWANA fun because it offers a mix of engaging elements. They get to hear intriguing Bible stories, play exciting games, and work on memorizing Bible verses and handbook tasks. These efforts lead to earning awards, like badges and shares for the AWANA store. The program also introduces a point system that promotes friendly competition among older participants, adding a sense of camaraderie and accomplishment.

The Clubs

cubies3-4

Cubbies celebrates the spiritual potential of preschoolers by helping them develop respect for God, His Son and His Word.

Preschoolers love Cubbies! Whether it’s the fun puppets, the exciting games or all their friends, they simply can hardly wait for their next Cubbies meeting. At Story Time each week, preschoolers learn so much about God! Lessons focus on the greatness of God's love, His Word, and His Son, Jesus Christ, the promised Savior. Non-competitive games build excitement and reinforce Story Time lesson themes.

 sparksk-2

Sparks ignites the curiosity of early elementary-age kids to learn about the people and events of the Bible, building a foundation of wisdom for knowing Christ.

To many children in kindergarten to second grade, Sparks is the highlight of the week! They love their red vests, the exciting games and spending time with leaders and friends.

Sparks is divided into three years, each with a unique rank: HangGlider, WingRunner and SkyStormer. Each year, kids in Sparks:

  • Explore the biographies of people of the Bible from a new portion of Scripture
  • Memorize Bible verses
  • Complete handbook activities

 

 t&t

The T&T (Truth & Training) curriculum teaches kids the truth of God's Word, trains them to follow Him and practice His grace. In this 4 year curriculum series, kids will explore the fundamental doctrines of Christianity including:

  • The character and nature of God
  • The structure and sequence of the Bible
  • The redemption narrative
  • Key practices for followers of Jesus

By encouraging kids to engage in highly biblical and highly relational discipleship, T&T helps students to grow and develop as lifelong followers of Jesus Christ.

trek

Trek challenges students to wrestle with the three most important questions they’re asking in middle school:

  • Who am I?
  • Why am I here?
  • Who’s with me?

By allowing students to dive deep into the Scriptures and answer these questions for themselves, we allow them to own their faith and discover what they actually believe.

journey

Journey establishes high school students as lifelong disciples through a deep study of Gods word.  Journey establishes high school students as lifelong disciples through a deep study of God's Word, mobilizing them to live with godly perspective and evident faith. Featuring a variety of hosts including Josh Griffin and Sean McDowell, Journey offers four complete years' worth of material that supports your 9th-12th grade high school ministry.

 AWANA Parents

As a parent, your crucial role in supporting your child's Awana experience cannot be understated, especially for our younger clubbers who are still developing their reading skills. Foster their engagement by assisting in weekly scripture memorization, guiding them through handbook activities, and discussing their Awana lessons. Incorporate family devotion time using Awana materials, offer regular prayers, and reinforce punctual attendance. Celebrate their accomplishments, model a strong faith through your actions, and consider volunteering. Stay connected with Awana leaders, attend orientations, and communicate effectively. Your active involvement at home nurtures their spiritual growth and enriches their participation in the Awana program.

Events

Jesus’ Birthday: On the last night before Winter Break, clubbers celebrate the birth of Jesus with cake!

Western Roundup: Parents are invited to join us for Western Roundup, the biggest theme night of the year. Be sure to put on your best western attire and enjoy a campfire and hot dogs with your clubbers and AWANA volunteers!

AWANA Grand Prix: An exciting event where children design, build, and race wooden cars in a friendly competition, fostering teamwork and hands-on learning. Kids work with their families or leaders to craft and decorate cars before participating in exciting races. Prizes awarded for Speed and Design.

 

Meeting Info

The AWANA Clubs at WCC meet most Fridays September through May with some nights off for holidays or other special events. Refer to the calendar below. Meetings are from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM.

An AWANA meeting consists of five main parts:

  • Opening Time: Clubbers recite the pledge to the Flag, the AWANA pledge, and start off the evening with prayer.
  • Handbook Time: All clubs dedicate time to Bible Scripture memorization and application using age appropriate handbooks. Clubbers complete sections in their handbook during handbook time and upon completing the handbook, they receive a new handbook to work on.
  • Council Time: All clubs are presented with an age-appropriate Bible message.
  • Game Time: Sparks & T&T practice teamwork and good sportsmanship by competing in fun, organized games. Please have your children wear clothing appropriate for Game Time (no flip-flops, etc.)
  • Award Time: Clubbers are recognized for completing sections in their handbooks.

Awards
All clubbers who progress in their handbooks will receive awards to be displayed on their uniforms. When a clubber completes a handbook, they are eligible to receive an award at the Awards Ceremony at the end of the club year. All clubbers present at the ceremony will be recognized and will receive a certificate. Cubbies will receive their award on the last club night of AWANA. All clubbers must complete all sections in their handbooks by the last night of AWANA in order to receive an award at the Closing Ceremony. Please notify us at the Welcome Desk if your child has participated in an AWANA club elsewhere and has received Awards. Please help to pace your children during the club year to avoid massive memorization in April. The goal is to encourage our children to learn God’s Word and to get it as deep in them as possible! It is not about checking a box or receiving an award. Encourage your children to develop good habits of spending time in God’s Word! It will come back to bless them in the years to come!

Registration

Registration opens each year in early August and is open until the clubs fill up, or until the end of September, whichever happens first.

Cost per child is $70 and is almost all-inclusive. It covers registration, books, uniform, awards, all events, and club supplies. If paying online by debit or credit card, the registration fee is $73.00 which includes a service fee of $3.00. Scholarships are available, please reach out to AWANA leadership.
We need YOU!
Whatever your gifts, talents or time commitment, Awana has a role for you. Whether it is encouragement, listening, organizing, teaching, singing, crafts, drama, puppets, games, record keeping, or just a helpful heart- we can use you in this worthwhile ministry! You will need to meet the requirements for serving in our Children’s Ministry at Willow Creek which includes an application, background check, and training. If you are interested in serving in the Awana ministry, just let the Awana Commander know and we will get you involved! No previous experience is required! You can serve every week, every other week, once per month, whatever fits your schedule.
More Information
Contact email: awana@willowcreekchurch.org
If you want to learn more about awana as a whole:
Awana website: For more information https://www.awana.org/
Awana Youth Ministries website: More content for Trek and Journey http://awanaym.org/
Awana at Willow Creek Facebook page: www.facebook.com/groups/willowcreekchurchawana