2019-2020Awana Clubs Parent Handbook

Welcome to Awana!

Awana is an international, Bible-centered youth program providing local churches with weekly clubs and programs for three year olds through high school.  The acronym AWANA comes from the first letters of “Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed” taken from 2 Timothy 2:15. Awana began in 1950 as a youth program in the North Side Gospel Center in Chicago. Currently, each week more than two million kids ages 2-18 participate in Awana, including more than 1.1 million in 102 countries outside of the U.S.

Awana has a series of clubs geared to the needs of a particular age or grade. New Covenant Bible Church offers.

• Cubbies – preschool age boys & girls ages 3 & 4 (must be 3 years old by September 1)
• Sparks - boys & girls in kindergarten through 2nd grade
• Truth & Training (T&T) Clubs - boys & girls in grades 3-5

We’re looking forward to a great year in Awana! We hope and pray that your child will have a fun and rewarding time as they attend our clubs. We count it a privilege to “reach boys and girls with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and train them to serve Him.”

Learn more about Awana at www.awana.org.

For questions about Awana Clubs at New Covenant Bible Church, call the church office at 630-584-2611, extension 8, and an Awana team leader will respond.

Club expectations and guidelines

To ensure the safety of all clubbers, please follow these guidelines:

• Arrive no earlier than 6:15 PM on Wednesday evenings.
• Drop off children in the gym.
• Pick up children promptly at 8:15 PM from their hand book rooms. Clubbers are dismissed only to parents, unless a parent contacted your child’s director or the club secretary to make other arrangements.
• Clubbers should not be in the church parking lot or church gym before and after club meetings.
• Do not run in the church hallways.  
• Clubbers should not have food or drink during club, except for snacks provided by their leaders. Please advise your club leader of food allergies.

Behavior expectations

Clubbers should:

• Be silent when an Awana leader gives the “5” count.
• Remain with their group and leaders unless they have permission to go elsewhere.
• Listen to leaders respectfully, and immediately do as they are asked.
• Show respect and kindness toward other Awana Club kids.
• Participate in group activities.

All parents and clubbers need to read and sign a behavior contract that is handed out in your child’s classroom during the first few weeks of Awana.

Consequences for not following the club expectations or guidelines are:

1. On first violation, clubber receives a warning.
2. On second violation, clubber sits out current activity and talks with two leaders about behavior.
3. On third violation, clubber sits out of club for the rest of the evening and discusses behavior with the Commander. At pick-up time the Commander will assess the behavioral situation with a parent or guardian.

What to bring each week

• Handbook - Purchase a handbooks after the clubber completes a starter booklet. It is important that your child bring their handbook each week. Please look through it with them and see what is required each week. Parental involvement is important, especially for younger clubbers who can’t yet read. Be a listener and an encourager as your child studies during the week. Clubbers should memorize both the verse and the reference.  Sections are to be passed in their entirety in one sitting. Two helps from their leader are allowed per section. If you have any questions about anything in a handbook, please don’t hesitate to call your child’s director.  
• Bible - Sparks and T&T clubbers should bring a Bible each week to club. If they do not have a Bible, contact their director.
• Uniform or vest - Purchase a uniform or vest a once a clubber completes the starter booklet, to wear each week. The uniform serves as an identification of belonging to an Awana club, provides for a disciplined appearance at our clubs, and displays awards the clubbers earn. Clubbers must wear uniform to receive awards. Sew or iron on award emblems when the child receives them. Please keep uniforms in good repair.
• Gym shoes - Clubbers should wear gym shoes.
• Bag - Bring a bag to carry your handbook, Bible, papers, and other items to and from meetings. Awana bags are available for purchase, but any bag is fine.

Please put your child’s name on every item!

Books and uniforms may be ordered as your child earns them. For more information, contact your child's Awana director.

Registration fee

Dues are $20 per clubber (maximum of $80 per family) to offset some of the cost of resources from Awana. Dues are prorated for clubbers who join later in the year.

Bring check payable to “NCBC” to the first club meeting, or mail to:

Attention: Awana Registration

New Covenant Bible Church

4N780 Randall Rd., St. Charles, IL  60175

You may also pay the registration fee at $0.75 per week.

Do not let costs keep your child from participating in Awana. If dues are financial hardship for you, please contact the club secretary.

Weather cancellations

A decision to cancel club meetings because of bad weather will be made by 3:00 p.m. that day. If a cancellation occurs, your child’s leader will contact you. You are also call the church at 630-584-2611, ext. 8 or check the calendar at www.newcbc.org.  

Awana Store

Our Awana Store provides incentives for clubbers. Awana shares or dollars are awarded weekly for:

• Bringing a visitor
• Passing handbook sections
• Being on the winning team or team of the night
• Participating in weekly theme nights
• Bringing your Bible, book & uniform
• Other reasons at director’s discretion.  

Clubbers use their Awana rewards to “buy” items from the store.

Donations of new items are welcome for our Awana store. Larger items not sold during the club year are given away as Fun Fair prizes. Donations are also accepted for the drawing. See Sandy Martin for more information.

See calendar for when store is open.

Calendar

Awana club meetings start at 6:30 PM in the gym and end at 8:15 PM in the classrooms.

2019-2020 calendar

Supplies

Cubbies:

Handbook - $10

Vest - $11

Dues - $20 per year, or $0.75 per week

Awana bag (optional) - $6

Sparks:

Handbook - $10

Vest - $11

Dues - $20 per year, or $0.75 per week

Awana bag (optional) - $6

Extra credit cards (optional) - $9

T&T:

Handbook - $10

Uniform- $16

Dues - $20 per year, or $0.75 per week

Awana bag (optional) - $9