We worship Jesus by teaching the Bible, building a loving community, and sharing with others.
(717) 416-1087 Church Office
Parents,
We are so glad that you are bringing your child to AWANA! Memorizing God's Word and learning to apply it to their life has eternal value. When you make scripture memorization and application a priority for your child, you reinforce to them what YOU value. Children need their parents to be their primary teachers in spiritual matters, which is why we like the Awana program so much. Awana understands that need! It is critical that parents work with their children at home during the week. Not only will they be able to memorize their verses, but they also learn to value God's Word and have a better understanding of how it applies to their lives.
We are looking forward to a great year! We have clubs for children who are age 3 (and potty trained) through 12th grade as of Sept. 1, 2022. In this newsletter, you will find some important information and your forms to fill out and bring along on Sept. 8th. If you have any questions or concerns about anything, please feel free to contact Neil Tate, Awana Commander or Melanie Tate, club secretary. We want your child to get the most out of Awana!
To become a club member, a child must attend three weeks in a row and complete the entrance booklet. After completing membership requirements, Clubbers will earn their books and uniforms.
We look forward to working with you as your child discovers eternal treasures in God's Word!
AWANA stands for Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed. It's taken from 2 Timothy 2:15.
Awana meetings combine learning with fun to create an exciting environment for all kids!
Club meetings are divided into 3 segments:
1. Large group time/ Bible teaching
2. Small group time/ discipleship/ scripture memory
3. Age-appropriate game time
SPECIAL NIGHTS
Sept. 8 - Kickoff Night
Sept. 22 - Parents Night/ Bring a Friend Night
Oct. 20 - Favorite Sports Night/ Bring a Friend Night
Nov. 3 - Bring Shoeboxes
Nov. 10 - Favorite Hat Night/ Bring a Friend Night
Nov. 24 - NO CLUB - Happy Thanksgiving!
Dec. 15 - Jesus' Birthday Party
Dec. 22 - NO CLUB - Merry Christmas!
Dec. 29 - NO CLUB - Happy New Year!
Jan. 19 - Crazy Hair Night/ Bring a Friend Night
Feb. 2 - Missions Night
Feb. 16 – Sharp Dressed Night/ Bring a Friend
Mar. 16 - Backwards Outfit Night/ Bring a Friend Night
Apr. 20 - Dress as Twins Night/ Bring a Friend
Apr. 27 - Awards Night for Parents & Families
AVOID LONG LINES
Register online at https://www.yorkspringsfoursquare.com/awana or drop off your registration and dues at the church office. Please be sure to include your current e-mail address and cell number so we can reach you with any announcements.
FEES
Full Year's Dues: $35.00 per child.
Please make checks payable to York Springs Foursquare and write Awana on the Memo line.
Lost handbook: $10 for a replacement.
Scholarships are available; see Commander Neil or Secretary Melanie.
DON’T BE LATE
Please be prompt in dropping off and picking up your child. The doors open at 5:45pm, and club begins at 6:00pm. We encourage you to join us for the closing ceremony from 7:45-8:00pm in the sanctuary. Please pick up your child age K through 6th grade at 8:00pm in the sanctuary or if they are Cubbies, pick them up in their room. All children need to be picked up by an adult; no junior or senior high students will be allowed to pick-up children unless we have written permission. We ask that you keep your child with you once you have picked them up. They are not allowed to be in the parking lot unattended. It is dark much of the AWANA year, and children are in danger when they enter the parking lot unattended where cars are backing up and leaving.
WEATHER CANCELLATIONS
If the Bermudian School District is closed or dismisses early for a weather-related reason, there will be NO Awana. If you are in doubt, look for a text or check your email.
ADULT VISITORS/HELPERS
All Awana leaders and helpers have been cleared to work with your child. For safety reasons, If it is absolutely necessary to stay with your child during the evening, please obtain a Visitor badge at the check-in table.
AWARDS
Clubbers will not receive their book or uniform until their dues are paid. If a scholarship is needed, please speak to Commander Neil or Secretary Melanie. Uniforms should be worn every week to club so Clubbers may obtain their awards. Also, uniforms should be worn all evening; we do not want to have lost or mixed-up uniforms.
WE WANT YOUR CHILD TO SUCCEED!
It is critical that parents work with their children at home to memorize the verses in the handbooks. Many young children cannot read yet and need adult help to learn the verses in their book. Even if your child can read, please check your child’s handbook–most sections require a parent’s signature.
FRIENDS
We encourage your child to bring friends to Awana. In fact, this is a requirement to pass one of the sections in their handbook! If your child does bring a friend with them, the friend must stop at the check-in table and get a Visitor badge.
DISCIPLINE POLICY
By having a Discipline Policy written down, we can eliminate any questions when discipline needs to be given. We strive to teach good behavior and ask for help from parents and all volunteers involved with AWANA. Each child will start with a clean slate in their respective class/group. If a child needs correction at any point of the evening, they can receive up to three warnings in their class/group before further discipline will be taken.
After a child has received three warnings in class and the behavior has not been resolved, or if a single behavior involves bodily harm to another child or an adult, the child will be removed from class to talk with Commander Neil. After he talks with the child and the child is warned what will happen next time, he/she MAY be sent back to class. At the end of the evening, Mr. Neil will talk with the child’s parent and inform them of the behavior and that their child now has “Strike #1.”
“Strike #2” occurs when the child’s behavior happens again on the same night or repeats on a different night. The child will be removed from class to sit at the check-in table with Mr. Neil or Secretary Melanie for the remainder of the evening. At the same time, the child’s parents will be phoned and informed of the repeated behavior and the consequences.
“Strike #3” occurs if the behavior continues after “Strike #2.” At that point, a parent will be asked to come to club every week and stay with the child until the behavior has resolved.
SAFETY POLICY
We at York Springs Foursquare vow to keep your children safe every night at Awana. We cannot do this alone. We need your help in doing so on Awana nights. We also understand the need to pick up multiple children from different areas of the church, and we want to be as much help to you as we can. So please let us know if you need help.
1. All children need to be picked up by an adult–starting with 3-year-olds through 6th graders. NO junior/senior high students are allowed to pick-up younger siblings of any age unless a permission slip is filled out.
2. Cubbies (age 3 as of Sept. 1, 2022, through 5 years old) will need to be picked-up in their classroom.
3. Sparks and T&T (Kindergarten through 6th grade) will start the evening in our game room. The doors will be closed promptly at 6:00pm to start the flag ceremony. All children coming after the doors are closed will remain in the hallway with a leader until allowed to enter. This is to instill promptness to club and NO interruptions during the flag ceremony.
4. ALL PARENTS/CAREGIVERS MUST ENTER THE SANCTUARY TO PICK-UP THEIR CHILD IN KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 6TH GRADE AT THE END OF THE EVENING! When the closing prayer is finished and clubbers are dismissed for the evening, they will be staying in their seats until a parent/caregiver picks them up from that seat. There will be leaders at the doors in the sanctuary making sure all children are accounted for and do not leave without a parent. NO junior/senior high siblings are allowed to pick up younger siblings of any age unless a permission slip is filled out.
5. Junior and senior High (Trek and Journey) (grades 7th through 12th grade): We are trusting that good behavior and wise choices will be made by all junior/senior high students. A little before 8:00pm, they will be dismissed from their classes to the main lobby of the church and are expected to responsibly find their parents/caregivers.