AwanaGames & Sparks-A-Rama

AWANA GAMES (scroll on down for Sparks-a-Rama info)

It's that time of year again. Awana Games time. It's time to lace up those shoes and get ready to play your hardest and help us have the best team yet. Here is what http://www.awana.org/ has to say about the Awana Games:
AwanaGames: Exhilarating Fun, Eternal Focus

AwanaGames™ pits clubs and youth programs from local churches in competition at the local, state, regional and national level. AwanaGames is open to students in T&T, Trek and Journey. More than 600 AwanaGames events typically take place in the U.S. each year, with numerous others held worldwide.

The event began in 1955 when four Awana clubs competed against each other in the basement of Chicago’s North Side Gospel Center. Clubbers were allowed to participate if they had completed certain requirements, including passing Bible knowledge-based tests.

AwanaGames offers many benefits. Clubs develop a stronger identity and closer bonds amongst members. Kids are also motivated to attend club and complete handbook and manual sections to qualify for their team, learning God’s Word in the process. Area churches and leaders are also able to connect with each other in an atmosphere of fellowship. Leaders are also able to interact one on one with clubbers’ parents. Most importantly, the gospel is presented at each AwanaGames competition, allowing unsaved family members and friends in attendance a chance to hear and respond to God’s plan of salvation, some for the first time.

Pretty neat, huh. More than 600 events is a lot of kids playing AwanaGames. Don't you want to be involved in that? If so, here's what you need to do.

First of all, you need to have completed at least 10 sections in your Awana handbook during the 2008-2009 year.

Next, you need to come to the practices that are held at WSBC in the gym. The practices will be on Friday nights from 7-8:30 PM on February 13, 20, 27 and March 6 & 13. There are only so many positions on the team. If you only come to a couple practices, then you might not get selected to be on the team. While we do want good athletes, it is more important to have committed team players. Also good additudes and good sportsmanship are important to our team.

Finally, you have to be able to come to the AwanaGames. The AwanaGames will take place on Saturday, March 14. We will let you know what time, when it gets closer. Please, don't come to all the practices and then tell us the night before that you can't come to the games. We need each and every team player to make our team a success. And of course we will be having fun!


SPARKS-A-RAMA
Along with AwanaGames, comes Sparks-a-Rama. What is Sparks-a-Rama? Well, here is what http://www.awana.org/ has to say about it:

Sparks-a-Rama is the Sparks version of AwanaGames™ but with less intense competition. Sparks-a-Rama focuses on fun and meeting new friends through playing games. Emphasis is also placed on learning sportsmanship from a biblical perspective. Sparks-a-Rama is usually held on the same day as AwanaGames.

Most importantly, the gospel is presented at each Sparks-a-Rama competition, allowing unsaved family members and friends in attendance a chance to hear and respond to the plan of salvation, many for the first time.

While it does say that most Sparks-a-Ramas are held on the same day as AwanaGames, that will not be the case for us. Our Sparks-a-Rama will be on Saturday, March 21. We will begin our practices on Friday, February 20 from 7-8 PM. We will also have practices on Fridays, Feb 27, March 6, 13 & 20.

The same "rules" apply to Sparks that were mentioned above. You need to have completer 10 sections this Awana year, we need you to be committed to the team and of course good additudes/ sportmanship. Not to mention you must be ready to have a lot of fun!