Christian Life Club (CLC)

CLC QUICK OVERVIEW

CLC is a fun scouting program that meets on Wednesday evenings from 7:00-8:00 P.M. through the school year. The objective of CLC is to help children grow spiritually, mentally, physically, socially and emotionaly. The program includes a kids carnival, class sessions, music, chapel time, memorization, crafts, games and recreation, earning badges, awards ceremonies, occasionally going on field trips, community outreach to the local nursing home, hayrides and much more! The CLC curriculum was rated by a national childrens magazine as the top curriculum in the nation! The

following link will take you to the national website for the Christian Life Club www.llcom.net/CLC.htm

CLC YEARLY SCHEDULE AND EVENTS

CLC meets weekly, Wednesday nights at 7:00 P.M. through the school year. The only exception to this is during holidays when school is out and when school is closed due to bad weather.

Children's Carnival - This fun filled evening is our CLC kick-off and registration day for the new year. The carnival is held the Wednesday following Labor day in September from 7:00-8:00 P.M. Activities for the carnival include a hayride, face painting, clowns, giant moonwalk, games, prizes, popcorn and much more.

Awards Ceremonies - Twice each year there are ceremonies held to honor the childrens achievements and to award them their badges. The parents are encouraged to attend these important ceremonies. The year-end ceremony is a combined banquet at 6:00 P.M. for CLCers and families and awards presented at 7:00 P.M.

Harvest Time - To do something positive for the children near Halloween, the younger children dress up in costumes (animals, Biblical characters, cartoons, angels, etc. - no witches, skulls, scary costumes, please!) and go to the local nursing home. As the children parade up and down the hallways, the residents are able to put candy in bags the children carry. The older children stay at the church and have a harvest hayride.

Christmas Program - Each year the children have the opportunity to participate in Countryside's childrens Christmas production.

Outreach Night - Each year in the spring, CLC sponsors a Wednesday night childrens outreach for the community. This usually consists of bringing in a Christian magician or a puppet program and encouraging the CLCers to invite their friends who do not attend church to attend the event with them.

CLC Sunday - In the spring the CLC program is highlighted and the parents of the CLCers are thanked for their support during a Sunday morning service. All CLC parents are invited and encouraged to attend on this Sunday.

MISSION

The mission of CLC is to give children opportunities to become disciples who walk as Jesus walked by:

~ discovering the joy of living for Jesus Christ,

~ showing His love in their relationships with others,

~ and, experiencing wholesome, spiritual, physical, mental, social and emotional growth.

DESCRIPTION OF CLC

Christian Life Club is a weekly, church-sponsored program for children (age 4 through grade 6). The club-type ministry is distinct from church programs like Sunday school and vacation Bible school.

~ CLC is an experience-oriented ministry designed to bring children to Christ and to disciple them.

~ CLC encourages relationships among children and between leaders and children. In such relationships children recognize God's love, discover God's purpose for their lives and learn about the mission of the church.

~ CLC teaches the children about helpfulness, fairness and responsibility.

~ CLC utilizes 9 objectives (1 per month) to meet the spiritual, mental, physical, social and emotional needs of the children.

~ CLC is an outreach ministry that helps fulfill the Great Commission. When children are involved in CLC, entire families learn about Jesus.

~ CLC has membership requirements for each child.

~ CLC unifies the group with a song that defines the purpose of the club.

~ CLC encourages memorization and internalization of promises and pledges.

~ CLC encourages unity with age-level colors and logos.

~ CLC offers awards and advancements in the club.

BIBLE BASIS

CLC's mission is drawn from the example of Jesus' childhood development: "Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men" (Luke 2:52). This verse gives an example of a child who grew in a balanced, wholesome way, nurtured in His faith by His godly parents, teachers in the temple, friends and relatives who were in the same faith.

CLC THEME

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways adknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5-6). As this verse suggests, life is an adventure filled with twists and turns that we do not always understand. The hiking terms (such as "Map It Out" and "Get Your Gear") are used to suggest an air of excitement, anticipation and action. As we lead the CLCers in their developing faith in God, we need to recognize the priviledge He has given us to work with His kids and use every tool possible to present the Christian life in the exciting way it deserves.

LOGO

The CLC logo depicts the vision for the club - the boy and girl are moving forward in a continuous, vibrant walk with Jesus. The yellow circle in the background symbolizes Jesus, the Light of the world. The four sides of the diamond present spiritual, physical, social / emotional and mental growth.

CLC LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

The various components of the Christian Life Club program are designed to disciple children. Since children are capable of ministering to their peers and others, they will receive opportunities to develop their ministy skills.

1. Learning to cooperate - CLCers work in small cooperative groups or teams to achieve learning.

2. Helping and sharing - CLCers have opportunities to help with chores and service projects at home, at church, in the community and around the world.

3. Seeing positive examples - Through direct exposure to stories and examples set by adults, children see others helping, being kind and being considerate.

4. Understanding others - Children do activities that help them learn to consider the viewpoints, intentions and needs of others.

HOW IS CLC ORGANIZED?

As they progress in the program, the children build on knowledge and experience gained the previous year. At the end of their Christian Life Club experience they should have incorporated into their value systems and behavior patterns, the essential beliefs stated in the objectives.

TRACKER (ages 4-5) The Tracker logo shows a child pointing upward and symbolizes children discovering who God is and that Jesus is the Way. Trackers are beginning to understand what it means to follow Him and to follow in

Jesus' footsteps.

Goal verse - 1 John 2:6

PATHFINDER (Grades 1-2) The child with the telescope

in their logo symbolizes children discovering that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Pathfinders are beginning their walk with Jesus and growing in the knowledge of God's Word.

Goal verse - John 14:6

TRAILBLAZER (Grades 3-4) Their logo pictures a child pushing back leaves. That symbolizes children learning how Jesus wants them to live. TrailBlazers are blazing the trail for others as they believe in Jesus for salvation. Their actions show that they are living in obedience to Him.

Goal verse - Philippians 1:9-11

PACESETTER (Grades 5-6) The child who is pointing in the PaceSetter logo symbolizes children maturing in their walk with Jesus. They are discovering that their lives can influence others to follow Him. PaceSetters are searching out God's truth and making choices that will set a course of action for their lives.

Goal verse - 1 Timothy 4:12

Nine major objectives are the organizing principles for CLC's program activities. They form directional goals that span the 6 years during which the elementary child can participate in the club.