Facebook Live- Building your Team, ie recruiting volunteers

Facebook Live- Retaining and Appreciating your Volunteers

"News You Can Use" Youtube Live Webinar

April 2019 Ministry Update

Hello Everyone,
Spring is here (Yea!!). We have been incredibly busy...God continues to work in our ministry. Here is a report of all that we've been up to:

Worldlead Training in Dallas, TX- Worldlead is a ministry of Boca Raton Community Church to connect and close the leadership gap around the world by building future Christian world leaders. Awana in the US has partnered with World Lead and I attended as a participant to learn and then pass on that training to other missionaries and ultimately to our Awana Ministry Directors in the field.

Navajo Ministry- We had new Navajo Leader training in Farmington, NM, but was postponed due to snow. However, I spent a weekend in Gallup and met with Pastor David Hilderman to discuss the future of the Navajo ministry. Please be praying for this ministry.

Travel-

• Logged over 14,000 miles
• 4 trains
• Multiple Uber rides
• Slept in 14 different beds
• Gallons of coffee drank
• 5 different fast foods

Online Awana Ministry Director Training- Leadership is the key to a successful Awana club. We have been working at providing training especially for Awana Ministry Directors. One of the challenges for our area is the large geographic barriers to bringing Awana Ministry Directors together for training. We used Facebook Messenger video chat as a way to bring these AMD's together digitally. At our first AMD training, we had AMD's from Boulder City, Las Vegas, Reno and Bishop, CA. A lot of fun to see these AMD's embrace their leadership role and network with each other.

Bible Quizzing- So much fun to see kids from our area grow in their Biblical literacy. Bible quizzing is a big part in that process. We attended the Bible Quiz in Reno and were asked to be quizmaster at the quiz in Las Vegas...lotta fun!!

Sierra Bible Church- Reno

Spring Valley Baptist Church- Las Vegas

Summit Journey- San Diego

Summit Journey is a nationwide high school event that brings Awana Journey Students from all over the country for a Volleyball Tournament, Fine Arts Competition, Bible Quizzing, AwanaGames and Citation presentation ceremony. So much fun to spend time with these high school students

I invited myself to be on the "Greeting Team" (go figure) as we welcomed teens from around the country to Summit Journey

Old Friends at Summit

Opening Ceremony

Adults can earn Citation too. Awana Ministry Director Christy Cronk from Sierra Bible Church - Reno was presented with her Citation Plaque at Summit Journey- What a great leader and example for us all.

Missionary Conference at Awana Headquarters- We spent at week at Awana Headquarters with missionaries from around the country finding out about updates from Awana and looking at new and better ways to equip leaders to reach kids with the love of Jesus. Fun time.

US Missionaries from around the country

Working with a great team from Alaska, Utah, and Texas- Wonderful group of people

New T&T Materials

Was one of 5 US Missionaries to be recognized by Awana CEO Valerie Bell and President Matt Markins for my work in the field. Humbled that God can use me.

Club Visits- One of my favorite things to do is spend time at clubs talking with kids, encouraging and thanking leaders for their service and watching God work in these clubs. Here are some of the places we've been to in the last few months.

Summit Christian Church- Sparks, NV

 

Valley Christian Fellowship- Gardnerville, NV

Shadow Hills Church- Las Vegas

Canyon Ridge Christian Church- Las Vegas

 The River Ministries- Topaz Ranch Estates, NV

South Reno Baptist

Mountain Vista Baptist Church- Carson City, NV

City Bible Church- Bullhead City, AZ

First Baptist Sparks, NV

 New Life Fellowship- Lovelock, NV

Mason Valley First Southern Baptist- Yerington, NV

Green Valley Baptist- Henderson, NV

Oasis Baptist- Henderson, NV

Snow, snow and more snow- Keeping up with the snow in Truckee was a huge challenge for our family this year, but that is part of living in the mountains. 

That's it for now. Thank you again to everyone who prays, supports, encourages, gives, serves, laughs and seeks after God. TOGETHER, we are reaching children with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ....what a wonderful ministry God has allowed us to be a part of. I thank God for you and the work he is doing in and through you.  See you again sometime down the road.

If you'd like to financially support our efforts to reach children, you can send donations to:

Jeff Gilpin

P.O. Box 697

Truckee, CA. 96160

Make a note on the memo of the check "Gilpin Support Acct 319"

or donate online at awana.org/missionary/gilpin

January 2019 Ministry Update

Hello Everyone,
God continues to work in Nevada through the ministry of Awana. Here is a report of what He has been doing.

Mid Year New Club Training- We had the opportunity to train a new club. Mason Valley Southern Baptist Church in Yerington, NV asked us to come out for Awana Basics Training in December. They started their ministry in January. Praise God!!

Club Visits- Part of my responsibility and really my joy, is to visit the Awana clubs in our area to meet and talk with the clubbers as well as encourage leaders. Here are some of the places we've been to over the last few months.

Calvary Baptist Church- Bishop, CA

First Baptist Sparks

Antelope Valley, CA Awana

First Baptist- Parker, AZ

Havasu Alliance Church- Lake Havasu City, AZ

Life Church- Las Vegas, NV

Summerlin Community Church- Las Vegas, NV

South Reno Baptist Church

Las Vegas Golden Knights- Ryan took me to a Knights game for a father/ son outing. What a blessing!!

Thank you again to everyone who prays, supports, encourages, shares, serves, laughs and seeks after God. Together, we are reaching children with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. I praise God for you and the work He is doing in and through you. See you again down the road.

If you'd like to be a part of our ministry, and support our efforts to reach children with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, you can send donations to:

Awana/ Jeff Gilpin

PO Box 697

Truckee, CA. 96160

*Make a note on the memo of the check "Gilpin Acct 319" 

Or

Donate online at:

 awana.org/missionaries/gilpin/

   

Ministry Update- Nov 1, 2018

Hello Everyone,
The Lord has been keeping us busy. Here are some of the things we've been doing...

Awana Ministry Conference- Every year, Awana Missionaries host an Awana Ministry Conference. The purpose of these conferences is to provide ongoing training, equipping and encouragement to both new and existing Awana Volunteer leaders. This year, we trained approximately 300 leaders at our Awana Ministry Conferences. Praise God! Our hope is that these trainings will equip these volunteer leaders to reach more children with the love of Jesus.

Awana Ministry Conference- Henderson, NV

Awana Ministry Conference- Carson City, NV

Training Team from the Awana Ministry Conference in Carson City 

Nevada Baptist Convention- I had the opportunity to attend the Nevada Baptist Convention Annual Meeting. This is a great opportunity to meet pastors and other church leaders that we already serve through Awana as well as to talk with new pastors of how they might use Awana to reach out to their communities. So much fun to see old friends.

Growing Faith Conference (Bullhead City, AZ)- I also had the chance to attend and present breakout workshops at the Growing Faith Conference in Bullhead City. GFC is a conference for children's ministry workers in Mohave County, AZ designed to equip these workers to disciple children to a deeper relationship with Jesus. I presented training on "Why Midweek Ministry" and "Recruit, Retain and Disciple Your Volunteers". I met with pastors and church leaders of a new church in Bullhead City that is considering starting Awana- Stay Tuned.

Church Visits- I try to spend time visiting churches that we serve on Sunday Morning. It's a great opportunity to connect with the congregation to cast the vision that "Awana is a ministry of the church" rather than simple a parachurch ministry that is hosted at the church. This is vital for the long term success of the Awana club. This month I met with the congregation at First Baptist Fort Mohave.

Baja, CA Mexico Training- I had the opportunity to partner with SOW Ministries and travel to Calvary Chapel Rosarito and Calvary Chapel La Mision to train leaders how to use the Awana Truthseekers materials to evangelize and disciple the children of Baja with the love of Jesus. It's especially exciting to meet with the leaders from Calvary Chapel La Mision as that church serves children from the Door of Faith Orphanage. Praise God!

Bi-lingual Ministry Team Member Marigrey Francis providing training at Calvary Chapel Rosarito.

After we demonstrate how to use the Awana materials, we ask the local volunteers to "Teach Back" what they learned from us. Exciting when we see that "They Got It".

Calvary Chapel- La Mision

Club Visits- We love having the opportunity to visit Awana clubs to thank and encourage leaders for their ministry, talk with the children and to see God working in these Awana Clubs...good times!!

First Baptist Battle Mountain

Awana Grand Prix Check in at Parkside Bible Fellowship- Fallon

Sparks Gametime at Sierra Bible Church- Truckee

Sheri Knuutila giving T&T Awards at Highland Hills Baptist- Henderson, NV

Large Group Time at Green Valley Baptist- Henderson 

Notice the costume...it was Super Hero Night

Opening Ceremony at Summit Christian Church

Thank you again to everyone who prays, supports, encourages, shares, serves, laughs and seeks after God. Together, we are reaching children with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. I praise God for you and the work He is doing in and through you. See you again down the road.

If you'd like to be a part of our ministry, and support our efforts to reach children with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, you can send donations to:

Awana/ Jeff Gilpin

PO Box 697

Truckee, CA. 96160

*Make a note on the memo of the check "Gilpin Acct 319" 

Or

Donate online at:

 awana.org/donate-to-a-missionary

   Choose North America - U.S.

   Then choose Jeff & Judy Gilpin