Adventurer Award Day is a fun-filled opportunity for Adventurer club children from across Iowa and Missouri to come together and learn more about Jesus while earning some extra awards. It also provides an opportunity for children to build friendships, reminding them when they feel small or alone that God has an army of support to rally around them.
To make Award Day as convenient as possible for travel, similar events are held in two locations each year at the same time. This past March, Missouri clubs met at Sunnydale Academy and Iowa clubs gathered at the Ankeny Church.
A combined total of 60 children attended Award Day this year, and up to 18 awards were offered. Each child was able to pick three interactive classes to attend throughout the day and earn an award for each they attended. Games, picnic lunches, fellowship, and worship captivated the kids when they were not in classes.
The Adventurer Club theme in Iowa-Missouri this year is “Friends with Jesus.” At Award Day, the Iowa clubs got to see a science experiment about how God’s power can bubble over in your life and that when we have Jesus as our friend, the love he has for us will bubble up so much that we will want to share it with others. The Missouri clubs got to hear a true mission story about praying for rain and how God answered that prayer in an amazing way where Bethel College now stands. God wants to use His power in each of our lives, and we can each be missionaries for Him right where we are!
Whether you have children in your family or not, our church needs your help to answer’s God’s command in Matthew 19:14 to “Let the little children come unto Me” (NKJV). God calls a few people to be teachers for the youth, but He still needs the rest of us to support those ministries financially, with prayers, volunteering when possible, and with words of encouragement.
There are multiple ministries in our church that strive to bring children closer to Jesus and share with them the beautiful story of salvation, and Adventurers is only one piece of the bigger picture. Adventurers is especially designed for children ages 4-9 and their families. The program is sponsored by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, but church membership is not necessary for participation.
Adventurers is a unique ministry designed to support parents or caregivers in their role of teaching children about physical, social, mental and spiritual development, the value of family, the blessing of serving others, and God’s wonderful plan of salvation. All of that great information is taught through fun, hands-on, age-appropriate club and conference activities. The children collect patches/awards to display on their uniform sash as a reminder of the things they have learned.
