Storing Up Treasures in Heaven: Arbor Christian Fellowship Celebrates Another Incredible Awana Year
From Scripture Memory to Kingdom Generosity, Arbor's Awana Clubbers Finish the Year Celebrating God's Faithfulness, Friendships and a Growing Love for His Word
Smiles stretched from ear to ear, shopping bags overflowed with hard-earned rewards, Scripture echoed through the sanctuary and families gathered to celebrate all that God had accomplished through another remarkable year of Awana at Arbor Christian Fellowship.
The culmination of the 2025–2026 Awana year was marked by two special events: the Spring Awana Store on Wednesday, May 20, and Awards & Parents Night on Wednesday, May 27. Together, these evenings provide opportunities to celebrate growth, recognize achievement and reflect on the faithfulness of God in the lives of our children.
The Spring Awana Store: Hard Work Rewarded
One of the most anticipated nights of the year is the Spring Awana Store, one of only two opportunities children have to spend the "Awana Dollars" they have earned throughout the year.
Unlike ordinary play money, Awana Dollars represent months of diligence, perseverance and spiritual growth. Children earn them by learning and reciting Scripture, answering Bible questions, looking up verses in their Bibles, arriving prepared for club nights and actively participating in lessons and activities.
The store itself is a wonderland of possibilities. Children browse tables filled with toys, books, missionary biographies, jewelry, candy, LEGO sets, athletic equipment, science kits, puzzles, pool toys, RipStiks, pickleball sets and countless other treasures. Each child carefully weighs decisions and priorities, exercising responsibility and independence as they determine how to spend their earnings.
Watching the children shop is one of the greatest joys of the evening. Their excitement is contagious as they compare options, count their dollars and celebrate the rewards of a year's worth of hard work. Big smiles filled the room as clubbers experienced the payoff of months of faithfulness and effort.
Yet perhaps the most beautiful part of the Awana Store is seeing young hearts already learning the joy of generosity.
Throughout the year, children are given opportunities not only to spend their Awana Dollars on themselves but also to use them to bless others. During the Christmas Awana Store, clubbers have chosen to purchase Bibles, food, livestock, medical care, sanitation supplies, and clean-water solutions for children and families living in poverty through Compassion International's Christmas Catalog. This spring, they were given the opportunity to support church-planting missionaries through the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering.
Eight Awana clubbers chose to donate a combined $1,634 in Awana Dollars toward the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. Arbor Christian Fellowship will convert those Awana Dollars into real dollars, supporting missionary families serving throughout North America.
According to the North American Mission Board, every dollar given to the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering directly supports more than 3,000 missionary families and their ministries across the United States, Canada and their territories.
As leaders watched children willingly give from what they had earned, Christ's words from Matthew 6 came vividly to mind:
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19–21)
These young disciples are already learning that the greatest treasures are not found in shopping bags but in serving Christ and investing in His Kingdom.
A Night of Celebration and Reflection
One week later, families gathered once again for Awana Awards & Parents Night, the official conclusion to another successful year of discipleship and Scripture memory.
Parents filled the sanctuary as children from every Awana age group—Cubbies, Sparks, Truth & Training (T&T), and Trek—participated in a special evening celebrating what God has done throughout the year.
The night began with Awana's traditional opening ceremony. Clubbers marched in with the American and Awana flags, recited the pledges to each, sang the Awana Theme Song and joined together in prayer.
From there, each group had an opportunity to share highlights from their year and demonstrate what they had learned.
The Cubbies delighted the audience by singing and reciting John 3:16, sharing some of the foundational truths they have been hiding in their hearts.
The Sparks confidently recited Psalm 23 and sang the Ten Commandments before receiving recognition for completing one, two and three Sparks handbooks.
The T&T clubbers celebrated an extraordinary accomplishment. Twenty-one children collectively learned and recited 1,095 Bible verses during the year. Together, they recited Psalm 100 and then presented one of the longest Scripture passages memorized across all four T&T books, Psalm 139:7–10.
T&T clubbers were recognized with achievement emblems, Awana GO Missions badges, silver and gold extra-credit awards and book completion awards. Students completing one handbook received the Alpha Award; those completing two earned the Excellence Award; three handbooks earned the Challenge Award; and the student who completed all four handbooks and learned the books of both the Old and New Testaments received the prestigious Timothy Award.
The Trek group celebrated a year spent not only studying God's Word but also serving others. Throughout the year, Trekkers faithfully assisted in the younger classes, helping leaders and encouraging clubbers in Cubbies, Sparks and T&T.
When asked what he enjoyed most about Trek this year, one student answered simply:
"Because we get to help people, with no limits."
What a beautiful reflection of Christ's heart for service.
Through a Parent's Eyes
While awards, verses and achievements are certainly worth celebrating, some of the greatest reflections come from the families whose lives have been touched by the ministry week after week.
One Awana parent, reflecting on her children's first year in the program, shared:
"The boys really enjoyed Awana this year—their first experience with Awana—especially memorizing Scripture, earning their awards, shopping for their prizes and spending time with their leaders and friends each week. They also look forward to the dinner and getting extra time to play with their friends before Awana starts each week.
As a parent, I really appreciate how intentional Awana is about helping kids hide God's Word in their hearts while making it fun and engaging. One of my favorite things is hearing them sing the Scripture songs at home. It warms my heart every time because I know God's Word is taking root in their lives.
The generosity from Arbor and Awana is honestly out of this world—from the meals, special events and encouragement to the countless ways you care for families. Thank you for all the hard work, love and dedication you pour into the kids and parents. We are so grateful for you!"
Her words beautifully capture the heart of Awana. While children may come excited for games, friends, prizes and special events, the true goal remains unchanged: helping boys and girls know, love and treasure God's Word for a lifetime.
The photos from this spring's Awana Store and Awards & Parents Night offer only a small glimpse of the friendships formed, the Scripture hidden in young hearts and the countless ways God has worked through this ministry throughout the year.
A Ministry That Matters
As the evening concluded, one truth stood above all others: God is at work in the lives of our children.
Through every verse recited, every lesson taught, every game played, every prayer offered and every conversation shared, seeds of faith are being planted and nurtured.
Jesus Himself emphasized the value of children when He said:
"Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me." (Matthew 18:4–5)
The impact of Awana would not be possible without the faithful volunteers who serve week after week. Every class—Cubbies, Sparks, T&T and Trek—was supported by dedicated leaders, listeners, games facilitators, kitchen volunteers, security and behind-the-scenes servants who poured countless hours into the lives of these children.
To each volunteer, thank you.
Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus Christ. Thank you for faithfully investing in the next generation. Thank you for being willing vessels through whom God accomplishes His work and fulfills the mission of Awana.
As another Awana year comes to a close, we celebrate not merely awards earned or books completed, but hearts shaped by God's Word and lives being transformed by the Gospel.
May we continue pursuing the verse that has inspired Awana Clubs for more than 70 years:
"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)
For everyone who served, prayed, encouraged, shared meals, listened to verses, counted Awana Dollars, helped children look up Scripture, cleaned up art supplies and invested in these young lives throughout the year—thank you. The eternal impact of your faithfulness may not be fully known this side of heaven, but we rejoice in seeing God's Word take root in young hearts today.
