Can someone help shed light on this for me. I have been looking for a good church for 2 years now. I finally found one that I thought would be completely perfect for us. Unfortunately, we came in the summer, so we have been waiting for Sunday School and youth group to begin. Well, sign ups were last Sunday. I was soooo excited to sign my kids up for the youth group which is on Friday nights. They are finally old enough and it fits in our schedule. YIPPIE! They are so excited. So, happily I am filling out the forms for youth group and I hand it in and she says to me, "that it will be $105.00 :shock: Is anyone else shocked by this. I looked at her dumb founded and said I can't afford that. So, basically, tuff crap..... REALLY???? So do I hunt again for a church where we can afford to go and fit in the youth group, or do I stay and just not send my kids. :twisted:
Huh? A church you can afford to go to? So much for giving because you want to give, as an act of obedience and not because you are required to give. Every bit of me says look some where's else... a church where they accept you as you not based on ability to pay for ministries (that said I know that AWANA ministries usually have small fees associated with it but it has more to do with the material your children learn than "making a profit").
AWANA's have SMALL fees?! HA! They were over $200 a year for us and we didn't even buy all the required stuff. lol. OK, that being said.... NO, I would NOT attend a church that charged fees for ministries that should be a standard part of any church. I understand buying a book for a Bible study or a fee for things like Financial Peace University. But for youth group!!!!??? Ain't no way on Earth!
Go somewhere else. Even the Awana program fees were covered by the churches we have attended in the past. If they need extra help to cover those expenses, they should look at doing what they can afford. Preaching the gospel is free. If that is what they expect of the kids who attend their church, what do they do when it comes time to bring unsaved friends with them?
If you really like the church find out why they charge that. Is there an event(s) that this helps pay for, food, supplies, paying the youth leader....) If you cannot afford it talk to the Pastor. I know in my Church they will find a way to cover it or reduce the price.
It is for Awana, wasn't sure anyone would know that. I will buy a book for them but shirts and things I think the fee is high. I never been in this situation before. Am I wrong??
AWANA fees can add up. You pay for the book and shirt, and usually dues. The dues where we're at run fifty cents a week. Most people chose to pay the full year's dues up front. This money goes for craft supplies, awards, and a trip at the end of the year for those who finish their book. It really isn't unreasonable. We had approximately 120 kids last year; there is no way the church could afford to pay the total cost, especially when you add in uniforms and workbooks. However, they are not hardball about it. When Phillip's friend started coming, they told me that if there was any financial problem with it, to let them know. They just went ahead and gave Michael a vest to take home, with his name in it. So the next week, Jessica told me that she had decided to not get him the vest, because money was tight. I told her that it already had his name in it, and to not worry about it. If it turned out that she found the money later, she could send it in; if she never found, it, that was fine. The church would still want him having the vest regardless. When I explained this to the Sparkie leader, he said I did the right thing. They DO NOT want a kid missing due to financial issues!!! I would REALLY try to get shirts, too. It's important to the kids to have somewhere to put their awards! But remember that the kids wear the same shirt all four years, so you won't have that cost again. Are you saying that cost for all three kids, or just for one? If it's all three, that's not out of line. This year, Rachael is up for her Citation Award. Because the church doesn't have a formal program past 6th grade, we will have to pay for that ourselves. IT IS $70!!! ARGH!!! However, camp this summer is half-price for any Citation Award winner! (The camp's policy, not the church paying half!)
This is one of the reasons we no longer do Awana. It's just too expensive. My nephew is entering Cubbies and my sister called complaining of the same thing.
If it's for AWANAs then that is perfectly normal. Many churches don't give an option about what you need/don't need. The dues MUST be paid up front. The kids HAVE to have a shirt, they HAVE to buy the bag, etc, etc. That's how it was at the church where we were doing the club. We also quit because of the cost. It was just too much. If we only had one child, it wouldn't be so bad, but with three who were old enough, we couldn't do it.
Awana is definitely a for profit company. There are other programs that accomplish the same things but cost much less. We opted out of Awana because of the cost and the company's push for all kinds of "add-ons" that you just gotta have. I am not a fan. Dh went all the way through when he was a kid...is that the Citation? At any rate, we gave it a good run for quite a few years and were Directors ourselves, but Dh even says it is not the same as when he was a kid. I'm not saying that the program does not accomplish getting God's Word into the kids. I just think there are much lower cost options. Or, if the church has a youth group in addition to Awana it might solve some of the problems we had on many levels. Unchurched kids don't want more homework. Just sayin'. Sorry, that is not what this thread is about. I'll shut up now.
Actually, I'm good friends with the AWANA missionaries (after being a counselor for the past two years!). I will bring up those issues to them the next time I see them. I know that, other than the cost of the award and book itself, there is no charge for my older kids since we are doing it on our own.
AWANA can get pretty pricey depending on the group. Dd is not involved in it but my sister and her dh work with their Church's program. You might ask how the fee is broken down so you can see where the money is going.
I had no idea, this is the first time I was introduced to Awana. I guess my decision now is to stay at the church or find one with a youth group we can afford. I truly don't have the money for this and if this is their "youth" program for Friday evening. I am unsure if its fair to tell my kids you can't get involved. I am also not looking for them to adjust the costs, it is what it is and I know its something we aren't able to do. I just really had no idea that there was more than a cost of a book.
There is a difference usually between 'youth groups' and 'Awana'. We use Awana, but we have a separate youth group for middle and high schoolers that is not a part of Awana. How many kids do you have? If you have a few or more kids, it can add up. Our church does Awana, but we also don't include everything the Awana program has to offer...we supplement a lot of our own stuff to keep the cost down for families. For both my boys I pay about $50 for the year. Given the amount of time the staff puts into it, the materials, etc....it's not that much to pay, IMO. The materials are not free to the church, and most smaller churches (even some larger ones) can't afford to fork it all over, so everyone pays their portion to keep the ministry afloat. We do offer scholarships to families who can not afford it as well.
We have no fees for any activity at our church, and I'd be upset if we did. If there are costs, they are taken from church funds. If the funds are low, it's mentioned at a monthly meeting - so we know there is a need. I'm extreme on this, I know, but we should be striving to give to the suffering church overseas until, in the Bible's words, "there is equality." If music or youth programs or retreats etc. require anything other than an optional and nominal fee, then our priorities are all wrong.
I feel the same way. I guess I am disappointed because I truly thought I found a church home. Somehow it has given me a bad taste in my mouth. I have to go on a retreat tomorrow and by the way paid for that was well, (its at the church and no books) never even thought of that. I know money is tight for everyone and it is the last thing I want to complain about. But, it affects everything, I am disappointed that it has to affect the church that I at first thought we fit at.
I agree, Steve. I also think that there should not be a charge for anything that the church initiates as a ministry. People will give to the things God calls them to give to. If God doesn't provide the funds for everyone involved, you probably are not supposed to be wasting your time on it. If the church is hurting enough to nickel and dime people, they are not just wasting money but time as well.
Yes, AWANAs materials are a cost to the church -- the books, shirts, club dues, etc, etc... Most churches I have been involved with, absorb the cost and offer AWANAs to the church family and community as a ministry. I guess they might ask for some $$ for the shirts or maybe the books... But it's a minimal fee, usually. I don't remember it being anywhere near $100. But again, the churches I'm familiar with foot most of the bill, so then it's more like a vested interest to the child/parent. If you pay a bit for the book or the shirt, you're more likely to return and not run off with their book after the first night (or just not buy it in the first place if you're unsure about sticking with it), you know?
