Badges at Westminster
At Westminster we are creating a Badge System, like the Boy/Girl Scouts. Kids love to earn and collect stickers and badges and we believe this will be a great motivator for them. We are starting small, but who knows where this may go!
There will be two main areas of badges:
Badges for Events and Badges that you Earn.
Badges that you Earn-
In Sunday School and Wednesday night classes kids and youth will be given an assignment for each semester. For our younger kids it will be simple like listening to 10 Bible stories. For older kids it will memorizing prayers. Anything that will be memorized will be practiced at each class and be part of the weekly kids newsletter so that kids can practice at home. We will set a test date and after that, as soon as a student can recite the prayer they will have earned their badge. The testing will be held after worship in The Commons, anyone is welcome to come and test and earn badges for prayers, not just kids!
Events Badges
These badges will only be available to earn by attending events. Some examples are VBS, Advent Sunday, Kick Off Sunday, Halloween Hullaballoo and so many more.
Badge
The badge itself is a 1” plastic button that has a pin. Each badge will have a special design to match its awarded area.
Display/Storage
On Kick Off Sunday participants will be given the opportunity to make a canvas pennant to hang their badges on at home.
Please note, this is a work in progress, details may change as the year goes on. Please watch newsletters for updates.
Badge Classifications
Memorize (Red Border)
Students will have a Bible verse or prayer they will be asked to memorize and test on. Each team will have a challenge for the fall semester and another of the spring semester. Requirements and testing dates will be posted in the Commons and in each weekly kid e-mail.
Service (Blue border)
Volunteer to help in one of our many missions. Some opportunities include ushering in worship, serve at a shelter or Joppa meal, assisting with Wednesday dinner or clean-up, etc.
Bible Stories (Orange Border)
Listen to someone read Bible story to you either on Bedtime Bible or in person. This is designed for kids in elementary school or younger. Kindergarteners (and older) who have received their kids story Bible in worship are invited to read along with Bedtime Bible. Adults are welcome to read Bible stories for this category.
Retelling (Purple Border)
Students/ Participants are asked to retell a parable or story from the Bible in their own words and what its lesson is. Anyone in that team or older is welcome to test on this.
Events (Green Border)
Attend an event and receive a badge. A list of current events available will be posted in the Commons and in each weekly kid e-mail.
Events will include:
Annual events such as:
VBS, Kick Off Sunday
Mission Trips
Hullaballo (formerly known as Hoot-n-Howl)
Advent Event
Easter Celebration
Christmas Eve Worship, etc.
We will also have badges for regular occurring events such as:
Sunday worship
Wednesday night activities
Singing in choir
Attend Fine Arts Series events and more.