TJ & Ferrol Sipes children: Noah, Jacob, Terry Jr., Goldie Circa 2001	TJ & Ferrol Sipes children: Noah, Jacob, Terry Jr., Goldie Circa 2006
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TJ & Ferrol Sipes Awana Missionaries to Mississippi and West Tennessee

Our Ministry Verse:

Our Mission:

Our Goals:

• We believe 250 churches in our territory will utilize Awana by the end of 2007. More Awana churches means we are reaching more children and families with the gospel, and training more people to serve the Lord.
• Develop Ministry Teams to Strengthen our present local church Awana ministries through…
1. Training Lay people to teach Basic Trainings and Club Evaluations that will Emphasize Reaching and Training of children, teens and adults.
2. Providing leadership with practical helps to spiritually motivate children and Teenagers
• Keep Pastors, youth pastors, and churches thinking about their ministry to teenagers.
1. Are they reaching them?
2. Are they training them to serve the Lord now? (Or are they just entertaining them!)
3. See more teenagers from Mississippi & West Tennessee go on MIT teams to foreign fields.
• Help local churches train more faithful MEN to accept their responsibility as Spiritual leaders.

Our Strategy:

• Introduce the ministry of Awana to local churches.
• Assist pastors, and churches in developing effective children and youth ministries.
• Speak in church services and clubs about Awana, also in schools and colleges and special events.
• Conduct Basic Training and other leadership training classes and workshops for churches.
• Develop and Administrate Leadership Training Conference's to benefit local church ministries.
• Send monthly activity and expense reports to Awana Headquarters.
• Present and Promote Adopt-a-Club and foreign outreach ministry opportunities.
• Train Ministry Teams to conduct area-wide activities: Bible Quizzing, AwanaGames, Sparks-a-Rama, and Trek/Journey Weekend.

Our Responsibilities:

Here is an overview of our responsibilities as Awana Missionaries in Mississippi and West Tennessee:

Promotion of Awana Clubs:

• Introduce and explain the Awana ministry to Pastors
• Formally present the Awana ministry to new churches upon request

Partnership with existing churches with Awana Clubs:

• Teach Awana Orientation Training Seminars
• Hold regular Pastor-Commander-Director Meetings
• Available to provide Awana consultation to all Awana leaders in region
• Keep regional Awana leadership up-to-date and encouraged through letters, emails, and internet web site.

Proclamation of God's Word:

• Speaking at Awana special events
• Preach in churches throughout the region
• Visit and speak at all of the Awana Club programs in the region

Preparing Awana Events for the regional areas:

• Awana Leadership Conferences
• AwanaGames for 3rd - 6th Grade Clubs
• Sparks-a-Rama
• AwanaGames for Trek & Journey 24/7 Ministries
• Bible Quizzing for 3rd - 6th Grade Clubs
• Bible Quizzing for Trek & Journey 24/7 Ministries
• Summit USA

Our Support Needs:

It has been brought to my attention that if I could individually list some of the ministry needs we have potential donors would have a better understanding of how our ministries, as well as financial needs, are taken care of.
I would be glad to discuss this with anyone or church that would like to have more information on how to support the Awana Ministry of Mississippi and West Tennessee which is composed of nearly 250 churches, 15,000 children and teenagers, and 4,200 Awana leaders. Ferrol and I have trusted the Lord to take care of our family needs for over 17 years since we first trusted Him as our Savior in July of 1991. We continue to trust that God will provide for both our family and now our Awana Ministry needs as well.
As Faith Support Missionaries, Ferrol and I must raise all of the necessary funds for our ministry expenses as well as our salary, housing, medical and dental insurance. We are 100% faith-supported and currently have about 80% of our needed support committed monthly, with 85% coming from 55 of our regional churches and 15% from 28 individuals and families.
We do not receive any funds at all from Awana HQ generated funds or from the sale of any materials or supplies from Awana.
Ministry expenses include those related to the regional Awana events, required travel expenses, and standard office expenses required to run a ministry of this size. Regional events may require rental fees, equipment purchases, up-front supply costs, honorariums, and other related expenses for the following annual events:
• Two Fall Awana Ministry Conferences,
• Three Bible Quizzes
• Three AwanaGames Competitions
• Seven Regional Orientation Training
• Several trips to Chicago and other locations for Regional Missionary Trainings
Travel expenses on a monthly basis are also covered under ministry expenses, including an average of 2,5000 miles logged each month in our territory (since we bought our Taurus 2002 we have traveled over 183,000 miles, not counting the trips in our vans and other vehicles).
All of the meals and hotel costs for Ferrol and I as we travel are covered by your donations, however, our children’s meals and hotel expenses as we travel are not covered by donations but are considered a personal expense (many donors do not know this).
We are also required to attend two Awana Missionary conferences each year - one at Awana HQ in Chicago and the other in a rotating location across the country. All airfare and travel expenses incurred for Ferrol and me en route to attend these Missionary conferences are provided for through these same donations.
Our monthly office expenses may include but are not limited to the following:
• Office Phone
• Cell Phone
• Printer Ink
• Copy Paper
• Internet Access
• Electricity Bill
• General Supplies
• Labels, Flip Charts
• Pens, Pencils, etc...
• Computer Software
• Postage (Simply mailing one letter to each church costs $92.00. Additionally, we have registration forms donor letters clubber response & award letters that go out each month.)
• Printers & Copiers maintenance and upkeep
Our housing and salary come from these donations as well. Both of these were set and approved by Awana US Missions and are in accordance with the area with which we live.
Fuels costs have seriously impacted travel by all in the United States. Upon evaluation of our budget in the beginning of 2007, we knew that I would have to reduce my travel because of fuel costs. However, there are some trips that I simply must make in order to accomplish our ministry duties and we continue to perform these duties as frugally as possible.
God has given to each of us the responsibility of stewardship and accountability. Ferrol and I submit annual budgets to our Regional Ministries Director Mr. Ken del Villar who in turn submits them to the Director of US Missions for approval. In all of our years as your Awana Missionaries, our account has finished without deficit at the end of each fiscal year. Much of this is due to the events we hold in our territory, however, we must not rely on events to support our ministry needs.
In closing, please know that we need more than financial support alone; we need your prayers for our family and ministry as well as our travel. We need more qualified people to become members of our team to train others in how to reach and teach boys and girls the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the Awana Ministry.
Yes, we do need churches and families to consider supporting us, however, I believe God will provide all of our needs as He lays it on the hearts of our families and churches as we share our vision and needs.
If you have any concerns or would like more information concerning our ministry or family needs, please do not hesitate to contact us at the information listed below. May God bless and keep you all.
TJ & Ferrol Sipes
Awana Missionaries to
Mississippi and West Tennessee
Webmaster note: Awana has posted a web page to further explain the importance and benefits of helping their Awana Missionary stay on the job. Awana Clubs International now offers several methods to give to the Awana Missionaries, including credit card donations via an online account, Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) directly from your checking account for regular giving, and workplace-based giving (including matching donation programs and the Combined Federal Campaign). Check out more at the Donate web site.

Ideas on how to help your Awana Missionary:

1. Regular Church Financial Support: Have the church commit to a set amount of monthly financial support for your Awana Missionary as part of the church's missions budget.
2. Regular Awana Leader Financial Support: If your church gives to a co-op of missionaries, consider adding support for the Awana Missionary into your Awana budget or have the Awana leaders/clubbers donate a regular amount each week toward the Awana Missionary.
3. Start-up Gift: If regular giving is not possible, one-time gifts are also very helpful to deal with the irregular needs that occur throughout the year. In addition, the job of the Awana Missionary does not start and end with the Awana Club season - church registrations, presentations, planning and office work run throuout the year.
4. *A Stamping: Your church, sunday school class or Awana Club can help the Awana Missionary deal with the cost of the hundreds of letters that are sent out each month by collecting first class and post card postage.
5. Purchase of Equipment: There are many devices that make up a modern office environment that are prohibitively expensive to a faith-based missionary. Having a group or individual donate equipment like Quality Copy Machines, Flatbed Scanners, Postage Scales, Rubbermaid storage boxes, etc. dramatically increase the efficiency and effectivness of the Awana Missionary (Please call for a current list.)
6. Office Supplies: Have a "pounding" of general office supplies such as pencils, pens, Avery computer address labels, diskettes, manila file folders, hanging file folders, 3 ring binders, Liquid Paper, paper clips, pads of paper, wide and thin markers, hi-liters, 3/4" clear or masking tape, packing tape, duct tape, padded and flat mailing envelopes (9" X 6" & 10" X 13"), staples, and binder clips of all sizes.
7. *Paper Drive: Awana Missionaries run through thousands of sheets of paper each month for office and event needs. Providing the copy paper needed (20 lb 8"X11˝") in either White or your choice of colors also helps the Awana Missionary.
8. *Special Fundraisers: Collection of Pennies or Coin Projects to provide funds for equipment or supplies mentioned above are also great ways to help.
9. Contact Them: Personally contact your Awana Missionary for any immediate need they may have not listed above.