What is Acteens?
Acteens is a missions organization for girls in your church who are aged 12–17 or in grades 7–12. Through Acteens, teenaged girls in your church can have opportunities to grow in their relationships with God and their peers. Acteens learn to look beyond themselves and become actively involved in missions and ministry.

Missions is at the heart of Acteens, and members explore and do hands-on missions in their communities and beyond. Acteens are also actively involved in learning about missions and praying for and giving to missions.
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Why does my church need Acteens?
Research tells us that gender-specific organizations provide a healthy learning environment, particularly for teenaged girls. Acteens offers teenaged girls an opportunity to grow in their understanding of God, themselves, and others in an all-girl environment. Acteens experiences help girls develop dynamic relationships with God leading them to make missions a continuing part of their lives.
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Why is missions education important?
Missions education teaches that God is active and working in the world today. Acteens helps girls learn that they can be a part of God’s work in the world. The girls also come to understand that the world is bigger than their own community.
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Who can be an Acteen?
Any girl, aged 12–17 or in grades 7–12, who wants to participate can be a member of Acteens. Church membership is not required.
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Who leads Acteens?
Both adults and Acteens members are responsible for leading the work of the group.
• Acteens leader—Each Acteens group needs an adult leader who is responsibility for leading the group in preparing for, doing, and assessing the work of Acteens. As needed other adults may assist the Acteens leader in leading the group and/or in mentoring Acteens members.
• Acteens members–According to their maturity and ability, Acteens members may plan and lead their missions experiences.
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What about Acteens meetings?
Acteens groups usually meet weekly; however, some groups meet less often. Your group can choose to meet at a time and place that best suits your activities and the girls’ schedules.
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Where do leaders get their ideas?
All of the essential items for leading Acteens are found in Acteens Leader . This quarterly resource includes planning helps, activity sheets, and content for Acteens meetings.
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What other resources do Acteens need?
• The Mag is the colorful, monthly magazine for teenaged girls that helps them learn about and be involved in missions in the real world.
• The Mag Supplement Kit is an annual resource. This helpful and creative supplement coordinates with the units of study in The Mag, and includes posters, games, and much more.
• MissionsQuestSM is the individual achievement plan for Acteens.
• WMU planning year book for the current year is an essential annual resource that gives a preview of study materials and special projects for the year, plus a list of Acteens resources and information about WMU ministries.
• The interactive Acteens Web site is found at www.acteens.com.
• Other materials for youth, such as ministry idea books, spiritual growth helps, and Acteens identity items are available. Order a free WMU® Materials Catalog through WMU Customer Service, 1-800-968-7301 or www.wmustore.com. You may also view our Important Stuff page to see more information about each of these products.
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What happens in a meeting?
During a meeting, Acteens participate in missions experiences related to praying for missions, doing missions, learning about missions, and developing a missions lifestyle.

The experiences embrace these six elements of Acteens: biblically-based, action-oriented, relationship-based, learner-focused, accountability-based, and missions driven.

An introduction is designed to draw the girls into the missions experience. The experience presents the core content of the lesson in a variety of ways that engage Acteens according to their learning styles. The conclusion helps clarify and apply what the girls are learning and is followed by a prayer experience that includes the missionary prayer calendar.

Some meetings may be devoted to working on the individual achievement plan called MissionsQuestSM, or to planning special projects.

Leaders can encourage girls to develop their leadership skills by guiding them to participate and accept leadership according to their age and experience.
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What else do Acteens do?
• Ministry projects: Some ideas for ministry projects are found in The Mag and Acteens Leader. Other projects may develop in response to needs in your community. Sometimes Acteens will work with your youth minister to include all youth in a ministry project.
• MissionsQuestSM: Acteens can go beyond the basics by participating in this individual achievement plan that will help them become more confident, courageous, and creative as they see Christ’s vision for a lost and hurting world. There are six quests, one for each grade level. A corresponding award is available upon completion of each quest.
• Special events: Associational and state Acteens events provide opportunities for girls from several churches to meet together for camps, retreats, or other activities. Blume, the next national Acteens event, will be held July 10-13, 2007, in Kansas City, Missouri.
• Acteens Activators: Your Acteens group may apply through your state WMU office to participate in these volunteer missions projects in the United States. Assignments are coordinated with WMU’s Volunteer ConnectionSM.
• Acteens Activators Abroad: Girls serve in international volunteer projects, coordinated through your state WMU office and WMU’s Volunteer Connection.
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