1. Presbyterian Scouting Ministry: Using the P.R.A.Y. Program
Overview of the P.R.A.Y. Curriculum
Deb Hazlewood, Presenter

2. Previous Poll
Choose the statement that best describes your current practice.
We tell our Unit about religious emblems and hope they do it
We regularly offer the P.R.A.Y. programs to our youth

3. Results
Choose the statement that best describes your current practice.
100% = We tell our Unit about religious emblems and hope they do it
0% = We regularly offer the P.R.A.Y. programs to our youth

4. Goals
You will teach a P.R.A.Y. class.

5. Outline: Overview of the P.R.A.Y. Program
Discuss the P.R.A.Y. Program as Evangelism

6. Sample SCREEN SHOT ONLY

7. What is the P.R.A.Y. Program?
Created by the churches
Clergy reviews the work and signs it off
Awards are approved for the official Scout uniforms
For boys and girls in grades 1-12

8. Program Summaries God and Me, grades 1-3 God and Family, grades 4-5
God and Church, grades 6-8
God and Life, grades 9-12

9. Program Summary: God and Me (grades 1-3)

10. God and Me Grades 1-3 Theme: “Best Friends with Jesus”
Hands-On: GAMEBox
Memory Requirement: The Lord’s Prayer
Schedule: minimum 4 sessions

11. Lesson 1 God Created Me Story 1: God Said That It Was Good
Genesis 1:1- 2:3
Story 2:
God Calls Me by Name
Isaiah 43:1-2, 4

12. Lesson 2 Jesus is God’s Gift to Me
Story 1:
Jesus Is Born
Matthew 1:18-25
Luke 1:26-35
Luke 2:1-20
Matthew 2:1-12
Story 2:
Jesus Was Born to Be Our Savior
John 3:16

13. Lesson 3: I Can Talk with God
Story 1:
Jesus Prayed to God
Mark 1:35-37
Story 2:
God Talks to Samuel
1 Samuel 3:1-10

14. Lesson 4: Because God Cares for Me, I Can Care for Others
Story 1: Jesus is the Good Shepherd
Matthew 18:12-14
Story 2: Jesus is a Friend to All
Luke 19:1-10

15. God and Me: Prayer Cube Favorite lesson: The lesson on prayer
Kids use P-A-T-H* to learn four parts of prayer and they make a prayer cube.
* Praise - Apology - Thanks - Help

16. God and Me: Award Red is the color for the God and Me program.
Red symbolizes love and the blood of Christ.
When children wear the recognition, they are reminded that they are “Best Friends with Jesus.”

17. Program Summary: God and Family (grades 4-5)

18. God and Family: Grades 4-5
Theme: “Growing in God’s Love”
Hands-on: PIZZA
Memory Requirement: The Ten Commandments
Schedule: minimum 6 sessions

19. God and Family: Grades 4-5
Table of Contents
Crust – Foundation – We Are God’s Family
Sauce – Family Heritage, Spiritual Heritage
Toppings – Our Talents and Gifts Strengthen Our Families
Cheese – In God’s Family We’re Loved No Matter What! Because We’re Loved, We Follow Rules
Bake – Being in God’s Family Helps Us
When Things Are Tough
Eat, Share, Enjoy! – In God’s Family,
We Share as a Response to God’s Love

20. God and Family: Grades 4-5
Table of Contents
Crust – Foundation – We Are God’s Family

21. God and Family: Grades 4-5
Table of Contents
Sauce – Family Heritage, Spiritual Heritage

22. God and Family: Grades 4-5
Table of Contents
Toppings – Our Talents and Gifts Strengthen Our Families

23. God and Family: Grades 4-5
Table of Contents
Cheese – In God’s Family We’re Loved No Matter What! Because We’re Loved, We Follow Rules

24. God and Family: Grades 4-5
Table of Contents
Bake – Being in God’s Family Helps Us
When Things Are Tough

25. God and Family: Grades 4-5
Eat, Share, Enjoy! – In God’s Family,
We Share as a Response to God’s Love

26. God and Family: Grades 4-5
Favorite activity: making a real pizza!

27. God and Family: Award
Yellow is the color for the God and Family program.
Yellow symbolizes sunlight and joy.
When children wear the recognition, they are reminded of the joy and blessings of family as they seek to “Grow in God’s Love.”

28. Program Summary: God and Church (grades 6-8)

29. God and Church: Grades 6-8
Theme: “My Journey with Christ”
Hands-on: Video or Photo Album
Memory Requirement: Creed
Schedule: minimum 12 sessions
Daily Bible Reading Requirement: 3 weeks min.
Service Projects: Community and Church service projects

30. Unit I - My Journey: Meeting Christ
Lesson I – Meeting Jesus, the Person
Lesson 2 – Meeting Jesus, the Son of God
Lesson 3 – Meeting Jesus, the Head of the Church
Project: Daily Bible Reading

31. Unit II – My Journey: Worshiping God
Lesson 4: Learning How Christ Worshiped God
Lesson 5: Exploring How My Congregation Worships God
Project: Discovering How I Can Worship God

32. Unit III – My Journey: Witnessing and Ministering for Christ
Lesson 6 – Learning How Christ Witnessed and Ministered to Others
Lesson 7 – Exploring How My Congregation Witnesses and Ministers to Others
Project – Discovering How I Can Witness and Minister to Others

33. God and Church: Grades 6-8
God and Church is often incorporated into confirmation programs.
Special consideration must be made when teaching multi-denominations in one class.
This is the only level that has denominational pins.

34. God and Church: Grades 6-8
Favorite activities:
Making videos
Learning about their own congregations
Interviewing clergy
Visiting other churches

35. God and Church: Award
Blue is the color for the God and Church program.
Blue symbolizes loyalty and truth.
When young people wear the recognition, they are challenged to uphold these values as they continue a lifetime “Journey with Christ.”

36. Program Summary: God and Life (grades 9-12)

37. God and Life: Grades 9-12 Theme: “Called by Christ to Serve”
Bible Study: the life of Paul
Daily Bible Reading Requirement: 3 months minimum
Schedule: minimum 12 sessions plus 5 Service Projects
Required: Write a Personal Statement of Commitment

38. God and Life: Grades 9-12 Lesson 1 - God Calls All Kinds of People
Before his conversion, Paul persecuted Christians. God does not call perfect people. God calls ordinary people and transforms them.
Jeremiah, Moses, Peter

39. God and Life: Grades 9-12
Lesson 2 - God Doesn’t Expect Us to Do It On Our Own
After his conversion, Paul was helped by Ananias and Barnabas. The Christian life needs the help and fellowship of Christian believers.
Ethiopian/Philip, Moses/Jethro, paralytic/friends

40. God and Life: Grades 9-12
Lesson 3 - Each of Us Must Make a Personal Response to the Call of God
After his encounter with Christ on the Damascus road, Paul was baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit. He responded and accepted God’s call for his life. The Holy Spirit is at work in our lives – we just need to respond!
Mary/Martha, spies sent into Canaan, Naaman, disciples
Isaiah, Mary, Peter

41. God and Life: Grades 9-12
Lesson 4 - God Gives Strength to Face Adversities
Paul led a difficult life: many people wanted him dead. God does not promise a life free from difficulty and suffering. On the contrary, the times of difficulty and suffering may strengthen our dependence on God and prepare us for greater service.  God does not guarantee an easy life, but God does promise to be with us.
Stephen, Hannah, Lazarus, Jesus

42. God and Life: Grades 9-12
Lesson 5 - God Can Accomplish Great Things through Those Who are Willing to Do God’s Will
Because of Paul, the church was strengthened and it grew in numbers. God can use each of us for God’s purposes!
Moses, Elijah, the widow’s mite, Queen Esther

43. God and Life: Grades 9-12 Favorite Activities Bible Study
Leading a worship service
Doing the children’s sermon

44. God and Life: Award Green is the color for the God and Life program.
Green symbolizes new growth and eternal life.
When young people wear the recognition, they are strengthened in the knowledge that they are “Called by Christ to Serve.”

45. Program summaries
Questions?

46. The P.R.A.Y. Program: More than Just an Award
Christian Education

47. Christian Education Bible-based curriculum
Appropriate for Sunday school programs, confirmation classes, and small group opportunities.
Intentional milestones

48. Christian Education Family ministry
Participants are required to do projects with their families.
Parents may choose to participate in the Adult Mentor Program
Mentors have a workbook to complete just like their children
The Adult Mentor Program is an intentional program for parents to share their faith with their children.

49. Christian Education Servant leaders
Participants must put their faith into action by designing meaningful service projects.
Service projects target the family, the congregation, and the community.

50. Christian Education Changed lives!
Parents notice changes in their children and how they interact with each other.
Children have asked to be baptized after completing a class.
Parents learn to pray with their children and talk about their faith.
Families have started attending church again because of a P.R.A.Y. class.

51. The P.R.A.Y. Program: More than Just a Sunday School Curriculum…
it’s EVANGELISM

52. The P.R.A.Y. Program: More than Just a Sunday School Curriculum… it’s Evangelism
The P.R.A.Y. Program is an Evangelism tool that your congregation can use to grow its membership

53. The P.R.A.Y. Program: More than Just a Sunday School Curriculum… it’s Evangelism
Eligibility requirements:
Boys and girls
May be earned by scouts and non-scouts
Families do not need to have official membership in a congregation to be eligible

54. The P.R.A.Y. Program: More than Just a Sunday School Curriculum… it’s Evangelism
Congregations that promote the P.R.A.Y. classes through the Scouting community are reaching out to scouting families that do not have church homes.

55. Scouting … A Mission Field!
Roughly half of a typical scouting group will not be active in a congregation.
Take the Cub Scouts for example: If there are 10 families in a Cub Scout Pack, there are perhaps 5 families without a church home, meeting in your church building.

56. Scouting Provides “Pre-Qualified” Families
Why do families sign up for Scouts?
VALUES
You have unchurched families in your building who want values.

57. Be Intentional About Ministry
A full 100% of Scouts pledge their Duty to God.
The church’s job is to help them fulfill this promise.
The church has an opportunity to turn Scouting into a ministry.
This ministry can grow your membership.

58. Turning Scouting into a Ministry
Offer a P.R.A.Y. class.
Use the P.R.A.Y. classes as an opportunity for the members of your congregation to interact with your Scouting families.

59. Goal: Make Scouting a Ministry (not just a group that meets in the basement)
Use people from your church (i.e. Sunday school teachers, pastors, parents, etc.) to teach the classes so that your Scouting families can get to know some of your church members.
Consider using the Mentor program as an opportunity for Scouting parents to interact with each other and with members of your church.

60. Goal: Make Scouting a Ministry (not just a group that meets in the basement)
Continue to find ways to connect Scouting families with your church members.
Include Scouts in service projects at the church to help them get their service hours.
Plan the award ceremony during a regular worship service and invite the families.

61. Goal: Make Scouting a Ministry (not just a group that meets in the basement)
Quote from a pastor: “Once a family or individual from our Scouting ministry visits our church, they find something that ministers to their family here. Scouting remains our main outreach ministry and we continue to develop nurturing ministries to keep those families coming back again & again.”

62. Goal: Make Scouting a Ministry (not just a group that meets in the basement)
Use the P.R.A.Y. program as a way to invite families into the life of your church
A P.R.A.Y. class is a non-threatening way for unchurched families to connect with a church.

63. Setting Up a Class
The P.R.A.Y. program may be presented in different formats, i.e. classroom setting, weekend camp retreat, at home with parents, or as an independent study with the pastor.
Participants are required to present their work to the pastor.
The pastor may or may not be the teacher, but the pastor (not the Scout leader or parent) conducts the final interview with the students.

64. Setting Up a Class Decide which program(s) you will offer
Consider whom you will invite to participate in your class
Publicize your class
Make a budget
Recruit and train adult counselors/teachers
Consider if you will offer the Adult Mentor component

65. Setting Up a Class Choose dates
Create a class schedule with assignments
Review the supply list and gather materials
Order booklets
Arrange to order recognitions and plan the award ceremony

66. Conclusion Scouting is a rich mission field.
A P.R.A.Y. class is a non-threatening way for unchurched families to connect with a church.
It is this type of Scouting MINISTRY that can bring young families into your congregation.

67. Blessings on Your Ministry!
Thank you for attending our presentation!
Visit our learning center for more webinar opportunities.
We hope we have given you the tools and encouragement to strengthen your P.R.A.Y. ministry!
Programs of Religious Activities with Youth
11123 S. Towne Square, Ste. B, St. Louis MO 63123
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