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

Overview of the P.R.A.Y. Curriculum

Deb Hazlewood, Presenter

Presbyterian Scouting Ministry:Using the P.R.A.Y. Program

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

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

Goals

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

Outline:

Overview of the P.R.A.Y. Program Discuss the P.R.A.Y. Program as

Evangelism

Sample SCREEN SHOT ONLY

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

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

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

God and MeGrades 1-3

Theme: “Best Friends with Jesus”

Hands-On: GAMEBox Memory Requirement:

The Lord’s Prayer Schedule: minimum 4

sessions

Lesson 1God 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

Lesson 2Jesus is God’s Gift to Me

Story 1:Jesus Is BornMatthew 1:18-25Luke 1:26-35Luke 2:1-20Matthew 2:1-12

Story 2:Jesus Was Born to Be Our SaviorJohn 3:16

Lesson 3:I Can Talk with God

Story 1:Jesus Prayed to GodMark 1:35-37

Story 2:God Talks to Samuel 1 Samuel 3:1-10

Lesson 4: Because God Caresfor Me, I Can Care for Others

Story 1: Jesus is the Good ShepherdMatthew 18:12-14

Story 2: Jesus is a Friend to All

Luke 19:1-10

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

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.”

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

God and Family:Grades 4-5

Theme: “Growing in God’s Love”

Hands-on: PIZZA Memory Requirement:

The Ten Commandments

Schedule: minimum 6 sessions


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


Table of Contents Crust – Foundation – We Are God’s Family


Table of Contents Sauce – Family Heritage, Spiritual Heritage


Table of Contents Toppings – Our Talents and Gifts Strengthen Our Families


Table of Contents Cheese – In God’s Family We’re Loved No Matter What!

Because We’re Loved, We Follow Rules


Table of Contents 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


Favorite activity: making a real pizza!

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.”

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

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

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

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

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


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.


Favorite activities:– Making videos– Learning about their own

congregations– Interviewing clergy– Visiting other churches

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.”

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

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


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


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


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


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


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


Favorite Activities– Bible Study– Leading a worship

service– Doing the children’s

sermon

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.”

Program summaries

Questions?

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

Christian Education

Christian Education

Bible-based curriculum Appropriate for Sunday

school programs, confirmation classes, and small group opportunities.

Intentional milestones

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.

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.

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.

The P.R.A.Y. Program: More than Just a Sunday School Curriculum…

it’s EVANGELISM

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


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


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.

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.

Scouting Provides “Pre-Qualified” Families

Why do families sign up for Scouts?

VALUES You have unchurched

families in your building who want values.

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.

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.

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.


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.


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.”


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.

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.

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

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

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.

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 Youth11123 S. Towne Square, Ste. B, St. Louis MO 63123phone 1-800-933-7729 or 314-845-3318fax 314-845-0038 email [email protected]

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

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