Programs of Religious Activities with Youth
P.R.A.Y. God and Country News Bulletin
Second Quarter 2008


Welcome to P.R.A.Y.’s God and Country News Bulletin. This Bulletin is written for pastors, counselors, mentors, and parents associated with Protestant and Independent Christian churches. It includes program helps, best practices, and special features to support a God and Country ministry. We hope you enjoy this bulletin and take the time to share it with others.

DENOMINATION / AGENCY CONFERENCE HOSTED BY P.R.A.Y.

In March the P.R.A.Y. Board of Directors hosted a conference in St. Louis to bring together denomination members and national youth agency representatives. It was a time of learning and networking and discovering opportunities for collaboration between organizations … all for the benefit of youth. The following organizations participated in the conference: American Heritage Girls, African Methodist Episcopal Church, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Boy Scouts of America, Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, Original Free Will Baptist Churches, and the United Methodist Church.

Back row: Dave Richardson, Larry Pritchard, Brad Nesheim
Middle row: Leo Symmank, Larry Coppock, Rusty Cowden, Mark Hazlewood, Jeanne Wurm, Daryl Ingram, David Williams
Front row: Raymon Hunt, Marian Long, Patti Garibay, David Hansley, Mark Kiessling
Not Pictured: Ellyn Schleiffarth

NEW RESOURCES FROM PRAY

• Electronic Registration Capabilities – P.R.A.Y. now has a downloadable program to register youth and order awards for Protestant God and Country recipients. Orders submitted by noon CST are processed and shipped the same day.  Visit www.praypub.org to download the registration program.
• The P.R.A.Y. website has a new section in Spanish. The online ordering page will soon include Dios y Yo and Dios y la Familia.
• The God and Country brochure has a new look to it. Click here for the newest revision: http://www.praypub.org/god_country/PRAY_brochure.htm
• God and Country usage numbers have been updated online. View statistics by agency, denomination, council, and program level.
• The God and Me resource page has some new items. Check out the giant prayer cube, the bingo card, and the jeopardy review game. 

P.R.A.Y. BOARD MEMBER ON AHG SPOTLIGHT

The American Heritage Girls (AHG) has a spotlight feature on one of its leaders, Jeanne Wurm, who is currently serving on the P.R.A.Y. Board of Directors. Click here to get to know Jeanne.  Jeanne recently led a God and Country workshop at the AHG National Leadership Convention in Cinncinatti, Ohio. Here are some comments from her workshop:

"I ordered the books in January, but when we reviewed them we were so overwhelmed. I now feel I can organize and go through this program. You have made it seem so simple and fun! The girls are going to love making the pizzas!" -New AHG Leader from Alabama

"Your passion for the unchurched and unsaved quickly became apparent. I see now how this program can benefit us to grow not just our AHG Troop but the Kingdom." - AHG Leader from Texas

"I have seen every curriculum under the sun and just could not see how this would be an outreach. I came here not expecting to hear anything new. This program was presented in such a concise manner that I can see growth potential to our small church. I am going home and tell our new Pastor we must get the PRAY program started right away!" - AHG Charter Representative,  Florida

EMERITUS BILL HIBBERT

P.R.A.Y. was saddened to learn of the passing of Fr. William Hibbert on March 4, 2008 in Rapid City, South Dakota. Bill was an Emeritus member of P.R.A.Y. Serving on the P.R.A.Y. Board since 1982, Bill fulfilled numerous positions including officer of the Board, Christian Education Committee member, and God and Service Committee Chair. He helped edit and review God and Country curriculum through the years, and he read and approved more than 2,500 God and Service nomination forms. More recently, Bill served as chaplain at the Florida Sea Base in 2003 and helped initiate the Duty to God program there. According to P.R.A.Y. CEO Mark Hazlewood, “Bill Hibbert has been a pillar of our organization. And not just because of what he has done for the organization, but the person he has been. Bill’s gentle nature, his love of the ministry, and his love of Scouting and young people is his true legacy to P.R.A.Y.”  

WHAT OTHERS HAVE DONE

• Cadette Girl Scouts in Austin, Texas assembled baby layettes for Lutheran World Relief as part of their God and Church service requirements. The layettes included baby blankets, diapers, nightgowns, outfits, etc. and are distributed to new mothers in Russia and other countries that are in need. The girls enjoyed their shopping spree to pick out baby clothes, but just as memorable were the scrapbooks that they made. “My favorite part was taking the pictures for the scrapbook. We went around our church and school campus and took cool photos of Christian centered objects and stained glass windows. Then we made some scrapbook pages. It was really fun!” The girls are part of a very active troop. They will be going to the United Kingdom, Ireland, and France this summer to bridge to the next level of Girl Scouts. Below is a picture of the girls with their baby layettes.  Click here for more information on assembling baby layettes for Lutheran World Relief.
  
   
   
• Robyn Wilson taught the God and Family program at First Baptist Church in Kingsport, TN. She wrote the following note about lesson 4 (about “cheese” and rules): The boys loved the pick-up sticks game. I used to be the educational director for a restored 1850’s farm historic site here in town for a while.  We did “1^st person” tours and played actual characters that used to live at this farm, doing crafts, games, school as in 1850.  I realized then that children today don’t really know the way children back then played.  I have a set of wooden pick-up sticks that have different colored rings around them.  First of all, none of the boys had ever heard of the game!  For the rules lesson, I let them make up a set of rules for playing the game.  After they started playing, some of them wanted to change the rules. They could only change the rule if they all voted to do that.  It was interesting to see how that transpired.  They loved the game – old but fun.  As for the 10 commandments, they wrote them down, taped them in the top of the pizza boxes (or on their mirrors at home) and memorized them.  One of the ways to do that was getting in a line, each saying a commandment, and going down the line until finished.  I would rearrange them in a different order and go again – mixing them up several times until we could all say them.   
  
   
• Rylee, age 6, from Fort Smith, Arkansas had a good time earning the God and Me Award with the help of her family. They enjoyed reading the Bible together and hiding the prayer rock for each other. After reading about Zacchaeus, Rylee drew a picture of him in the tree and Jesus is telling him to “go down.” She has two suns in her picture because she likes suns. She also features the number “four” because she liked lesson #4 and her little sister Meg is four years old! Here is Rylee with her family receiving her God and Me award from the pastor. She also received a new Bible to commemorate the occasion.
   
  
   
• Kurt Stevenson, God and Country Coordinator at Bethany Presbyterian Church in Kingsport, TN, shares the following story: Bethany Presbyterian Church has not had a consistent youth program for many years, thus the youth have found somewhere else to go. I approached the pastor and presented the P.R.A.Y. program to him and he was familiar with it, having worked with youth in the Air Force on the God and Country series. He said he would put me on the agenda and I could present it to the Session. We met with the Session and I gave them all the info on the program, the benefits and a sample lesson. They were receptive and agreed to the plan on one condition... I would teach the class. So to prove my statement that anyone that could read can teach the class, I picked up the God and Me book and started to read. I recruited one of the church's older youth to help with the games. We began with 7 kids and I put out a teaser, free milkshakes, for anyone that could bring a friend. Over the next 2 weeks, we grew to 12. We had 30 minutes of study time, 30 minutes of music 20 minutes of playtime and back for refreshments and homework assignments. The Beacons of Light, as they have come to be known at Bethany, are a success. Bethany has picked up the Thursday night idea and has a midweek youth bible study for these kids and 12 are learning about the word of God. Oh yeah... the Beacons of Light played Amazing Grace during the offertory and are planning a sleep over at the church and the Men of the Church group are feeding them breakfast. Looks like a Cub Scout Pack is a possibility at Bethany Presbyterian in the near future.

WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID

• My son really enjoys looking up things in the Bible. He had never done that. We’ve learned how to help him and us be closer to God by using the P.A.T.H.  – Parent, Danese, WV
   
• My favorite parts were when we read the Bible stories. I have learned so much about the holy times. Now I don’t think of church or God as boring any more! Junior Girl Scout – Yonkers, NY
   
• My favorite part was making the cheese and weaving it. It reminded me that God weaves his life in and out of my life. Webeloes Scout, Louisville, KY
   
• We have four children and this program gave me the opportunity to spend some one on one time with Andrew. Andrew enjoys talking about his faith, and as his parent I continue to marvel at his deep understanding at age eight.  Father of Cub Scout, Glenshaw, PA
   
• My son has never read the Bible. This has opened the door for him to read more scripture. Our family does not normally read the Bible together, so this was awesome! Foothill Ranch, CA
   
• Your online assistance, ideas and manuals were wonderful.  I have a child that is hyper.  I was able to keep him engaged the entire program, no small feat.  The pastor came in and "tested" the boys at the end.  It was a great experience. This was about making memories for a lifetime.  It is the BEST thing we have done with Scouts.  I am so thankful for your program and the ability to share my faith with the boys in our scouts group.  This is a wonderful ministry.  Keep up the good work! God and Me Counselor, Oklahoma City, OK