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Sample Retreat Resources
If there is one
thing that can consistently be said about the P.R.A.Y. program,
it is that it has always been taught in a variety of ways and in many
different settings, i.e. at home with the family, in a classroom setting
at church, or one-on-one with the pastor or an adult mentor. The
P.R.A.Y. Program can even be done at a weekend retreat.
While it is possible
to design retreat experiences around the P.R.A.Y. program, it
takes careful planning and consideration to maintain the integrity of
the program. Retreat settings are not always feasible. There are many
issues to take into consideration, but a P.R.A.Y. Program retreat starts
with the following assumptions:
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Core
requirements and guidelines will be upheld (not watered down)
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Homework or pre-camp assignments will be required
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Participants will be required to present their work to their pastors
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Participants will receive a retreat patch. They will be responsible for
ordering their own religious award after their pastors have approved
their work.
One of the first
challenges is to build a retreat that offers first and foremost the
opportunity for spiritual growth. Yes, the retreat is based on the
P.R.A.Y. curriculum, but the goal of the retreat is not to earn an
award but to grow closer to Christ. A retreat is to build faith and make
new friends. The retreat planning committee must look at the overall
weekend experience and the worship atmosphere besides planning the nitty
gritty details of fulfilling the award requirements. Providing free time
to balance the heavy emphasis on lesson work is essential. Children will
be expected to work hard in their small group sessions, but they will
also be expected to play hard too. Retreats must build time for
fun and fellowship in less structured activities. Different camps may
present different opportunities for outdoor activities as well. It is
the responsibility of the retreat planning committee to oversee these
options.
It is assumed that
the retreat planning committee will provide opportunity for community
service. In some instances, campers have participated in ecology or camp
improvement projects for the camp or nearby community. In other
instances, campers have learned about a community-helping agency and
then brought donations for it (i.e. stuffed animals, Bibles, canned
goods, etc.).
It must also be
noted that the individual lessons in the P.R.A.Y. curriculum
incorporate a “hands on” component. Therefore each lesson includes its
own craft project. Additional crafts may be used as options during free
time.
The following
options focus on specific program level. Only three options will be
explored: God and Me, God and Family, and God and Church. Please note
that all material presented here should not be used “as is” but adapted
to fit your particular needs. Any questions? Please contact Deb
Hazlewood at
debh@praypub.org.
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