You are receiving this newsletter because you have expressed an interest in P.R.A.Y. and promoting faith-based programs to Girl Scouts. P.R.A.Y. handles the Protestant Christian program but also provides interfaith resources and links to other religious emblems programs to support both Girl Scout professionals and volunteers.
P.R.A.Y. Update to Members of GSUSA
June 2019
WELCOME, KARA BALL!
GSUSA Senior Manager, Faith-Based Partnerships 
Kara Ball is the Senior Manager of Faith-Based Partnerships for the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. Kara is responsible for building faith-based partnerships and programs that serve and support girls and provide mutual value add to partners and Girl Scout Councils.

Kara brings 20+ years of experience in non-profit leadership and community partnership building. She most recently served as the VP of Partnerships for Earth Day Networks. Prior to the that, she served as the Program Director of Faith Partnerships at ecoAmerica where she directed national partnerships with diverse faith leaders and institutions to increase impact and engagement for climate solutions. Kara brings experience in identifying the proper strategic approach to partnering at the local, state and federal levels to achieve shared priorities. She serves on the Board of Directors for the National Religious Partnership for the Environment and as a Master Naturalist for the state of Virginia. She lives in Virginia with her husband Rev. Jim Ball.

Please join P.R.A.Y. in welcoming Kara!
FAITH-BASED INITIATIVES
How P.R.A.Y. Can Help
Interested in connecting with the faith community? Want to strengthen your partnerships? Consider the following resources:

  • Usage Reports - P.R.A.Y. sends quarterly reports to local Girl Scout Councils listing the religious award recipients of the P.R.A.Y. awards, as well as the Eastern Orthodox, Christian Scientist, and Community of Christ awards. These reports include the girls’ congregations and clergy and can be a tool to connect with the faith community and find prospects for interfaith committees, new troops, and potential collaboration.
  • Training - P.R.A.Y. continues to connect with local council leadership through webinars and conference calls. These are informative sessions about membership growth, developing interfaith relationships, and using available data to support strategic work. In 2019, P.R.A.Y. has held webinars with membership staff of the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland, Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast, and Girl Scouts of South Carolina: Mountains to Midlands.
  • Stock Booklets - P.R.A.Y. provides wholesale pricing to Girl Scout stores interested in carrying the P.R.A.Y. booklets. In addition to promoting religious awards, the P.R.A.Y. booklets can help strengthen relationships with faith leaders. 
 
For more information on these services, please contact P.R.A.Y. CEO Jason Noland .
WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING
Christian Protestant Girl Scout Committee
The Christian Protestant Committee for the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri has announced 4 events for the next program year. Three of the events are workshops to help girls earn religious recognitions. The fourth event is the annual Girl Scout Sunday Celebration Worship Service. The committee will offer the workshops starting in the fall leading up to Girl Scout Sunday in March 2020. The workshops will provide a core group of Girl Scouts who will be invited to lead the worship service on Girl Scout Sunday. The workshops include various ages, award program vs patch program, and parent/guardian participation:
  • God and Church and God and Life Workshop (Middle School and High School)
  • God and Me Workshop (grades 2-3 and parent/guardian)
  • My Promise, My Faith and Bible Basics RP3 Workshop (all ages and parent/guardian)
Visit the Christian Protestant Girl Scout Committee website for details and event flyers. Interested in offering similar events at your council? Contact debh@praypub.org .
SPOTLIGHT
Shan Sixbey
Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast
First United Methodist Church Fox Hill

Shan Sixbey is a Girl Scout volunteer with the Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast. She has been working with the P.R.A.Y. program since 2011 through the First United Methodist Church Fox Hill in Hampton, Virginia. The P.R.A.Y. awards combine two of her passions: Girl Scouting and her Christian faith.

Shan received the United Methodist Church Torch Award on June 2, 2019. This prestigious award is just one of several recognitions that Shan has received, including the God and Service, Cross and Flame, and Building Faith in Youth awards. These awards all have one thing in common: service to young people. 

First UMC Fox Hill has been offering the P.R.A.Y. awards on a regular basis. In doing so, the church is building relationships and an expectation among the families. According to Shan, “Ongoing support from church members who are willing to teach the classes and connect with kids who are not in the church makes it possible.” The church invites all youth – Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Sunday school youth – to participate in the P.R.A.Y. classes. 

Consider your own congregation. Do you have young people in scouting organizations? Offer the religious growth programs so that they can receive their religious award. Do you have volunteers teaching religious award classes? Recognize their service to youth with an adult recognition . 

Thank you, Shan, for promoting religious awards through Girl Scouting!
16 Girl Scouts Earn their MPMF Pin and RP3 Patch
Sixteen Girl Scouts from the Heart of Texas Girl Scout Council earned both their My Promise, My Faith pin as well as a Bible Basics RP3 Patch at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church on April 13, 2019. The girls studied the line “Responsible for what I say and do” from the Girl Scout Law and paired it with the “ Tents and Shelters RP3 ” patch.






Click here  for a sample program to combine MPMF with the RP3 patches.
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Building Faith in Youth
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