1. The St. Nektarios Ministry of Adult Religious Education
Proudly Presents
Our New A.R.E. Program Presented by Gerry Clonaris archdiocese department of Religious Education

2. Why Do We Need An A.R.E Program
Our parishioners want it.
It is the best way to educate our children.
It is our mission …It is a commandment from Our Lord.

3. SWOT SURVEY

4. The Ten Principles Of Our Program
Eliminate all excuses.
Have handouts for all presentations.
Designate a marketer and promote.
Insure you have a strong supportive bookstore.
Have a Companion Manual.
Update your program every year.
Make it a first class, enjoyable presentation.
Make it available 24/7
Don’t underestimate any opportunity to teach A.R.E.
Plan a program, not an event.

5. Eliminate All Excuses “I had to cook for my family” (so have meals).
“I had no one to watch the kids” (have Baby Sitters or have programs for the young).
“I was not available” (cover all times and tie your presentations to special services).
Excuses are just opportunities to make your program better.
There’s an answer for every excuse.

6. Have Hand Outs Hand outs help to solidify the learning process.
They add a personal investment quality to your program.
They promote note taking.
They focus attention on the material.
They extend the learning process.

7. Have A Marketing Plan
No business would attempt any program without one.
If no marketer is available just find someone who is responsible and creative.
Do sessions as opposed to continuous presentations. Each class should stand on its own.
Do a kick off for each session.
Missal, A.R.E. Newsletter, TV Monitor Signage.
Spring and fall kick off program.
Keep your program in front of everyone.

8. Have a Supportive Bookstore
If you don’t have a bookstore, then all you’ll be doing is an evening of entertainment.
The presentation is the forum to entice the attendees to seek more knowledge.
The bookstore is the real learning process. They extend the learning process.

9. Have A Companion Manual

10. Update Your Program Every Year
Add one new element Every Year.
Don’t be afraid to think outside the box.
Keep with the times.
If you are not moving forward, you are moving backwards.
If you do exactly what you did the year before, the best you can expect is the same result as last year.
The result being the law of diminishing returns.

11. Make It A First Class, Enjoyable Program
If it is not fun, no one will come.
Encourage your participants to take at least one major point home with them.
You can make any boring fact interesting.
It must be interesting, illuminating and enjoyable to succeed.

12. Make It Available 24/7 Use your web site. Promote your bookstore
Record your sessions.
Use that IPad

13. Don’t Underestimate Any Opportunity To Teach or Promote A.R.E.
Before, after or even during liturgy.
At your coffee hour.
In your weekly missal, church bulletin or even on your walls.
Sunday School is not only a great place to start, but an important one as well.

14. Plan A Program Not An Event
Cover different times and days.
Plan different formats (discussion, presentation, visual, audio).
Everything must be interesting and enjoyable.
Have a Companion Manual!

15. What Are The Main Reasons For A.R.E. Failure
Failure to promote.
Failure to allow your program time to develop…
Failure to understand your main goal which is …
… to promote an interest in
CONTINUAL Religious Education

16. The St. Nektarios Program
Sunday Liturgy … Points Well Made, Fifteen For Faith
Tuesday Morning … Paraklesis followed by discussion (Our Faith Journey).
Tuesday Evening … Presentations/discussions (Growing In Faith).
Wednesday evening … Presentations/discussions (Understanding our faith).
Thursday … Sunrise Breakfast Scripture Study
24/7 … Directed Reading Group.
Quarterly … Strictly Speaking speaker series.
Annual … Festival Of Faith
Live Video Broadcasting of all services

17. A.R.E. Planning Calendar FALL PROGRAM
July … Planning meeting for coming year.
August … Implementation committee meeting.
2nd Week of September … Kick Off Presentation for Fall Session.
3rd week of September … Programs begin 6-8 week cycle.
Any Saturday in September , October or during Lent … Festival of Faith.
December … Three week Advent presentations.

18. A.R.E. Planning Calendar SPRING PROGRAM
3rd Week of January …Kick Off Presentation for Spring Session.
Last week of January … 4-8 week Spring Sessions.
March/April … 6 week Pascha presentations.
Any Saturday during Pascha … Festival of Faith.
Palm Sunday 5:00 PM … Pascha presentation.
June … Yearly review meeting and initial planning for coming year.
Quarterly … Strictly Speaking series.

20. Yearly Planning Schedule
Early June …Initial concept planning meeting
Parish priest, Education Department Ministry Leader
Establish theme for coming year.
Late June or Early July … Organizational meeting
Establish and meet with your ministry team
Review and evaluate last year’s programs
Assign programs to ministry team members
August …Program planning meeting for coming year
Review program plans from ministry team
Prepare Companion Manual
Organize Kick-off presentations

21. Yearly Planning Schedule
2nd Week September … Fall Parish Kick-Off Presentation
Present new education program to parish after sermon
Information table at coffee hour
3rd or 4th Week of January … Spring Parish Kick-Off Presentation

22. Things To Remember … Size doesn’t matter (Christ only needed 2).
The best thoughts for planning any program can be found in the Biblical scriptures.
Always update and don’t be afraid to try new and different programs.
Stay on time.
Beware of the great pitfall… “We’ve done this before”.
Keep you’re A.R.E. in front of your parishioners.
Promote … promote … PROMOTE!
Stay focused on your main goal of continual A.R.E.
Never give up on your A.R.E. program.

23. A thought to consider Religious Education
Our role in life is to serve mankind
In order to serve mankind we must focus on God
We encounter our problems when we skip step #2 and instead, serve and focus on mankind
Step #2 …
Religious Education

24. Guidance From The Master Plan
And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. (MT 5:41)
“…seek to excel … (1Cor 14:12)…
“But one thing I do , forgetting what is behind and straining to what is ahead” … (Phl3:13-14)
“Commit to the Lord whatever you do and
these plans will succeed”
Proverbs 16:3

25. Archdiocese Director of Religious Education
Always Ready To Help
Dr. Anton C. Vrame, Ph.D.
Archdiocese Director of Religious Education
Gerry Clonaris