What is the 2022 Summer Challenge?
It’s summertime! Most schools and homeschools are “on pause” for the summer. There will be no children’s programming taking place at Grace Church until the fall. Many families will be travelling and be away from church at points during the summer. And so spiritual disciplines can be one of the last things we think to remember. Yet the summer, when many Christians have a bit more time and a less busy schedule, is a great time to begin or renew such habits.
So, we’ve come up with a Summer Challenge to encourage kids and adults alike to become better “Grounded” in the foundations of the faith. In this Challenge, we’ll be memorizing Bible passages, we’ll be continuing (or starting for the first time!) the habit of catechesis in memorizing the New City Catechism and the Calvary Grace Catechism for Younger Children, we’ll be learning some songs, and we’ll be reading and learning about Christ’s church in history and in the world today.Our prayer is that in doing this we’ll remember that “the whole basis for our relationship with God is rooted and grounded in grace, in that which is not earned” (R.C. Sproul).
How does it work?
Every participant will need a tracking sheet, on which their progress will be recorded. It gives a list of requirements, each one representing an achievement. Download and print the tracking sheet here:
2022 Summer Challenge Guide and Tracking Sheet (print it letter size, landscape, 2-sided, flip on short edge)
Some achievements call for memorizing a Bible passage or catechism question & answer, or learning a song. Parents are encouraged to “mark generously” with younger children—it’s the “gist,” the main idea, that matters more than precise wording.
Some call for reading a book on Christian history—this could be a missionary biography, or a story about an event. It’s up to you! It should be appropriate to their reading level—so, a board book is fine for a 5-year-old but a multiple-chapter book would be better for a teenager. These can be read by the child or read to them by someone else.
Award Levels
In order to “encourage one another” (Heb. 10:25) in learning God’s truth, and in order to “outdo one another in showing honor” (Rom. 12:10), we’ll be awarding certificates and medals to recognize achievements in this challenge! For younger children (we think up to age 7 or 8, but parents can decide based on the child’s reading ability and level of understanding) we have a “Junior” level based around the simpler Calvary Grace Catechism. For older children, there are three achievement levels, each with their own set of requirements. Completing all the requirements in a level will be recognized with an achievement medal.
When a child is ready they recite what they learned or show their work to a parent, who initials the requirement as done. Tracking sheets can be submitted to an elder anytime up to September 15.
The requirements for each award level are as follows:
JUNIOR (Up to Grades 2 or 3)
1. I Can Find My Bible's Table of Contents
2. I Can Find A Book in the Bible Using the Table of Contents
3. I Memorized Question & Answer 9 in the Calvary Grace Catechism
4. I Memorized Question & Answer 10 in the Calvary Grace Catechism
5. I Memorized Question & Answer 11 in the Calvary Grace Catechism
6. I Memorized Question & Answer 12 in the Calvary Grace Catechism
7. I Memorized Question & Answer 13 in the Calvary Grace Catechism
8. I Memorized Question & Answer 14 in the Calvary Grace Catechism
9. I Memorized Question & Answer 15 in the Calvary Grace Catechism
10. I Memorized Question & Answer 16 in the Calvary Grace Catechism
11. I Memorized "Give Me Jesus" (Hymn #174 in Hymns of Grace; you can listen to a version of the hymn here)
12. I Read (or had read to me) a Christian History Book
BRONZE
1. I Memorized the Books of the New Testament
2. I Memorized the Books of the Old Testament
3. I Memorized Question & Answer 9 (Short) in the New City Catechism
4. I Memorized Question & Answer 10 (Short) in the New City Catechism
5. I Memorized Question & Answer 11 (Short) in the New City Catechism
6. I Memorized Question & Answer 12 (Short) in the New City Catechism
7. I Memorized Question & Answer 13 (Short) in the New City Catechism
8. I Memorized Question & Answer 14 (Short) in the New City Catechism
9. I Memorized Question & Answer 15 (Short) in the New City Catechism
10. I Memorized Question & Answer 16 (Short) in the New City Catechism
11. I Memorized "Give Me Jesus" (Hymn #174 in Hymns of Grace; you can listen to a version of the hymn here)
12. I Read (or had read to me) A Christian History Book
SILVER
In addition to the Bronze level:
13. I Memorized Psalm 133
14. I Memorized the New City Catechism’s Memory Verse for Question 9: Deuteronomy 6:13-14
15. I Memorized the New City Catechism’s Memory Verse for Question 10: Leviticus 19:3
16. I Memorized the New City Catechism’s Memory Verse for Question 11: Romans 13:9
17. I Memorized the New City Catechism’s Memory Verse for Question 12: James 2:8
18. I Memorized the New City Catechism’s Memory Verse for Question 13: Romans 3:10-12
19. I Memorized the New City Catechism’s Memory Verse for Question 14: Romans 5:12
20. I Memorized the New City Catechism’s Memory Verse for Question 15: Romans 3:20
21. I Memorized the New City Catechism’s Memory Verse for Question 16: 1 John 3:4
22. I Researched an Unreached People Group: the ____________ in _____________
GOLD
In addition to the Bronze and Silver levels:
23. I Memorized Question & Answer 9 (Long) in the New City Catechism
24. I Memorized Question & Answer 10 (Long) in the New City Catechism
25. I Memorized Question & Answer 11 (Long) in the New City Catechism
26. I Memorized Question & Answer 12 (Long) in the New City Catechism
27. I Memorized Question & Answer 13 (Long) in the New City Catechism
28. I Memorized Question & Answer 14 (Long) in the New City Catechism
29. I Memorized Question & Answer 15 (Long) in the New City Catechism
30. I Memorized Question & Answer 16 (Long) in the New City Catechism
31. I Memorized 1 Corinthians 15:1-8
32. I Memorized/Learned to Play a New Hymn: ______________ (name of hymn or song)
33. I Researched the Persecuted Church in ________________ (region)
Alternatively, a Bronze Medal will be awarded for completion of any 12 requirements, or a Silver Medal for completion of any 22 requirements, from the Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels. Junior Medals may be upgraded to Bronze for completion of any 8 requirements, or to Silver for any 18 requirements, in Bronze, Silver, or Gold that are not also found in the Junior level. A Gold medal always requires completion of all 33 requirements in the Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels.