Founding the club is the part with the nice manual and the vote photo in the minutes. What almost nobody tells you is what to do the following Monday — once the church has approved it, the Conference/Mission has sent back the official name, and you have 30 kids enrolled, two borrowed tents, and no idea where to start.
This guide covers the stage right after founding. If your club is still in the voting phase, working with the pastor and getting guidance from the Conference, start with how to start a Pathfinder club. If you're past that, this is it: the first 90 days, split into twelve meetings and three checklist blocks — what to register, what to buy, and what to form first.
Everything marked as official rule comes from the Pathfinder Club Administrative Manual (South American Division, 2020 edition) and the Pathfinder Ministry Guidelines (OMDs). The rest — the order of the meetings, what fits into each Sunday — is an editorial arrangement built on top of what the rule requires, and it's flagged as such.
The club was approved. What changes now?
Up to approval, the church was the one driving things: the Church Board votes on the founding, chooses the leaders who will form the club, and sends the Conference/Mission three name suggestions, in order of preference. It's the Pathfinder Ministry of the Conference or Mission that reviews and releases the approved official name (Administrative Manual, section 5.1). From the moment that name comes back, the ball changes hands.
What the rule says. The director and associate directors are appointed annually by the local church's Nominating Committee. The director must be at least 18 years old, a regular member of the Adventist Church, must complete the Basic Leadership Training Course and, preferably, hold the Leader investiture — if not yet invested, they must start the Grouped Classes card right away, followed by the Leader card. All other roles (counselors, instructors, treasurer, and chaplain) aren't appointed by the church: they're appointed by the club's Executive Committee, made up of the director, the associates, the secretary, and the district pastor or elder.
What varies — and who decides. The date of the Basic Leadership Training Course, the Conference's calendar of events, the monthly fee amount, the insurance registration deadline, and even the day of the week for meetings all change from Conference to Conference and from year to year. Your Regional or District leader is the one who answers for this, not the manual. Call the Conference's Pathfinder Ministry office and ask for the year's calendar before scheduling anything.
Why this matters. A new club usually dies for one of two opposite reasons: either the leadership sits around waiting for someone outside to tell them what to do, or the director tries to do everything alone. The Manual is explicit about the second one: committees exist to decentralize the work — “it isn't good for the entire direction of the club to rest on just one or two people.” The Executive Committee and the Regular Committee must meet at least once a month (section 3.3.6). The Manual itself is stricter elsewhere: in the planning chapter it says “it's important for the Club's Regular Committee to meet weekly to keep the planning on track” and that every meeting should be preceded by a quick leadership meeting. Both readings are in the same document: the minimum is monthly, the recommendation is weekly.
What to register, buy, and form first?
The temptation for a new club is to buy before registering. That's the wrong path: a tent without insurance is debt with risk attached. The table below organizes the 90 days into three blocks, in the order the rule requires each thing. It's an editorial arrangement — the Manual doesn't publish this chart — but every row points to a real requirement.
| Block | Register | Buy / arrange | Form |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days 1–15 (before the first meeting) | Club registration in the SGC; church vote minutes; official letter requesting the meeting venue | Numbered minutes book with an opening statement, a folder per member, enrollment forms and health forms | Executive Committee and Regular Committee formed; counselor and instructor names voted on |
| Days 16–45 (meetings 1–5) | All members active in the SGC with a medical form; units registered; annual schedule approved by the Church Board | Flags (Brazil, state, municipality, Pathfinders, and club), a pennant for each unit, first-aid kit | Units split by sex and age; captain and secretary elected for each unit; “Our Club” card started with the newcomers |
| Days 46–90 (meetings 6–12) | Annual insurance requested (active registration in the SGC); written parental permission for the first outing; activity log opened | Official uniform and scarves with slides; first honor's materials; camping gear according to budget | Regular age-based classes underway; first activity away from headquarters; induction ceremony scheduled |
Two things in this table are hard rule, not suggestion. The first: every activity that happens away from headquarters must be approved by the Church Board, and the club's annual plan is approved by the Board at the start of the year — which, in practice, turns the year's schedule into a voted document (Manual, sections 4.9 and 4.9.2). The second: every financial movement of the club goes through the local church's treasury — the Manual calls it unacceptable for a club to keep a “side cash box.” The club treasurer tracks income and expenses but doesn't hold the money.
About the monthly fee, the Manual is direct: everyone pays, including leadership members. In a low-income area the amount should be symbolic, but it should exist — the stated logic is educational, to show that what's worthwhile has a cost. The actual amount is decided by the club, within the families' financial reality.
What does the schedule for the first 12 meetings look like?
An honesty note before the table: the Administrative Manual doesn't publish a twelve-meeting schedule. It defines what needs to happen (the meeting structure, the election of unit officers, the adjustment period, the induction) and leaves the sequence up to the leadership. The chart below chains those requirements together in order, assuming weekly Sunday meetings — the format the rule recommends.
| # | Week | What happens | Anchor in the rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Opening ceremony: the director declares the activities open and drives the hatchet into the log. Introduction of the leadership, division of the units, and election of each unit's captain and secretary | Manual 4.10.1 (opening) and 3.2.2 (election at the first meeting of the year) |
| 2 | 2 | First full program: civics, anthem, ideals, devotional, drill, unit corner, instruction, and recreation. Collect any missing registration and health forms | Manual 4.6 (meeting structure) and 3.4.2 (registration and health form) |
| 3 | 3 | Start of the “Our Club” card with the newcomers: history, ideals, emblems, and the basics of how the club works | Manual 4.10.2 (requirement to receive the scarf) |
| 4 | 4 | First age-based Class instruction, with about 50 minutes set aside. Short drill practice, 30 minutes max | Manual 4.1.1 (instruction) and 4.5.7 (drill time limit) |
| 5 | 5 | Second parents' meeting — the first one, per the rule, is on enrollment day itself: a review of club rules, responsibilities, and the year's program. Counselors continue with home visits | Manual 5.1, item 7 (parents' meeting on enrollment day) and item 8 (visits after enrollment); 3.3.5 (counselor's visitation program) |
| 6 | 6 | First activity away from headquarters: a short hike or community project. Written parental permission if leaving the urban perimeter | Manual 4.6 (leave headquarters at least once a month; written permission) |
| 7 | 7 | The club's first honor, with a group small enough for the instructor to give everyone attention | Manual 4.2 (Honors) |
| 8 | 8 | Unit corner with full identity: name, pennant, war cry, and unit folder up to date | Manual 3.2.1 (identity established by the Executive Committee) |
| 9 | 9 | Rehearsal of the induction ceremony and a piece-by-piece check of the official dress uniform. The rehearsal is club practice; what the rule requires is the complete uniform on the actual day | Manual 4.10.2 (official dress uniform mandatory to receive the scarf) |
| 10 | 10 | Evaluation of the “Our Club” card: the club and the Regional leader evaluate each scarf candidate | Manual 4.10.2 (evaluation with the Regional leader) |
| 11 | 11 | Community project and a Regular Committee meeting to review the 90 days, with an honest assessment: who stayed, who disappeared, what didn't work. The committees had already been meeting since the first block — this is the one that closes the cycle | Manual 3.3.6 (Regular Committee functions) and 6.2 (community activities) |
| 12 | 12 to 13 | Induction ceremony: scarf presented to whoever completed the card and stayed through the adjustment period | Manual 5.1, item 8 (2- to 3-month adjustment) and 4.10.2 (induction) |
Notice that meeting 12 lands around day 85 — inside the 2- to 3-month window the Manual counts from enrollment day to the end of the adjustment period. That's no coincidence: a new club's 90 days end with the scarf around the neck of whoever stayed. Since the count starts at enrollment and not at meeting 1, your calendar may close a bit earlier or later. For the detail of what happens inside each Sunday, the meeting outline breaks the morning down minute by minute.
What varies: many clubs meet on Saturday afternoons, outside the youth service time slot, and the Manual accepts that — as long as the official program isn't compromised. It's also common for the Conference to ask for a monthly break for families. Adjust the schedule to your Conference's calendar before printing it.
Read alsoChild protection in the clubHow many units and counselors does the club need?
This is the math that confuses new leadership teams the most, and the rule is quite specific. Each unit has 6 to 8 Pathfinders, grouped by sex and roughly by age range, and is run by one counselor and, at most, one associate counselor.
| Scenario | Units | Split | Counselors needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ideal described in the Manual | 12 | 6 male and 6 female, one for each age (10 to 15) | 12 |
| Working minimum | 6 | 3 male and 3 female, in the 10-11, 12-13, and 14-15 age brackets | 6 |
| Club with 30 enrollees | 4 to 5 | Respecting the cap of 8 per unit | 4 to 5 |
What the rule says. The 6-to-8 standard must always be followed: if there are extra kids, another unit is created for the same age; if there aren't enough, the club runs a campaign to enroll more Pathfinders. Unit names are set by the Executive Committee, must relate to the club's name, and are never changed — a unit doesn't stop existing even when it goes inactive. The unit captain and secretary are Pathfinders aged 10 to 15, elected by the unit's own vote at the first meeting of the year, with a term of three months to a year, as the Executive Committee decides.
Who can be a counselor. The Manual requires a converted Christian, a baptized member, and a minimum age of 16. OMD 009/2014 confirms 16 years old for unit counselors and other leadership roles, sets 18 for the director, and locks in the rule that applies to everything: no activity happens without a legal-age adult present. At the same time, the founding chapter recommends adult counselors — a man for a boys' unit, a woman for a girls' unit. In practice: a 16-year-old can lead a unit, but never alone.
Why this matters. The unit system is the club's core; if it's weak, the Manual says the club loses its focus. It's worth understanding the full design in what the unit system is before improvising groups of fifteen kids with just one counselor.
What do the secretary's office and treasury need before meeting 1?
The Manual calls the secretary's office the club's “X-ray.” In a new club it's more than that: it's the only proof the club exists. Start with the bare minimum:
- Minutes book — record of the Executive and Regular Committee meetings. Numbered pages, an opening statement on the first page, entries with no skipped lines and no crossing-out, dated and signed by the secretary and the director.
- Activity log — the history of activities: a short report after each event, with photos. No formal requirements.
- Individual folder per member — registration form (form A), health form (form B), copies of certificates and unit evaluations.
- Unit folders — kept in the secretary's office, taken out only to be updated.
- Golden Book — a record of sponsors and partners who help financially, with date and signature.
- Official letters — the formal document used to request classroom space, support, or materials from businesses and public agencies.
The health form deserves special attention in a new club, because it's what prevents a scare on the first outing: allergies, chronic conditions, medication needed during meeting hours. If the Pathfinder needs to take medicine during the program, that has to be on the form, with a copy of the prescription attached. And even with the digital registration in the SGC, the Manual asks for a physical copy at the secretary's office.
In the treasury, three rules close out the topic: every transaction goes through the local church's treasury; the club treasurer isn't the one who holds the money; and the secretary and treasurer roles shouldn't be combined in the same person, unless that person has a lot of free time. If there's difficulty releasing funds, the path is the district pastor and, if it persists, the Conference's Pathfinder Ministry.
Insurance and the SGC: why does this come before the first outing?
Because without active registration there's no coverage. Annual insurance stopped being optional in 2010, by decision between the South American Division and the Pathfinder Ministry, and it's operated by ARM South America. The Manual records the coverage term as 1 year and the enrollment method as an online system; annual insurance is one of the modules the SGC manages, and what activates coverage is the member's active, up-to-date registration. If your Conference requires any extra step beyond registration, it's the Conference that tells you so — ask.
Who's covered. Every regular, active member with up-to-date registration — leadership, members, regional staff, and coordinators. Who isn't covered: support staff, parents accompanying the club, elders, and anyone who isn't a regular member. This often catches a new club by surprise on the first hike, when three parents decide to tag along.
What the insurance covers. Accidental death, permanent disability from an accident, medical, hospital, and dental expenses, emergency rescue, and repatriation — and it applies even on the way from home to the activity site, as long as the activity was authorized by the local church board. The director must report a claim within 20 calendar days, and payment works by reimbursement: the club or the family pays up front and then claims it back. Details are in the club's annual insurance.
Be skeptical about deadlines and amounts. The Manual, in its 2020 edition, describes semiannual billing in April and August and instructs the club to get from the Conference what the registration deadline is. Later SAD communications have changed the process since then. Don't trust a date you read online — including this one: call your Conference or Mission and confirm the window for the year.
And where Desbravai fits in. To be crystal clear: the SGC can't be replaced. Official registration of the club and its members, annual insurance, the virtual class card, and the star rating only exist there — no third-party system does that, and none should try. Desbravai handles the other side of day-to-day operations (organizing meetings, units, attendance, communication with families), and it doesn't replace a single field in the SGC.
When does the club present the scarf — and what comes after the 90 days?
The scarf isn't presented on enrollment day. The Manual describes an adjustment period, usually 2 to 3 months, during which the Pathfinder finds out whether they really want to continue — and it warns the leadership not to be alarmed by dropouts during that stretch. Whoever stays receives the scarf at the induction ceremony.
To be inducted, the candidate needs to meet every requirement of the “Our Club” card, available from the Conference or Mission and on the official website. Once the card is complete, the club and the Regional leader carry out an evaluation; once approved, the candidate goes to the ceremony. The ceremony has mandatory elements: the Pathfinder anthem, the ideals, flags, official dress uniform, and a dedication prayer. A detail almost every new club gets wrong: induction is the only time a Pathfinder wears the uniform without the scarf — and they can only wear the uniform once approved. The step-by-step is at scarf induction ceremony.
Once the 90 days are past, the club settles into the year's normal rhythm: age-based classes moving forward, one outing away from headquarters per month, periodic community projects, committees meeting monthly, and the Conference calendar carrying more and more weight. At the end of the year come the investiture, the Medal of Excellence (nominated by the Regular Committee and confirmed by the Executive Committee, requiring at least one year as an active club member), and the club's star rating in the SGC.
On the rating, it's worth knowing from the start: it's 15 criteria worth up to 1,000 points, and a club reaches 5 stars above 800 points. Three criteria tie for the highest weight, up to 150 points each: annual insurance, unit corner (unit ranking), and Conference ranking. Two of them are exactly what you organize in the first 90 days; the third depends on your Conference's assessment. Just below those come class cards (up to 100) and the health form (up to 75). These rating rules were updated on January 1, 2024; confirm the current version on the official club portal before setting a goal.