Programs of Religious Activities with Youth

Boy Scout News Bulletin

First Quarter 2007

Welcome to P.R.A.Y.’s Boy Scout News Bulletin.  This Bulletin is how we share information about the religious emblems programs and ways to strengthen relationships with the religious community.

2006 GOD AND COUNTRY USAGE FIGURES BY COUNCIL

The P.R.A.Y. web site has posted the 2006 God and Country usage figures for each Boy Scout Council. Click here to see how active your council was in 2006, and also to view a five-year history on God and Country usage.

Congratulations to the following councils that had the largest number of God and Country recipients in 2006:

Heart of America (Kansas City, MO) – 777 recipients

Sam Houston Area (Houston, TX) – 598

Greater St. Louis Area (St. Louis, MO) - 452

National Capital Area (Bethesda, MD) - 451

Occoneechee (Raleigh, NC) - 424

Longhorn (Hurst, TX ) - 394

Circle Ten (Dallas, TX) - 381

Northern Star (St. Paul, MN) - 358

Atlanta Area (Atlanta, GA) – 355

Greater Alabama (Birmingham, AL) - 335

Congratulations to the following councils that had over 100 recipients AND a 25% increase over last year:

Total God and Country Usage by members of BSA

Usage of the God and Country Protestant program by members of BSA increased 1% in 2006 over 2005. Here is the breakdown by program level:

CELEBRATE THE 100^th ANNIVERSARY OF WORLD SCOUTING
AT THE PHILMONT TRAINING CENTER

Anniversary celebrations of World Scouting are not just to look back at the past, but to look to the future and launch a new century of Scouting.

What better place to celebrate than at Philmont! Not only is Philmont a Scouting paradise, the Philmont Training Center provides the platform to develop and improve Scouting.

August 1^st falls during Relationships Week. Course participants will have the opportunity to attend a special ceremony at PTC and receive commemorative items highlighting the Philmont experience and the 100^th Anniversary of World Scouting. Click here for more information on the courses offered during Relationships week.

UPDATES AND NEW RESOURCES

• The National Episcopal Scouters Association launched a new web site: http://www.nationalepiscopalscouting.com/
   

• The National Jewish Committee on Scouting has recently updated its web site: www.jewishscouting.org.
   

• United Methodist – A new DVD called “United Methodist Scouting Ministries: Introductory Training for Church and Scouting Professionals and Volunteers” is now available through BSA. This DVD presentation includes information regarding the United Methodist Church’s Scouting ministries. Professions and volunteers in these ministries will benefit from this overview of the ministries, their benefits, programs and awards, policies and guidelines for protecting our youth in the context of the ministries, and promotion of the programs at Bishop’s Dinners. The item number is 05-985.
   

• Dave Cox wrote a book titled The Chaplains At Hale Scout Reservation, which tells the story of how attendance at the Chapel services at Camp Tom Hale in Oklahoma increased to sometimes as many as 400 Scouts and leaders. It also includes many resources, including devotions, music, and other items helpful for religious group gatherings. The book is available through Amazon books or Books-A-Million on the Internet. For more information, please contact Dave at dcox@tulsacoxmail.com.   
   

• Larry Coppock, National Director of Scouting and Civic Youth-Serving Agencies with the General Commission of United Methodist Men is encouraging UMC Conferences and Districts to host a “Bishop’s Dinner for Scouting.” A Bishop’s Dinner for Scouting brings together representatives from a number of United Methodist congregations at the invitation of the Conference Bishop. The purpose of this dinner is two-fold. First, the dinner affords conference leadership the opportunity to help local congregations understand how their youth-serving programs can become an integral part of the ministry and life of the church. Second, the dinner provides an excellent forum to showcase the programs offered by the four youth-serving agencies and to encourage local congregations to incorporate one or more of them into their ministry. This program can be initiated by a United Methodist Conference Scouting Coordinator, a District Scouting Coordinator, or a combination of Conference and Districts that are geographical defined. The proper coordination should be accomplished with the Conference Bishop’s administrative office and/or the District Superintendent’s Administrative Office.

A-MUSING, WRITTEN BY DON SHAPLEY, RELATIONSHIPS DIRECTOR
 

You may or may not find this amusing but what it really amounts to is a “musing” from me.  As I work with Boy Scout councils, volunteers, staff and boys I see things that amaze me and, as I muse over these things, I want to share them with you.

GO CRAZY! 

Mark Hazlewood, Executive Director and CEO of PRAY, refers to some of you as “CRAZIES”.  Now, don’t get upset…this is a good thing.  You “crazies” are crazy about providing opportunities for young boys and girls to “Strengthen Their Faith”. 

You “crazies” out there actually do that – you really make it happen.  When I travel to various councils I want to cover as much “territory” and visit with as many people about Religious Emblems as I possibly can.  Partly because I’m a “crazy” too and partly to use PRAY travel monies as wisely as I can.  To do this, I realize, I need to find a “crazy” in that council.  You “crazies” will set up extra meetings for me, get me in contact with religious leaders in your area (this is a particularly good thing) and make things happen. The councils who excel in Religious Emblems do so because of “crazies”.  Young people and families find God and develop their faith because of “crazies”.

Ever read “The Tipping Point” or “Who Moved My Cheese” or “Fish”?  In all of these great books it’s the “crazies” who create and motivate and help others achieve success.  In “The Tipping Point” it’s the “crazies” who create “crazes” just the same as you who create environments conducive to faith development in children. People who are “on fire”, enthusiastic, energetic, connected and caring cause great things to happen.

You don’t have to be completely “crazy”; even a little bit is good.  Find a way to be “crazy”.  Coordinate a Religious Emblems program, become a part of a R.E.D. (Religious Emblems Display) Team or, if your council doesn’t have one, start one. Teach a class, it’s really fun. Make presentations in your councils/districts/units using the “Duty to God” segment patches and presentation materials. 

Thank God for “crazies”!

WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING
 

Here are some of the ways that people have promoted Duty to God and the religious emblems programs. Please take the time to share your success stories with P.R.A.Y. We want to share what you have done.

• Troop 132 out of Rutherfordton, North Carolina painted an Eagle Scout Award and a God and Country award on the back of their brand new trailer. The trailer proudly displays the names of all Scouts who have earned their Eagle and religious emblem. The trailer – besides transporting equipment and supplies for the Scout Troop – is also encouraging and promoting these important awards. Troop 132 is sponsored jointly by the First Methodist and First Baptist churches. They are currently raising funds to build a community center that all the Scouting groups can use. 
   

• Bill Chaffin, Ministry of Scouting Coordinator, Richmond Dist. UMC and Asst. District Commissioner Huguenot Trail / HOV-BSA suggests creating “Scout Walls” in churches to recognize and celebrate their Scout sponsorships. He also recommends a PowerPoint of “youth agencies in churches” for presentations.
   

• Alan Smason reports that the 10 Commandments Hike in New Orleans went well despite the fact that New Orleans is still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Katrina. The flag of the National Jewish Committee on Scouting trailed the crowd and the meal that was served at the Latter-Day Saints Church was fully kosher. The participants recited the Philmont Grace led by the LDS Bishop Kirk Gomez.  
   

• Kurt Stevenson from Sequoyah Council in Johnson City, TN is active on the religious relationships committee and aggressively promoting Duty to God. He has received a $1000 grant from the warehousing foundation to cover the cost of the Duty to God patches, and he has also been very successful in getting articles published in the newspapers.

SUMMER CAMP DUTY TO GOD PROGRAM
 

Plan now to implement a Duty to God emphasis in your summer camps. The concept is simple: require Scouts to attend religious services, do daily devotions, lead grace, and learn about the religious emblems. A chaplain's aide signature is required to purchase a patch from the trading post. Here’s what some councils had to say about their Duty to God programs last year:

• Walter Varner, National Capitol Area Religious Relationships Chair, ordered 100 Duty to God anchor patches for Goshen Scout Camp to initiate the Duty to God program. The camp director called a week later to expedite 1000 patches to be shipped overnight because of the huge demand.
   

• “Our Scout Summer Camp, Onteora Scout Reservation(OSR) in the Catskills, saw 109 Scouts earn the Duty to God patch this summer, with only a last minute promotion on our part. The clergy and unit leaders there reported the booklet a great success and they are looking forward to the second segment.” Bob Schlegel, Theodore Roosevelt Council, Massapequa, NY
   

• The program was a huge success!!!! We had 300 + youth complete the program and plan to do it again next year!!! Thanks! Greg W. Leitch, Field Director, Great Smoky Mountain Council, BSA.  Click on the picture to see full image of sample patch. 
   

• Liz Shelby, Capitol Area Council Religious Relationships Committee, Austin, TX developed “merit badge cards” with the Duty to God requirements on them. Scouts could check off the requirements as they completed them. Click on the picture to see full image of the sample merit badge card. Liz Shelby also shared a devotion booklet developed by the Capitol Area Council Religious Relationships Committee.  Click on the links below for sample devotions created by Capitol Area Council Religious Relationships Committee.

  • Sample Cub Scout Meditations
  • Sample Webelos Meditations
  • Sample Boy Scout Meditations
  • Sample Winter Camp Program

P.R.A.Y. has an interfaith devotions booklet for Boy Scouts and also for Cub Scouts that may be helpful in such a program. These booklets are available at http://www.praypub.org/partnerships/interfaith_devotions_desc.htm.

Please note - These interfaith devotions are not required. They are optional resources. If your camp provides chaplains for specific faiths, your chaplains will provide devotions specific to your faith.

MAKE PRESENTATIONS ON RELIGIOUS EMBLEMS NOW BEFORE SUMMER

Religious Emblems is a good summer project for Scouts. Now is the time to make a presentation and to do the planning prior to summer vacation. Sample scripts are available online. Don’t forget to order your puzzle patches to encourage your Scouts to fulfill their Duty to God. The current patch is the mountain, but the anchor patch (the kneeling Scout) is always available for first-timers. If you want to wear a T-shirt while you make your presentation, we still have sizes available. Click here to order patches and T-shirts.

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