LDS Commissioners

[bacchus]

LDS guys,

Can you give me the publication info that discusses LDS Commissioners?

[rkfrance]

Don't know if this helps or is what you're looking for

 

http://www.mormonscouting.com/guidebooks.htm

 

I don't know of an official BSA LDS Commissioner publication. Most are by the church from the church's perspective.

[bacchus]

Thank you, rkfrance. I've reviewed that and it was helpful, but appears to be specific to a certain Stake. Regardless, it's good information to draw from.

 

My question really regards what I will call a "myth" until proven otherwise - that LDS units need to have LDS-appointed Commissioners. A troop is a troop, whether the youth are 11-13 or 11-17, so unless somebody has some guidelines to back the myth, I'm going to be recommending some changes here in my local units. After all, a non-LDS Commissioner is better than no Commissioner at all.

 

Sure, there is some special knowledge about how scouting relates to the AP Quorums, but that does not change the scouting program itself.

 

Anybody able to refute the myth? Gary?

[Eagle92]

Bac,

As you know I am not LDS, but I do have a favor. If you get a non-LDS commissioner, please get them up to date on what the differences are between LDS and non-LDS units. B/c as Gary has pointed out to me, what one unit says is the norm, may not be the case. If it'll help, I'll post the link that Gary PM'd me on an offical BSA publication on the LDS church's implementation?

 

EDITED: decided to add the link anyway

https://www.ldsbsa.org/index.html Did a quick review and it may be helpful in my situation, i.e. trying to get the LDS units more active in the district.

 

Hope it helps.(This message has been edited by eagle92)

[Apache Bob]

Go back to the church. The church appoints all the leaders and should appoint the unit commissioners also.

I have no problem in that area once the church understands the duties of a commissioner. Do explain that the commissioner should be in that role for at least three years so they can go all the way through commissioner college.

[shortridge]

"The church appoints all the leaders ..." - well, yes, that's how Scouting works. The CO, whether it's a church or Joe's Bait Shop, appoints the adult leadership.

 

Do we require any other COs to appoint commissioners for their units?

 

"... and should appoint the unit commissioners also."

 

I thought the role of a commissioner was supposed to be that of a largely outside observer who can offer help and support - not someone necessarily appointed by the CO. An outsider viewpoint is often VERY helpful.

 

 

[juliagoolia15]

Here is the link for the publication entitled: Scouting & The Church of Jesus christ of Latter-day Saints

 

http://ldsbsa.org/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=19&zenid=ad6132f7b43c1295b3d5a036112635d0

 

(If the link does not work, go to www.ldsbsa.org and then click on resources). You can also download it for free. Here is that link:

 

http://www.ldsbsa.org/pdf/resources/Scouting%20and%20the%20church.pdf

 

It is a publication that is 20 pages that includes specific questions and answers. On page 9 it talks about Coimmissioner Service and here is what it has to say:

 

"Commissioner service is a valuable way for the ocuncil and district to engage stake leadership in Scouting. Each LDS stake has a Young Men presidency and a Primary presidency that is organized to take care of Scouting's needs in the stake. The stake Young men presidency work well as commissioners for Boy Scouts, Carsity Scouts, and Venturing. The stake Primary presidency service Cub Scouts and 11-year-old Scouts. The council and district should work witht he stake presidencies to recruit stake leadership to help with commissioner service....."

 

There is also a chart on pages 16 & 17 that give church callings and BSA positions that would overlap. Hope this helps. Good luck with seeking commissioners. It is a tough position to serve, but also rewarding. It takes time (tenure), as stated in replies. I have completed 2 years as an ADC and ther are times when I still feel like I do not know what I am doing. I have worekd hard to bridge the gap between the LDS packs and nonn-LDS packs. We are making progress, because afterall, we have the same interest-the boys!

 

Good luck with all and hopefully, there is some information here you can use!

 

YiS,

Julie in WA

[Gary_Miller]

There is no church guidelines that says LDS units must have LDS Commissioners, and LDS leaders do not call commissioners. Commissioners are a district function and therefore are appointed by the district.

 

However, as has been pointed out there is a publication that was published last year to help non-LDS scouter better understand the LDS scouting program. This publication suggest the Stake Young Mens Presidency and the Stake Primary Presidency could serve as commissioners. This is because the duties and responsibilities assigned to those presidencies overlap those of what a commissioner would do. So those positions fit well as commissioners.

 

The bottom line is commissioners for LDS Units do not have to be LDS. But it does help to understand the guidelines and restrictions that the Church as the Charter Organization had place on their scouting units.

 

Hope this helps.

[Gary_Miller]

juliagoolia15, "I have worekd hard to bridge the gap between the LDS packs and nonn-LDS packs. We are making progress, because afterall, we have the same interest-the boys!"

 

Julie, there should be no gaps a pack is a pack no matter the charter organization. The only difference from LDS packs is they don't use Tiger Cubs and they run on the age joining scale instead of the grade in school. Wolfs are 8, Bears are 9, and Webolos are 10 and run a one year program instead of a 2 year program.

 

If you have anything other than that gap someones blowing smoke at you.

[Buffalo Skipper]

I am not LDS, nor am I in an area with a particular large representation of LDS units. However, being experienced with our district Commissioner corps (I have been a commisssioner for the past 5 years and stepped down last spring), I can tell you that we do have one Asst District Commissioner who is specifically over LDS Commissioners. These LDS Commissioners are do come from the respective Wards, and have the "blessing" of the Stake, if I understand it correctly. They are largely assigned by unit type (Pack and Troop--we have no Varisty units in our council) not specifically to the units at their Ward.

 

Locally, the wards are not as large as other church COs, but many of the units are active and involved in district functions, both on the Cub Scout and Troop levels.

 

I hope that was at least a little helpful and presented accurately.

[bacchus]

Thank you everybody. This discussion was very helpful.