Going to my first Fall Fellowship

[SctDad]

I will be going to my fist fall Fellowship in two weeks. I am looking foward to this as I have never been to one. I never made it to one as a youth, and the Chapter has asked me to attend this activity several times. I will be going as an adult. Is there anything that anyone can tell me as to what I can expect. If it is something that is protected you can IM me. I will be going to get my manual this friday when I get paid.

 

Is this someting that is going to reignite the fire of the OA in my heart. I have been trying to be active, but with family life and my cub scouts, there is not always the oppurtunities.

 

What does everyone think.

 

Thanks in advance(This message has been edited by SctDad)

[scoutldr]

Think of it as a "Conclave" of chapters. If run right, it should be a "roll your own" weekend of fun, games, good food and fellowship. When I was a kid, we all attended as individuals, not units. (Didn't have "helicopter leaders" back then!) Just show up, check in and find a spot to roll out your tent, wherever you want. YOu can have as much fun as you decide to have. My favorite is the patch auction, much to my wife's chagrin. After a year of "service", this is the chance for Arrowmen to have fun and meet others in the Lodge.

[SctDad]

I don't think that the leaders are going to be on hover mode. I think that one of the main tasks of the adults is going to be the Chapter Responsibilities. FOr us we have the reception hall.

 

I am looking foward to this. I am going to try to find some of my old lodge flaps and such. I think I have two total. I will think about trading them if the occasion arises. I lost most of my patches when someone stole my patch collection many years ago.

 

Anyway, thanks.

[jtswestark]

We had our fellowship last weekend, I just love them. Unfortunately by this time of the year, to keep the home world 'content', I usually just go down in time for the lodge elections on Saturday afternoon. At least in our lodge (Sippo-O #377) we have no ceremonies, no work projects, just games and fun in fellowship. It is a great weekend of fun, and of course plenty of patch trading and sharing of past stories and history for both youth and adults. It's great to see an old familiar face pop in for a visit. Unfortunately, this year ours coincided with homecoming of many schools, so our attendance wasn't where it should be. Our re-elected Chief is now ready to take on another great year! This is where the agressive plans and goals of the upcoming year can be tossed around and discussed, and re-evaluation of the past year's successes and failures. It is always invigorating to see a fresh start begin. Enjoy!

[Eagle92]

I also got fellowship in two weeks, and it will be a blast despite me having to work, if you can call it that. I am teaching a few classes on Native American regalia and dance, conducting a regalia making session in the afternoon, MCing the powwow that night, and being a Vigil sponsor. While I'll be busy, I can't wait to see old friends, and make new ones. I am especially anxious to see the look on my Vigil candidate's face as I grab him by the shoulder and say "Come with me."

[shortridge]

Maybe I'm just getting to be an official old fogie, but an OA event without service is missing something crucial. With a couple hundred people dedicated to service and camping gathered together at a council camp, why NOT do something to help?

 

I'm not criticizing, just puzzled about how and why things have changed in the last 10 years I've been out of the program.

 

As a youth, my lodge's summer weekend was always a "triple threat" inductions/service/fellowship event. All the members busted their behinds during the day clearing trails, helping set up camp and doing maintenance work. In the evening, the new inductees joined their fellow Arrowmen for fellowship and relaxation - we had a patch auction, ice cream social, Q&A sessions, trivia games, etc. It wasn't a mutally exclusive thing, and the service was a great uniter.

[Eagle92]

Shortridge,

Having been in four lodges, I have learned that every one is a little different. Most fellowships I've been to have had little to no work involved. Work involved usually was finishing things that were not completed at ordeal, or some type of emergency suddenly arose and needed to be fixed NOW.

 

The fellowships I've been to usually are training events in the mornings: hot to do unit elections, camp promotions, AIA stuff, chapter web pages, being an elangomat, etc. This is training that will help out with lodge operations in the long term.

 

Afternoons are the competitions and activities; the fun stuff.

Evenings are the patch auctions, powwows, and fellowship. Also with my current lodge Vigil honor inductions.

 

Also we have some fun competions during the entire weekend. One is contest in which each chapter raises camperships.

 

Don't worry about us being a bunch of lazy gits with clean white sashes We do bust our butts durign the year. We have 3 Ordeal Weekends, 1 Workday at the two auxillary camps, and help run numerous council activities throughout the year.

[nolesrule]

Like Eagle92, our lodge has 3 Ordeal weekends for camp improvements... fall, winter and summer, with a fellowship weekend in the spring (among other activity days/weekends). The Spring Fellowship consists of inter-chapter competition, the annual banquet, Vigil callouts breakfast. It's the "fun" weekend, the purpose being, well, fellowship.

[jtswestark]

Weve had the discussion concerning doing a service project a few times over the years as well. We do a LOT of service to our camps and communities through the year, too many to list. So this is something we just want to have as fun. I hate to hear the grumblings about slave labor, so not only is it a break from that, its also a reward for all theyve given over the spring/summer/fall. We have our Vigil Honor selections weekly at camp and Vigil dinner reunion with ceremonies afterwards on a Saturday before this. So while its kind of a thanks and wrap up to the summer events, we also get our new leadership off and running with some planning sessions after the elections are over. Weve offered Brotherhood ceremony before, but after offering it at ordeals and weekly during camp, there arent too many takers. So the focus is really Lodge Elections. I would like to see more training added, in addition to some of the things Eagle92 has mentioned, that may help us draw better.

 

Jack

[Vicki]

Our lodge (Shawnee) has service projects going in the morning and then the afternoon getting ready for inductions, BHood, and Vigil ceremonies. But our Fall Reunion also includes doing the Ordeal on Friday night/Saturday, so that may have something to do with it.

 

Vicki

 

[shortridge]

OK, I'm an old fogie. It's official.

 

Thanks for the insight and perspective!

[Vicki]

short, you'd be right at home in Shawnee - we're obviously behind the times: