Scout Sunday

[Knight]

What are your groups doing for Scout Sunday or Scout Shabbat?

[raisinemright]

Our kids go to any number of different churches. Some of them just wear their uniform, other churches take a few minutes to recognize scouting and the accomplishments of the boys.

 

I think we're going to skip the patches this year though. Sometimes they are really good, but this year, they've gone with a many paths to God theme, which goes against the theology of most of our families.

[HobcawChaos]

Our church sponsors/charters both GSUSA and BSA troops. Troop members are invited to wear their uniforms on Scout Sunday. Troop members (usually those who are also church members - but not required - they are just more likely to be comfortable with it)serve as Greeters, Ushers, and Layleaders (scripture reading). Sometimes they will also present the children's moment. Basically, for us (United Methodist), it's like Lay Leader Sunday but Scouts. Members of the congretation who were/are Scouts are also invited to stand and be recognized.

[Gunny2862]

We've got a meeting tonight to set the details but it will probably be, as in the past, to simply show up in uniform, hand out bulletins, sit down in the back and then do an informational table in the hall afterwards for 15-20 minutes.

 

But our CO has been really hands off over the years.

[John-in-KC]

Scouts and Scouters who are members of my parish have been invited to wear their uniforms Scout Sunday. Acolyte need not robe up if he/she is in Scout uniform. Pastor is going to do his children's sermon on a cross of Matt 22:21 (what we owe our Caesar, or government is our good efforts as people) and Ephesians 2:8-10 (we are His creation, He sets aside good works for us to do because we are saved).

 

Uniformed Scouts who want will collect the offering and usher Lord's supper.

 

BTW, we're dealing with both BSA and GSUSA in one fell swoop.

[Liz]

We don't attend the church that sponsors our troop.

 

The boys who attend the CO's church do wear their uniforms on Scout Sunday, but as far as I know nothing else special is done. At least, if it is, it's not talked about at troop events.

 

Our church does nothing for Scout Sunday. We have several Boy and Cub Scouts who attend my church, from various packs/troops. I'm unaware of any Girl Scouts in our congregation. I've never seen any kids show up for church in their uniform unless they were arriving directly from a Scouting event.

 

Frankly, I think it's a little sad. I have recently volunteered to be Troop Chaplain in our troop; I don't know yet whether I'll be accepted in that role or not since I'm not a member of the CO's church (several of the council members, which I've been one of off and on, are not members of that church -- but we've never had a Chaplain and I don't know whether they'd have different criteria for that or not). If I were Troop Chaplain, I would encourage all the boys to participate in Scout Sunday (or Scout Sabbath, as the case may be, though I'm unaware of any Jewish boys or 7th Day Adventists in our Troop) at their various places of worship.

 

-Liz

[ManyHats]

Last year I discussed doing something for Scout Sun. with the minister of my church. That lead to me being volunteered to do the children's message and recognize the scouts. Unfortunately we only had 3 scouts and 2 other kids in church that day.

This year we will be attending church at CO. Several Webelos will be receiving their God and Family awards. The previous minister was an Eagle Scout, so he had a very special service. This year they have a different minister, but CC has discussed with the new minister what has been done in the past.

[Greaves]

Our pack will be at the 9am service together & in uniform. Last year, all Scouts sat together. (We even had a couple Venturers)

 

My son and I attend a different church regularly, but Scout Sunday is important. For our first year, my son wore his uniform to our church. I'm a uniformed leader now, though, and it's important to me that I be visible at important events like Scout Sunday. Visiting our CO periodically helps me feel connected to the larger organization, and it helps my son see a bigger picture of faith than he'd get if we stuck to just one kind of church.

[DYB-Mike]

This coming Sunday our Charter Organization, a Congregational church, will be holding its annual special Scout Sunday Service. The Troop takes the lead in this and, in addition to usher duties, several of the boys will do readings and one will deliver a short speech on What Scouting Means to Me. My son, a new crossover to the Troop, will be doing one of the readings. Some of the leaders are called up and recognized and, if this year follows last year, there is a symbolic Presentation of the Charter.

 

I believe last year was the first year the Pack was involved in the Scout Sunday Service. The cubs arent involved in the readings or any of the other ceremonial aspects, but are there, in the Pastors words, to be inspired by the actions of the older boys. I have another son in the Pack of which Im a leader.

 

My family is not a member of our CO church (were Roman Catholics) and Im torn between attending this ceremony and attending my own church in uniform with my sons, but unfortunately the services conflict. Our CO is very accommodating with space and such and the Troop and Pack are long established there so I opt for the CO Service as a show of respect and support. As Greaves noted its interesting to experience the difference between a Roman Catholic Mass and a Congregational Service. It just so happens that our Parish Church and our CO Church hold an annual interfaith service around Thanksgiving. My sons and I went in uniform to the last interfaith service and I tried to encourage the rest of the Pack to do so (many are in our Parish Church) but we were the only ones who attended.

 

YIS

Mike

 

 

 

[Twocubdad]

We encourage our Scouts to attend the CO's Sunday service and sit as a troop. In the past we've participated in different ways, but with a new minister this year we're only attending the service. Scouts who want/need to attend their own services are encouraged to do so in uniform, but I don't think any do.

[2eagles]

We thank the chartered organization with a pancake breakfast, user, and have readers.

[sweetspiritpamh]

My sons troop thanks the charter organization with a FREE pancake breakfast for everyone at all the services that day. The church family really likes it because many organizations have pancake breakfasts as fund raisers. And this is a way to give back to the community that is their for them.Of course having a boy led group is important for the community to see in their scout shirts really taking the lead. It still needs adult to be their but the boys are really doing the work.

[NEPAScouter]

Our troop and pack attend a Mass at the catholic church that charters us. We enter in a procession carrying both units' flags. Both units' members serve as altar servers and liturgy readers in uniform. The pastor generally shapes his sermon to include references to Scouting, and acknowledges our work over the past year. Over the past several years, catholic scouts from another troop in our town have begun attending the Mass, and several of our members have started attending the other troop's protestant church CO's service later in the day.

[Knight]

At our Roman Catholic Mass we did the following:

 

Troop and Pack flags at church entrances.

"A Scout is Reverent" foam display boards with Scout Sunday and various religious patches at each entrance.

Scouts wore Class A uniforms, including merit bade sash.

Scouts and Scouters greeted people at entrances and held open the doors.

Prayer for Scouts worldwide during prayer of the faithful.

Scouts brought up the gifts.

Just before the end of the Mass, the Pastor called up all Scouts and Scouters to state the Scout Oath and Scout Law before the congregation.

 

Very simple and reverent.

[Novice_Cubmaster]

We're providing the human sacrifice.

 

NC