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BSA Religious emblem programs. General Program Overview. Overview. A Scout is reverent. His is reverent toward God. He is faithful in his religious duties and respects the convictions of others in matters of custom and religion.
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BSA Religious emblem programs General Program Overview
Overview • A Scout is reverent. His is reverent toward God. He is faithful in his religious duties and respects the convictions of others in matters of custom and religion. • To encourage members to grow stronger in their faith, religious groups (not BSA) have developed religious emblem programs, that various religious groups administer. • BSA has approved these programs and allows the emblems to be worn on the official uniform.
Awards, cont. Notes: Cub Scouts generally reflect Scouts in grades 1-3. Webelos generally reflect Scouts in grades 4-5. The BS1 represents Boy Scouts and Varsity Scouts. The BS2 represents Venturer, Older Boy Scouts and Varsity Scouts.
Frequently Asked Questions • I have a unit with children of all different faiths. How can I include the religious emblems program for my unit? • The emblems program should be presented as an optional program for scouts. • Religious instruction should always come from the religious organization, not the unit leader. • Parents need to be informed about these programs and told where to get the information for their particular faith.
Frequently Asked Questions • Do boys and girls participate in same program? • It depends on the religion. Please check the specific eligibility requirements for each emblem program. • Do the youth have to belong to a religious institution? • It depends on the religion. Please check the specific eligibility requirements for your particular religious program.
Frequently Asked Questions • Why doesn’t my religious institution know about the religious emblems programs? • Although the religious bodies at the national level created the programs, the local religious institutions may not be aware of the programs. It may be helpful to write for more information or even obtain a copy of the curriculum to give to your religious leaders.
Frequently Asked Questions • How long does it take to complete a program? • It depends on the program. Some programs may take 3 or 4 months, others longer. • Who may serve as a counselor? • It depends on the program. Some programs require clergy to serve as counselors, others allow a parent or family member. Please check the specific guidelines.
Frequently Asked Questions • How do I order the recognition items? • Follow the instructions in your recognition guidelines. THESE EMBLEMS ARE NOT AVAILABLE IN YOUR LOCAL COUNCIL SCOUT SHOP OR OFFICE. • How is the emblem presented? • The emblem should be presented in a meaningful ceremony, preferably in the youth member’s religious institution. Some emblems come with a sample presentation ceremony.
Frequently Asked Questions • Which religious emblem square knot should I wear? • Scouts wear the silver knot on a purple background if they earned the award as a youth. • Adults wear the purple knot on a silver background if they have been awarded the adult award. • As additional levels are earned, any combination of devices representing the program may be worn on the same knot.
Frequently Asked Questions • If I earned the religious knot as a youth and then was awarded the religious knot as an adult, which knot should I wear on my uniform? • You can wear both knots. The religious square knot is only a few square knots that can earned as a youth and worn as an adult.
How can you get started? • Scouts must obtain the specific booklet for their religion. • Parents much review the program guidelines. • Families should talk to their religious leaders and show them the booklet before beginning any program. • Scouts need to complete the requirements, obtain the proper signatures and order the emblem.
Program Example • BSA Troop 282, in coordination with St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Millard, NE, have been offering the Protestant version of the religious emblem program for youth ages 6-18 for the past 3 years. • Classes are: • God and Me (Grades 1-3) • God and Family (Grades 4-5) • God and Church (Middle School) • God and Life (High School)
Program Example, cont. • God and Me • The children make games that they put in a box. Each game helps them learn how to personally connect with their faith. • God and Family • The children make a ‘pizza’. Each layer represents the different levels of family and family, and how they can relate that to their own lives. • God and Church • The youth either make a scrapbook or film a movie to talk about the church and Jesus’s journey, then how that relates to the modern church and their own faith journey. • God and Life • The youth do daily devotional reading and a weekly study about the book of Paul. At the end of each chapter, the youth have a project to complete.
Program Example, cont. • Classes are offered to anyone who wants to attend. Along with BSA Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, members of local Girl Scout Troops and Venture Crews have attended. • The fee for the classes was set at $25.00 per student. This covered the workbooks, materials and a pizza party at the end. • Service Project: The middle and high school groups join together to do a service project at either Sienna Francis House or Open Door Mission as part of their program.
Program Example, cont. • What was learned: • The class was moved from the spring to the fall. This was done so that as the scouts finished and their awards were ordered, that depending on their place of worship, that the awards might be able to be presented at Scout Sunday in February. • Class start dates are staggered depending on the class. This was done so that everyone would finish at about the same time and enjoy the pizza party celebration together.
Program Example, cont. • The Troop 282 / St. Paul’s course is coordinated by Mike Wilson from Troop 282. • For any questions, please contact Mike at msw5511@cox.net
Program Promotion • P.R.A.Y. Publishing is Christian Education resource that uses Bible lessons paired with service projects to help young people grow in their faith. • At www.praypub.org, they have information on the new BSA position: Religious Emblems Coordinator. • They also have presentation resources: videos, scripts, slide presentations, round table presentations, Pow Wow / University of Scouting training information & Duty to God promo game.
Program Promotion • Pray Pub also has puzzle patches to award people who attend or make a presentation on religious emblems & make a commitment to Duty To God.
Adult Awards • On the PRAY Pub website, it has information on the requirements for each youth faith award, along with information on adult awards for each faith. • For many of these awards, adults can only earn the award by nomination only. Because of this, if a Unit/Council member knows of an Adult Scouter who is helping to encourage youth in their faith, they should approach the religious organization that the Adult Scouter belongs to with the nomination form. • Each Adult Scouter should be recognized for going above and beyond their usual scouting duties to work with our scouts. This is a great way to show our appreciation.
References • Images: ReligiousKnotYouth.png • Program information: http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Awards/ReligiousAwards.aspx • www.praypub.org Created 2014.08 / Last updated 2014.08 by KR
