Recognizing our Orthodox Christian Scouts
Every year since the mid-1940s, religious communities around the US have celebrated “Scout Sunday,” which in 2016 falls on Sunday, February 7.
“The Orthodox Church became involved with Scouting in a formal way in 1955, when Metropolitan Leonty, our Primate, along with the other leaders of the Orthodox Churches met together with the Chief Scout Executive,” according to Archdeacon Kirill Sokolov, Director of Diaconal and Late Vocations of the Orthodox Church in America and recipient of the Quartermaster Sea Scout Award. “The programs and awards that the Church endorses for scouting programs are a way to encourage the youth of our Church as they grow in their conversion to Christ.”
The Eastern Orthodox Committee on Scouting [EOCS], which works under the aegis of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA, supports Orthodox Scouts and units chartered by local parishes in their important work.
“We encourage each of our parishes to actively support the celebration of ‘Scout Sunday’ this weekend,” explained Archpriest Eric G. Tosi, OCA Secretary and Eagle Scout. “We call on the reverend pastors and faithful of our parishes to support and recognize their youth engaged in parish and neighborhood units. Integrating a young person’s Scouting experience in the fullness of Church life and the Church’s youth ministry programs is a powerful witness to our conviction that ‘Christ is all and in all’ [Colossians 3:11].”
Parishes are encouraged to participate in Scout Sunday every year. How can your parish honor its Scouts? Father Eric offers the following suggestions.
- Develop occasions on which a parish’s Scouts can get together regularly. Quite often, Scouts are scattered across different troops, dens and packs, and rarely interact. Consciously planning special gatherings will get them to identify with one another.
- Look into sponsoring a parish Scout troop or pack. While getting Orthodox Christian scouts together under the “church’s roof” will help build identity, this also is a good way to open up the program to others—and introducing them, perhaps for the first time, to Orthodox Christianity. Many scout troops are in need of meeting space, so parishes that can do so can “rise to the occasion.”
- Encourage Scouts to pursue the Saint George, Chi-Rho, or Alpha-Omega Orthodox Christian badges. Requirements can be found on the EOCS web site. Hosting an award ceremony is always a boost to the parish community.
- Nominate local adult scout leaders for the Prophet Elias Adult Religious Award to recognize their good work and ministry.
- Organize a parish service project for Scouts. This is a “win-win” situation—Scouts need to earn service Have the parish’s scouts do a service project around the church or for a parishioner. Scouts need to pursue service projects, while another item on the parish’s “things to do list” will benefit the whole community.
- Encourage Scouts to complete their Eagle or Gold Award project at the parish. Such projects are a tremendous resource involving the whole scout troop and parish—another “win-win” situation.
- Parishes and individuals interested in knowing more about how Scouting can be integrated into parish and Church life are encouraged to avail themselves of the resources available on the EOCS web site and to contact area or diocesan youth directors. .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) are also available to answer questions and connect you with appropriate Scouting resources in your area.