Programs of Religious Activities with Youth

Boy Scout News Bulletin

First Quarter 2006

Welcome to P.R.A.Y.’s Boy Scout News Bulletin.  This Bulletin is how we share information about the religious emblems programs and ways to strengthen relationships with the religious community.

Plan Now for Philmont 2006

·        Applications are now being received for Relationships week at Philmont Training Center July 16-22, 2006.  Attendance is by invitation only. A local council must make arrangements with Philmont for a Scouter to attend these courses. We encourage you to contact your council to find out about course registration. There are several workshops being offered:

Membership/Relationships Committee 

Religious Emblems for Youth and Adults

Scouting for the Home Schooled

Scouting in the Catholic Church

Scouting in the Church's Ministry

Scouting in the Jewish Community

Scouting in the LDS Church

United Methodist Scouter's Workshop

For more detailed information on a specific course, please visit http://www.scouting.org/philmont/ptc/courses/index.html

·        The Philmont Training Center offers quality programs for the whole family - infant through adult. While the adult Scouter is in a summer conference, the family will join others in their age group and participate in a carefully designed program under the leadership of trained staff. Evenings are devoted to family activities and free time. Families may attend general assemblies, movies, campfires, museum tours, or work in the craft lodge. Wednesday is a free day for hiking, fishing, sightseeing or sometimes horseback riding. While the primary purpose of the Philmont Training Center is to host conferences, the opportunity for families to join their Scouter and enjoy a wide range of family programs is what makes PTC unique.

·        PTC is nestled in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of northeastern New Mexico near Cimarron. It is located five hours south of Denver, Colorado, four hours northeast of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and ninety minutes northeast of Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

Mark Hazlewood to be Course Director for PTC Course

“Religious Emblems for Youth and Adults” will be offered for the second time at the Philmont Training Center, July 16-22, 2006. Mark Hazlewood, CEO of P.R.A.Y., will again lead this course. “Last year was the first time that this course had been offered, and I was so impressed with the caliber of the class and their ability to take the information and see immediate application for their council. Their enthusiasm and passion was energizing. I encourage council staff and volunteers to come and learn how religious emblems can be used for membership, not just program.”

“Religious Emblems for Youth and Adults” is an overview of the religious emblems program for all faiths. The course will cover how religious emblems may be used to supplement program in units and districts, and how they may be used for new unit sales. Council professionals and volunteers responsible for membership, as well as individuals interested in promoting Duty to God and the religious emblems programs of all faiths, should plan now to attend. The course will focus on Religious Emblems as a membership tool, looking at retention, increasing membership from current chartered partners and as a tool for reaching under served areas of your council. The other emphasis of the class will be on Religious emblems as programs that can reinforce BSA values as well as on how and why to promote them. This course is open to registered Scouters.

For more information and to see a sample syllabus, please visit http://www.praypub.org/ptc_syllabus.htm

Local Councils are Encouraged to Implement Duty to God Boy Scout Summer Camp Programs

Local councils were recently informed about a new Duty to God Boy Scout Summer Camp Program. The rationale for this program comes from the youth portion of the BSA Summer Camp Outcome Study, which revealed that 69% of Scouts think about their relationship with God while at camp. Duty to God has always been an integral part of the Scouting program, and local councils are encouraged to support this spiritual element of Scouting by implementing the Duty to God Summer Camp Program for Boy Scouts. An Interfaith Devotions booklet was created for this purpose. This booklet is available online at www.praypub.org. Please note that the Duty to God Summer Camp Program is a program that must be implemented by the local council. Check with your council to find out if this program will be available in your summer camps.

2005 God and Country Usage Figures

The P.R.A.Y. web site has posted the 2005 God and Country usage figures for each Boy Scout Council. Visit http://www.praypub.org/god_country/boy_scout_usage.htm to see how active your council was in 2005, and also to view a five-year history on God and Country usage.

Congratulations to the following councils which had the largest number of God and Country recipients in 2005:

Sam Houston Area – Houston, TX

Heart of America – Kansas City, MO

Greater St. Louis Area – St. Louis, MO

National Capital Area – Washington, DC

Occoneechee – Raleigh, NC

Atlanta Area – Atlanta, GA

Circle Ten – Dallas, TX

Longhorn – Fort Worth, TX

Piedmont – Gastonia, NC

Old North State – Greensboro, NC

The following councils had over 100 recipients AND a 25% increase over last year.

Gulf Ridge – Tampa, FL

Three Fires – St. Charles, IL

Crossroads of America – Indianapolis, IN

Blue Grass – Lexington, KY

Ozark Trails – Springfield, MO

Pony Express – St. Joseph, MO

East Carolina – Kinston, NC

Dan Beard – Cincinnati, OH

Heart of Ohio – Ashland, OH

Alamo Area – San Antonio, TX

East Texas – Tyler, TX

Buckskin Council – Charleston, WV

Great Rivers – Columbia, MO

Special recognition to the following councils who have experienced over 15% growth two years in a row (in both 2004 and 2005)

Old Baldy – Ontario, CA

Santa Clara County – San Jose, CA

Gulf Ridge – Tampa, FL

Chicago Area – Chicago, IL

Illowa – Davenport, IA

Hawkeye Area – Cedar Rapids, IA

Blue Grass – Lexington, KY

Greater St. Louis Area – St. Louis, MO

Southern New Jersey – Millville, NJ

Five Rivers – Horseheads, NY

Tecumseh – Springfield, OH

Muskingum Valley – Zanesville, OH

Narragansett – Providence, RI

Pee Dee Area – Florence, SC

Sinnissippi – Jamesville, WI

Central Wyoming – Casper, WY

God and Country Usage Declines in 2005

Usage of the God and Country Protestant program for all youth declined 1.75% in 2005. There was a corresponding 1% decline in usage by members of the BSA. Here is the breakdown by program level:

Comments on the Duty to God Program

·        Thank you … This is so awesome. We had a 100% participation in our troop with 12 boys and 10 leaders.

·        I am teaching16 Webelos. Thanks for an excellent program. The boys learn, and the parents learn about their child's faith, and magic is created.

·        I thought I would share our story with you. Last year we decided to make the Religious Emblem Coordinator a regular Pack Committee position. Even though we are chartered at a Catholic Church, just 6 out of 40 “eligible” Cub Scouts (15%) had earned their Religious Emblem knot by the November 15, 2004 deadline as set by the National Catholic Committee on Scouting. The result was an increase to 71% of our Cubs who have earned their knot. One-hundred percent of our Webelo Scouts have earned their Parvuli Dei emblem; 45% of our Bear Scouts and 71% of our Wolf Scouts have earned their Light of Christ emblem. We will introduce the Light of Christ to our Tiger Cubs and Parvuli Dei to our Bears in April. The plan is to constantly update parents through out the summer by e-mail and direct phone contact. NCCS offers a series of Rosary patches which we used to keep the program front and center at every Pack meeting and every leader meeting. With constant contact with Den leaders and direct e-mails to parents, we were able to achieve this goal. Regards, Andre Pacheco, Cub Scout Pack 811, Brea, CA

·        From Detroit –Thank you so much for coming in and sharing all the Duty to God information with us. You couldn't have timed your presentation better. I am working on putting a program in place at a local Presbyterian Church and, being new, wasn't 100% sure about how to deliver the program. Your ideas and supplies will really help me work with them better! Thanks again, Amy

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