Boy Scout Sunday

Greetings,

      This Sunday is Boy Scout Sunday.      

      On February 8, 1910, the Boy Scouts of America were chartered by the United States Congress.  The Boy Scout movement was first organized in England by Lord Robert S. S. Baden-Powell, based on his own experiences in the military and the experiences of Ernest Thompson Seton and Daniel Carter Beard in the United States.  It was William D. Boyce who officially chartered the Boy Scouts in the United States and Seton and Beard were essential leaders in the new organization.  They were joined by James E. West in 1911 and he is considered to be the man who was most responsible for the growth and success of the organization.

      In the last fifty years there has been a shift away from the military influence to a focus on the outdoors, camping and adventures.  I can remember when precision flag ceremonies, formations and troop inspections were the requirement of every Scout meeting, first and foremost.  Now, most troops are hard pressed to do a precision flag ceremony for special occasions.  I am not complaining about that, just noting the change.

      I remember when every Scout wore a full uniform, cleaned and pressed every week: shirt, pants, socks, hat, tie or scarf, belt, and dress shoes.  If a family could not afford the uniform, the Troop or its sponsor made sure they got the complete uniform.  Poor neighborhood or rich neighborhood, you could not tell by the appearance of the troops.  Perhaps it speaks well of the egalitarian nature of Scouting that the same is mostly true today, poor or rich background, troops look the same: slightly above disheveled , with the shirt being the only common element. 

      To note these things is not really to complain that this is the case.  While there may be things to regret in this shift, there is also much to approve in terms of the shift in mission and effort of the BSA.  The Boy Scouts are an effective program for the development of responsible young people.  Certainly the program is not for every boy, but is provides opportunity and challenge for many.  The changes in focus to careers, the environment, and current technologies enable Scouting to be relevant and helpful to young people today, even while maintaining an emphasis on a disciplined, productive life.

      Today the Boy Scouts are enmeshed in an ever growing controversy over not permitting homosexuals to serve as leaders.  Of virtually all youth serving organizations, the Boy Scouts stand alone in that refusal.  The position is difficult to defend and I think the organization has not presented its position as well as it might.  Even those who are anxious to support the Boy Scouts struggle to find how to do so in the face of this issue.  Nationally the United Methodist Church is still the largest supporter of Boy Scout Troops.  Yet many in the Church are distressed at what they view as a discrimination and civil rights issue.  They point out that there is no restriction on immoral heterosexual leaders, yet the Boy Scout argument is that homosexual leaders would be an immoral influence on the boys.  Our congregation, and The United Methodist Church, continues to support the Boy Scouts.  We do hope that the organization will look at its policy on leaders and do that which is trustworthy, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, brave, and reverent.

      I expect that the scouts and leaders of our Troop 245 will participate in our worship service this Sunday.  As a Boy Scout for most of my life, I am thankful to the program, and am thankful for our Boy Scouts.

Yours & His,

DED