Scout Sunday

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The Boy Scouts of America designates the Sunday that falls before February 8 as Scout Sunday. However, a chartered organization or local religious organization may choose to celebrate on another day.

The Presbyterian Church and United Methodist Church celebrate Scout Sunday on the second Sunday of February so as to not conflict with Communion Sunday. In the the Jewish faith, Scout Sabbath is celebrated on the Saturday after February 8, Scouting Anniversary Day.

February 8, 1910 was the founding of the Boy Scouts of America by W. D. Boyce and the first Scout Sunday was in 1914. See Boy Scouts of America Historical Highlights for more.

The Scout Law says that a "Scout is Reverent" and the Scouts of all ages promise to do their "Duty to God". These values strengthen youth character in their family, community and faith.

Scout Sunday Observance

This is a suggested format for your unit's annual Scout Sunday observance from Scout Sunday:

Suggested Scout Sunday Service of Worship (outline)

• Call to Worship
• Responsive Reading
• The Scout Law
• On My Honor
• Hear Our Prayer
• Pastoral Prayer
• Offertory Prayer
• Scripture Reading
• Prayer of Dedication or Offertory
• Meditations
• Benedictions
• Closing Hymn

Scout Sabbath

Scout Sabbath offers an opportunity for worshippers to honor Scouts and Scouters, as well as to learn more themselves about the value of Scouting as a youth program chartered to a Jewish organization. It gives a rabbi a framework to address Scouts directly, in addition to speaking about Scouting to the congregation.

Some rabbis use regular liturgy and supplement it with special reading. Others devote the entire worship services to Scouting themes, using Scouts and Scouters as readers. There is no "one right way " to conduct such a service. Most rabbis understand the purpose to be a strengthening of the bonds between the synagogue and the Scouting unit and plan accordingly.

A variety of Scouting-related resources, prayers, and readings are available:

• Religious Awards for Youth and Adults
  • Maccabee for Tiger Cubs
  • Aleph for Cub Scouts
  • Ner Tamid for Scouts and Venturers
  • Etz Chaim for older Scouts and Venturers
  • Shofar for adult volunteers
• Based on the Twelve Points of the Scout Law
• Sermonic Material
• Statements by Lord Baden-Powell
• Scout Camping
• Scout Sabbath Sermon by Rabbi Jack Bemporad
• Sample Ner Tamid Presentation

See Also

• Religious Emblems
• Declaration of Religious Principle

External Links

• Scout Sunday - official BSA materials and links
• Scouting in Protestant Churches
• The Scout Law with references to the Bible
• BSA Religious Calendar
• Scout Sabbath
• Manual for Chaplain Aides and Chaplains with a sample Scout funeral.
• Suggested Worship Aids for Scout Sunday Service(hymns)
• On My Honor (hymn) (PDF)
• Scouter Prayer
• A Psalm for Scouts and Scouters
• The Guy in the Glass (prayer)
• Program Covers and Inserts
• Bringing Youth to Christ Through a Scouting Ministry (newsletter article)