On January 31, Scouts were awarded the God and Country award, culminating a year of activities, as explained by Mr. Schenck. These Scouts participated in the service by leading prayers and reading from Scripture - a very moving experience. Here are excerpts from Mr. Schenck’s remarks on this occasion:
The God and Church program that has been a core part of Scouting for many years. This program speaks especially to the last point of the Scout Law - A Scout is Reverent.
The Program has two parts, the first based on study, and the second, based on experience and service. The first part focused on studying the character of God through the life of Jesus Christ; the basic content of the Bible and why we believe it is true; strengthening our relationship with God through quiet time, regular reading of his word, listening to Christian music, prayer, and faith.
In Part 2, "Christians at Work," putting these ideas into action was discussed at several events:
Dr. Price began the "Christians at Work" segment, by speaking about St. Luke’s history, its structure and mission, and he shared with the boys an inside look as to what his job is like as a minister of this church.
George Stewart, a past deacon and very active member of this congregation, engaged the boys in a discussion on the Presbyterian denomination.
We experienced first hand how other faiths in the family of God worship, by attending an 8:00 p.m. Friday night service at nearby Temple Emanuel; and then meeting afterward with Cantor Scott Colbert to talk about the service, the sanctuary, Jewish traditions, their own missionary work, and comparisons with Christianity.
Paul Law and his wife described what the church’s outreach is like to even the deepest heart of Africa - in Zaire, and the role St. Luke’s plays in this great mission work.
Completion of ten hours of service to the church and ten hours of service to the community. The Scouts served - sometimes bleary eyed - in the so-called "6:10 am club", which referred to the time Scouts gather on a Sunday morning to arrive at the First Presbyterian Church down town in time to help out at the weekly Homeless Breakfast.
One final note. The Scouts don’t do it alone. At least one parent serves as a mentor for their Scout. Parents are challenged to grow in their faith, to talk about their faith with their children, and to participate themselves in church and community service.
