January 2017 Newsletter

Scout Law:  Reverent

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Theme:  Passport to Other Lands

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Elkhorn District Blog:  elkhorncubs.blogspot.com

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LDS Scouting Handbook:  https://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/english/young-men/35814_scout-handbook_eng.pdf?lang=eng

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Upcoming Events

Basic Training:

Elkhorn District:  Saturday, January 14, 8-11:00 am, 110 S Main, Millville

Old Juniper District:  Thursday, February 16, 6:30-7:30 pm, 155 W 400 N, Smithfield

Old Ephraim District:  Saturday, February 18, 8-9 am, 940 Three Point Ave, Logan

Outdoor Ethics Training:  6 pm, Friday, January 20 - 6 pm, Saturday, January 21, Ogden Service Center.  Cost is $35 before January 15, $40 after.  Covers 3 meals and materials.  Open to all Scouters and Scouts age 14+.  Other training dates are March 24-25, May 12-13, and October 20-21.

Scouting for Food:  Bags will be issued at the March Roundtable meeting.

Cub Swim:  

Tiger/Wolf/Bear swim days will be Friday, April 14 (6, 7, or 8 pm) and Saturday, April 22 (12, 1, 2, 3 or 4 pm).   Attendees will complete Floats & Boats, Spirit of the Water, and Salmon Run.

Webelos swim days will be Saturday, April 15 (12, 1, 2, 3, or 4 pm) and Friday, April 21 (6, 7,  or 8 pm).  Attendees will complete Aquanaut Adventure.

Cost is $2/scout, bring swimsuit and towel.  Register online.

Cub STEM Activity Days:  April 15 or May 27, Camp Fife.  Registration begins at 9 am.  Cost is $25 per scout (Adults free), lunch provided.  Participants will experience a day of dynamic adventures with hands-on experiments.  Adventure zones include: robots, solar van, levers & pulleys, gravity, rockets, bb guns, and geocaching.

Scout-a-rama:  Saturday, April 30, Weber State Fairgrounds.  More details to come.

Woodbadge:  March 9-11 and March 23-25.  Wood Badge is a leadership training course which delivers high quality skills and techniques for leaders in all areas of Scouting. It draws from a wide range of sources within and beyond the bounds of Scouting to model the best techniques for developing leadership and teamwork among both young people and adults.  Find more details and register online at https://www.trappertrails.org/woodbadge.

Commissioner's College:  Saturday, March 11, 8 am - 3 pm, Ogden LDS Institute.  $15 before March 4th, $20 after.  For all commissioners, Roundtable staff or interested scouters.

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Important Notice: Cub Scout Advancement Modifications Made 

The BSA has announced modifications to adventure requirements in response to feedback from den leaders who have run the new Cub Scouting program for a year. Dens may begin using the modified requirements immediately as they begin working on their next adventure.

​There is a 57 pg document detailing all the changes atwww.scouting.org/programupdates or ​

http://www.scouting.org/filestore/cubscouts/pdf/CubScout_Advancement_Modifications.pdf

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Training Highlight:  Duty to God

Each Cub Scout pack across the United States is different.  We have different leaders, different chartered organizations and access to different resources.  Each family involved in Cub Scouting is unique as well with regards to its faith.

"The Boy Scouts of America maintains that no member can grow into the best kind of citizen without recognizing an obligation to God and, therefore, recognizes the religious element in the training of the member, but it is absolutely nonsectarian in its attitude toward that religious training.  Its policy is that the home, in conjunction with the organization or group with which a member is connected, will give definite attention to religious life." -BSA Declaration of Religious Principle 

The Cub Scout Duty to God adventures help the Scout become more aware of his Duty to God and what it means to be reverent.

Families are encouraged to help their Scout complete the Duty to God adventure for his rank and sign off on its completion.  However, not all families have the time or the ability to do this.  A portion of the requirements may also be completed in den meetings if desired.

Depending on their rank, in completing their Duty to God adventures, boys will participate in:

*Worship experiences

*Service projects

*Visits to religious sites or monuments where people might show reverence

*Learning about the faith beliefs of their family

*Opportunities to study people in history who have shown great faith in God

Interfaith activities are included in the Cub Scout Duty to God adventures, but a Scout's participation in them is primarily up to the boy and his family.  Boys can complete requirements by attending either a service for their own faith, or an interfaith activity.

How can leaders evaluate a Scout for his Duty to God adventure, especially if they are of different faiths?  Consider asking the Scout how his family or faith group defines duty to God and how he is living up to that definition.  Let the Scout speak and share.  Remember that the focus is on the Scout's understanding of his duty to God, not the leader's concept of what it should be.

Please note:  There have been changes to the Duty to God adventure requirements for each rank.  You can find the updated requirements at scouting.org/programupdates.

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Patch of the Month:  Religious Emblems

"A Scout is Reverent."  All Scouts show this by being faithful in their duty to God.  Some Scouts go further and give special service.  This faithfulness and service can help them to qualify for a religious emblem in the Duty to God program.

To encourage members to grow stronger in their faith, religious groups have developed the religious emblems programs.  The Boy Scout of America has approved of these programs and allows the emblems to be worn on the official uniform.  The various religious groups administer the programs.

Do Scouts have to earn the religious emblem for their faith?  No.  Not every youth is a member of a faith group, and not all faith groups offer religious emblems.  Earning one is not a requirement.  The BSA Duty to God program is introduced in the Duty to God adventure pages in the Tiger and Wolf handbooks.  Earning the religious emblem of one's faith is an optional requirement in the Duty to God adventures for Bear and Webelos Scouts.

The Emblems

A majority of religious groups support the religious emblems for the Cub Scouting program.  The youth religious emblems are conferred on a Scout by his religious leader after the Scout has completed the curriculum for the award.  More information can be found at www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Awards/ReligiousAwards.aspx or in the Duty to God brochure (found at the Scout Shop).

Most of the religious emblems for Cub Scouts consist of a bar pin and pendant, and are worn on the uniform above the left pocket on formal occasions.  The adult religious recognition award is presented by nomination only.  The recognition is presented to worthy adults for their outstanding service to youth both through their religious institution and one of the national youth agencies.  Recipients of these awards are unaware that they are being nominated.

Youth may not need to belong to a religious institution to earn that institution's award.  It depends on the religion.  Please check the eligibility requirements for a specific religious program.

Religious Emblem Recognition Square Knot

The religious emblem square knot may be worn on the uniform over the left pocket by youth who have completed the requirements for their religious emblem awards.  Only one knot is awarded.  However, one or more miniature devices are affixed to the knot to indicate which level(s) of the award the youth has completed (Cub Scout, Boys Scout, Venturer).  Scouts can earn all levels of their religious emblems program.

The cloth, silver knot on purple patch may be worn by youth or by an adult member who earned the knot as a youth, above the left pocket.

The cloth, purple knot on silver patch may be worn by adult members presented with the recognition, above the left pocket.

Adults may wear both knots if they satisfy qualifying criteria.

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Resource of the Month:  BSA Duty to God websites

Further information on the Duty to God program and the religious emblems is available at these websites:

*www.scouting.org/Awards/ReligiousAwards.aspx

*http://bsaseabase.org/home/awards/religiousawards/faq.aspx

*BSA Duty to God flyer:  www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/512-879_WB.pdf

*Overview of Duty to God:  http://scoutingmagazine.org/2015/02/new-requirements-explore-duty-to-god

*Guide to Awards and Insignia:  www.scouting.org/Media/InsigniaGuide.aspx

*P.R.A.Y. Publishing:  www.praypub.org

*LDS-BSA Relationships:  www.ldsbsa.org

*National Catholic Committee on Scouting:  www.nccs-bsa.org

*National Jewish Committee on Scouting:  www.jewishscouting.org

*National Islamic Committee on Scouting:  http://islamicsouncilonscouting.com

November 2015 Newsletter

Scout Law:  Reverent
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Theme:  Winter Wonderland
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Roundtable Blog:  elkhorncubs.blogspot.com

LDS Scouting Handbook:  https://www.lds.org/bc/content/shared/english/young-men/35814_scout-handbook_eng.pdf?lang=eng
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Upcoming Events

Basic Training

Old Juniper District:  Friday, Nov. 20, 6:30 pm - 10 pm.  LDS Smithfield Church Building, 451 S. 250 E., Smithfield.

Elkhorn District:  Saturday, January 9, 8 am - 12 pm.  110 S Main, Millville.

Den Chief Conference:  Saturday, December 12, 8:30 am - 12:30 pm.  300 S 345 E, Smithfield.  For all Den Chiefs.  For more information, call Dale Bright at 258-2908.

Baden-Powell University:  Saturday, Nov. 14, Weber State University.  Cost is $15 early registration, or $20 at the door.  Register at trappertrails.org.  BPU is supplemental training for all adult leaders.

Day Camp:  You can begin registering for 2016 Day Camp on December 1, 2015, at trappertrails.org

District Award of Merit:  The District Award of Merit is a council award presented by districts to nominated Scouters.  The award is available to Scouters who render service of an outstanding nature at the district level.  Find the online nomination form at https://www.trappertrails.org/districtawardofmerit.  Nominations are due by the end of January.  
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Training Highlight:  Scout's Own or Interfaith Worship Service
The Scout Law teaches, "A Scout is reverent.  A Scout is reverent toward God.  He is faithful in his religious duties.  He respects the beliefs of others."  It is important that Scouts be taught to recognize the beliefs of other Scouts and to respect those beliefs.
Scouts' Own is an inspirational, informal ceremony held as part of Scouting activities.
A Scouts' Own service is usually short, often lasting no longer than 15 minutes. They are made up of a mixture of readings, prayers, reflections and music. Many Scouts' Owns are based on a particular theme, such as friendship, using resources wisely, or fairness. This might be connected to a certain event or occasion.

The BSA no longer officially uses the term Scouts' Own, preferring "outdoor worship service" or "interfaith worship service."
Writing in 1928, Baden-Powell described his views on the subject:
"For an open Troop, or for Troops in camp, I think the Scouts' Own should be open to all denominations, and carried on in such a manner as to offend none. There should not be any special form, but it should abound in the right spirit, and should be conducted not from any ecclesiastical point of view, but from that of the boy. Everything likely to make an artificial atmosphere should be avoided. We do not want a kind of imposed Church parade, but a voluntary uplifting of their hearts by the boys in thanksgiving for the joys of life, and a desire on their part to seek inspiration and strength for greater love and service for others.
A Scouts' Own should have as big an effect on the boys as any service in church, if in conducting the Scouts' Own we remember that boys are not grown men, and if we go by the pace of the youngest and most uneducated of those present. Boredom is not reverence, nor will it breed religion.
To interest the boys, the Scout's Own must be a cheery and varied function. Short hymns (three verses are as a rule quite enough-never four); understandable prayers; a good address from a man who really understands boys (a homily "talk" rather than an address), which grips the boys, and in which they may laugh or applaud as the spirit moves them, so that they take a real interest in what is said. If a man cannot make his point to keen boys in ten minutes he ought to be shot! If he has not got them keen, it would be better not to hold a Scouts' Own at all."

Each rank has a Duty to God requirement as a Core Adventure.  Some of those requirements can be completed by holding an interfaith worship service as a den or pack activity.

• Tiger:  Participate in a worship experience or activity with your family.
• Wolf:  Learn and sing a song that could be sung in reverence before or after meals or one that gives encouragement, reminds you of how to show reverence, or demonstrates your duty to God.  Offer a prayer, meditation, or reflection with your family, den, or pack.
• Bear:  Attend a religious service, den or pack meeting worship service, or time of family reflection and discussion about your family's beliefs.
• Webelos:  Help plan, support, or actively participate in a service of worship or reflection.  Show reverence during the service.
• Arrow of Light:  N/A

There are many resources available on the internet to help you plan an interfaith service.  Here are links to a few:

• http://troop813.tripod.com/adobe/reverent/sctsown.pdf  A compilation of prayer, poems, and thoughts to be used at an interfaith ceremony.
• http://www.scouting.org/filestor/pdf/Interfaithservice.pdf  A 2 pg compilation provided by the BSA.
• http://scoutdocs.ca/Documents/Scouts_Own.php  What is a Scout's Own?
• http://www.macscouter.com/scoutsown/  The Macscouter's Big "A Scout is Reverent" Resource Book

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Resource of the Month:  praypub.org

Spirituality has been an integral part of the international Scouting movement since its inception.  While Scouting is a non-denominational organization, it has strong ties to various religious organizations.  As early as 1908, Scouting founder Robert Baden-Powell wrote in the first Scout handbook that, "No man is much good unless he believes in God and obeys His laws."  The Scouting movement allows each boy, den, pack, or troop its own freedom to worship God in his own way while promoting each scout to become strong members in his individual faith.  To help promote this spiritual growth among the boys, each faith has its own special award that a boy can earn, each with its own requirements.

You may have a Cub Scout that comes into your pack that may not be LDS.  Give them the opportunity to earn the religious knot for their denomination.  You can find the requirements for the religious knots for each denomination at praypub.org. 

P.R.A.Y. stands for Programs of Religious Activities with Youth.  P.R.A.Y. is best known for religious awards programs.  The P.R.A.Y. program helps young people to develop a deeper relationship with God and to understand how God is active in their lives and in the world around them.  You can find information about all the religious emblems offered to Scouts by clicking on "Partnerships" on the left side, then Boy Scouts of America. Click on "Duty to God Brochure" to find out what each religion's award looks like and the name of the award.  You can find the brochures with the specific requirements for each religion at the Scout Shop, or from the religious leader.  There are presentation scripts to make it easy to introduce a duty to God program to your pack or troop.

Please note:  The Religious awards are awards of the various denominations, they are NOT Scouting awards. A boy should be able to find a counselor for his faith at his church. If his particular local church does not have anyone who is knowledgeable about the awards, then either someone from your pack could help someone in the boy's church learn about the award or your local Council can help find a counselor or someone to help the local church.

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Patch of the Month:  Religious Emblems Awards

These awards are not Scouting awards but are offered by religious organizations.  To earn the awards, boys work with their religious leaders and family members.  To encourage members to grow stronger in their faith, religious groups have developed the religious emblems programs.  The Boys Scouts of America has approved of these programs and allows the emblems to be worn on the official uniform.  The various religious groups administer the programs.  Check with your local council service center, or at www.scoutstuff.org or contact the religious organizations directly to obtain the curriculum booklets.

Most Cub Scout religious emblems consist of a bar pin and pendant, and are awarded by religious groups.  Boys should also be recognized at their pack meeting with Scouting's universal religious square knot.  The square knot may be worn on the uniform above the left pocket.

Religious awards programs are uniquely designed to build assets in youth and adult leaders.  Of course, the primary goal of religious awards is to help children grow stronger in faith, but a secondary goal is to help families and faith communities build positive assets in children.  When young people work alongside counselors, mentors, and religious leaders, and when parents are encouraged to share their faith with their children, the religious awards programs help provide support mechanisms in their lives.  The Religious Award program for LDS packs is the Faith in God program.  Encourage non-LDS boys in your pack to talk to their religious leaders to get information on the religious award program for their faith.

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March 2015 Newsletter

Core Value:  Faith

Scout Law Equivalent:  Reverent

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Supplemental Theme:  Soaring the Skies
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Upcoming Events:

Basic Training:

Old Juniper District:  Thurs., April 23, 6:30 pm - 9 pm.  1850 N 400 E, North Logan.

Old Ephraim District:  Sat, June 13, 8am – 12pm, 940 Three Point Ave, Logan.

College of Commissioner Science:  Sat., March 14, 8 am - 3 pm.  LDS Institute, 1302 Edvalson St., Ogden. 

Akela's Adventure:  New Cub Scout program training.  Each training is held from 8 am - 12 pm.  Attend the location nearest you:

April 18, 1230 N 600 E, Logan

April 25, Davis County

May 9, Green River, WY

May 16, Weber County

Each 4 hour training will include information on program transition, adventures, planning and calendaring, with breakout sessions for individual leaders.  Please register in advance online at trappertrails.org, training.

Outdoor Ethics Training:  March 27-28, Camp Kiesel. April 24-25, Camp Fife.  June 12-13, location TBA.  Learn how to incorporate the Outdoor Code, Leave No Trace, and Tread Lightly principles in your den and pack activities.

Scouting for Food:  Week of March 15-21.  Pick up your flyers at March Roundtable.  Deliver the flyers by March 20.  The Boy Scouts will be picking up the food on Sat., March 21.

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Resource of the Month:  The Scoutmaster Minute

Your handbook for inspiring moments. Scoutmasters and Cubmasters can use this excellent book as a resource for the close of meeting lesson. This pocket-sized paperback book is a collection of inspirational stories, lessons, and quotations organized around the points of the Scout law. 128 pages.  Cost is $8.49.
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Patch of the Month:  The Heart of Scouting

On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God...

Scouts know this phrase by heart. It was placed first in the Scout Oath on purpose by the Scouting movement founders. According to Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the Scouting movement when asked why religion must be a part of Scouting, "[Religion] is already inside. It is already the fundamental factor pervading Scouting and Guiding." (From a speech to Scout and Guide commissaries, July 2, 1926).
The Heart of Scouting program is focused on helping "my duty to God" be cemented as the first and primary duty of all Scouts, no matter the age.
Unit leaders may wish to adjust parts of the program, especially if they have youth with special needs. Leaders have the freedom and permission to adjust the program in whatever ways they believe will most benefit their youth. Those who adjust the program are encouraged to share their ideas with the Utah National Parks Council so their innovations can be shared with others. We also encourage you to share inspirational stories about the affects of implementing The Heart of Scouting program. Please e-mail your ideas, feedback and stories to heartofscouting@utahscouts.net
Tools to help you implement The Heart of Scouting program in your unit:

• The Heart of Scouting Leader's Guide.
• The Heart of Scouting Brochure. Give a copy of this to all of your leaders and youth. They can then use this brochure to keep track of their accomplishments towards earning The Heart of Scouting recognitions.
• The Heart of Scouting training presentation. Download and use this presentation to train you and your leaders about the program.

You can find all information about this patch at http://www.utahscouts.org/heart-of-scouting/23708.

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Training Highlight:  "Duty to God" Adventures

The new Cub Scout Adventure program will support each boy as he grows in understanding and practicing his duty to God.  The following "Duty to God" adventures have been designed to help in this journey and are required in order to receive each rank.  The adventures are mainly home-based but can be carried out in a den meeting setting if the unit prefers that option.

Wolf "Duty to God" Adventure:  Footsteps of Faith

Faith is not only a belief in a God, but showing others by your actions what your faith is.  You will learn about footsteps that have come before showing faith.  This can help you begin to think about how the footsteps you take as a Scout, as you lean lots of exciting new skills and adventures, can help you show your faith in God.

Rationale for Adventure- Provide consistent awareness of a Scout's faith and that by practicing his faith he is showing his duty to God.

Bear "Duty to God" Adventure:  Fellowship of Faith

Treating others the way we want to be treated, often called the golden rule, is a principle found in almost every religion.  It is a good rule to follow every day!  It is one way we can practice our duty to God  When we help our neighbors, treat family members with kindness, hlep our friends, and even reach out to people in our community, we help make life better for them.  Helping others is a good way to have fellowship with others.  We become happier, and our faith in God is strengthened!  In this adventure, you will have opportunities to practice your duty to God be helping people around you.

Rationale for Adventure- To practice their duty to God, Bear Cub Scouts will have opportunities in this adventure to be good neighbors as they reach out in fellowship to those in their communities.  Cub Scouts will experience the universal principle, common to many religions, that we should treat others the way we want to be treated.

Webelos "Duty to God" Adventure:  Faith in Action 1

Understanding more about your religious beliefs, and the beliefs of others close to you, can help you make sense of the world around you.  The Faith in Action adventure allows you to explore your own faith, plan and participate in your own Scout interfaith service, and plan ways to continue your faith practices in the future.

Rationale for Adventure- A Scout is reverent.  He is reverent toward God.  He is faithful in his religious duties and respects the convictions of others in matters of custom and religion.

Arrow of Light "Duty to God" Adventure:  Faith in Action 2

In this adventure, you will have the opportunity to further explore your faith and duty to God in your own way.  You can call on the past (your ancestors) and the present (you!) to get ideas about how to make faith an important part of your life.

Rationale for Adventure- A Scout is reverent.  He is reverent toward God.  He is faithful in his religious duties and respects the convictions of others in matters of custom and religion.

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Scouting Outing:  10 Commandments Hike
 Join with other Scouts from across the Council in this day of adventure and understanding. Participants will hike through downtown Ogden to 10 different churches and faith-based organizations to discover new and diverse perspectives on how faith and worship are evident in their neighbors lives, how the 10 Commandments and the Scout Oath and Law have common behaviors, morals and values, and how each Scout can pursue better relationships with others. A Scout is Friendly... Courteous... Kind... and Reverent!

Highlights

• 5-6 mile hike downtown Ogden, UT
• Each Church will present one of the 10 commandments and relate it to the Scouting values of the Oath and Law
• Scouts will receive a special participant patch
• An Oneg (reflection and social with food) at the Jewish Synagogue will conclude the hike
• Complete some Duty to God and Trust Award requirements
• $5 fee per Scout to cover the cost of the patch, materials, and Oneg. Scouts will need to bring their own sack lunch and water.

You can register for the hike at http://trappertrails.org/Programs/Activities%20and%20Civic%20Service/10%20Commandments%20Hike (registration is not yet open, nor dates for 2015 set.  Please check the link next month)
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Web Highlight:  praypub.org

P.R.A.Y. stands for Programs of Religious Activities with Youth. 
P.R.A.Y. is best known for religious awards programs. The P.R.A.Y. program helps young people to develop a deeper relationship with God and to understand how God is active in their lives and in the world around them.  You can find information about all the religious emblems offered to Scouts by clicking on "Partnerships" on the left side, then Boy Scouts of America. Click on "Duty to God Brochure" to find out what each religion's award looks like and the name of the award.  You can find the brochures with the specific requirements for each religion at the Scout Shop, or from the religious leader.  There are presentation scripts to make it easy to introduce a duty to God program to your pack or troop.

Please note:  The Religious awards are awards of the various denominations, they are NOT Scouting awards. A boy should be able to find a counselor for his faith at his church. If his particular local church does not have anyone who is knowledgeable about the awards, then either someone from your pack could help someone in the boy's church learn about the award or your local Council can help find a counselor or someone to help the local church.

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Boy's Life: 

This month's magazine features Summer Photo Shoot winners, the story of the Barefoot Mailmen, tent buying guide, lightning safety, how to make wooden blinds, and all about the Iditarod.