I read somewhere (might have been on rorate cæli) that the Catholics were going to start their own scoutting program. Why not the Orthodox? Lets start a grassroots movement where the manuals and activities are open sourced. No central organization. That way the government can't force heresies down our throats.
Orthodox do have camping facilities and many jurisdictions not only have summer programs at a lake, but also they have winter skiing options.
It would be awesome if an interjurisdictional Orthodox camping/sports organizations could be formed, not to overtly counter the BSA and GSA programs, but to help the youth stay in our churches.
In some of my former parishes, we had soccer moms who would bring their children to Sunday Divine Liturgies dressed in their soccer, little league baseball, or basketball outfits. However, when the various athletic groups started having practice earlier on Sundays, they quit attending church altogether.
The Bible Bowl group would be included as part of a year round program only without the intensity that often conflicts with academic programs that all converge around St. Nicholas Day in December.
Biblical studies
Parishes could work together to develop Bible machine embroidered badges based on Old Testament Saints, Prophets, Judges, and Kings (using Icons for these saints when completing Old Testament Studies), and New Testament Saints (using the Icons for Sts. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Peter, and James when completing sections of the Bible).
Church Fathers - icon badges for different church fathers
Church Saints - icon badges for demonstrating knowledge of our saints
Angels
Ecumenical Councils - icon badges for demonstrating knowledge of each Seven Ecumenical Councils and the heresies that were condemned
Sports - Badges could be provided for sports participation and cheer leading activities for boys and girls throughout the year
Camping - Different camping badges can be offered as children progress in their skill levels.
Church praxis - knowledge of divine services, altar bread, wine, oil from olives, incense, church beeswax candle making, and ethnic cooking
As a young man progresses in the knowledge of serving on the altar and reading the epistle, he could be presented with different badges. Young men and women could help with chanting at the chanter's stand, or singing in the choir, and be presented with different badges. Young men and women could also get badges for making altar bread and helping out during coffee hour to make food. There could be badges for harvesting and pressing grapes and helping to make wine. In warmer latitudes, where bushes can be grown to harvest the ingredients for making incense, children could be taught to make the various flavors of incense. Also olives can be harvested and/or pressed into oil for the church. Beeswax can be collected from hives to make candles. Honey can be used to make the essential baklava. All these activities could be occasions for awarding different skill badges for work in the life of the church.
Prayer badges - awarding badges to children who can pray morning, meals, and evening prayers, not from memory, but who can prayerfully read from the Orthodox prayer books available, and who can faithfully follow a simple prayer rule. Thus, parents would need to work with their priest who can verify.
Gardening and
Bee keeping - at the parish level or utilizing properties owned by parishioners to help feed poor and elderly parishioners and the hungry.
Sewing - aprons for church hall use; quilts for the elderly and sick members; more advanced seamstresses and tailors could learn to make liturgical vestments for altar servers or even a priest.
Carpentry - Boys and girls could learn to make chanter's stands and Icon stands. Perhaps with a good router and lathe, these children could make wooden crosses for the church or for sale.
Other badges could be offered for:
Knowledge of Electricity
House building - taking trips to Mexico
Computer skills
Reading and writing competence
Math
Ethics
It would be important to insure that children have a balanced program of activities, which would includes award badges from different life activities which focus on personal health, spiritual health, physical activities, family, and community activities (
largely but not exclusively within the parish as we need to take care of our own).
Yes, looking at the old BSA, GSA, and Campfire books would be very helpful. However, care should be taken not to violate copyright laws so that we can develop our own Orthodox ethos.
