Our current Venturing Adviser is no longer the Venturing Adviser. He is now the Bishop of our congregation. My walking partner is now the Bishop. I need to watch what I tell him. :)
So for the second time in 11 months our congregation is looking for a new Venturing Adviser and a new Young Men's President. I am excited for my friend who is now serving as Bishop for the second time in his very young life. I am grateful, again, to have a Bishop who I know and love. And I am extremely grateful that he is working on his tickets and has been Wood Badge trained.
I sat down 10 days ago to write the now released Bishop a letter to ask him to go to Wood Badge. And twice I tried to finish it and twice I was told to not to bother.
So as the Scoutmaster, the new Bishop and I sat down last night to break bread with our families the Scoutmaster and I asked each other who would serve as the Venturing Adviser that we could manipulate and get away with doing what we want. We made a couple suggestions and I emphasized my #1 thought on who this leader should be. Whoever he should be, he needs to be there 100% of the time. I know that limits men who travel for work but a good leader is there almost ever time something is going on. Having a reliable man at Church and Scout meetings 99% of the time is a must.
Showing posts with label Chartering Organization. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chartering Organization. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Sunday, October 21, 2012
When authority goes wild* - Thorn and Roses
Either something is a Scouting event or it is a Church event. Either you are using BSA's insurance or you are using the Church's insurance. And when they tell you that you need to fill out a Tour Permit (or whatever they are called now) there is a pretty clear line that the event is a BSA event. No if, ands or buts - no justification. Hence comes our problem when LDS leaders try to blur the lines between the BSA, the Church and their unrighteous reading of how there is a difference between the BSA and the BSA in the Church.
Our congregations 11 year old Patrol combines with another wards 11 year old Patrol. Part of the issue is due to the fact that we have let the Assistant Scoutmaster over 11 year Scouts of the other ward, while a good man that I personally really like, run the program. And of course bias has appeared but no one wants to address it. The program is OK but when boys don't bring their books, requirements don't get passed off. In fact, if they don't bring their books that night they have to pass off the requirement again. Hence many of our boys are already a year behind in Scouts when they come into our "true" Troop.
Thorn:
Our Stake is having an 11 year old campout. Our Assistant Scoutmaster (ASM) over the 11 year old Scouts filled out the form for his boys to come and added three of our Scouts to come to the event due to the fact that they are behind from the previous program.
Our Scoutmaster (SM) gets a call from the Stake Primary President telling Scoutmaster that she doesn't want the 3 12 year old Deacons to come and camp at the event but they are more than OK to come for the merit badge classes on Sunday. Scoutmaster says that is fine with no arguments and hangs up the phone.
30 minutes later a member of the Stake Presidency** calls again telling SM that he doesn't want the Deacons to come to camp at the event but can come to the classes the next day. He explains that there is a huge difference between this church event and a BSA event. And he goes on to discuss how the 11 year old program really isn't a BSA program (why the Tour Permits then, huh?) and asks the Scoutmaster if he understands. My Scoutmaster, to his credit, tells him "I don't really get it." He gives him the whole line again and adds things like he doesn't want three boys to take away from everyone else experience. And claims because the boys hold the Priesthood, this event isn't for them but they can still come on Saturday.
Our congregations 11 year old Patrol combines with another wards 11 year old Patrol. Part of the issue is due to the fact that we have let the Assistant Scoutmaster over 11 year Scouts of the other ward, while a good man that I personally really like, run the program. And of course bias has appeared but no one wants to address it. The program is OK but when boys don't bring their books, requirements don't get passed off. In fact, if they don't bring their books that night they have to pass off the requirement again. Hence many of our boys are already a year behind in Scouts when they come into our "true" Troop.
Thorn:
Our Stake is having an 11 year old campout. Our Assistant Scoutmaster (ASM) over the 11 year old Scouts filled out the form for his boys to come and added three of our Scouts to come to the event due to the fact that they are behind from the previous program.
Our Scoutmaster (SM) gets a call from the Stake Primary President telling Scoutmaster that she doesn't want the 3 12 year old Deacons to come and camp at the event but they are more than OK to come for the merit badge classes on Sunday. Scoutmaster says that is fine with no arguments and hangs up the phone.
30 minutes later a member of the Stake Presidency** calls again telling SM that he doesn't want the Deacons to come to camp at the event but can come to the classes the next day. He explains that there is a huge difference between this church event and a BSA event. And he goes on to discuss how the 11 year old program really isn't a BSA program (why the Tour Permits then, huh?) and asks the Scoutmaster if he understands. My Scoutmaster, to his credit, tells him "I don't really get it." He gives him the whole line again and adds things like he doesn't want three boys to take away from everyone else experience. And claims because the boys hold the Priesthood, this event isn't for them but they can still come on Saturday.
- So why does the camping of three 12 year olds cause such an issue if there is a Tour Permit? They can come but only after the true night camping part is over?
- Why is this a Church event if everyone will be in BSA uniforms and the proper BSA forms will be in place at the demands of the Stake?
- If this truly is a Priesthood event (or a BSA event) should we be including three boys who got a crappy 11 year old program? How will three boys with an excellent leader crash this event?
- If the Stake Primary President is called to preside over this program, people don't get to make decisions for her. Or at least they shouldn't get to. I know I sure as heck wouldn't allow someone to step on me or my wife like this.
Some leaders have no clue how to lead. Their people skills suck and don't understand the difference between the Spirit of the Law and the Letter of the Law. You can't call something a Scout Camp and then in the same breath call it a Church camp. Either it is one or it is the other. I think we have been given very clear direction about not confusing events to try and fit what we want to do.
Rose:
In the end, the Varsity Team will teach these boys the requirements they would have passed off at this sham of a camp. It is more in the true Scout spirit that my boys do it anyways. And they will get a more quality class from my boys.
Another Rose:
With the bad examples of leadership I experience I always put that into the back of my mind with the thought "If you are ever called to serve, don't be like that." My SM said the same thing.
* You can go ahead and call me a bad Mormon because you think I am speaking ill of my leaders but this is nothing of the sort. Any leader is willing to receive some criticism and some feedback especially for the decisions they make. In the end I respect that they get to make a decision even if I believe it is right, wrong and/or stupid. I have to have a testimony of their decision. I am not blind and will not follow without that belief in what they believe. I am not a sheeple. Any leader who thinks they know it all and they are the end all be all especially when they are a councilor and not the President of a group doesn't understand how the Church is organized. This was told to me by my SM.
** Two years ago at Girls Camp, this leader at a nightly meeting was discussing Trek the next year and how Girls Camp and High Adventure would be cancelled for the older youth of the Stake. The Young Men leaders (they had been called to come and help and asked to stay for a meeting) and Young Women leaders were in shock until the Stake President arrived at the meeting after attending to some of his duties. When they asked them if that was truly the case of being cancelled he said "No. There is no way we would cancel those events." I had a shocked relative in this meeting.
Rose:
In the end, the Varsity Team will teach these boys the requirements they would have passed off at this sham of a camp. It is more in the true Scout spirit that my boys do it anyways. And they will get a more quality class from my boys.
Another Rose:
With the bad examples of leadership I experience I always put that into the back of my mind with the thought "If you are ever called to serve, don't be like that." My SM said the same thing.
* You can go ahead and call me a bad Mormon because you think I am speaking ill of my leaders but this is nothing of the sort. Any leader is willing to receive some criticism and some feedback especially for the decisions they make. In the end I respect that they get to make a decision even if I believe it is right, wrong and/or stupid. I have to have a testimony of their decision. I am not blind and will not follow without that belief in what they believe. I am not a sheeple. Any leader who thinks they know it all and they are the end all be all especially when they are a councilor and not the President of a group doesn't understand how the Church is organized. This was told to me by my SM.
** Two years ago at Girls Camp, this leader at a nightly meeting was discussing Trek the next year and how Girls Camp and High Adventure would be cancelled for the older youth of the Stake. The Young Men leaders (they had been called to come and help and asked to stay for a meeting) and Young Women leaders were in shock until the Stake President arrived at the meeting after attending to some of his duties. When they asked them if that was truly the case of being cancelled he said "No. There is no way we would cancel those events." I had a shocked relative in this meeting.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
2012 Mutual Theme
Most of LDS Scout leaders serve dual duties as a "youth minister". Each year the Church comes out with a theme for use to use and follow to encourage the youth. This applies to Scouting as well as the religious side of job to minister and help young men come closer to Christ through living the Scout Law, the Scout Motto, the Scout Oath and by following the example of the Savior from the Scriptures. This years them is "Arise and Shine Forth". The video that follows is just one of many that the Church produced.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Who pays???
I still have an issue with the way things work when it comes to money. Apparently this may be a Church issue and not a BSA issue.
My wife was asked to cook at Girls Camp for 2 days. For these two days she is being charged $65. This makes no sense to me. She is doing a service for the Stake and yet this service comes at a price for her. $65 for two days worth of food means that she better be serving herself steak. Last year the YWP asked us to drive up and drive back. We asked them for reimbursement for $200 in gas and the YWP never made a decision on if they were going to pay us. Instead of pressing the issue and making friends enemies, my wife told me to not bring it
up again. So my daughter paid for her YWP camp and we paid to take 6 additional girls up for free.
Now my BSA connection.
When my boys choose a High Adventure or when the Scouts go to Scout Camp, two adults are required to be there with them at all times for 2-deep leadership. My calling is to be there with them. Yet then I am charged to do my calling.
So our Scouting callings not only hit our time with our families but our pocket books. Am I being a whinny little brat over this?
My wife was asked to cook at Girls Camp for 2 days. For these two days she is being charged $65. This makes no sense to me. She is doing a service for the Stake and yet this service comes at a price for her. $65 for two days worth of food means that she better be serving herself steak. Last year the YWP asked us to drive up and drive back. We asked them for reimbursement for $200 in gas and the YWP never made a decision on if they were going to pay us. Instead of pressing the issue and making friends enemies, my wife told me to not bring it
up again. So my daughter paid for her YWP camp and we paid to take 6 additional girls up for free.
Now my BSA connection.
When my boys choose a High Adventure or when the Scouts go to Scout Camp, two adults are required to be there with them at all times for 2-deep leadership. My calling is to be there with them. Yet then I am charged to do my calling.
So our Scouting callings not only hit our time with our families but our pocket books. Am I being a whinny little brat over this?
Friday, December 2, 2011
No place to meet
This is a very interesting post on a Chartering Organization basically giving a Troop 30 days notice to find a new place to meet. I am glad I don't have to ever worry about this issue.
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