Religious Emblems Presentation to Cub Scouts Welcome your group: “Welcome to our presentation on religious emblems. We’re going to tell you all about religious emblems, but more importantly, we’re going to challenge you to earn the religious emblem of your faith.”

Duty to God “I promise to do my best, To do my duty to God and my country, To help other people, and To obey the Law of the pack.” Ask all Cub Scouts to stand. Then say, “Parents, please listen very carefully to what your child is about to say. Cub Scouts, please join together in saying the Cub Scout Promise: I promise to do my best, To do my duty to God and my country, To help other people, and To obey the Law of the pack. Thank you. Please be seated.”

Duty to God Brochure Explain how the religious emblems are connected to the scouting program and how important they are. Hold up the “Duty to God” brochure for everybody to see. Then say, “The title of this brochure is ‘Duty to God.’ You just heard your child say these very words, and it was a promise to do his Duty to God. One way that Cub Scouts can show their Duty to God is to earn the religious emblem of their faith and to wear the emblem on their uniform. The video you are about to see will talk about the importance of the religious emblems.”

Promoting Duty to God (Religious Emblems) Show video, “Promoting Duty to God (Religious Emblems).” After watching the video continue by saying, “Religious emblems are very special. When your Cub Scout wears his religious emblem on his uniform, it tells who he is and what he believes. It shows his duty to God. We would be very proud if our Cub Scouts earned their religious emblems.” Play Video

Religious Emblems Square Knot Explain the universal religious square knot. “Boys, when you earn your religious emblem, you also earn the right to wear the universal religious square knot. This knot will always be on your uniform (it carries up to your Boy Scout uniform, even to your adult uniform).” Youth Award Adult Award

Religious Emblems Square Knot with 1, 2, or 3 devices Explain that most religious emblems programs have more than one level. “After you have earned your religious emblem as a Cub Scout and have received your religious square knot, it doesn’t mean that you are through. Most religious programs have more than one level. Check to see if your program offers an emblem for Webelos Scouts. When you earn more than one religious emblem, you may pin a special device in your square knot to show that you have earned your religious emblem at different levels.

Earn the Emblem of Your Faith Parents and religious leaders will help you earn your religious emblem. These emblems are fun opportunities for you and your family to work on something together. Explain that the Cub Scout leader is not the instructor for the religious emblems. These are enhancement programs. Parents and guardians will decide whether or not their boy participates in these programs. “Your parents and religious leaders will help you earn your religious emblem. This is not a badge we earn together as a Cub Scout Pack. We are of different faiths and we belong to different congregations. Each Cub Scout will earn the emblem for his own faith. These emblems are fun opportunities for you and your family to work on something together.”

Four Steps to Get Started: Step 1: Youth members must obtain the specific booklet for their religion. Step 2: Parents must review the program guidelines. Step 3: Families should talk to their religious leaders and show them the booklet before beginning any program. Step 4: The youth member needs to complete the requirements, obtain the proper signatures, and follow the instructions to order the emblem. Here’s how you get started on these programs: There are four basic steps:   Step 1: Youth members must obtain the specific booklet for their religion. ·         Use the “Duty to God” brochure to identify the program for your faith ·         Check with your council store or contact the religious organization directly. ·         Each Cub Scout needs his own booklet to document progress. ·         Some religions offer adult manuals for counselors and mentors. Step 2: Parents must review the program guidelines. ·         Some programs require participants to be official “members” of the religious institution. ·         Age/grade requirements vary from program to program. ·         Each program sets its own guidelines as to who may serve as counselor. Some programs require clergy to serve as counselors; other programs allow parents or other family members to serve as counselors. Step 3: Families should talk to their religious leaders and show them the booklet before beginning any program ·         Most programs require that they be completed under the auspices of that religious organization. ·         Many programs require the signature of the local religious leader. Step 4: The youth member needs to complete the requirements, obtain the proper signatures, and follow the instructions to order the emblem. ·         These emblems are not available from your local council store (follow instructions in your booklet). ·         The emblem should be presented in a meaningful ceremony, preferably in the member’s religious institution. The award can be presented at anytime of the year. Boy Scout Sunday/Sabbath in February is a perfect time to recognize recipients.

Handouts Duty to God brochure Dear Parent letter Distribute the Duty to God grid and/or the “Dear Parent” handout. “The Duty to God grid provides the name and address of where to obtain more information and/or to purchase the booklets. The “Dear Parent” handout is a short summary of how to get started on the programs. It also provides space for you to copy the contact information” (if copies of the grid are not provided). Please note that most of the Protestant, independent, and non-denominational churches use the God and Country program which is listed in the grid under “Protestant.” Show the boys what the emblem for their faith looks like. Be prepared for some boys not to know what religion or denomination they are or not to be active in a religious institution. Remind boys that the religious emblems are optional programs.

Our Goals Talk to your parents and clergy Obtain booklet Set a schedule to earn award Encourage the boys to talk to their parents and religious leaders about earning a religious emblem for their faith. Help the boys get started by setting a target date: “Let’s set our first goal together as a Pack. I’d like everybody to talk to their parents and clergy about earning a religious emblem. Together decide whether or not you will earn your religious emblem, and if so, get the booklet and talk about setting up a schedule to earn it. At our next Pack meeting on ________ (date), I want to find out how many of you decided to earn your religious emblem. Even though this is a project that you will be doing with your family and clergy, I am interested in your progress and will encourage you to complete it.”

Duty to God Promotion Patch Make a commitment to Duty to God and earn this patch! Explain the special Duty to God patch: “I have a special announcement about a Duty to God Promotion Patch. This patch is for youth or adults who 1) learn about religious emblems, and then 2) make a commitment to Duty to God. Because you are here today at this presentation, and are taking information about religious emblems to show your parents, you have fulfilled the first requirement for this patch. The second requirement is making a commitment. You may commit to earning your religious emblem, helping younger Scouts earn theirs, making a presentation on religious emblems to another unit, etc. How many Cub Scouts want to make that commitment today? Please stand. ·         If you ordered patches to distribute to your Cub Scouts, hand them out now: “Congratulations on making a commitment to do your Duty to God. Here is your Duty to God patch that shows you are committed to earning your religious emblem.” ·         If you plan on ordering patches for your Cub Scouts, make an announcement: “Congratulations. You will be presented with a Duty to God patch on _______(date). This will be a good reminder to fulfill your Duty to God.” ·         If you want each Cub Scout to order his own patch, distribute the order form and make the following announcement: “Congratulations. Every person standing is eligible to wear a Duty to God Promotion patch. Here is an order form so that you can purchase your own patch.”   Briefly describe the patch: “The Duty to God Promotion Patch is a four-segment puzzle patch. You can only earn one segment a year. Every year that you learn about the religious emblems or earn an emblem or help make a presentation about them, you can earn the next segment.”

For More Information: Visit P.R.A.Y.’s Website at www.praypub.org Call P.R.A.Y. at 1-800-933-7729 Conclude your presentation: “By learning about religious emblems and making a commitment to Duty to God, you are living up to your Cub Scout Promise. Thank you for your attention. This concludes our presentation.”