Worship and Celebration from Paul Ritchi In communities all across the country, Scout/Guide Week features an annual church parade. In Thornhill, Ont., we believe this event is an important way to round out Scouting's program, whether or not a group is church sponsored. It helps draw adult and youth members closer to God and feel more strongly a part of the great Scouting and Guiding family Because Canadians today are of many different faiths, doing one's duty to God has a slightly different meaning to every-one. To organize our church parade on B.-P.'s birthday in 1986, leaders from different Scouting and Guiding groups in Thornhill met with the major religious leaders in our community to plan an inter-faith service in which boys and girls aged 5 to 18 could participate with enjoyment. To ensure the support of parents and children, we sent home a letter explaining that the service applied to all faiths and was especially created for our young people. Our Service of worship and Celebration, held at Temple Har Zion, was led by Scouts and Guides, the temple's Rabbi, and religious leaders from the Baha'i Faith and the Presbyterian, United, Roman Catholic, and Anglican churches. The hymns reflected messages of celebration and worship (Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee, found in Let's Celebrate, and Take My Life and Let It Be), peace and community (Let There Be Light and, as the recessional, We Are the World). We've extracted a few other elements that you may find useful for services you are planning. PRAYERS Call to Worship This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Prayer of Approach. Oh God, You have called us to peace, for You are Peace itself. May we have the vision to see that each of us, in some measure, can help to realize these aims: Where there are ignorance and superstition, Let there be enlightenment and knowledge. Where there are prejudice and hatred, Let there be acceptance and love. When there are fear and suspicion, Let there be confidence and trust Where there are tyranny and oppression, Let there be freedom and justice Where there are poverty and disease, Let there be prosperity and health. Where there are strife and discord, Let there be harmony and peace. Amen Prayer of Confession: 0 God, forgive us for all the things we've done wrong today. People have helped us, and we haven't thanked them. We've hurt others and we haven't said we're sorry We've been impatient and we've lost our temper. We've blamed others for things that were entirely our own fault. We've been selfish and we've put our needs before the needs of others. We've ignored the beauty of the world and we've taken your many gifts to us for granted. You love us, but we have not loved you. You've spoken to us, but we have not listened. Forgive us, 0 Lord, and help us to do better. Amen For Scouting & Guiding: Almighty God, we ask your blessings on the Guides and Scouts of all the world. Grant that, as we think of each other on this day, we may be bound together in love and friendship to be more loyal to our promise and law; to work and pray for understanding and peace; to serve You more truly in our daily lives. We thank and praise You for the life and vision of our founder, Lord Baden-Powell; for his gift of Scouting to the youth of the world; for Olave Baden-Powell's great service to Guiding; and for all that Guiding and Scouting have brought to us. Accept our prayers and thanksgiving. Amen For Our Families: Thank you, God, for the people who mean so much to us: for those who provide us with food and clothes and home; for those who know us at our worst and who still love us; for those who forgive us when we do not deserve to be forgiven. Help us to live together in harmony, to grow in love, understanding and wisdom, to learn from one another and so reflect your love for us all. Amen For Peace: Grant us peace, your most precious gift, 0 Eternal Source of Peace, and give us the will to proclaim its message to all the peoples of the earth. Bless our country, that it may always be a stronghold of peace and its advocate among nations. May contentment reign within its borders, health and happiness within its homes. Strengthen the bonds of friendship among the people of all lands, and may the love of your name hallow every home and every heart. Blessed is the Eternal God, the Source of Peace. READINGS Micah 6:6-9 (With what shall I approach the Lord...) Unison Reading: They shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, nor ever again shall they train for war. Only let all who dwell on earth clearly see the truth of truths- that we have come into this world not for strife and discord, not for hatred and envy, and not for rivalry and bloodshed. Rather we have come into this world to know and understand You. May You be blessed forever. May your glory enter our minds and our hearts, that we may become chariots for the Divine Presence, bringing your Presence to the world, making known to all who live, your power and the splendor of your kingdom. Reading based on Leviticus 19: You shall not steal and you shall not deceive or lie to one another. You shall not oppress or rob your neighbour... You shall not insult the deaf or place a stumbling block before the blind. - - You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the powerful: You shall judge your neighbour with fairness. The strangers in your midst shall be to you as the native born, and you shall love them as yourself. You shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against the poor; your kin, but you shall love them as yourself. Cease to do evil; learn to do good; seek justice; correct oppression; defend the orphan; plead for the widow. Paul Ritchi is Akela of the 7th Thornhill (Mysa) Cubs, Ont.