Religious Professional Role

As the congregation’s Director of Religious Education or Religious Education Committee chair, you should be made aware of Religion in Life for Girl Scouts plans, as should the parish minister. You may be aware of other girls who would like to participate in such a program and/or may have good ideas about who might be asked to be an advisor and which resources or people in the congregation might be helpful. A religious professional or RE Committee chair should make the Religion in Life for Girl Scouts program advisor aware of safe congregation policies and procedures that need to be followed.

If a group of girls are working on such a program together, it would be helpful for religious professionals and/or other congregational staff to provide logistical support, which could include making a meeting room available, offering supplies for the program, or allowing for use of the congregation’s internet connection or its copy machine. Make written agreements between the congregation’s staff and the program’s advisors regarding how much and what kind of support the program will receive from the staff, clean-up agreements, procedures for raising issues and concerns, and so on.

Recognition Ceremony

When a girl has completed the program, you can affirm her accomplishment by taking part in a recognition ceremony.

The advisor should work with the congregation’s religious professionals to determine an appropriate occasion for the girl to receive the Religion in Life for Girl Scouts emblem and recognition. This is often done as a short segment of a Sunday morning worship service. The emblem ceremony is an excellent opportunity for the congregation to invite others to learn about the program and celebrate the girl’s involvement in scouting. Girls should be encouraged to invite guests, such as relatives, Girl Scout leaders, and friends. Lastly, the advisor should assist with (and may need to initiate) publicity done inside or outside the congregation about the emblem ceremony.

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