Outdoor Interfaith Worship

A Scout is Reverent
Worship Service

I. Welcome

Come let us sing unto the Lord! Let us make a JOYFUL NOISE to the Lord, all the lands! Let us serve the Lord with gladness and come into his presence with SINGING. Psalm 100

II. Lift Our Voices in Song

For the beauty of the earth,
For the splendor of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our song of grateful praise!

O give thanks to him who made
Morning light and evening shade!
And all creatures are his care,
Not a bird that cleaves the air
Falls unnoticed-- But who can
Speak the Creator’s love to man!

III. Opening Prayer

Oh Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the winds, whose breath give life to the world, hear me.

I am small and weak, and I need your strength and wisdom May I walk in beauty Make my eyes behold the red and purple sunrise;

Make my hands respect the things you have made And my ears sharp to hear your voice;

Make me wise so that I may know
the things you have taught your children The lessons you have written in every leaf and rock;

Make me strong, not to be superior to my sisters and brothers, But to fight my greatest enemy within myself;

Make me ready to come to you with straight eyes So that when my life fades as the fading sunset My spirit may come to you without shame.
Chief Yellow Lark, Sioux, 1887

IV. Meditation

Spkr: please be seated and join me in the responsive reading. After each response, please speak aloud examples of what we have to be thankful for.

All: Let the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord.

V. Responsive Reading

All: With reverence in our hearts, we, Your many children of many beliefs,
united in common purpose, gather to offer this our humble prayer in Thanksgiving.

Spkr: As Scouters we are thankful for: The many gifts and talents given to our fellow Scouters and to ourselves;

All: We are thankful for: The freedom we have to join together, and as a team accomplish more than any of us could alone;

Spkr: We are thankful for: The opportunity to be of service to young people, parents, other Scouters, and our community;

All: We are thankful for: Our joy at seeing young people become excited as they grow and are able to meet challenges;

Spkr: We are thankful for: Being reminded by their ceremonies and legends that they who serve their fellows are of their fellows, the greatest;

All: And most importantly we are thankful for the gift of knowing that our prayers are heard.

Spkr: We each in our own way take this moment to silently add our own thanksgivings....

With thanks in our hearts we offer our prayers and ask that You, the Great Scoutmaster of us all, hear us and grant us peace.

All: Amen.

VI. Collection

At this time we would like to remember the good done by the World Brotherhood of Scouting, and ask that you give what you can in support of its work.

VII. Lift Our Voices in Song

Oh beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America, America!
God shed his grace on thee!
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America, America!
God shed his grace on thee!
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

VIII. Scoutmaster’s Minute

IX. Closing Prayer

Master of the Universe

Grant me the ability to be alone to think of Thee; May it be my custom to go outdoors each day Among the trees and the grass, among all your living things, And there may I be alone and enter into prayer, To talk with the one to whom I belong, May I express there everything in my heart And may all the foliage of the field (All grasses, trees, and plants) May they awake at my coming, To send the powers of their life into the words of my prayer So that my prayer and speech are made whole Through the life and the spirit of all growing things Who are made as one by you.

Spkr: Go in peace and brotherhood.
Readings taken from A Scout’s Duty to God and Country,, Bowman & Bryant