Manual for Chaplain Aides and Chaplains
I had no idea until today that this manual exists. It is at http://www.scouting.org/Media/Relationships/ManualforChaplainsandAides.aspx.
One useful aspect of the manual is a list of prayers:
Sample Interfaith Prayers and Benedictions
- For health, strength, and daily food, we give you thanks, o Lord.
- For this and all your mercies, Lord, make us truly grateful.
- For food, health, and friendship, we give you thanks, o Lord.
- For food, for raiment, for life, for opportunity, for friendship and fellowship, we thank you, o Lord. (Philmont grace)
- Come, o Lord, be our guest and bless what you have bestowed on us.
- Gracious giver of all good, we thank you for food and rest. Grant all we say or do pleases you.
- Lord, bless our Scouting leaders who spend so much of their time and energy to help us grow up well. Guide them in their work, give them patience and wisdom, and reward them in this life and the next. Amen.
- As our campfire fades, we thank you for the joys and blessings of this day. We lift our minds and hearts to you in gratitude for life, happiness, and the Scouting movement. Lord, protect our camp this night. May we rise refreshed and ready to serve you. Amen.
- May the great Scoutmaster of all Scouts be with us until we meet again.
I was surprised to find that it also contains the following list of qualifications for a chaplain aide:
- The chaplain aide must be mature and sensitive and have earned the respect and trust of his fellow Scouts.
- The chaplain aide must be at least a First Class Scout.
- The chaplain aide must have received or be working on the requirements leading to the age-appropriate religious emblem for his faith.
I didn't know there were such qualifications. Of course, in our troop the chaplain's aide main job is saying prayers at meetings and outings, and I think a boy any age can do that.
