Last week Girl
Guiding caused something of a storm with news that their updated promise has
left God out and instead inserted such phrases as to be ‘true to myself’ and ‘to
develop my beliefs’.
Now all of this coincided, somewhat ironically, with my first Parade Service at Amersham Free Church last Sunday at which we welcomed ‘our’ Rainbows, Brownies and Guides!
The stuff of vows, promises or mottos can go deep. I still remember my school one of ‘Only my best will do’. It’s as if it’s chiselled upon my heart!
Actually my heart goes out to organisations like the Guides. It’s tough keeping up with youth culture and knowing how to work with it, alongside it or, at times, deliberately yet constructively against it. And language is part of that problem. You don’t need a degree in anthropology to realise that the majority of people in Britain, let alone young people, simply do not sign up for an understanding of ‘God’ we in the church are used to. There’s a debate to be had there – and perhaps a new language needs to be learnt on both sides.
Angela Tilby, one of my favourite contributors to The Church Times, seemed quite miffed with the Guides in her column last week. She went as far as saying, ‘Being true to myself is the kind of mindless aspiration that we expect to hear on Britain’s Got Talent...’ I fear the Oxford Canon has just alienated herself from two quite important sections of modern society in that one statement!
Another troubled Vicar sent a letter into last week’s paper suggesting that now the Guides no longer make a promise to serve God they ought to be evicted from church halls across the country.
Well I’m not sure. I know from experience that even Girls’ and Boys’ Brigade Companies – who are far more explicit about their Christian foundations – find it hard to commission leaders who can role-model a vibrant faith. So, in some ways, I feel this new Girl Guiding promise is at least an honest statement of where they are. It’s not where I would like them to be – but that’s another matter.
My response – and I hope we did this on Sunday – is to endeavour to make the Guides, Brownies and Rainbows as welcome in our church community as we can. We value their time spent worshipping with us at Parade Services and will continue to pray that what they gain from their meetings week by week will enhance their lives. And knowing some of their leaders I’m convinced that the essence of Christianity will continue to trickle down and be a positive influence.
As to the virtue of Britain’s Got Talent – perhaps a theme for another Blog (written by someone else!)
Best wishes,
Now all of this coincided, somewhat ironically, with my first Parade Service at Amersham Free Church last Sunday at which we welcomed ‘our’ Rainbows, Brownies and Guides!
The stuff of vows, promises or mottos can go deep. I still remember my school one of ‘Only my best will do’. It’s as if it’s chiselled upon my heart!
Actually my heart goes out to organisations like the Guides. It’s tough keeping up with youth culture and knowing how to work with it, alongside it or, at times, deliberately yet constructively against it. And language is part of that problem. You don’t need a degree in anthropology to realise that the majority of people in Britain, let alone young people, simply do not sign up for an understanding of ‘God’ we in the church are used to. There’s a debate to be had there – and perhaps a new language needs to be learnt on both sides.
Angela Tilby, one of my favourite contributors to The Church Times, seemed quite miffed with the Guides in her column last week. She went as far as saying, ‘Being true to myself is the kind of mindless aspiration that we expect to hear on Britain’s Got Talent...’ I fear the Oxford Canon has just alienated herself from two quite important sections of modern society in that one statement!
Another troubled Vicar sent a letter into last week’s paper suggesting that now the Guides no longer make a promise to serve God they ought to be evicted from church halls across the country.
Well I’m not sure. I know from experience that even Girls’ and Boys’ Brigade Companies – who are far more explicit about their Christian foundations – find it hard to commission leaders who can role-model a vibrant faith. So, in some ways, I feel this new Girl Guiding promise is at least an honest statement of where they are. It’s not where I would like them to be – but that’s another matter.
My response – and I hope we did this on Sunday – is to endeavour to make the Guides, Brownies and Rainbows as welcome in our church community as we can. We value their time spent worshipping with us at Parade Services and will continue to pray that what they gain from their meetings week by week will enhance their lives. And knowing some of their leaders I’m convinced that the essence of Christianity will continue to trickle down and be a positive influence.
As to the virtue of Britain’s Got Talent – perhaps a theme for another Blog (written by someone else!)
Best wishes,
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