SSOC A IA N T A I R O E N H O T N U L S C L LUTHERAN O A U N T O I I N T G A N • SCOUTING VOLUME 26, NUMBER 4 www.nlas.org SPRING 2018 Is Scouting in Your Toolbox? Like all congregations, yours has a call to ministry - to youth, to families, to your community. When faced with any task, we sort through our tools to find the best ones to meet the challenge. As you look through your congrega- tion’s tools for ministry, do you find the programs of the Boy Scouts of America among them? These tools are available to any congregation but you may ask, “How do we use them?” The National Lutheran Association on Scouting is hosting an opportunity for your congregation to get the answers to this and related questions during the Scouting in the Lutheran Church Con- ference to be held July 15 to 21, 2018 at the BSA’s Philmont Training Center in northeastern New Mexico. This confer- ence is designed for Lutheran congrega- about the religious education opportuni- Scouters with a wide variety of fam- tions, schools, clergy, and all Lutheran ties of the P.R.A.Y. religious ily programs. The PTC staff offers Scouters who want to learn more emblems program and a full, organized program for every about using Scouting as an how it builds faith member of the family – from infants outreach ministry to young in youth. In addi- to spouses. Family members will be people and their fami- tion, participants joined by others in their age group and lies. Join us and see can share with will participate in a carefully designed, how to use Scouting as Lutherans age and ability specific program under part of your congrega- from across the leadership of trained, experienced tion’s youth/outreach/ the country staff. Groups will get to enjoy hiking, community ministry success sto- tours, handicrafts, games, campfires, strategy that contrib- ries, best prac- and outdoor activities. utes to reaching young tices for devel- Join us as we enjoy the Philm- families and building and oping and main- ont experience while growing in faith, sustaining membership. taining relation- knowledge and renewal with like mind- Our faculty includes lead- ships with Lutheran ed, dedicated and experienced Scouters. ers of our Lutheran Association, charter partners and how For full conference center information BSA national volunteer and profes- to best serve our youth and our church- and registration visit the PTC website sional representatives, plus guest pre- es. at: http://PhilmontTrainingCenter.org . senters from affiliated agencies. This Philmont Training Center provides Registration is open now. Come will afford the opportunity to learn opportunity for families to join their and share the Peace. PAGE 2 LUTHERAN SCOUTING SPRING 2018 CHAPLAIN’S CORNER The Caldron of Death! After retiring from the US Army, I bought a house in Lincoln, NE. The previous owners had a tennis court in the back yard but had removed. This which was OK by me because now I had a good sized back yard completely fenced off from my neighbors – my own little world! Being a Master Naturalist, I immediately planted the entire area in native Nebraska prairie plants and grasses – and presto! the whole ecology of my yard was trans- continues to prowl. daughter through the “God and Family” formed from a sea of green grass (which In my prairie I see all the beauty of program, I again realize the mystery of required constant mowing) to a wild the plants but fail to see all the death that Christmas, the glory of God coming down spot! Soon insects were abundant, which is hidden within this beauty. Thanks be to to us to live in the world he created giving brought scores of birds, which brought God that we have the Church to help us us the hope of the world to come. the hawks, then rabbits, squirrels, foxes, pull back the curtain of deception and see The mission of the NLAS is to perpetu- raccoons, opossums and woodchucks. If sin, confront it and through the merits of ate this faith in our children and in those Bison had showed up, I was moving! Christ declare victory over it! Oh death, in our youth organizations so as the Devil It was a marvelous natural food chain where is thy victory; Oh death, where is prowls around they won’t become vic- environment at work, a literal “caldron thy sting? tims. of death.” I restored something to a more One of my favorite hymns written To this end, God grant us the wisdom or less ‘natural’ environment and even by Martin Franzmann is “O God, O Lord and strength to carry forth the banner! though it is beautiful when the plants of Heaven and Earth, (LW #319). It talks bloom, death was always prowling about about Christ entering our hall of death NLAS Chaplain looking for something to devour. to breathe our poisoned air and drink the James Hoke As our Lutheran Confessions state in cup of our despair. As I mentor my grand- Luther’s Small Catechism, question #95, “Man…is by nature blind, dead and an enemy of God.” Nature is a physically violent environment and the spiritual SSOC environment is no different. The Devil A IA N T A I prowls around like a roaring lion look- R O E N H O ing for someone to devour (1 Pe 5:8ff). T N U L Send NLAS S Like the ever-alert squirrels and rabbits C L O A U (nature’s fast food), we too must be ever N T O I I N T G A N • alert to the spiritual dangers around us. News Items The internet, TV, Netflix and other elec- tronic devices have the ability to bring The deadline to submit articles for the next issue is March 9, 2018. Send all of the ills of the world right into our Association and other news for the Lutheran Scouting newsletter to Pam Ciccarello homes and show them uncensored to our at [email protected], and include NLAS in the subject line. Please spell children. The language used on TV shows out acronyms and give state and area or city locations so complete information during prime-time viewing is disgusting is included in the publication. For events, be sure to include the date. For photos, to say the least. Yet society seems not to either e-mail or send a glossy print. notice or care. Society only sees all the bright and glittery things – and the Devil SPRING 2018 LUTHERAN SCOUTING PAGE 3 Meet the 2018 NLAS Officer Candidates President - Wendy Cibils staff in 2010, 2013, and 2017, and attended Wendy lives in Claremore, Oklahoma, the “Scouting in the Lutheran Church” A retired professional educator, he was a has been married to Andy for 21 years conference at PTC in 2008, 2012 and 2014. primary teacher in the Minneapolis Public and has two daughters, Jenna (11) and Wayne retired from The Johns Hopkins Schools for 33 years, project manager for Tessa (6). They are members of Redeemer University Applied Physics Laboratory in the Learning Disability Association of Lutheran Church where she currently serves 2016 completing 39 years of service. Wayne Minnesota for 5 years and an adjunct pro- as the church’s Sunday School curriculum is the father of two Eagle Scouts and a Girl fessor at St. Cloud State University serving evaluator. She has also served as a Sunday Scout Gold Award recipient. as a supervising teacher to student teachers School teacher, VBS Director and volunteer in the urban setting for 5 years. Mr. Meinke coordinator/recruiter for Youth Club and Treasurer - Phill Lawonn has belonged to many community and pro- Sunday School. Award recipient of the Phill currently reside in Mounds View, fessional organizations one of which was “Lutheran Living Faith Award”, Wendy is a MN and is a member of Christ the King the Association for Childhood Education life NLAS member. Lutheran Church, New Brighton, MN International headquartered in Washington Her service and leadership with (ELCA). He became a member of NLAS in DC. where he was honored to serve on their American Heritage Girls includes five years 2009 and have served as NLAS Treasurer international board of directors for 3 years. as a Troop Coordinator, Vice Coordinator, since 2014. The father of two Eagle Scouts Unit Leader and now as an Adult Member (Andy and Ben), Phill has been actively Member at Large - Rev. Dana Narring in their new troop. She founded the first serving BSA since 2005. He is currently Rev Narring connection with Scouting AHG troop in Hutchinson, KS and helped the Committee Chair for Troop 106, the began in 1967: beginning as a Cub Scout start the home-school troop the next year. Northwest District Advancement Chair for (earning the Arrow of Light) and later She is also a member of the Daughters the Northern Star Council and will be serv- advancing to Life Scout (achieving the of the American Revolution for 6 years ing as a Scoutmaster for NYLT in 2018. A Order of the Arrow Brotherhood and and serves as the Vice Regent for the recipient of the Servant of Youth award in earning the Pro Deo et Patria religious Hutchinson, KS chapter. Her daughters are 2009, he served as 1st Assistant Scoutmaster emblem). Monthly campouts, trips to the both American Heritage Girls and are work- to the 2013 National Jamboree and received 1973 Jamboree in Moraine State Park, PA ing on the P.R.A.Y.