Re: Order of the Arrow - more

In a message dated 99-08-11 11:54:47 EDT, Sarah Nunez wrote:

<< They came in full OA regalia, complete with props (very impressive), and
performed the "Four Winds" ceremony. For those of you not familiar with
this ceremony, references are made to the Great Spirit, the Spirit of
the North Wind, the Spirit of the South Wind, etc. While I didn't
particularly care for those references myself, I decided that with a few
wording changes, it could be a great ceremony, and the kids in the pack
loved it. I was looking forward to a similarly impressive ceremony for
my own son, who would be bridging over two months later. After we got
home, we recieved a phone call from the Cubmaster apologizing for the
ceremony >>

Sarah,

I attended parochial school from kindergarten thru high school and I was
taught that the Lord is everywhere, that His spirit is in all creation. His
spirit
is in the earth, in the heavens, and in each and every one of us. We realize
that others may use other names for Him (Yahweh, Allah, etc.), but He is
still Lord and we welcome dialogue with all of our brothers and sisters in
faith.
It is much the same in the OA. There is no statement of faith, just some
simple statements referring to the Almighty, and those statements should be
made most reverently (from your post it sounds as if they were). I would hope
that your CO reconsiders its decision and allows its Scouts to hold elections
for and membership in the Brotherhood of Cheerful Service.

Ralph V. Balfoort, Unit Commissioner
Albany, NY
I used to be a Beaver.... (NE III-135)
In the Beaver Patrol as a Scout, too,
and now Ktemaque (Beaver) Chapter,
Haudenosaunee Lodge #19, OA

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