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Charter Organization Not Helping


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Sidney Porter, it is not about shaming the church. People say things when they are frustrated, it's how we deal with things. I shouldn't have made the comment and I apologize for it. I am not perfect and I make mistakes.

 

Trust me, I am fully aware of it being a "two-way street" but if we're the only ones driving on it, what does it matter? Perhaps I should elaborate on all of the ways that we have tried to communicate with the church so that you and others can fully understand the situation and give us your best advice.

 

We call the church almost every week. We speak with the secretary and she always tells us that the pastor is busy and we will have to leave a message, which we do, and we have yet to receive a call back after months of trying. We have randomly showed up on weekdays and asked politely to speak with someone...anyone. We are told that they are busy and to leave a message that is once again, never replied to.

 

As far as recruiting their youth, if we can never get a hold of anyone in charge, I am not sure how we would go about recruiting their youth? Same goes for service projects. If we can't get a hold of anyone to plan one, the only other way I know to go about this is to randomly show up but then we'd be treading in that "shaming the church" area that we're trying to avoid.

 

JC2008, we have also tried talking to the keyholder into giving us just a few minutes before and after and we were told that we just had to deal with his schedule.

 

I should also make sure it is noted that every leader that has tried to communicate with both the church and the keyholder has never in any way been anything but polite, so it isn't like we have given any of them any reason to have any animosity towards us. In fact, they have never even met the new Cubmaster. In the beginning, that was the first reason we contacted them. We just wanted to introduce the new Cubmaster and get to know our Charter better. This, of course, was written down in a message that was not responded to.

 

As a leader, I have tried to approach this in every way that I could think of. In the end though, this is not for the adults involved. The boys come first, plain and simple.

 

 

 

 

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jblake47, this is exactly the type of relationship we want with our CO. Again, first we have to be able to talk with them to be able to move forward. For Scout Sunday, we wanted to hopefully arrange something with them so our scouts could take part in their service but again, never got a call back. None of our leaders or parents go to this church and I am sorry but me and my family love our church home. I don't think we should have to change churches (and religions) in order to make a relationship with the CO.

 

This does bring up another option that was brought up to me recently. My church has heard about our struggles and has graciously offered their facilities to be used for our scouting needs. They even said if we'd like to consider creating a new pack with them as the CO, they would love to do that for us so perhaps this might be an option for some of us.

 

Thank you everyone for your feedback. It is truly appreciated.

 

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J: Well that is really sad. It is rough when a Scout unit has to close, or move to another home. I can't help but think there is something in the background no one is mentioning. Some unknown slight in the dim, distant past? Some concern about the BSA's political imbroglio's of late? It could be as random as the pastor's bad experience when he was a Scout umpteen years ago....

Does anyone in your Pack know anyone else in the CO membership? Thru business connections? Neighbors? that they could talk to and find out something of the "back story"?

Just a feeling, but it is beginning to sound like they (the CO) is hoping you all might "take the hint".... Maybe someone wants to start a Royal Rangers or Trail Life or other youth group, and doesn't want the overt competition with BSA.

If I were you (and your Cub leaders), I would politely go about our business, arrange a service to the Church ( sweep the sidewalk, weed the gardens, ) and just do it, saying "we are grateful for the help you have given us in the past".

 

Almost like the girl I asked out, and asked out , and asked out.... until she FINALLY said "Don't you realize? I'm already going steady!!" So why couldn't she just be honest with me up front?

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Lol SSScout, that's a pretty good analogy. On a more serious note, we are starting to come to the same conclusion. I just wish they would save us the trouble of trying if that is the case. I agree that surely there is something involved that we have not been told about. We'll continue trying to get to them before we give up. Thanks again! Jo

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If there is another church interested, I would approach them with the possibility of a change. Go through from scratch and make sure they are fully aware of what chartering a unit means. Enlist their assistance from the beginning and maintain communications with the right people. My church CO? Met the secretary once or twice, never met the pastor, I dealt with the Council Chairman. They are the people who make the decisions in the church anyway.

 

We have asked that the unit receive the church newsletter and whenever there is a project that our boys can handle, we show up. Church spring cleaning, some fundraiser, neighborhood party help, food collection drive, etc. are all put on the scout calendar. Granted there's not a lot of jobs for 11 year olds, but the boys pitched in, full uniform and dusted and polished pews all afternoon.

 

None of us in the unit are members of the church either and the boys who are scouts who are member of the church go to other troops where they have established relationships previous to our chartering.

 

In August they are doing a neighborhood block party to encourage new members, we will be there to help out in whatever way we can. We may not be members of that church, but we ARE part of their program and ministry and we're going to be as visible as possible to reinforce that.

 

In the past 12 months, the troop has been in the newletter calendar every week. They have had 4 articles printed that I produced giving updates on our chartering progress and there have been numerous photos taken of the group by the CO and put in the newsletter to promote their scouting program.

 

Come next February, my boys will be doing the ushering on Scout Sunday. It might be a nice collaboration with the scouts that are members of the church and those that are part of the church's program.

 

Stosh

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One other thing: ask for some wall space near wherever they serve coffee and doughnuts. Put on it a poster of photos of the pack's activities with maybe one picture of the boys holding a sign "Thank You ___ Church for All of Your Support!"

 

Definitely take up your church on their offer if they have a space more suitable for one of your activities. Our Pack uses the facilities of a number of churches in the area. For example, the B&G can't possibly fit in the CO's hall.

 

I wouldn't abandon your CO yet. You haven't found the "back channel" who would serve as the "not-just-on-paper" COR, but with a little persistence you will.

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You have said that none of your current scouts attend the church. That is a problem. If I were the church I would questions the need or desire for the pack. You have also mentioned moving the pack to your church. How many scouts from your pack attend that church? What happens when your son(s) transfer to boy scouts? Moving a pack is not hard but takes a lot of paperwork. If you want to keep the same unit number the existing CO must write a letter to your district releasing the unit number, property, and moneys to the new CO.

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If there is another church interested, I would approach them with the possibility of a change. Go through from scratch and make sure they are fully aware of what chartering a unit means. Enlist their assistance from the beginning and maintain communications with the right people. My church CO? Met the secretary once or twice, never met the pastor, I dealt with the Council Chairman. They are the people who make the decisions in the church anyway.

Stosh

 

As far as what their Pack's needs are for a CO, I think Jo is perfectly qualified to have that discussion with her church. However, I think it should be pointed out that Jo needs to get the District Executive or his designee involved in this process. It is the DE's job to approach the church to explain the rest of the picture and the legalities of being a CO.

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