EASTERN ORTHODOX

YOUTH EMBLEMS:

• TIGER CUBS: Saint George
• CUB SCOUTS: Saint George
• WEBELOS SCOUTS: Chi-Rho
• BOY SCOUTS:Alpha-Omega
• SCOUTS/VENTURERS (14 & OLDER): Alpha-Omega

SCHOLARSHIP:

EOCS Eagle Scholarship

ADULT AWARDS:

Prophet Elias

ABOUT THE EMBLEMS:

• Saint George: The Saint George Emblem is for Tiger Cubs and Cub Scouts in grades 1, 2 and 3. Study for this emblem is organized into three progress blocks:
  1. Foundations of Faith:
     1. Baptismal name and significance
     2. Godparents
     3. The meaning of Baptism
     4. Christmation
     5. The Sign of the Cross
     6. The Holy Trinity
  2. Christ's Love
     1. The Lord's Prayer
     2. Major church holidays
     3. Telling a Bible story
     4. Telling a story about Christ
  3. The Church
     1. Knowing about items in the Scout's Church
     2. Community project
     3. Identifying the Church's leadership (Priest, Bishop, Archbishop, Patriarch)
     4. Sing two Hymns
     5. Color or make an icon of St. George
• Chi-Rho: The Chi-Rho Emblem is for Cub Scouts in grades 4 and 5. The award requires Scouts to complete activities related to personal life, parish life, church organization and service. Study for this emblem is organized into three progress blocks:
  1. About Me:
     1. Baptismal information
     2. Godparents
     3. Scout's "Name Day" - feast day of Saint ____________.
     4. Learning about the Saint the Scout was named after (or one of his choosing)
     5. Making or drawing an Icon of the Saint
  2. My Home and Community
     1. Family information
     2. Religious items in the home
     3. How and when to use religious items in the home
     4. Writing a prayer to say before meals
     5. Writing a morning prayer
     6. Learning about how God shows His love
     7. Learning about how to show love for God
     8. Learning how to show love for one another in the family
     9. Family project and pictures
     10. j. Visiting a person who is sick, shut-in, poor, elderly, or lonely
  3. My Church
     1. What is done on entering a Church building
     2. Learning about the Church building
     3. Studying a subject in the Scout's Church
     4. Learning about how to participate in God's world through senses at home and in Church
     5. Learning about the importance of food in Orthodox life
     6. Learning how to prepare for a major church holy day
     7. Learning about the four Gospels
     8. Interpreting a favorite Bible story
     9. j. Helping in the Scout's Church
• Alpha-Omega: The Alpha-Omega emblem is for Scout and Venturers in grades 6 through 12. The award requires Scouts to complete activities related to personal life, parish life, church organization and service. Study for this emblems is organized into three parts:
  1. Part 1
     1. Personal Life:
        1. Have a personal Bible and Prayer Book
        2. Learn the Trisagion Prayers
        3. Develop a regular program of prayer
        4. Recite a blessing for all meals
        5. Demonstrate and explain the sign of the cross
        6. Begin a program daily Bible reading
     2. Parish Life: includes learning about
        1. The Divine Liturgy
        2. Other corporate worship services (Matins and Vespers)
        3. The three most commonly celebrated Liturgies of the Orthodox Church
        4. The three parts of the Divine Liturgy
        5. The role of the priest in the parish
        6. The role of laymen in helping the priest
        7. Members of the parish council
        8. Founding of the parish
     3. Community Life:
        1. Learning about evangelization and mission
     4. Service project
  2. Part 2
     1. Personal Life
        1. Prayers and Bible readings
        2. The Symbol of Faith (Nicene-Constantinoplitan Creed)
        3. Similarity of Scouting's objectives and those of the Church
        4. Sketch the Alpha-Omega Emblem and explain its significance
     2. Parish Life
        1. Learning about the Seven Sacraments
        2. Identification of the Bishop of the Scout's diocese.
        3. Learning about the vestments of the bishop, priest and deacon and articles used in preparing and administering the Sacraments
        4. Attend a service celebrated by a Bishop
     3. Community Life
        1. Learning about the first Orthodox missionary work in North America
        2. Learning about the first parish church in the continental United States
        3. Learning about the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas
        4. Sketching the church building from the top looking down, identifying the iconostasis and three principle parts of the building
        5. Sketching a simple iconostasis and show what the icon in each location should represent
        6. What is an icon
        7. Significance of candles
     4. Two service projects
  3. Part 3
     1. Personal Life
        1. Bible readings, prayers and blessings
        2. Importance and meaning of the Holy Eucharist
        3. Most important feast day in the Orthodox Church
        4. Significance of important feast days of the Orthodox Church
     2. Parish Life
        1. Customs of the Scout's parish relating to Easter and other Feast days of the Church
        2. Preparation of the room of a sick person when the priest comes.
        3. Preparation for the blessing of a home
     3. Community Life
        1. How services and feasts can help others learn about Greek Orthodoxy and help people in the world
        2. Readings in suggested books
        3. Subscription to On the Upbeat (a magazine for Orthodox teenagers)
     4. Service Project

EOCS EAGLE SCHOLARSHIP FOR HOLDERS OF THE ALPHA OMEGA AWARD

The Eastern Orthodox Committee on Scouting (EOCS) on an annual basis offers both Boy Scout and Girl Scout Scholarships. These scholarships are available to both Boy Scouts who have attained the rank of Eagle Scout and for Girl Scouts who have received the Gold Award. Two scholarships are awarded; $1,000 for first place and $500 for second.

1. Be a registered active member of Boy or Girl Scout unit.
2. Have received the Eagle Scout Award or the Gold Award.
3. Be an active member of an Eastern Orthodox Church & must have earned the Alpha Omega Scout Religious Award.
4. Have demonstrated practical citizenship in their church, school, Scouting unit, and community.
5. Be enrolled in their final year of high school and are planning to attend a accredited four year college or university.

The deadline for completed applications is usually March each year. For applications, write to EOCS Scholarship Committee, 862 Guy Lombardo Avenue, Freeport, New York 11520

SCOUTING ASSOCIATIONS:

;Eastern Orthodox Committee on Scouting
George Boulukos, Chairman
862 Guy Lombardo Avenue
Freeport, New York 11520
516-868-4092
http://www.fishnet.net/~vccbsa/eocs/pelias.html

RESOURCES:

• astern Orthodox Committee on Scouting, Saint George Medal: Brownie Girl Scout/ Tiger Boy Scout Award.
• Eastern Orthodox Committee on Scouting, Alpha-Omega Program Service Book: Religious Award Program for Boy Scouts/Explorers, Girl Scout Cadets/Seniors, Camp Fire Discovery/Horizon Members of the Eastern Orthodox Faith (1990).
• Eastern Orthodox Committee on Scouting, Boy and Girl Scout Scholarship Program.
• Eastern Orthodox Committee on Scouting, Chi-Rho Program Service Book: Religious Award Program for Cub Scouts, Camp Fire Adventurers, Girl Scout Juniors of the Eastern Orthodox Faith (1990).
• Orthodox Scouting Commission: Eastern Orthodox Committee on Scouting, Prophet Elias Adult Recognition Program.

WHERE TO WRITE FOR MORE INFORMATION: