Grace
Gilwell Grace
Originated at Gilwell Park.
Oh Lord, the giver of all good.
We thank thee, for our daily food.
May Scouting friends, and Scouting ways.
Help us to serve thee all our days.
Amen.
Northern Tier Grace
For food, for raiment,
For life and opportunity,
For sun and rain,
For water and portage trails,
For friendship and fellowship,
We thank Thee, Oh Lord.
Amen
Order of the Arrow Grace
For night alone that rests our thought,
For quiet dawn that lights our trail,
For evening fire that warms and cheers,
For each repast that fuels our work,
We give thanks, O Lord.
Philmont Grace
For food, for raiment
For life, for opportunity
For friendship and fellowship
We thank thee, O Lord.
Scout’s Grace
Let us be thankful for the food and drinks we are about to receive before us.
Let us be thankful for the shelter that protects us while we sleep at night.
Let us be thankful for the water that rejuvenates our mind, body & soul.
Let us be thankful for the earth we walk on and the air we breathe.
Let us be thankful for the fire that keeps us warm and gives us light.
Let us be thankful for natural surroundings that give the earth beauty and life.
Let us be thankful for the family and friends that are helpful when we need them the most.
Let us be thankful for the staff and leaders that lead us on our way.
Amen
By:
Peter, Life
Patrick, 1st Class
Keith, Scout
Troop 10
Reseda, California
Sea Base Grace
Bless the creatures of the sea.
Bless this person I call me.
Bless the Keys, You make so grand.
Bless the sun that warms the land.
Bless the fellowship we feel,
As we gather for this meal.
Amen
Summit Grace
For this time and this place,
For your goodness and grace,
For each friend we embrace,
We thank thee, O Lord.
Prayer
Native American Prayer
Morning star wake us, filled with joy
To new days of growing to Scouter from Scout.
Sun, with your power, give us light
That we can tell wrong and do what’s right.
South wind, we ask, in your gentle way
Blow us the willingness to obey.
North wind, we ask, live up to thy name,
Send us the strength to always be game.
East wind, we ask, with your breath so snappy,
Fill us with knowledge of how to be happy.
West wind, we ask, blow all that is fair
To us, that we may always be square.
Moon, that fills the night with red light,
guard us well while we sleep in the night.
Akela, please guide us in every way,
We’ll follow your trail in work or play.
Oh, Great Spirit
Prayer composed by Chief Yellow Lark, a Blackfoot Indian–
Oh, Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the winds and whose breath gives life to all the world, hear me. I come before you, one of your many children.
I am weak and small. I need your strength and wisdom. Let me walk in beauty and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset; my ears sharp so I may hear your voice. Make me wise, so I may learn the things you have taught my people, the lessons you have hidden under every rock and leaf. I seek strength, not to be superior to my brothers, but to be able to fight my greatest enemy–myself.
Make me ever ready to come to you with clean hands and straight eyes, so
whenever life fades, like the fading sunset, my spirit will come to you
without shame.
Psalm for the Thank Offering
From the Book of Psalms, Psalm 100
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the lands!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into His presence with singing!
Know that the Lord is GOD!
It is He that made us, and we are His;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And His courts with praise!
Give thanks to Him; bless His name!
For the Lord is good;
His steadfast love endures for ever,
And His faithfulness to all generations.
–Thanks to Lew Orans, Houston TX, lporans@onramp.net, as presented at Wood Badge Course EC 462 W, Sunday, September 27, 1992
The Scout Law Prayer
Dear Lord,
Bless all those everywhere who contribute to shape the hearts, minds and bodies of young people.
Let us remember what they have taught and apply it daily.
When facing deceit and dishonesty, let us be Trustworthy.
If we see hypocrisy and faithlessness, let us be Loyal.
Where disregard of others and mere materialism prevail, let us be Helpful.
When we find people in despair, let us be Friendly.
In an atmosphere of ill manner, let us be Courteous.
Where some measure manliness in brutality and crudeness, let us be Kind.
Though lawbreaking and rule-scoffing are common, let us be Obedient.
While others grumble and grouch, let us be Cheerful.
In an environment blighted by waste and extravagance, let us be Thrifty.
When confronted with danger and temptation, let us be Brave.
As we see filth and pollution everywhere, let us be Clean.
While witnessing impiety, let us remember to be Reverent.
In short, in a world that has for generation after generation lamented the lack of good examples, let us, as Scouts, stand out, grow up, and become real adults.
Amen.
The Scout Prayer 1
Lord, we thank you for this day.
Help us to do our best every day,
And forgive us when we slip.
Teach us to be kind to other people
and to help them at all times
Bless our parents and teachers and leaders
and all the members of Scouting.
Bless us, Lord in your love for us
Help us to be a better Scouts
and let us do our best for you.
The Scout Prayer 2
Dear Heavenly Father,
Help to keep my honor bright
And teach me that integrity of character
Is my most priceless possession.
Grant that I may do my best today,
And strive to do even better tomorrow.
Teach me that duty is a friend and not an enemy,
And help me face even the most disagreeable task cheerfully.
Give me the faith to understand my purpose and life,
Open my mind to the truth and fill my heart with love.
I am thankful for all the blessings you have bestowed upon my country.
Help me to do my duty to my country and
To know that a good nation must be made from good men.
Help me to remember my obligation to obey the Scout Law,
And give me understanding, so that it is more than mere words.
May I never tire of the joy of helping other people or
Look the Other way when someone is in need.
You have given me the gift of a body,
Make me wise enough to keep it health,
That I might serve better.
You are the source of all wisdom,
Help me to have an alert mind,
Teach me to think,
And help me to learn discipline.
In all that I do and in every challenge I face,
Help me to know the difference between right and wrong,
And lead me in obedience on a straight path to a worthy goal.
By Michael F. Bowman
The Scout Prayer 3
We have hiked along life’s pathway,
Our packs upon our backs,
We have pitched our tents and rested
Here and there along the tracks.
We have used our compass wisely
To guide us on our way
And hope to reach the campsite
Of our Great Chief Scout some day.
We have tried to be trustworthy –
Kept our honor high and clean,
We have been as loyal as any
To our Country and our Queen.
We have done our best at all times –
Kept our Promise – been prepared,
And hope our good deeds please Him
When at last our souls are bared.
We have lightened others’ burdens,
With our smiles along the way,
We have kept our hand in God’s hand,
Walked beside Him day by day.
And when our span of life runs out,
We’ll make this gentle plea –
May we sit around His Campfire
At the Final Jamboree.
From Scouting in New South Wales. Contributed by: Michael F. Bowman
The Scout Prayer 4
Dear Heavenly Father,
Help to keep my honor bright
And teach me that integrity of character
Is my most priceless possession.
Grant that I may do my best today,
And strive to do even better tomorrow.
Teach me that duty is a friend and not an enemy,
And help me face even the most disagreeable task cheerfully.
Give me the faith to understand my purpose and life,
Open my mind to the truth and fill my heart with love.
I am thankful for all the blessings you have bestowed upon my country.
Help me to do my duty to my country and
To know that a good nation must be made from good men.
Help me to remember my obligation to obey the Scout Law,
And give me understanding, so that it is more than mere words.
May I never tire of the joy of helping other people or
Look the Other way when someone is in need.
You have given me the gift of a body,
Make me wise enough to keep it health,
That I might serve better.
You are the source of all wisdom,
Help me to have an alert mind,
Teach me to think,
And help me to learn discipline.
In all that I do and in every challenge I face,
Help me to know the difference between right and wrong,
And lead me in obedience on a straight path to a worthy goal.
By Michael F. Bowman
The Scout Prayer 5
Dear Lord, from your judgement seat on high,
Look down on a Scouter such as I.
Search me through and find me whole,
Then help me Lord to reach my goal.
Help me Lord to work for Thee,
Guard my homeland – Keep it free.
Help me to work with others and be kind,
Helpful with my hands and mind.
Keep me Lord, both well and strong
To help our growing boys along.
Control my thoughts, keep them right,
sound, clean weapons for life’s fight.
Protect my morals, keep them high,
Grant this to a Scouter such as I.
The Scout Prayer 6
Build me a Scout, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak
and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid; one who will be proud and
unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory… Build me a
Scout whose wishes will not take the place of deeds; a Scout who himself is the
foundation stone of knowledge…
Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress
and spur of difficulties and challenge. Here let him learn to stand up in the
storm; here let him learn compassion for those who fail…
Build me a Scout whose heart will be clear, whose goals will be high. A Scout
who will master himself before he seeks to master others, one who will march
into the future, yet never forget the past…
And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor so
that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously. Give him
humility, so that he may always remember the simplicity of true wisdom, and the
meekness of true strength…
Then I, a Scouter who knew him, will dare to whisper,
`I have not lived in vain.’”
A Scouters Thanksgiving Prayer
With reverence in our hearts,
We, Your many children of many beliefs,
United in common purpose,
Gather to offer this our humble prayer,
In Thanksgiving:
As Scouters we are thankful for:
The many gifts and talents given to our fellow Scouters, and to ourselves;
The freedom we have to join together and as a team accomplish more than any of us could alone;
The opportunity to be of service to young people, parents, other Scouters and our community;
Our joy at seeing so many young people become excited as they grow and are able to meet challenges;
Being reminded by their ceremonies and legends that he who serves his fellows, is of his fellows greatest;
And most importantly we are thankful for the gift of knowing that our prayers are heard.
We each in own way take this moment to silently add our own thanksgivings . . . (pause)
With thanks in our hearts we offer our prayers and ask that You, the Great Scoutmaster of All Scouts, be with each of us until we meet again. AMEN
A Scouts Prayer in Winter
Lord, we are camping in the snow today;
We may fear the cold,
But we trust that your Spirit
Will guide and warm us.
Solemn Prayer
O Lord, this solemn prayer comes from deep desire,
May my life be as pure as candle fire.
Let my every breath dispel the world’s gloom,
Let my spirit glow so brightly that darkness meets its doom.
May my life enhance my country’s glory
As the flower enhances the garden’s splendid revelry.
May I be as faithfully drawn to learning
As the moth is drawn to the candle’s burning.
May my life be devoted to serving the needy
And to loving a sorrowful, ever suffering humanity.
Lead me away from the path of temptation.
O Lord, let truth alone be my destination.
Scout Beatitudes
The Scout Beatitudes
Blessed are the Scouts who are taught to see beauty in all things around them…for their world will be a place of grace and wonder.
Blessed are the Scouts who are led with patience and understanding… for they will learn the strength of endurance and the gift of tolerance.
Blessed are the Scouts who are provided a home where family members dwell in harmony and close communion…for they shall become the peacemakers of the world.
Blessed are the Scouts who are taught the value and power of truth…for they shall search for knowledge and use it with wisdom and discernment.
Blessed are the Scouts who are guided by those with faith in a loving God…for they will find Him early and will walk with Him through life.
Blessed are the Scouts who are loved and know that they are loved…for they shall sow seeds of love in the world and reap joy for themselves and others.
