Scout Sunday is one of my favorite kinds of Sundays because it reminds us that faith is not only something we believe, it is something we practice. It looks like learning new skills, working together as a team, showing respect, and serving others with a joyful spirit. It looks like kids and teenagers growing into leaders, families showing up for one another, and a community choosing to do good, not because it is easy, but because it is right.
Scouting and the church share a beautiful common goal: to help form people of character. In a world that often rewards shortcuts and self-focus, scouting teaches the steady, daily habits that shape a life: honesty, responsibility, kindness, perseverance, and courage. Those are not just good values; they are spiritual muscles. They are the kind of qualities we see in the life of Jesus, who served others, welcomed the outsider, spoke truth with love, and kept walking forward even when the road was hard.
Scout Sunday is also a chance to say thank you. Thank you to the scouts who show up ready to learn and grow. Thank you to the leaders who plan meetings, teach skills, organize trips, and keep kids safe. Thank you to the parents and families who volunteer, drive, encourage, and make room in busy schedules for something that matters. Thank you to the volunteers and mentors who model patience, character, and steady guidance. You are shaping lives in ways you may not even see yet.
Here at Midway, we are grateful for the partnership we share with our scouting families. We believe the church should be a place where young people are encouraged, known, and supported. We want scouts to feel celebrated here, not just for badges earned, but for hearts being formed. When scouts practice service and leadership, they are learning something the church has always taught: love your neighbor. When they learn to be prepared, they are learning something disciples need every day, be ready to respond with compassion, be ready to do what is right, be ready to help.
On Scout Sunday, we pray for every scout and every leader. We pray for safety on outings, wisdom in decision making, joy in friendships, and growth in confidence. We pray that every young person would know they are beloved by God, that their life has purpose, and that their gifts are needed in this world. We pray for families to be strengthened, for patience to be renewed, and for homes to be filled with peace.
If you are a scouting family, thank you for letting the church be part of your journey. If you are connected to scouting, this Sunday is still for you. Scout Sunday is an invitation to all of us to live with purpose and integrity, to serve without being asked, and to be prepor love. Let us be the kind of church that cheers young people on, supports their growth, and shows them what it looks like to follow Jesus with courage and joy.
We are grateful for our scouts. We are proud of you. We are praying for you. And we are glad you are part of our Midway family.
Grace and Peace,
because, ya’ know,
grace always goes before peace,
Pastor Sharon