27^th November 2012 President  ‘Do Your Best’

I was a Cub Scout – not a good one -  but a Cub Scout.  My mother tells  me  that I came home one evening and proudly announced that I would be ‘Unroled  next week’.  I had my very own woggle and scarf and I was number 12 out of 12 in the foot ball team.  My Sixer, Robin Copeland is now a very important surgeon, I think in the Red Cross who specializes in reducing the damage inflicted by weapons of war.  My only skill – really my only skill – was to carry a six inch block of wood on my head without any effort at all.  This I put  down to my Mendi childhood in Sierra Leone where my friends carried everything on their heads – books, ink bottles, lunch – you name it.  Foot ball, however, was a complete mystery to me, and I remember the humiliation of failing to make the Team at a local Sports Event – and then the further humiliation of being called up and wandering around in a complete confusion as to what was expected of me.  A missionary childhood has its benefits, but becoming a sporting hero ‘aint one of them.

With such memories I entered the hallowed grounds of the fine offices of the Scout Association.  I do get on with people as a rule – but not usually quite so quickly.  I loved their passion, their vision, their practical application.  In the last few years they have turned themselves around as an organisation in  ways that should make us gulp with admiration.  I’m hoping we can find all  sorts of synergy and joint projects together and learn from the Association.  I did,  of course, mention the Boys and Girls Brigade, from whom, quite honestly they nicked  some of their best ideas, and they were most graceful and supportive!

If you don’t have a Uniformed Group in your church then get one . . .  times have changed and it is increasingly the in thing to be doing!  Hunt down the woggle.  Seek out the Scarf.  Try and remember why you DYBed and DOBed – and boys and girls are both welcome.