During the Friends Committee on Scouting Annual Meeting, in April, we paused to celebrate our 25th Anniversary, more specifically the 25th anniversary of the March 1989 release of the US program materials 'That of God' (grades 2-5), 'Spirit of Truth' (grades 6-12 + Venture Scouts) and the 'Friends Emblem' adult recognition. 

Thirteen members of FCS gathered on the campus of Sandy Spring Friends School in Maryland for our Annual Meeting and 25th Anniversary Celebration. Amazingly, four of the six FCS Clerks were present during the gathering. Friday evening we watched a presentation which included many historical documents, old newsletters, photos from Scouting activities and past Annual Meetings. Bruce Johnson, our 'founding father' and the first Clerk of FCS, talked about the beginnings of this committee, about 13 years before the actual release of the US program materials, and all the work that was involved: going from this group of Friends to that group of Friends and finally becoming an affiliate program of FWCC Section of the Americas. Several other committee members also shared stories and memories.  

FCS Committee Members 2014

We didn't spend all weekend celebrating our past; along with our regular business session we had a work session. During our work session we took a look at the UK Scouts 'My Faith' badges and came up with some Quaker help for our Young Friends working on these badges. We are also working on putting together Quaker helps for the UK Girl Guides 'Discovering Faith' badges.

Since our founding and the creating and release of our US program materials in March of 1989 we have grown: in the early 1990's we also created and released our Canadian program material through the 'Religion in Life' program for Scouts and Guides across Canada, and on July 21, 2012 we released 'Quaker Faith Journey' for all of our Young Friends in Scouting and Guiding programs outside of the US and Canada, taking our programing global!  

We are most grateful to FWCC Section of the Americas and for Friends everywhere for their continued support of our committee's work: to support our Young Friends as we help them see how their Quaker faith and the Scouting and Guiding values work together in their lives.

For more information on Friends Committee on Scouting's programs and resources, check out our website www.quakerscouting.org, search for Friends Committee on Scouting on Facebook, or email our Clerk at clerk@quakerscouting.org.

The Mustard Seed Matching Campaign  

Have you held off donating to FWCC because your gift is "too small"? Remember, with faith the size of a mustard seed, we can do great things! Now is the time to give to the Friends World Committee: if you have not donated in the last five years, your gift will be matched by a small group of our generous, long-term supporters. You can give online at www.fwccamericas.org/donate. And if you have donated in the last five years, invite a new Friend to make a donation this year.