*FWD >*I was wondering if you could tell Rangernet about your feelings in > earning the Gold medal of Achievement.. *Strange as it might seem.. > some Commanders report a lack of intrest in achieveing the top award.. Duane, I know how you feel about FCF, and I think that I can safely say that I feel the same about the GMA. Other than salvation and a strong walk with the Lord, the GMA is THE biggest deal in Rangers. We're supposed to reach, teach, and keep boys for Christ. Reaching them isn't usually too hard. There's always that 'tug' after the devotion or at Pow-Wow. Jesus does the hard stuff for us there. Teaching isn't too bad either. True, it takes some prayerful preparation, but it is still very much in the hands of the commander. But keeping is rough! You get some boys in your Outpost that are just on fire for a few months, and then, it's over. You (with God's help) reached and taught them, but you can't be sure that they are kept. But WHOOOWEEEEE!, wait 'til you go through a big GMA Commisioning ceremony. Once a boy gets his GMA, he is KEPT. Maybe not as a Ranger, he may be a Pastor, Music Minister, or Missionary, but he's in the Kingdom. There aren't many GMA's who leave the church. Anyway, that's my take on the importance. As to seeing the Cub Scout, etc. stuff at the Eagle ceremony... When I got my GMA, my Straight Arrow vest was displayed, patches from all my events were on the display table, there were pictures of me getting my first Straight Arrow award and sitting on the Dist. Commander's knee at Pow-Wow when I was 'too young' to be there (boy, that'd be a big no-no now!). There are many steps on the GMA trail, and every ceremony ought to have a Display Table with as much stuff on it as will fit. THE GMA IS HUGE!! Any Church who doesn't push all their boys toward the GMA and have the biggest ceremony when the boy finally earns is is doing an injustice to the RR Ministry and to the boy, his parents, and commanders, all of whom were ESSENTIAL to him getting there in the first place. Anyway, I guess that's it. Sorry if this got long winded :) Kenneth Fields South Carolina District GMA Coordinator Proud Tennessee GMA! _______ To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe rangernet" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] "Eat the hay & spit out the sticks!" RTKB&G4JC! Autoresponder: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://rangernet.org
