*Excellent words Sir Brian!
Ask yourself this of your Outpost...
-----------------
1. Is it the "program?" -Other Outposts accross the country run the same
material and requirements as you.. RR has changed and will continue to
change to meet the goals of the mission.. But tried and true.. the Ranger
program works!
2. Is it the boys? - The Boys of '62 may seem different than the boys of
'99 *But the basic challenge does not change year by year. They have the
same curiosity, and desire to "belong" to something...
3. Is it "Leadership?"- *This could be the problem... OUR ATTITUDE AS
LEADERS!
Program/Ministry...
In truth it is a BLENDED application of time's spent outdoors "doing
things" and time spent in "reflection" with opportunity made for decisions
for *Christ.. the *Infilling of the HOLYSPIRIT and.. a *Call to Christian
service.
A "happy" Outpost is one that has decided.. "to play the game" of being a
Real Royal Ranger-Boys club... with achievements driveing the exploration
of the world around us and the *spiritual life within us... and a Uniform
to show our bonded membership, and display our personal achievement.
*Achieveing the GMA for example say that a young man has done certian
things, and that he knows the meaning of the achievement trail to
attain a strong moral and Christian witness.
God has put us in the world to *LIVE!
*And because he didn't make us adults, but children.. we who have
"explored" the world around us... need to "guide and mentor" and
build bridges to those that follow.. This is the "High Call" of
doing right.. NOT WRONG to the boys.. who are in fact young men!
*WE WORK FOR THE FUTURE *so why get buggy about a Ranger uniform?
------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's why<G>
*a lot of what we do is "controlled" by the limits of our agreed
Ranger fellowship.. We exercise leadership *AS Royal Ranger Commanders
and so WE wear a *Uniform... (we don't promote another non-Ranger agenda)
tho we may partake of other *spiritual programs geared to meet different
needs of the very same boys... (ie. Sunday School/ Uth group/ BSA Scouts)
A uniform shows membership in a pre-agreed fellowship... It speeks
loyality and the virtues of the Ranger Code. It puts us in line with a
National-and World wide *Program..
*This is what TRADITIONAL COMMANDERS WANT!
The Uniform for adults is our commitement, to stay true to the
requirements and goals of the *Program called Royal Rangers.. and to hold
an intrest in preserveing and protecting it's institution and traditions..
We may be members of other groups, in church or outside the walls of the
church.. But when in uniform.. we represent Royal Rangers *period!
...some may not think *program is important, but to me..
(Oh no.. a Cdr.Duane memory jump in time travel)
I "Remember" many fine men, wearing the Uniform before me.. as a Ranger,
that *Inspired my desire to advance and succeed.. it is a multi-pointed
application of "Role Model" when a man *like Cdr.Fred Deaver wears
his uniform with pride! (It allways give me a *stir to see gold stars!)
(*Likewise with Rawie Hass or HansPeter Neck or Cdr.Victor!<G>)
If you get a chance, walk up to the National Commander and look at his
uniform and how it is put togather.. Our founder Cdr.Johnnie allways
wore his uniform with pride, and *just by the care he showed..
I saw "beyond" the boy-hood wrinkles and camp aquired pine pitch of my
uniform<G> to "see" the man I wanted to become... "someone that
Cdr.Johnnie would be proud of." *So the uniform is a way to honor the
memory of Cdr.Johnnie Barnes and those that have gone before!
The Uniform reminds us that we are "Under authority".... that we have
a job and a role.. that we have a bond of friendship with others by
shared experiance... and when we see a Man or Youngbuck in Uniform.. we
"feel kinship of a brotherhood"...
*AND NOW..."MINISTRY" IN UNIFORM!
---------------------------------
A Uniformed Commander has "access" to the trust of a young man at the
alter, as he prays in his own way to his Lord!...
In the NW Dist. we in FCF have moved to become trained in alter work and
consider it a PRIME DUTY of FCF to yeild to those that come forward...
The Uniform draws intrest and represents our "Ministry" as a "billboard"
for the meaning of the emblem and what it means to be a Royal Ranger...
*DON'T PASS OFF THE UNIFORM AS LESS THAN A MISSIONARY OUTREACH TOOL!
*We need to "use the tools" and stand-up for Rangers like we are willing
to stand tall of Jesus!
Interesting subject...
Bless yah,
-=A=-
> All
>
> The thorny question of uniforms raises its head again. With anything like
> this the question of why has to be answered and if it cannot then there is
> no good reason. Once the question of why has been answered we have to answer
> the question of how. So why uniform. Simple, a uniform makes a group of
> individuals easily distinguishable (and as a subsidiary more controllable).
> It also marks them out as part of a team. Sports teams usually have official
> club wear for the players even when they are not on the playing field. Young
> people do not like wearing uniforms - wrong! How many young people have to
> be dressed in the uniform of their favourite team or have to have Levi
> jeans, Nike trainers etc. How many of the gangs wear "uniforms". Most I
> would suggest. When I went to college, a long time ago, it was not
> acceptable amongst the students to wear smart clothes because that was
> conforming. As a true nonconformist I wore a 3 piece suit <g>. I suggest the
> problem is not one of uniform but one of being seen to conform to the mores
> of "them".
>
> Would discipline suffer if uniform was abolished? - probably, because the
> non wearers are aware that they look like a bunch of raggle taggle gipsy
> oh's (cue fer a song, Duane) and behave as such. One of the reasons that the
> first uniformed organisation, the Boys' Brigade was formed was to help
> improve discipline so that the boys could be presented with the gospel more
> effectively.
>
> So how? Make sure your programme is attractive enough for boys/girls to join
> and stay. Set up a uniform store from which uniform is loaned while the
> boy/girl belongs to the organisation. This worked well for the Air Training
> Corps to which I used to belong (mind you it was backed by the Royal Air
> Force who provided the uniforms <g>).
>
> I believe the question of uniforms is a red herring which masks other
> problems. Dig deeper!
>
> BoW
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Benjamin Wolfson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Date: 27 June 1999 23:47
> Subject: [RR] UNIFORMS
>
>
> >My outpost is considering eliminating uniforms from
> >
> >the weekly meeting. I am concerned about this.
> >
> >Please post your thoughts on this.
> >
> >Thank You!
> >
> >
> >___________________________________________________________________
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>
> _______
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-=*Jes'Shake off the dirt and take a step up! ...The MULE *=-
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ----****X****---- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
[EMAIL PROTECTED] - "Royal Rangers... A Lifetime Adventure."
NWOP207 For the BOYS! * For Mitch Silvers! FcF July '66
:: Duane -=A=- Wheeler * Portland,Oregon * Jesus is Lord ::
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- -----****X****---- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
DUTY is the sublimest word in our language..Do your duty in all things.
*You cannot do more- and you should never wish to do less. Gen. LEE
=============== Yah gort tah Serve Sum-Buddy! ======================
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