CRESTVIEW — Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts attended church services in uniform throughout the north county region as they celebrated Scout Sunday 2013 Feb. 3. The annual observance was begun in the mid-1940s, according to Cathy and John Humphrey, den leaders for Pack 799 in Crestview.
"The Scout Sunday tradition was started to make people in houses of worship aware of scouting, and to allow scouts to live out their 'Duty to God' pledged each week," the Humpreys stated in an email. "The Scout Law says that a 'Scout is Reverent' and the scouts of all ages promise to do their 'Duty to God.' These values strengthen youths' character in their family, community and faith."
At St. Mark's United Methodist Church, the boys arrived early for the 11:30 a.m. service and the church treated them to snacks in their fellowship hall, Cub Master Chip Corbin of Pack 530 said. He said 11 Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts participated in the service.
"Each scout also received a VeggieTales DVD to recognize them for their participation in scouting," Corbin said. "The scouts then manned the door to assist the greeters in handing out the bulletins and they received a hardy round of applause during the service when Pastor Brice Early recognized the scouts and thanked them for participating.
"He also praised the character building aspects that scouting is so well known for. We are looking forward to playing an even larger role in next year's Scout Sunday events."
See the Feb. 6 News Bulletin for more photos from Scout Sunday.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Local kids observe Scout Sunday