Orthodox Church in America
PO BOX 675. • Syosset, NY 11791 • TEL: (516) 922-0550
www.oca.org January 1, 2009
Dearly Beloved in the Lord,
In 1955, the hierarchs of the Orthodox Christian Church in our land came together in one room to endorse the work of the Boy Scouts of America and to clearly proclaim that Scouting is an integral part of our work to encourage and build up the youth of the Church and to aid them in their own conversion to Christ.
The Scout Oath and Law are tremendous aids in our efforts to form young people as reverent faithful that “do their duty to God.” The more deeply converted and committed Christians our youth become, the greater their commitment to the Church will be in the future.
The Eastern Orthodox Committee on Scouting (EOCS) performs a pivotal service to the entire Church by providing materials, resources, and expertise for parishes and individuals connecting their parochial experience with the Scouting program.
I continue to encourage our parishes to charter units for the Boy Scouts of America. I further encourage our pastors and youth workers to look for ways to cooperate with local units when it is not feasible to begin a unit wholly within a parish. Our bishops, hierarchs, priests, deacons, and committed lay workers must be visible in the lives of their communities and their young people in this concrete way.
It is my fervent prayer that the work of the Church and Scouting will bear fruit so that all who participate in these programs will grow in their fulfillment of the Gospel teachings through the tools of the Scout Oath and Law.
I am pleased to endorse this worthy program and extend my blessing and the assurance of my prayers to all who participate in and support the Boy Scouts of America.
With love in Christ,
+JONAH
Archbishop of Washington
Metropolitan of All America and Canada
Primate of The Orthodox Church in America
