What We Do | EOCS

The "Eastern" Orthodox Church

The word “Orthodox” is derived from two short Greek words, orthos, meaning correct, and doxa, meaning belief or glory. Thus, we used the word “Orthodox” to indicate our conviction that we believe and worship God correctly. We emphasize Apostolic tradition, continuity and conservatism over a 2,000 year history.

Our Church is also spoken of as the “Eastern Church” to distinguish it from the Churches of the West. “Eastern” is used to indicate that in the first millennium the influence of our Church was concentrated in the eastern part of the Christian world and to show that a very large number of our membership is of other than Greek national origin. Thus, Orthodox Christians throughout the world use various ethnic or national titles: “Greek”, “Russian”, “Serbian”, “Romanian”, “Ukrainian”, “Bulgarian”, “Antiochian”, “Albanian”, “Carpatho-Russian”, or more inclusively, as “Eastern Orthodox”.

Is there a troop in your church?

Do you have a Boy or Girl Scout Troop as part of your over-all program? If so, is it integrated into the total Christian Educational scheme of your parish or just tolerated as a community service which has built-in hazards for church property?
Your Orthodox Church, in partnership with Boy Scouts of America/Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. and the Standing Conference of Canonical Eastern Orthodox Bishops in the Americas, wholeheartedly endorses Scouting and urges parish councils and the Reverend Clergy to sponsor this program on a local level. Too often we fail to see the possibilities that this program offers in the Christian education of our youth.
Boy Scouts of America tell us in effect “Here is a program for you to use as you wish. We will provide you the resources and framework for your program and help train your leaders.” What more do we ask? The unit or units once established, belong to the church and the Boy Scouts will issue charters. The priest and Parish Council have the responsibility of appointing Christian leaders to guide the activities of the units. The Girl Scouts appoint their leaders.
There are two types of troops a parish may sponsor. On the one hand there is the closed troop whose membership is open only to Orthodox Scouts; on the other hand, there is the opened troop whose membership is not restricted in any way. Each parish is free to chose its own program.

What does Scouting offer a Church?

A program for boys/girls tailored to the local parish and administrated by the church, through the Priest and Parish Council.

An opportunity of reading, teaching and training boys & girls and thus strengthening the parish.

A cooperative program in which the Church, troop, school and home work together .Helpful up-to-date literature and program aids for the leaders.

Assistance and guidance from competent professional and volunteer Scout leaders and also from the local Scout council office.

Scouting does not detract from existing youth programs. Rather, they provide a Church-centered program of education and outdoor activities which supplements other youth ministries in the parish.

Scouting in the Parish Life

Scouting has many objectives that are common with those of our Holy, Orthodox Church. As a program devised especially for the formative years of our Orthodox youth, Scouting encourages a better Christian life; it aids in building character and developing wholesome habits and effective citizenship activities. The Scout motto “Be Prepared” implies not only physical and mental but also spiritual, moral preparedness.
Scouting works hand and hand with the Church on all levels. A properly organized and supervised Scout program in a parish can do a great deal in keeping our youth close to the Church and its many varied, wholesome, character building activities; it trains boys and girls to be of service to God, country, and fellowmen – all of which constitutes a Christian upbringing. Finally, it trains our boys/girls not only how to be contributing citizens of tomorrow, but also participating members and leaders in our Holy Faith. We have many examples of Scouts participating as acolytes, choir members, Sunday school teachers, and in various other capacities in our parish life. A number of the Boy Scouts even found themselves drawn to the Holy Priesthood as a result of the close contact they had with their priest through this program,
Scouting reaches every member of the family and leads him/her into the parish life of our churches. This program cannot be expected to cure all parish problems, but it can rally the youth around the priest with a Church-centered, wholesome program of education and fun. For this reason your national committee on Scouting urges all parish priests and interested laymen to learn more about Scouting and organize and sponsor an Orthodox Boy or Girl Scout troop wherever one does not now exist.