Before planning the worship service, remember that it is traditionally called “Scout’s Own.” Involve the Scouts in the planning and presentation. The Chaplain’s Aide should help plan the worship, and various Scouts should be given an opportunity to read, lead prayers, lead singing, etc. It is appropriate for a Scout to present the “sermon” if and only if that Scout truly has something to say and if an adult leader (perhaps the Communications Merit Badge counselor) coaches the Scout in preparation and rehearsal. (Even the most highly respected clergy require preparation and rehearsal before presenting a sermon.)
Worship services, just like any presentation, have a beginning, middle, and end.
“The Beginning”
Call to Worship
The worship must begin with a call to worship. This may be very formal, such as reading a portion of a Psalm:
O Come, let us sing unto the Lord:
Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving,
And make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
For the Lord is a great God,
And a great king above all gods. (Psalm 95:1-3, King James Version.)
A call to worship may also be informal. The leader may raise the Scout Sign to get everyone’s attention and then say something like, “As we begin our worship today, let’s sing together . . .” The point is that someone has to “call the meeting to order,” but it must be done in a way that focuses each Scout’s attention on the purpose of worship.
Invocation
The invocation is a prayer that God will be present with us in worship and will receive our worship in the way we intend it. Like the call to worship it may be formal or informal.
Often the invocation is the first thing after the call to worship, but likewise we often attend worship services in which a hymn or praise song follows the call to worship. Sometimes the song we sing is the invocation, such as when we sing
Come, thou almighty King,
Help us thy name to sing,
Help us to praise:
Father all glorious,
O’er all victorious,
Come and reign over us,
Ancient of Days.
(Note that the stanzas following this are explicitly Christian, but it might be acceptable to sing this one stanza as an interfaith invocation.)
Praise
The third part of the beginning is praise to God. This is usually a song or hymn, but it could be an appropriate reading, such as reading from a Psalm of praise. Psalm 117 is a very short Psalm of praise.
“The Middle”
Worship in a camp setting is generally short, about 30 minutes or a little more, to accommodate the attention span of the younger Scouts. The “middle” may include a prayer, a scripture reading, and a “sermon” or “meditation.” In some cases, the congregation will sing, but sometimes there is no one present who is comfortable leading group singing. Congregational singing is good, but not absolutely necessary.
It is good to have Scouts, rather than adult leaders, lead in prayer, and it is generally good to have the Scout read a prayer. It may be a prayer that the Scout has composed or it may be a “classic” prayer, but most Scouts have had little experience with public speaking and public praying, so it is helpful to have the prayer written out.
There are three cautions to be observed in the worship prayers. The person leading the prayer should avoid saying “I pray . . .” When the leader says, “I,” the prayer becomes a personal prayer of the leader, and the congregation is excluded. The purpose of leading prayer is to help the congregation pray.
Second, the leader must realize that a prayer is a conversation with God. This conversation may involve thanksgiving, confession, and humble requests. It is not a time to give instructions to God. It is also not a sermon or speech to the congregation.
Third, conclude the prayer with a simple, “Amen,” a Hebrew word meaning something like “let it be so.” In Christian gatherings it is common to conclude a group prayer by saying, “In Jesus’ name. Amen.” To say this in an interfaith setting excludes non-Christians from the prayer, and if the purpose is to “lead in prayer,” the exclusion of some portion of the congregation is a failure of leadership.
A large worship service, such as at a camporee, may include other elements, such as a responsive reading. Sometimes there will be an offering. The most common purpose for an offering is to support the World Friendship Fund of the Scouting Movement. It might even be possible to organize an inter-unit Scout choir for the worship service.
“The End”
In a camp worship, the last portion of the worship will probably be a simple benediction. Those who plan the worship can also ask the congregation to sing a hymn before the benediction.
A “benediction” is simply a prayer for blessing on the congregation. It can be a spontaneous, unwritten prayer, or it can be written. It can be memorized or read. There are a number of benedictions in various places in the Bible.
You can find some benedictions in the section on prayers.
Should We Use a Printed Order of Worship?
The only reason to have a printed order of worship is to provide the congregation with the things they will be expected to sing or say. In a simple interfaith worship service, the only thing really necessary for the congregation is the words to hymns. A troop or other Scout unit might find it helpful to purchase multiple copies of the Boy Scout Song Book, which songs for many occasions, including worship. Bring them to camp as part of the troop gear, and there is nothing else the congregation will need.
In a larger and more formal setting, such as at a camporee, those planning the worship may want to include other material that the congregation will need to have in front of them. For example, the worship committee may want to include a responsive reading based on the Scout Law. In a large setting, it may be necessary to have a printed order of worship.