PLA
Pathfinder
Leadership
Award
General
Conference Youth Department 2003
1
Introduction
You now hold in your hands Part Two of the most current leadership
development program for youth ministry in the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
This concept uses the Master Guide as the foundation for junior youth ministry
leadership, then builds two levels of continuing education which will help keep
youth leaders sharp, up-to-date, and focused on why we are in this business.
Part Two-- Pathfinder Leadership Award (PLA)
Once the Master Guide level has been completed, most leaders feel they “have
arrived” and now have the necessary tools to properly guide their youth through
the varied programs the church has for its youth. This feeling of adequacy may
last a short time or for quite a while, but sooner or later one begins to sense
that unnecessary mistakes are being made; that the world continues but somehow “I
got left behind.” Also, in many areas of the world there are now in place laws
which require continuing education on the part of anyone who works with young
people, be they paid employees or volunteers. Generally, this expected
continuing education can be in the form of youth-related workshops/seminars to
be attended on a periodic basis. There is also a growing group of persons who
have put in many years of service to local clubs and are now being asked to
share those years of experience and expertise with other clubs as “Area
Coordinators” (or other similar titles). It becomes easy for these people to
begin living in the past and get out-of-touch with the realities of the
present. Getting out-of-touch is even easier for church -paid employees–
namely, youth department directors, at all levels from local fields/conferences
to the General Conference.
The purpose of this level of continuing education is to 1) continue
equipping people for a sharper Pathfinder ministry and 2) enable those who are
finding themselves removed from reality to keep pace. Again, there is a refocus
on personal spiritual growth, which must be a never-ending upward path. There
are also several seminars of advanced-level leadership development and
opportunity for practical application of lessons learned.
Part One-- Master Guide
This continues to be the highest level of leadership within the
Adventurer/Pathfinder programs of the church. It focuses on one’s personal
spiritual life and growth first and foremost. General leadership skills are
then woven into the sharpening of those skills which are specifically geared to
leading youth in God-ordained areas of development: understanding God’s world
of nature, outreach ministry, service to others, and a life-style which denotes
healthy living.
As one church leader of the past simply put it: “You can’t teach what
you don’t know, and you can’t lead where you won’t go.” As leaders we must not
be good at only spouting theory if we expect to see success with our youth
ministry; we must live what we preach and demonstrate.
Part
Three-- Advanced Pathfinder Leadership Award (APLA) (Pathfinder Instructor
Award– PIA)
This
level is heavy on training the trainers– Area Coordinators and others who will
be
involved in helping local club leadership be as focused and sharp as
possible. Persons who attempt this level must be approved by the local
conference youth department, which would imply that these persons are already
living exemplary Seventh -day Adventist Christian lives. They qualify as true
role models in their daily living, in leadership, and in all Pathfinder-related
skills. The skills learned during this level of continuing education will
enable the candidate to clearly present the very best of knowledge in the very
best of ways so that club leadership will gain the maximum benefit – implying,
therefore, that the children receiving the actual development process might
truly become the very best youth in the world. It should be true, indeed, at
every investiture that “these symbols presented represent the very highest
ideals of the church for its youth.”
Parts One and Three are available from the same source you obtained this
manual. So, now, welcome to the Pathfinder Leadership Award. Enjoy the avenues
of continued learning and discovery ahead, and may God bless you as you
continue your ministry to God’s children.
General Conference Youth Department, 2003
Pathfinder
Leadership Award
I.
Prerequisites
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Page
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1.
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Be a
Master Guide.
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6
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2.
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Have
completed a Pathfinder Basic Staff Training Course within
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the
past three years.
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6
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3.
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Be an
active Pathfinder staff member.
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6
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4.
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Be an
active Pathfinder Class and/or Honor curriculum instructor.
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6
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II.
Personal Growth
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1.
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Complete
a Bible Year plan or the Encounter Series II, Christ the
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Church.
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6
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2.
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Read a
book on self-esteem, adolescent development or
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interpersonal
relationships.
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6
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3.
Select and develop a new personal
skill useful to Pathfinder ministry through reading, listening to tapes,
attending a class or joining a
specialized
organization.
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7
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4. Hold
a current Red Cross CPR certificate or its equivalent.
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7
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III.
Skills Development
1.
Increase your Pathfindering
skills by attending the following scheduled minimum hours for each seminar as
sponsored by the conference
Pathfinder Ministries personnel. 7
A. Administration and Human Relations..................................... 8 hours................... 7
1. Team Building.................................................................. (3 hours)............................ 7
a. Goal setting 7
b. Planning process 9
c. Motivating volunteers 12
2. Personal Improvement.................................................. (2 hours)............................ 14
a. Know your temperament 14
b. Finding your purpose 19
c. Conflict resolution 20
3. Development of Faith in Pathfinder Growth... (1 hour)............................. 26
a. Preadolescent and adolescent growth patterns 26
b. What makes adolescents tick 28
c. Discipleship through mentoring 29
4. Discipline.............................................................................. (1 hour)............................ 32
a. Understanding discipline 32
b. Effective discipline 33
c. Christian discipline 36
5. Current Issues.................................................................... (1 hour)............................. 39
(Family
violence, AIDS, child abuse, violence prevention,
teen drug
use, tobacco and your heart, alcohol, etc.)
B. Camp Planning and Programming............................................ 4 hours................... 42
1. Introduction to Camping–purpose,
objectives, planning process 42
2. Hiking, backpacking, other
forms of camping 44
3. Campsite– arrangement,
environmental impact, sanitation 48
4. Fires, first aid kits, safety,
rescue 49
5. Cooking, menus, equipment,
edible plants 50
6. Wilderness techniques and
survival 50
7. Orienteering 52
8. Sabbath schedule and
activities 54
9. Cold weather camping 55
C. Pathfinder and Community Ministry....................................... 3 hours........................... 61
1. What is Pathfinder Ministry? 61
2. Pathfinder Class curriculum
applied to ministry 64
3. Service Learning 68
D. Resource Materials............................................................................ 2 hours........................... 69
E. Pathfinder Drill and Ceremonies................................................ 2 hours........................... 71
1. Commands
2. Individual
drill
3. Basic
club drill
4. Club
guidon drill
5. Flag
customs and procedures
6. Program
ceremonies
7. Club
inspections
8. Advanced
drill
F. Outdoor Education............................................................................ 3 hours........................... 72
1. Concepts of outdoor education 72
2. Nature awareness 73
3. Spiritual applications of
nature 73
G. Recreation............................................................................................. 2 hours........................... 75
1. Philosophy of recreation 75
2. Types and guidelines for
Christian recreation 78
3. New games and sports 80
2.
During your involvement as a
staff member in the local Pathfinder Club (prerequisite I.-3.), select any two
areas listed above under
requirement
II.-1. and demonstrate the skills learned through application
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to
specific projects, events, or situations in the Pathfinder Club.
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80
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Requirement Completion Control
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80
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Pathfinder
Leadership Award Curriculum Resource
This course is designed as a
continuing education unit for Pathfinder staff who have completed the Master
Guide and are actively involved in Pathfinder Club leadership. The emphasis is
on in-service skills training and experimenting with creative approaches to
instruction which will enable the local club to meet the objectives of
Pathfinder Ministry.
I.
PREREQUISITES
1. Be a
Master Guide.
The Master Guide is the
foundation for all formal youth ministry in the church; therefore, it is
expected that all who wish to be well -prepared to meet the needs of a local
Pathfinder Club will have completed this foundation prior to continuing their
training.
2.
Have completed a Pathfinder Basic
Staff Training Course within the past three years. The participant must have a working knowledge of the basis and mechanics
of Pathfinder
Ministry. If the Master Guide class was obtained too
long ago and the participant has not maintained an active current involvement
with a local Pathfinder Club, then time should be spent in refresher study.
3. Be an
active Pathfinder staff member.
It goes without saying that this
level of study is for Pathfinder Ministry; therefore, all participants must be
active in local club leadership in any staff capacity as recognized by the
local club director or local church board.
4. Be an
active Pathfinder Class and/or Honor curriculum instructor.
Because of the nature of
Pathfinder Club curriculum, it is assumed that regardless of the staff title a
participant may hold, one of the items in their job description, at least
during the pursuit of this course of study, will include curriculum
instructorship. This will also apply to persons who may not be directly
involved with a local club due to function on a wider scope, such as Area
Coordinator, Conference Director, etc.
II.
PERSONAL GROWTH
1.
Complete a Bible Year plan or the Encounter Series II, Christ the Church.
Consult your Conference/Field
Youth Department for availability of leaflets which may be used to check off
one’s reading progress. It has been said also that reading for 15-20 minutes
per day at average speed will complete the Bible in one year. This second stage
of the Encounter series covers the New Testament letters and the books Acts of the Apostles and Great Controversy by Ellen White. It is
available from your Conference/Field Youth Department. (See page 93 of this
manual)
2.
Read a book on self-esteem,
adolescent development, or interpersonal relationships. There are numerous books available from several very good authors. We
mention only a few
here:
Norman Wright, Nancy Van Pelt, James Dobson, etc. (See also page 99.
3.
Select and develop a new personal
skill useful to Pathfinder ministry through reading, listening to tapes,
attending a class, or joining a specialized organization.
The skills to be developed under
this requirement are those which fall under the category of personal hobby skills
which have been, so far, unfamiliar to you rather than those which would
translate into direct leadership rolls listed under the next Section III.
Someone might select an adventure in a particular ethnic cooking class or a
recreational pursuit from a wish list but never tried or a manual skill so far
undeveloped, etc. The idea is to expand our own horizons beyond our current
status. Venture into the unknown and rekindle that spirit of adventure in
ourselves that we are wishing to instill in our Pathfinders.
4. Hold a
current Red Cross CPR certificate or its equivalent.
Most countries have a Red Cross, St. John’s Ambulance, or other similar
program of emergency training. Any one of these which relate to
cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) qualify.
III. SKILLS
DEVELOPMENT
1.
Increase your Pathfindering skills by attending the following scheduled
minimum hours for each seminar as sponsored by the conference/field Pathfinder
ministries personnel.
A. Administration
and Human Relations............................8 hours
1. Team
Building .........................................................(3 hours)
a. Goal
setting
Goal setting helps leaders to uncover their wants, needs, and desires
for their future personal or business accomplishments. They may want to learn a
foreign language so they can travel to different parts of the world and
experience new cultures. Possible goal “seeds” would be to learn the French
language, travel to a French-speaking country and experience their culture.
This type of goal is innovative– nice to do. The basic objective would be
self-improvement.
Writing
Goal Statements:
A well-defined goal statement is the foundation of goal achievement. The
goal is only as good as its statement of intention on how to:
·
Fulfill responsibilities
·
Solve a problem
·
Be creative and innovative
·
Have a better Pathfinder ministry or personal life
A goal
statement formalizes:
·
What is to be accomplished
·
Who will be involved
·
When the activity will be completed
·
How much cost and resources will be used
Deadlines
for goals must leave no room for interpretation.
SMART
goal statements are:
Specific
Measurable
Action-oriented
Realistic
Time– and
Resource– constrained
Specific–
means “detailed, particular, or focused.” A goal is specific when everyone
knows exactly what is to be achieved and accomplished. Being specific means
spelling out the details of the goal.
Example:
“Increase Pathfinder membership”
is too general for a goal statement because it does not provide any specific
information about what is to be accomplished or how to reach the goal.
To be
more specific, a goal statement should say something like:
“Increase Pathfinder Club
membership by 30% this Pathfinder year with a membership drive once per
calendar quarter.”
Measurable–
goals are quantifiable. A measurable goal provides a standard for comparison, a
means to an end, a specific result; it is limiting. A goal must have a method
for determining when the goal is reached. Doing something “better, more
accurately, or precisely” does not provide the measurement necessary to
determine goal achievement; these kinds of words are too ambiguous to measure
outcome.
Action-oriented–
means that the goal statements indicate an activity, a performance, an
operation, or something that produces results. Some sample action verbs which
describe the type of activity to be performed include: evaluate, increase,
investigate, appraise, inform, restrict, etc.
Realistic–
goals must be practical, achievable, and possible. Goals must motivate people
to an “I can do it” attitude. They should require a “stretch” that reaches
beyond that which is easily attained and becomes more of a challenge. There
should be a balance between effort required to achieve and probability of
success.
Time– and
Resource–Constrained– means scheduled. Goals must include specific deadlines
and, if necessary, “mile markers” along the way. Also, if time and money are no
object, any goal may be reached, so what other restraints are there involved?
These must be spelled out. Often Goal Action Forms are used. See sample below:
Goal
Action Form
1. Goal
__________________________________________________________________
2. Rationale
for Goal _______________________________________________________
8
3. Action
Plan (steps, procedures, requirements)
a. ____________________________________________________________________
b. ____________________________________________________________________
c. ____________________________________________________________________
4. Projected
Results (success indicators)
a. Immediate
___________________________________________________________
b. Long-term
___________________________________________________________
5. Obstacles/Constraints
_____________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
6. Cost
(money, personnel time, equipment) _____________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
7. Person
Responsible ______________________________________________________
8. Completion
Date ________________________________________________________
b.
Planning process
Planning is a rational, systematic method of decision-making and
problem-solving. It combines your experience, knowledge, and skills with
realistic assessments of where you are and where you’d like to be. The entire
process can be summarized in these eight steps:
1) Assessment
· You get
an uneasy feeling about where you are heading or doing.
· You
decide you want to do better than you’re doing right now.
· You see
where you are, recognize a need to do things better.
2) Commitment
· You make up your mind that you’re going to do something about a change
and set your sights on doing it.
3) Investigation
· You
collect necessary data.
· You study
every aspect of the program, including success and failure.
· Make a
list of skills and handicaps.
· Examine
relationships between team members.
· How much
flexibility do you have in trial and error.
· What kind
of risks are you willing to take or are allowed.
4) Decision
· You get a
premonition of what you think will happen or develop.
· Use intuition and come up with a number of alternate choices of what you
want to do and when.
5) Organization
9
· Select
the goals best suited to your needs.
· Select a
planning strategy best suited to getting you where you want to go.
· Set
priorities, establish timetables, decide evaluation process.
· Choose
the definite course of action.
6) Preparation
· Gather up everything you need to carry out your plan of action
(including material in this book).
· Fine-tune
your plan and prepare for unforeseen circumstances.
7) Implementation
·
Carry out a series of
well-defined tasks, pausing on occasion to measure performance.
· Stop when
you run into a problem and shift into “plan B” as efficiently as possible.
8) Achievement
· You reach
your current desired goal and begin process on next. The Benefits of Planning
· Gives Direction– Planning stimulates you to think about the promise of
the future rather than the failures of the past.
· Coordinates– Planning ties all your efforts and aspirations together in
a simple, easily-understood, well-balanced program.
· Provides Standards– Planning helps you size up your performance, measure
your progress, and figure out how well you’re doing.
· Clarifies– Planning helps you figure out what you really want out of
life by cutting through all the needless gobblygook that clutters up your mind.
·
Prepares– Planning gives you the
tools you need to deal with sudden and unexpected problems that can hit you at
any time and from any position.
· Reveals– Planning gives you a clear picture of how different tasks and
activities interact to ensure success in your overall quest.
· Stimulates– Planning leads you onward and upward by providing the
stimulation you need to avoid dead-ends and blind alleys in your work,
creativity, and personal relationships.
Dangers in Planning
· Loss of Spontaneity– Spontaneity comes with flexibility. It means taking
advantage of spur-of-the-moment opportunities as soon as they happen. You can’t
plan to be spontaneous– that’s a contradiction in terms. But you can plan to be
flexible, and that’s the key. If your planning strategies are flexible, you’ll
gain spontaneity, encounter a wealth of opportunities, and have an open road in
your drive to success.
· Too Much Faith in the Process– If you put too much faith in how you’re
going to carry out your plans, you may be afraid to break out and try something
new. Your single-mindedness will keep you from seeing obstacles and alternatives
that could affect your chances for success. Instead of moving ahead, you’ll
pull up short and your plans will come to a grinding halt.
· Lack of Growth– If you don’t grow, you’ll stagnate and never get off
square one. In order to grow, you need the excitement and stimulation of new
ideas, new
knowledge, and new methods. So no matter how good
you think your plans are when you first start out, you should still allow for
motivation and improvement along the way as new concepts germinate and begin to
bear fruit.
· Psychological Distress– Undisciplined planning can result in
shortsightedness, a lack of creativity, and an inability to innovate, leaving
you as frustrated and unhappy as having no plans at all. Disciplined planning
can remove the stress and make your journey a pleasant one.
· Hang-up on Methods– How it’s done becomes more important than whether it’s
done; then methods, techniques, and procedures will gradually take over the
entire goal-seeking process, and your dreams for the future will fade like a
summer
romance.
Key Ingredients for Successful Planning
· Curiosity– Good planners take time to figure out why things are as they
seem to be. They look ahead and try to gauge their chances for success against
the unknown.
· Creativity– Good planners look for new ideas, strategies, and ways of
applying old ideas to current issues. Are you creative?
· Competitiveness– Good planners enjoy intellectual competition and are
skilled at verbal give-and-take. They look for strengths and weaknesses in
other people’s ideas and test contradictory positions against their own. Are
you competitive?
· Practicality– Good planners are realistic, enthusiastic, and very
pragmatic about their chances for success. They know what can be done, how fast
it can be completed, and what they have to do to finish it. Are you practical?
· Confidence– Good planners can cope with criticism and rejection from any
quarter. Logic and reason help them persevere no matter what the odds. Are you
confidant?
· Wisdom– Good planners keep up with
developments in all fields of knowledge, especially those that affect their
goals and objectives. Do you try to learn something new every day?
· Persistence– Good planners are so committed to their well-tuned plans
that they’re able to overcome just about any obstacle or threat that stands in
their way. Do you keep going when the going gets tough? “When the giving gets
tougher, the tougher keeps on giving.”
Here,
then, is a summary for the process of Pathfinder Programming:
1.
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Planning
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Set
your priorities
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Commit
your staff
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Formulate your goals and objectives
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Get
your budget
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Delineate
your plans and programs
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2.
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Execution
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Keep
things organized
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Lead
and motivate
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Train
staff
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Communicate
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3.
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Evaluation
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Evaluate
your program
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Evaluate
with staff
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Evaluate
with Pathfinders
Evaluate
with conference Pathfinder leadership
One more note: Determine Pathfinder Priorities. If you’re feeling
a bit overwhelmed by the number of activities and tasks on your schedule, stop
and prioritize. Analyze each item and decide whether it’s really important.
What are your goals? What is most important in reaching those goals?
c.
Motivating volunteers
Motivation is everybody’s problem. It doesn’t matter what we do or where
we fall in the pecking order; we still have a need– a critical need– to
motivate others.
Perhaps 99% of everything we do is habit. Much of the motivation process
involves changing someone’s habits. Key to that is substitution of a better
habit pattern:
To get out of a rut, provide a better path. If you
want people to change, show them a better way...BUT you need to do more than
just provide a better alternative (to your way of thinking), you need to show
them that it’s better. People are usually quite comfortable with their
established patterns, so when you try to make changes, they need to see that
the new approach will be even better for them.
Minimax. It means minimize weaknesses and maximize
strengths. If you spend a lot of time correcting weaknesses, you may waste a
lot of time. Find a person’s strengths, focus on them, build on them, and help
the person to do even better in those areas they are already good in. This
leads to understanding temperaments, which will be dealt with in the next
requirement.
Frederick Herzberg, a behavioral scientist, arrived at two conclusions–
factors that most influence people’s opinions regarding their work. These do
not include money, security, cheery atmosphere, or other issues one would think
would be involved. He called them motivation and maintenance. They are
absolutely necessary but not directly linked.
Motivation Factors– Motivation factors will satisfy and motivate
personnel. Though their absence may not cause dissatisfaction, a decrease of
motivation will occur:
Achievement The
person needs to feel that he has accomplished something.
Recognition The
person needs to feel that his achievement has been noticed.
Interesting Duties The person needs to feel interest
in the work itself.
Responsibility The
person needs to feel that he is responsible for himself and
his work.
Responsibility for new tasks and duties is also
important.
Growth Opportunity The person needs to feel that
he/she has the potential to grow
within
the organization.
Maintenance Factors– These keep staff on the job.
They are less inclined to “jump ship” on you. The presence of these factors
causes satisfaction; their absence causes dissatisfaction. Their presence or
absence, however, has little direct impact on motivation.
Supervision
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The
person feels that the manager is willing to teach and
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delegate
responsibility.
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Administration
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The person
feels that management
has good
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communication.
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They
also feel good about policies and procedures.
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Working Conditions The person feels good about the
physical conditions at work.
Inter-relations There is
a feel-good attitude with peers, subordinates, and
superiors.
Status The
person feels that his job has status and rank. Within the
framework of servant leadership, some find this difficult to achieve at
a level beyond a superficial verbal recognition.
Remuneration Money is
not the only (obviously) remuneration possible. With
volunteers, one must always develop other forms which will allow a
feeling of adequate compensation for work.
Personal Life The
person feels that the assignment (hours, etc.) enhances the
personal
life and does not adversely affect it.
The core of motivation is meeting needs. If a person’s needs are being
met, he’s totally satisfied with his situation and isn’t open to any kind of
change. The satisfied person is generally self-motivated– but if he’s
self-motivated, he’ll be pretty hard to motivate! But who in the world is
totally satisfied? Probably no one. It is our challenge to find those unmet
needs and use them to motivate.
Consider your Pathfinder staff, the Pathfinders, and their parents. What
needs do they have that you (Pathfindering) can help fulfill? Human needs fit
into several categories:
· Physiological Needs– When even one physiological need is unmet, it
begins to dominate a person’s thoughts and actions. (i.e., A manager has a hard
time motivating people who are hungry until the hunger is satisfied.)
· Safety Needs– Even the most “macho guy” has an aversion to personal
harm. (i.e., If a person who has a fear of heights has to work on scaffolding,
don’t expect high productivity!)
· Belonging Needs– Everyone needs to feel loved and accepted. We all want
to feel part of the group. Grouping is a social instinct crossing all ages but
is especially strong during the Pathfinder age-frame. One psychiatrist stated, “Loneliness
is perhaps the most unbearable of all human emotions.”
· Control Needs– Control enables us to make sense of our existence and to
make order of things. People seek an understanding of God and religion for this
reason. They seek knowledge and competence. The development of habits stems
from the desire for order. Control can also be seen in people’s search for
their niche in life. The niche represents order, competence, and control over
portions of his life.
· Individual Needs– We all need to be recognized as unique individuals.
People, especially the young, will at times do something quite ludicrous in an
effort to establish their uniqueness– to “be some one recognized.”
· Potential Needs– No matter how far we rise, there’s always another step
we can take. Progress is a journey, not a destination. We all need to progress
and develop; its called self-actualization.
We are told that “higher than the highest human thought can reach is God’s
ideal for His children...He who co-operates with the divine purpose in
imparting to the youth a knowledge of God, and molding the character into
harmony with His, does a high and noble work.” (Ed 18,19)
· Change
Needs– Without change we would stagnate and decay. Those who spend
their lives building a completely safe and stable
environment end up building a prison for themselves. We need new experiences;
we need movement emotionally, socially, and intellectually.
· Freedom Needs– We need to feel that we have flexibility and choices.
Even small children need opportunity for choices and some control of their
lives. If the will is not exercised, the soul will atrophy and weaken. The
personality becomes unbalanced, and unmet needs for freedom and control
dominate until the situation is rectified.
Who
Motivates the Motivator????
It is our role to motivate others, but who or what motivates us? The
farther “up the ladder” one goes, the fewer people there are around to motivate
us. Two things can happen: we fall into the “Peter Principle” and find ourselves
floundering over our heads, or we motivate ourselves to succeed. The first
spells failure. The second– if we become self-motivated in the truest sense of
the word, we can do anything we want to do. At that point we can most
effectively motivate others.
2.
Personal Improvement .................................(2 hours)
a. Know
your temperament
This first section is based on
the material titled Understanding Your
Temperament by Peter Blitchington and Robert Cruise at Andrews University.
The booklet, test, and scoring sheet package may be obtained from the
University, from Advent Source, or from your Family Life Service at your local
conference or field. This test and concept is based on research done with over
4,500 people as well as extensive usage and piloting in many different
countries. It is one of the few (and perhaps the most popular) scientifically
validated four-temperament tests in existence.
There are many uses for a test of
temperament such as this one. Temperament influences practically every aspect
of your life, from vocation selection to interpersonal relationships; from the
knowing the best way to raise your children to spiritual growth; you will find
this information beneficial.
As part of this seminar, it would
be very beneficial to take the time and take the test. For that, the
above-mentioned materials will be necessary. The following four pages are a
summary of the four temperaments, which may be reviewed after having taken the
test and understanding what is meant by the four temperament terms:
Notes:
CHOLERIC
Emotions
Strengths Weaknesses
· Confident and strong to make decisions · Anger
problem which may become violent
· Strong-willed and self-determined · Highly
opinionated
· Optimistic ·
Insensitive to needs of others
· Self-sufficient ·
Unemotional and cold
· Fearless and bold · Little
appreciation for aesthetics
·
Unsympathetic and harsh
·
Impetuous
·
Disgusted by tears
Relationship
to Others
Strengths
|
Weaknesses
|
· Does
not expect anyone else to do
|
· Lack
of compassion
|
something
she/he can’t do
|
· Makes
decisions for others
|
· Not
easily discouraged
|
· Can
be cruel, blunt, and sarcastic
|
·
Strong leader
|
· Tends
to dominate a group
|
· Good
judge of people
|
·
Arrogant and bossy
|
·
Motivator of others
|
· Uses
people for own benefit
|
·
Exhorter
|
·
Unforgiving and revengeful
|
· Never
daunted by circumstances
|
· Prone
to bigotry
|
·
Haughty and domineering
|
Activities
|
|
Strengths
|
Weaknesses
|
· Good
organizer and promoter
|
·
Overly self-confident
|
· Decisive;
intuitive ability to make
|
·
Crafty
|
decisions
|
·
Prejudiced
|
· Quick
and bold in emergencies
|
·
Opinionated
|
· Keen,
quick mind
|
· Bored
by details
|
· Great
capacity for action
|
·
Non-analytical
|
· Does
not vacillate
|
·
Forces others to agree to plan of work
|
· Very
practical
|
·
Tiresome and hard to please
|
·
Stimulates others to activity
|
· Only
time for own plans and projects
|
·
Thrives on opposition
|
|
·Sets
goals and reaches them
|
|
Occupation and Hobbies
|
Greatest Needs
|
·
Manager/Leader
|
· To
become sensitive to the needs of others
|
·
Producer
|
· To confess angry spirit and seek forgiveness
|
·
Builder/Organizer
|
of God
and others
|
·
Promoter
|
· To be
forgiving and tolerant of others
|
·
Educator
|
· To
develop inner strength and beauty by
|
·
Executive
|
quiet
hours spent reading the
|
·
Crusader
|
Bible
and praying
|
MELANCHOLIC
|
Emotions
|
|
Strengths
|
Weaknesses
|
· Loves
music and art
|
· Moody
and gloomy
|
· Rich,
sensitive nature
|
·
Pessimistic, frequently negative
|
·
Analytical ability
|
· Likes
to suffer; martyr
|
·
Emotionally responsive
|
·
Hypochondriac
|
· Deep,
reflective thinker
|
· Introspective to the point of being harmful
|
· Gets
depressed
|
|
· Proud
|
Relationship to Others
|
|
Strengths
|
Weaknesses
|
·
Dependable friend
|
·
Critical of others’ imperfections
|
· Self-sacrificing
friend
|
·
Searches for perfection and judges
|
· Makes
friends cautiously
|
everything
according to own ideas
|
· Deep
feelings for friends
|
·
Fearful of what others think
|
· Suspicious
of others
· Can erupt
into violent anger after prolonged animosity
· Often
deeply hurt by others
· Will
carry a grudge and be revengeful
· Dislikes
those in opposition
· Hard to
get along with
Activities
Strengths Weaknesses
· Strong perfectionist tendencies ·
Indecisive
· Likes detail and analytical work ·
Theoretical and impractical
· Self-disciplined; finishes what she/he · Tires
easily
undertakes ·
Hesitant to start a new project
· Fitted for creative, intellectual work · Too
much analysis; leads to discouragement
· Conscientious and thorough · Life
work must demand the greatest in
· Gifted; genius-prone sacrifice,
self-denial and service
· Knows own limitations · Gets
moody over creations
Occupation and Hobbies Greatest Needs
· Professor · To
overcome critical spirit
· Inventor · To be
delivered from self-absorption
· Physician/Nurse · To
develop a thanksgiving spirit
· Musician/Artist · To
become occupied in loving service for
· Seamstress others,
thus forgetting self
· Accountant · To live
a balanced life that includes
· Beautician adequate
rest, exercise and a good diet
· Interior Decorator · To
consistently spend time in study,
· Author/Poet meditation
and prayer
PHLEGMATIC
Emotions
Strengths Weaknesses
· Calm and dependable · Lacks
confidence in self
· Good-natured and easy to get along with ·
Pessimistic and fearful
· Kindhearted · Worrier
· Peace-loving · Rarely
laughs aloud
· Cheerful and pleasant even if doesn’t have · Passive
and indifferent
much to say ·
Compromising
·
Self-righteous
Relationship
to Others
Strengths Weaknesses
· Pleasant to be with · Doesn’t
allow self to get involved
· Has many friends · Selfish
and stingy
· Dry, witty sense of humor · Studies
people with indifference
· Softening and conciliating effect upon ·
Unenthusiastic
others ·
Stubborn
· Constant and faithful ·
Indifferent about others
· Diplomatic and peacemaker · Teases
others who annoy him/her
· Good listener · Not too
openly cordial
· Faithful friend ·
Attitude of superiority
· Gives
advice only when asked
Activities
Strengths Weaknesses
· Works well under pressure · Calm,
serene, uninvolved spectator
· Practical, easy way of working in life
· Conservative · Slow
and lazy
· Neat and proficient ·
Reluctant leader
· Plans work before beginning · Lack of
motivation
· Stabilizing influence ·
Indecisive
· Dependable worker ·
Overprotects self from involvement
·
Discourages others
· Opposes
change of any kind
Occupation and Hobbies: Greatest Needs:
· Accountant · To
overcome passivity and become
· Technician involved
· Diplomat · To
learn to give of self to others
· Elementary Education Teacher · To
recognize fearfulness as a
· Social worker problem
and learn to trust God with
· Counselor concerns
· Crafts
·
Administrator
·
Secretary
· Good
parent
SANGUINE
Emotions
Strengths Weaknesses
· Warm and lively · Cries
easily
· Charismatic ·
Emotionally unpredictable
· Talkative, never at a loss for words ·
Restless
· Carefree, never worries about the future ·
Spontaneous anger
or frets about the past ·
Exaggerates the truth
· Great storyteller · Appears
phony
· Lives in the present · Lacks
self-control
· Conversation has an infectious quality ·
Emotional decisions; impulsive buyer
· Unusual capacity for enjoyment · Naive
and childlike
· Comes
on too strong
Relationship
to Others
Strengths Weaknesses
· Makes friends easily ·
Dominates conversation
· Responsive to people · Not
attentive
· Enjoyable and optimistic ·
Weak-willed and little conviction
· Always friendly and smiling at others · Seeks
credit and approval
· Easy to apologize · Enjoys
people and then forgets them
· Tender and sympathetic · Makes
excuses for negligence
· Shares other people’s joys and sorrows · Talks
too often about self
· Forgets
promises and obligations
Activities
Strengths Weaknesses
· Makes good first impressions ·
Completely disorganized
· Not bored because living in the present ·
Undependable, late
· Gifted in caring for the sick ·
Undisciplined
· Easily engages in new plans or projects · Wastes
time talking when should be
· Breeds enthusiasm working
· Many
unfinished projects
· Easily
distracted
· Falls
short of goal
Occupation and Hobbies Greatest Needs
· Public speaker · To be
more reliable and dependable
· Actor or actress · To
develop a greater self-disciplined life
· Courtroom lawyer · To
cultivate genuine humility
· Salesperson · To
think before speaking
·
Preacher
·
Athletic director
·
Receptionist
·
Visiting and caring for the sick
·
Volunteer work
·
Hospitality
b. Finding your purpose
Definition of purpose: “Something
that one sets before himself as an object to be obtained, an end or aim to be
kept in view.” – Webster
Mission, values, calling, meaning, passion– these are words that describe the human need to identify and express our purpose. Finding a purpose is a spiritual
quest– using God-given talents to serve people. It represents your ability to
connect with something greater than yourself.
What is purpose?
Every once in while you meet
people whose work is inspired. They exude enthusiasm. They appear to care
genuinely about what they are doing, the people with whom they work, and the
people they serve. They express a joy that seems to come from deep within; it
is not forced or superficial.
Who are these people? They can be
anyone– a parent, teacher, executive, mechanic, secretary, or Pathfinder staff
person– it doesn’t matter. What matters is that they do what they do in a
manner that is special, above the norm.
Job satisfaction and fulfillment
come from the heart and emotions of the individual. In other words, two
Pathfinder staff people can do the same job, have the same level of expertise,
yet one has an assignment while the other impacts other people’s lives. One
feels stressed out, while the other feels excited, energized, and challenged.
The difference between them is that one staff member is fulfilling his/her
purpose, while the other is not.
Is your present Pathfinder assignment your purpose?
Answer the following questions to find out.
Yes No
1. Do you love what you are doing?
2. Do you find it easy to go to your Pathfinder Club meeting?
3. Does your Pathfinder assignment and leisure sometimes seem the same?
4. Do you feel things are all right in your Pathfinder life?
5. At times when you feel frustrated or irritated
with a particular aspect of your Pathfinder assignment, do you maintain a deep
feeling that what you’re doing is still right?
6. Do you feel that there’s nothing else you’d rather be doing?
7. Do you feel a peace in your life?
8. Do you trust that things will work out for you?
9. Do you have a positive attitude?
10. Does your Pathfinder assignment energize you?
The more yes’s you can answer
above, the more likely Pathfindering has become your purpose– and all those
other good words listed in the introduction. (Warning: Some people might even
think you have a terminal disease.)
What does this expression mean to you? “Don’t be
so greedy for the fruit that you miss
the
flowers.”
Goal attainment can be shallow
because it is the process of accomplishment that gives life meaning. It is the
striving, searching, seeking, and yearning that is the thrill. It is not
arriving. A
goal
simply sets the direction.
If you focus exclusively on
goals, on those occasions when you do reach them, you probably won’t take time
to savor your accomplishments. Instead, you’ll rush on to the next Pathfinder
project. Do you celebrate your achievement?
Notes and
remarks:
c.
Conflict resolution
Conflict is inevitable! There is
a passionate pull inherent in the relationships of life. Humankind always
struggles with conflict. Wars have been fought with little lasting effect; the
business world is full of conflict and related stress on a daily basis; good
people leave the church because of it. This ever-present conflict topic demands
our attention.
Map-makers of old labeled unknown
territories as the place where dragons existed. Psychological security is
gained when we name our fears. We need a way to diffuse our fear of conflict.
Therefore, our first stop toward effectively managing conflict is to name the
territory. The Chinese symbol for conflict comes from two ideas: “danger” and “opportunity.”
This symbol provides an excellent label for conflict and removes it from the
unknown. Conflict, lone, is neither positive nor negative, and conflict
resolution can move in either direction. It does not always mean impending
disaster, but includes opportunity. The territory is manageable!
Myths about Conflict
Myths arise when we lack
understanding. They cause us to operate under biased perspectives. Here are
just a few common myths:
Myth #1: The presence of conflict is
the sign of a poor manager. This myth plays on both low self-esteem and pulls a manager into a cycle of worry. The
fact is, conflict happens! An effective manager anticipates conflict when
possible, deals with it immediately, and enjoys its absence whenever possible.
Relationships are too diverse to effectively judge a manager based on the
presence or absence of conflict. You will be judged by what you do with conflict,
not by the presence of it.
Myth #2: Conflict is a sign of low
concern for the organization. This implies that people expend enormous amounts of time and energy on things that don’t
matter. Generally, people defend and protect those areas where deep concern
exists, so conflict indicates genuine concern. Conflict serves as a tool for
identifying your underlying values.
Myth #3 : Anger is negative and
destructive. This myth ignores anger as an emotion. The energy needed to move in a positive direction comes from the
emotions generated by those who care enough to get involved. While anger is
very close to danger (notice the spelling in English of the two words), it can
also lead to satisfaction when dealt with appropriately.
Myth #4: If left alone, conflict will
take care of itself. This is a half-truth. Avoiding conflict is one way to deal with it, but it is
not the only way. Conflict intensity varies. Left unchecked, conflict can
escalate as easily as dissipate.
Myth #5: Conflict must be resolved.
This myth stifles creativity, causing the manager to
become solutions-oriented. Some conflict is best
managed by endurance, while other events require multiple solutions. Quick
movement toward resolution can limit success.
This excessive focus on a solution
can be counter-productive. Single-focused thinking that sometimes happens when
we believe we must find a solution can cause a loss of perspective. Failure to
see the big picture while coping with a particular problem, even a major one,
can become a major pitfall during conflict.
Competent
people often become ineffective during conflict, held captive by the power of
the myths listed above. The goal is to explore the territory known as conflict,
name it, and weaken the control of exaggerated emotions (myths) that surround
it. We are now ready to take the next
step in conflict management:
assessment.
Managing conflict effectively
happens when you develop and implement a deliberate conflict strategy. There
are three distinct stages of conflict. Picture conflict as a series of events
that can be managed. If the conflict is identified early and deliberate steps
are taken to modify events and manage the emotions, almost any conflict can
become a source of opportunity. Left unchecked, conflict is dangerous to you,
your staff, and your club.
Three
stages of conflict:
Stage One Daily Events
Stage Two Challenges
Stage Three Battles
Stage One conflict is least
threatening and easiest to manage. As conflict escalates to stages two and
three, it becomes more difficult to manage and the potential for harm
increases.
Conflict moves between stages,
but not necessarily in a linear pattern. A Stage One conflict in the morning
can become a Stage Three by afternoon. Conversely, a Stage Three may dissipate
quite unexpectedly. Given this fickle nature, the following list of
characteristics might provide some additional insight:
Characteristics of Conflict
1. As
conflict escalates concern for self increases.
2.
The desire to win increases with
a rise in self-interest. Saving face takes on increased importance at higher
levels of conflict.
3. Nice
people can become harmful to others as conflict increases.
4.
Conflict management strategies
that work at low levels of conflict are often ineffective, and at times are
counter-productive at higher levels of conflict.
5. Conflict
may skip levels.
6.
People are likely to be at
different individual levels during conflict, but an overall organizational
level of conflict can be identified.
Stages of Conflict– an analysis
STAGE ONE
Characteristics
This stage is characterized by day-to -day
irritations which can often be ignored, sometimes indefinitely. But an
irritation can become a problem. Most individuals employ coping strategies
unconsciously, but coping strategies, like
tolerating annoying behavior, are most effective when they are deliberate
rather than unconscious. The variable that causes irritation to become a
problem is people. Differing personalities, coping mechanisms, ever-changing
life events, all make it impossible to predict when an individual has had
enough. Conflict at this level is real, although low in intensity. When people
work together, differences exist in goals, values, and individual needs.
Individuals are usually willing to work toward a solution during Stage One
conflict, often with a sense of optimism that things can be worked out.
Communication is usually clear, specific, and oriented to the present because
the people and the problem are not intertwined as they are in more intense
conflict.
Ways to handle
1)
Avoidance is one effective coping
strategy for day-to-day irritations. The deliberate coping strategy of
avoidance happens when you determine there is neither time nor motivation to
alter the idiosyncrasies of another. At this stage, a “live and let live” attitude
works well.
2)
Listening and participation are
essential at this level. Initiate a process that examines both sides. Can a
framework be built that encourages understanding of one another?
3)
Ask if the reaction is
proportional to the situation. Is either party carrying residual emotions from
another event?
4) Identify points of agreement and work from those points first, then
identify the points of disagreement. Is it possible to leap the hurdle by
seeing the whole picture?
STAGE TWO
Characteristics
Conflict takes on the element of
competition at this stage, typified by a “win -lose” attitude. Losses seem
greater at this stage because people are tied to the problems. A “cover your
hind-end” attitude can also be observed. People keep track of verbal victories
and record mistakes; imaginary scores are tallied. Volunteer organizations
(read here: Pathfinder clubs) have difficulty managing conflict at Stage Two
because it is easier to walk away rather than maintain the commitment necessary
to manage conflict.
Because the conflict is more
complex at this stage, problems can no longer be managed with coping strategies–
people are the problem. Discussion of issues proves futile because people and
the problem have become so entangled. You begin to hear generalizations such as
the phantom “they” and “everyone,” “always” or “never.” Persons involved are
less likely to produce accurate facts; sarcasm and innuendoes become the
survival tactics.
Ways to handle
You must separate the people from the problem as a
first step to managing conflict at this stage.
1) Create
a safe atmosphere. Provide an environment where everyone is secure:
Make the setting informal. Establish
neutral turf.
Have an agenda. Be in
control.
2)
Be hard on the facts, soft on the
people. Take an extended amount of time to get every detail. Clarify
generalizations. Who are “they”? Is “always” an accurate statement? Question
whether any fact was missed.
3)
Do the initial work as a team,
sharing in the responsibility for finding an alternative everyone can live
with. Stress the necessity of equal responsibility. Do not carry this
load for
the group, which is a tendency of conflict managers.
4)
Look for middle ground but do not
suggest compromise. Compromise implies “giving up” cherished points. Instead,
creatively look for the middle ground by focusing on points of agreement.
5) Allow time to pull competing parties toward acceptable ground without
forcing issues of concessions.
6) Remember,
it is much harder to compete sitting next to someone than across the table. Or
sit in a
circle.
When you notice comments that focus on either/or,
black and white thinking, conflict has escalated into Stage Three:
STAGE THREE
Characteristics
The objective of this stage
shifts from winning to hurting. The motivation is to “get rid of” the other
party. Changing the situation and problem-solving are no longer satisfactory
for those locked into Stage Three conflict. Outsiders are enlisted toward the
cause, giving little room for middle ground. The merits of an argument and the
strength with which positions are held are greatly exaggerated at this stage. A
loss of perspective is quite likely on the part of all participants.
Ways to handle
1) Initiation of an intervention team that is neutral and perceived as
being impartial and able to provide a fair hearing for everyone.
2) During mediation, both sides present their cases to the intervention
team; the team then facilitates discussion and movement toward a mutually
acceptable solution.
3)
The opposing parties remain
responsible for finding common ground and solutions in mediation.
4)
Arbitration takes the negotiation
process one step further. Each side presents their best case. The outside agent
then selects one or the other. The benefit is that one side is clearly the
winner; the disadvantage, of course, is that someone is clearly the loser.
5)
Details are important. One must
wade through a lot of negative emotion to find all the details that are
relevant.
6)
Logic and reason are not
effective in dissuading others at this stage; those who find themselves at
lower levels of conflict should be re-routed, giving alternatives for energy
usage.
7)
There must be clear goals and a
sense of direction so that at least some, if not all, walk away feeling like
winners. It is not a time for cover up but need not be the all-consuming issue
either.
Seven principles for maintaining positive
relationships during conflict:
Constructive Conflict Action
1.
Build winners; voting often
builds losers. Voting is a technique used to decide between options, but,
unfortunately, options tend to represent individual desires; people begin
keeping score. Should voting be used? Yes, but. You should assess the decision
being made and consider the ramifications of a choice made by the voting
method. How will
the
losers participate with the new majority?
2.
Declare a moratorium.
Relationships are more important than a decision. “We have some time; let’s
meet in small groups and look for alternatives.” “I want to find out why there
is such diversity of opinion.”
3.
Encourage equal participation.
Shared responsibility increases ownership. Higher stages of conflict cause
individuals to become destructive and lose sight of the organization in favor
of personal issues. Opportunities for participation increase the likelihood
that individuals will see Stage Three conflict as risky– too great a loss. The
importance of shared responsibility is to make the point, emphatically, that no
one person owns a problem and everyone shares in the responsibility for solving
sticky issues.
4.
Actively listen. All a manager
has to do is stop speaking. The effective manager knows that taking time to
listen, even if there are periods of silence, is an investment in the
relationship.
Watch the individual’s eyes Learn to read body
language
Test
yourself after visiting with others. Did you gain as much as you gave?
5.
Separate fact from opinion. Far
too often, opinion reflects perception rather than reality. Particularly,
Stages Two and Three are dealing with perceptions. When we develop a “conditional
truth” orientation, it grants every participant the opportunity to be correct
and have the right to be heard before conclusions are drawn or decisions made.
Conditional truth assumes that the other person’s position is accurate and in
the club’s best interest. Conflict becomes a matter of separating perspectives
rather than challenging liars– a difficult task with adults.
6.
Separate people from the problem.
Once people and problems are tangled together, a problem becomes unmanageable.
Some find it difficult to separate the people from the problem, but as a
manager you must! Some ideas include:
Talk in specific rather than general terms Use concrete terms and ask
for facts
Address conflicting parties as if they have no
information– they can hear a perspective without having to defend their
territory
Create a
safe environment
7.
Divide and conquer. The
destructive power that is present during the higher stages of conflict comes
when coalitions are formed. Also, as conflict increases, people have a greater
need for support. So if there is a constant reference to a team– that is bigger
and of more value than a temporary coalition, it’s harder for these to form.
During conflict it is easy to focus on the
negatives. Here are five major don’ts:
Five Don’ts During Conflict
1.
Don’t get in a power struggle.
Your authority increases when you empower others instead of getting into power
struggles. Power tends to be coercive; authority involves a sense of respect.
Power struggles usually are not worth the payoff. To avoid power struggles:
Don’t
argue unless you are prepared to waste time.
Don’t
engage in a battle unless you are prepared to lose.
Don’t
take total responsibility for other’s emotions.
2.
Don’t become detached from the
conflict. A macho image of detached leadership provides a distorted perspective
too easily imitated and too frequently used. Who wouldn’t like to be in charge
and have the physical and mental skills to dominate a situation– have complete
control? The super-power image works in the movies! But rarely do we have a
tailor-made script of power and ability that movie hero’s possess. The tendency
to imitate this macho image can deprive you of the natural passion for both
your people and your program.
3.
Don’t let conflict establish your
agenda. Time management specialists suggest it is important for a manager to “do
the important and delegate the urgent.” This principle is often distorted under
pressure of conflict, and managers are found ignoring many important business
matters in an attempt to deal with the conflict. A time study should reveal
that you have spent time managing the priorities and not managing conflict
unendingly.
Some
tips:
Don’t
spend all your time and energy on one issue.
Watch time traps. Are there tasks that always seem
to consume your time before you’re aware it’s gone?
Identify urgent issues, especially negative or
conflict issues. If you notice one consistent time offender, manage that
offender.
Are your staff delegating up to you, getting you to do their work? Are
they bringing solutions along with concerns?
Do they feed your moan-and-groan needs? It’s easy
to get caught in a negative cycle, and there are always people and events that
can feed a “poor me” syndrome.
4.
Don’t be caught “awfulizing.” “Awfulizing”
is the tendency to escalate a situation into its worst possible conclusion. It
is easy to be pushed to worst-case scenarios when faced with Stage Two or Three
conflict.
Reminders:
People are rarely as benevolent as they perceive themselves to be.
People are rarely as evil as their opponents perceive them to be. Individuals
rarely spend as much time thinking about the issues as believed. The
motivations of others are rarely as planned or thought out as presented. Every
conflict has a history that extends beyond the present.
5.
Don’t be fooled by projection.
Individuals unconsciously project their own flaws and weaknesses onto others.
To be effective during conflict, you should notice the generalization and
accusations being made about others, especially comments about someone’s motives.
We may understand others and we may be able to predict their actions
accurately, but it is dangerous to believe anyone can read the mind of others.
3.
Development of Faith in
Pathfinder Growth ...(1 hour) a. Pre-adolescent and adolescent growth patterns
An
introductory summary of the generalized pattern of faith development:
Childhood Years (preschool
and early primary school years)
· Times of discovering and then affiliating with
the values, beliefs, and faith of parents
Late Childhood and Earliteen Years (junior
and late primary early secondary years)
· Living with the tension of taking the first step beyond a cultural or
parental faith bias, accompanied by the most intense desire to affiliate with
that bias.
· A
beginning of identity; of will, of asserting one’s own person in the initial
stages.
· Often the
young person formally affiliates with faith as “a personal decision”
(baptism).
Mid-teens (high school years)
· An
increase in tension between inherited and personalized faith.
· Less
parental faith influence, more influence accepted from other adults and peers.
· Asserting
individuality and identity; stepping beyond previous limits.
· Often a
time to be authentic to one’s own chosen faith.
· Interest in faith can very from sporadic to latent to intense during
these years. Late Teen and Early Twenties
(post-high school, college, early career)
· Often attempting to be very untraditional; experimentation with novel
ideas of faith, restlessness.
· Formulating
the most important life directions amidst sporadic and hectic growth.
· Rebelling
against parental influence and separation from one’s own heritage.
· Coping with newfound adult independence; recognition of the inadequacy
of one’s own faith-shaping.
Mid-twenties to Mid-thirties (marriage,
child-bearing, establishing vocation)
· Formulating idealistic goals and dreams for life in mid-twenties,
refining of life goals to more realistic proportions by mid-thirties.
· Integrating inherited faith with personalized faith (having children and
or becoming a recognized contributor to society often hastens the integration).
The question that new parents often ask is, “What is there from my past that I
want and do not want my child to experience?”
Seven Adolescent Faith-shaping
Tasks:
1.
Experiencing– Youth years are
often filled with intense religious feelings. Spiritual emotions can be
sporadic, spontaneous, and superficial. However, without this wellspring of
emotions, faith-shaping would lack power. A teenager who has had few religious
stirrings is one who has not really entered the faith-shaping process.
Religious experiences can happen in worship, at camps, on outings, while
serving others, while singing together, through personal sharing, or at times
of quiet retreat.
2.
Categorizing– is more than an
intellectual exercise. Bits and pieces of emotions, attitudes, values, and
intentions are involved in this task. The categories used by youth in early
adolescence are frequently simplistic; their religious thinking might be
definite yet naive.
3.
Choosing– is deciding “What’s
important to me?” In choosing is the role of valuing, deciding, and shaping a
belief. It is a natural result of categorizing. For adolescents, choosing might
have long-term consequences, or might be quite transitory.
4.
Claiming– Claiming is committing
oneself to one’s choices. There is a sense of pride and satisfaction at having
arrived at an important milestone. It is often a rich, emotional experience.
5.
Deepening– This is the task of
growing in the faith– of deepening conviction, commitment, and understanding.
Sometimes the deepening is called honest doubt; others can cause it to be
guilt-ridden doubt. There is a great deal of irregularity in the pace of the
deepening of one’s faith. People grow in unique ways.
6.
Separating– This task is perhaps most
characteristic of older adolescents and young adults. Some authorities consider
it a legitimate faith task, others question this label; regardless, it does
occur with frequency. Distance and perspective are now compared, rebellion
often marks it. Some youth will swing far away from their roots, as in a
pendulum, before resuming a more balanced stance.
7.
Responding– This is the task of
gaining a sense of one’s life-calling. Here is where one’s mission or unique
life purpose is considered. What informs this decision is the successful
completion of the earlier faith-shaping tasks. Often this task is reached as a
young adult rather than as an adolescent.
Adult Responsibilities Related to
Faith-shaping Tasks:
1. Experiencing–
· Try to
provide for open-ended expression of feeling.
· Encourage
feelings that lead to something further– positive.
· Allow
youth to express themselves openly.
· Provide
for rich experiences.
· Model
with your own feelings.
· Don’t let
matters stop there, move into next tasks.
2. Categorizing–
· Do
Biblical studies on Christian principles and values.
· Don’t do
the work for youth but provide some handles.
· Be a
person who can be trusted.
· Never
ridicule ideas and concept processing.
· Be
affirming, but do provide honest feedback– don’t agree dishonestly.
3. Choosing–
· Encourage
youth to think. Challenge them!
· Model
your own values and choices.
· Focus
discussions on beliefs that can be prized.
· Teach
youth how to “doubt creatively,” and they’ll arrive at more authentic beliefs.
4. Claiming–
· Plan
invitations to commitment in a variety of settings.
· Talk to
youth individually about their own decisions.
· Plan
appropriate times of celebration when claiming occurs.
· Be
certain to provide follow-up support after claiming.
· Don’t
treat claiming as an end in itself but as a step in a lifelong process.
· Develop
young people’s open-mindedness.
5. Deepening–
· For youth
who are ready, provide appropriate intellectual stimulus.
· Don’t
have high expectations here.
· Don’t
push too soon after conversion.
· Share the
depths of your faith, your struggles, your growing edge.
· Be a
helping and enabling person– provide prayer and support.
6. Separating–
· Don’t be
disappointed or fret unnecessarily as this occurs.
· You
should express honest reactions– but give freedom and space.
· Never let
this sever relationships– keep communication lines open.
· Work with
parents and others affected by their own sense of guilt, despair, or failure.
· Celebrate
new growth as it occurs.
7. Responding–
· Encourage
when the person is ready.
· Portray
callings as “glimpses” and “visions.”
· Study
gifts and prayer meditation with youth.
· Always
affirm and lift up a person’s gifts, abilities, and talents.
· Provide
opportunities for youth to develop their God-given potential.
· Provide a warm and positive atmosphere for persons to experiment with
their own mission and purpose in life.
b. What
makes adolescents tick
Each expert has his own idea as
to what the underlying causes for behavior happen to be. Some think it is all
sexually driven, some universal life drive, some autonomy, others interpersonal
needs or need to belong. They are probably all at least partly right and all at
least partly wrong– ask any parent of adolescents. Answers vary between
individuals, and vary from one day to another.
Maslow chose to try and cover all
bases by arranging a hierarchy of needs, with the lower, most basic being met
before others could be. While it isn’t always accurate, it at least provides a
springboard from which to view those forces which at one time or another might
be blamed for adolescent behavior patterns.
Physiological
Needs–
This category includes all of the basic body needs
like food, sleep, sexual release, and physical activity. Parents are quite
familiar with the impact on finances and other ways these needs are able to
provide ample reasons for headaches. Possibly the most sensitive one of these
for parents, and youth leadership as well, is that of sexual needs. Youth
ministry is charged with finding increasingly effective means to help young
people understand and follow the biblical principles regarding sexual
expression prior to marriage. It is not the purpose of this manual to fully
outline this study– rather, recognize it as important. There are numerous
excellent materials on the market and through our church Family Ministries
Department that can provide in-depth resources.
Safety
Needs–
This includes the need for protection from bodily
harm and security from threat to one’s life. Many teenagers, especially those
who live within large cities, need to assure themselves of their safety. They
choose to arm themselves, join gangs, travel around in groups and other similar
behavior. The broader picture of harm also affects many youth– nuclear
destruction, terrorist attack, even a string of local robberies or rapes will
cause them to find it difficult to concentrate on school work, develop
excessive dependence on others, etc.
Love and
Belonging Needs–
This category includes the needs for acceptance,
warmth, affection, approval and relationships with others. Peer acceptance is
extremely important to teens, and a great amount of energy is invested. When
belonging is threatened, most adolescents will react with panic, depression,
anxiety, aggression, or withdrawal. Often, the establishment of a new relationship
will bring release.
Esteem
Needs–
Closely related to the above needs, this includes
feeling adequate and worthwhile. Status and self-respect are also included.
They establish belief in their own personal value as an honor student, athlete,
in leadership or whatever social position they see as meaningful.
Self-development
Needs–
This level of needs concentrates on personal growth
and the fulfillment of one’s created potential, not to be noticed by others,
but for their own personal satisfaction. It’s all part of finding answers to
the question, “Who am I?”
Knowledge
and Understanding Needs–
These needs include the quest for information, just
for the value of knowing. Adolescents who function at this level study what
they enjoy regardless of whether it is assigned in class– just the pure joy of
expanding their knowledge and understanding. Operating at this level enables
young people to move beyond themselves and further into God’s creation.
Spiritual
Needs–
These needs go beyond the boundaries of self.
Religious activities and aesthetic experiences are common forms of expression
in seeking fulfillment of spiritual needs. For Christians, the goal is to
become more Christlike. We seek to transcend, with God’s grace and power, the
limits of our own egos and bodies (Eph 4:11-13).
Teenagers place themselves under
tremendous self-imposed pressures both from direct action on the part of others
and from perceptions. They pressure themselves to conform to those expectations
to gain their anticipated reward.
c.
Discipleship through mentoring
History
and legend record the deeds of princes and kings, but each of us has the
birthright to
be all that we can be. Mentors are those special
people in our lives who, through their deeds and work, help us to move toward
fulfilling that potential.
Mentoring can be defined as
having a significant beneficial effect on the life or style of another person,
generally as a result of personal one-on-one contact. A mentor offers
knowledge, insight, perspective or wisdom that is especially useful to the
other person.
Mentoring can be done by anyone,
at any time and in almost any place. Mentoring can be a one-shot intervention
or a lifelong relationship. It can be carried out informally, as part of a
friendship, or formally, as part of a highly structured new training program.
Mentoring can also be almost unconscious. One person may, without realizing it,
do or say something which has an important effect on another person. Or the
recipient may only slowly become aware of how important a given intervention
has been in his or her life.
Have you
had mentors? Think back in time for a few moments. Can you give
one or more person’s name[s] in your
past in the answers to the following questions:
Who provided one of those special experiences which
allowed you to pierce the core of meaning of some event?
Who provided you with a quote that had great
meaning for you, that influenced your thinking or behavior, and that you
sometimes repeat?
Who helped you uncover an aspect, an ability or a
talent of yours that, until that moment, had lain dormant?
What
mentors do: For each item, check ( ) whether you have knowingly
done this for someone.
Mentors...
· Set high expectations of performance _____
· Offer challenging ideas _____
· Help build self-confidence _____
· Encourage professional behavior _____
· Offer friendship _____
· Confront negative behaviors and attitudes _____
· Listen to personal problems _____
· Teach by example _____
· Provide growth experiences _____
· Offer quotable quotes _____
· Explain how the organization works _____
· Coach someone _____
· Stand by someone in critical situations _____
· Offer wise counsel _____
· Encourage winning behavior _____
· Trigger self-awareness _____
· Inspire someone _____
· Share important-for-the-moment knowledge _____
· Offer encouragement _____
· Assist with someone’s career _____
The Empowering Mentor: Mentoring (even formal mentoring)
is largely the art of making the most
of a given situation. There really is no “cookbook” approach to it, there is no
precise what...how... and when... to do it. Mentoring is part intuition, part
feelings and part hunch, made up as you go along; from that actually comes its
power.
Sound mentoring respects the
uniqueness of the person and strives to enhance their special strengths. Doing
something the mentor’s way may lessen ownership; it may be a way to avoid
thought or responsibility. It may also be downright uncomfortable. The person
should adapt the mentor’s help to their own situation and style. An effective
mentor lets go or, more importantly, does not take charge of the person. A
helping relationship is a freeing relationship.
Mentor Self-development: Some of the best mentors are
persons who assume that they, as well
as their protégées, are in a lifelong process of self-development. Applying
fundamental truths to new challenges requires constant reassessment, discussion
and even argument until new wisdom is forged. Keep abreast of new developments
and their implications. This is a dynamic source of mentoring. It means that a
mentor’s task of self-development, learning, and mastery is never finished.
Mentoring itself is an evolving field. If, as a mentor, you choose to master
active listening, coaching skills, effective confrontation techniques or new
methods of resolving conflict, you are starting a journey of self-development.
Mentoring
change: When a person is undergoing significant change, he
or she usually needs five things to
adapt successfully:
1. A vision
of how things will be around them when the change has occurred
2. Time to
absorb the new vision
3. Time to
adjust behavior
4. Coping
mechanisms to manage the stress of change
5. Time to
ponder the meaning of change, internalize and own it
We should not expect instant change. In fact, quick
change can be so stressful that pain overwhelms one as well as it encourages
backsliding.
Seven
types of mentor assistance: Research has shown the following
types that are particularly good for
encouraging growth:
1. Helping a
person shift their mental context
2. Listening
3. Identifying
feelings and feedback
4. Confronting
negative intentions or behaviors
5. Providing
appropriate information when needed
6. Delegating
authority– giving permission
7. Encouraging
exploration of options
Mentoring vs. advice: Many mentors believe that a large
part of their job is giving advice to their
charges. There is a down side to giving advice. When we give advice, we assume
we have superior knowledge, insight or wisdom related to the problem. This may
be true under certain circumstances... BUT, when we are dealing with an
individual’s personal problem, our friend is likely to know more about the
problem than we ever will. After all, they’ve been living it. That’s
why we often encounter frustrating resistance and a
lot of “yes, buts.” This should not be too surprising. It is a bit of arrogance
to assume we know more about a person’s personal problems than that person
does!
Often we
can serve best by:
· Listening
carefully
·
Feedback the emotions we hear them
expressing, confirming we not only hear but understand some of the deeper
emotional nature of the difficulty.
· Provide
ideas from which they can draw their own conclusions or road ahead
Most people really don’t want
advice; they do value experience, ideas, information, special insight,
knowledge of how things work. They must learn to make their own decisions, if
they haven’t already.
Growth
depends on people learning to solve most of their own problems.
4.
Discipline
......................................................(1 hour) a. Understanding
discipline
Generally, we associate the word
discipline with a response to misbehavior. This is true of external discipline
(punishment). However, we are working with an age group that should be in a
transitional mode from external discipline (that we all need and should have
during our early childhood years) to internal discipline, which is that form
necessary for a successful and productive life. Internal discipline enables us
to understand David’s bursts of excitement in so many of his psalms when he
declares “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee,”
or “I delight to do Thy will!” Internal discipline is that which we take on
ourselves as moral guidelines and will not cross them no matter who is or is
not looking, because we must “be true to ourselves.” If we are building “future,”
then internal discipline is what we are looking for– it focuses on the future;
punishment focuses on the past. As a side note: remember the experience of Israel
when they left Egypt. Due to their previous condition, they required
considerable external discipline. God did His best; in the end only two persons
caught on and developed internal discipline. How many of the original crowd
made it into the Promised Land? That should be a caution to us about how
important God considers internal discipline and the outlook for the next big
entrance.
Since the Pathfinder age is a
transitional stage between the two, we find Pathfinders at all points of
transition along the way - from those who do not even comprehend external
discipline to those who are totally self-disciplined. It makes our work
extremely delicate and challenging, to say the least. When we are told that “the
greatest want of the world” is that of people who are “as true to duty as the
needle to the pole,” that’s internal discipline we need. Since Pathfinders are
the best young people in the world, this is an area we can work on to truly
shine and show to the world the truth. Discipleship is the goal of discipline.
Here are some constants we as leaders can incorporate:
Do not be
whimsical or capricious– Two culprit areas: 1) The rules - obviously there are
some things dangerous and some things wrong; no’s are necessary. But, use yes’s
whenever possible. 2) Consistency - say what you mean and mean what you say;
children have learned in other settings that persistence will get their way.
Keep the
rules to a minimum– As much as possible, you want your relationship with a
child to be based on the positive; rules generally deal with negatives. Keep
them few. Some adults
like to use three that if broken will bring
punishment: 1) Don’t lie 2) Don’t disobey 3) Don’t be disrespectful. The more
rules you have, the easier it is to forget which are which to be enforced how.
Allow a child the freedom to be honest– Proverbs
18:13: “He who answers before listening - that is his folly and his shame.”
Hear a child out before discipline rather than after.
Be willing to admit you are wrong– All of us make
mistakes. You cannot fool a child; he knows when you are wrong.
Seek to solve the basic problem– Often, behavior is
only the outward expression of something deeper that is needing attention much
more urgently than any outward symptoms.
Allow a
child to help evaluate his disobedience– Remember, your goal is to develop
internal discipline. If the child is teachable, the more he is involved in the
process, the better the chance for positive results. Let him cross-examine
himself and come up with the solution.
Never
accuse a child; always ask– This is a hard one to put into practice, especially
when you’ve “really got the goods on him.” Isaiah prophesies of Jesus, “He will
not judge by what He sees with his eyes, or decide by what He hears with His
ears.” Often, these can deceive. Jesus refused to judge by them; we should be
slow to do so as well.
Make sure
you and your staff presents a united front– children are experts at playing one
person against another. If you sense that you and your staff are not together,
suspend judgment until you can get alone and talk about it. “A household
divided against itself cannot stand.”
Never
ridicule or belittle a child– For most people, their sense of self-worth is
fragile. While disciplining, we need to build, not destroy that sense. Correction
is for the purpose of restoration.
“The
object of discipline is the training of the child for self-government.” – Ed 287
b. Effective
discipline
A summary of effective discipline concepts:
1)
Discipline is an educational
process whereby a person learns what behavior is not acceptable and why it is not.
2) Punishment
inflicted for a consequence which a person receives for misbehavior.
3) Focuses
on misbehavior which
a. Hinders
one’s relationship with God
b. Harms
oneself or hinders one from realizing his potential and achieving his goals
c. Infringes
upon the rights of others
4) Focuses
on misbehavior caused by:
a. Unfulfilled
needs
b. A lack of
understanding
c. Thinking
that misbehavior is more desirable than acceptable behavior
d. Rebellion
5)
A behavior contract (see also c.
Christian Discipline below) should be simple and include four things:
a. What the
child promises to do
b. What the
adult promises to do
c. What will
happen if the child breaks the promise
d. What
will happen if the adult breaks the promise
6) Six rules
for setting up a behavior contract:
a. The
contract should be compiled by both adult and child
b. The
contract should include reasonable demands
c. Everyone
should be satisfied with what they are getting in the bargain
d. The
contract should not be revised until given time to prove itself
e. Avoid
premature “payoffs” but only as close to the desired behavior as possible
f. Kept
easily accessible for review by both parties
7) A good
disciplinarian
a. Has a
positive relationship with the child
b. Is able
to forgive and forget
c. Is
unselfish
d.
Has reasonably pure motives Some principles of good
discipline:
1) Establish rapport. When a child experiences a relationship characterized
by such terms as warmth, love, understanding, acceptance, there is a natural
tendency to want to please by doing what is asked.
2)
Establish authority. Some
interpret authority as “holding the reins tight.” Another definition is “specialist.”
This second definition engenders respect and confidence. This is the kind of
authority we need to become. We need to become specialists in understanding
children as well as in Pathfindering.
3) Be consistent. For a child to feel secure in the Pathfinder Club and
with its staff, he must be assured that here, at least there is some order in
his world. There are many aspects of consistency that are important:
· in
following through on requests made of the children
· in
methods of discipline used for certain behavior
· the
entire staff working together to maintain limits and handling problems
· between
home and club in terms of expectations for the children
4) Avoid
conflict. Remember the principles taught in the unit on Conflict Resolution.
· Do not
lose control of yourself
· Intervene
only when actually necessary
· Be
flexible in methods of discipline used
· Win the
child’s confidence
· Try humor
to relieve tension-filled situation
· Do the
opposite of what the child expects
5)
Plan program carefully. Empty
time and transitional time, even if only a few minutes, create time for
trouble. Meeting rooms should be organized in such a way that one activity will
not interfere with another. Begin and end exactly on time.
6) Define limits. The child who understands clearly what behavior is not
accepted, will feel more secure and better able to control himself. You might
want to try something like this:
· You may
not hurt yourself
· You may
not hurt others
· You may
not hurt things
Every
limitation can be based upon these easy-to-remember rules.
7)
Anticipate difficulties. A
forewarning will help a child to gain control of himself before he loses it.
8)
Touch control. Often problems
occur because adults are not observant of growing tensions. A gentle pat or
placing of a hand on a shoulder will serve as a reminder that you are near and
will help the child when he needs help.
9)
“Hypodermic affection.” A
friendly injection of affection may give a child a quick boost over a difficult
situation. A smile, a wink, a spontaneous comment of appreciation lends
necessary reassurance of acceptance and support which helps establish
self-control.
10) Diversion. Change of activity to something the child finds more
manageable will help the child refocus.
11) Point out reality. Some children become frustrated because they want to
do something, but there isn’t enough time, space, tools, etc. They become angry
and aggressive because they do not understand the limitations. When the reality
and what can be done is pointed out, they’re OK.
12) Let children experience natural consequences. Sometimes its best not to
step in and solve a problem too quickly. They can learn more appropriate
behavior by allowing the situation to run its course.
Obviously there are limits to this; some
consequences can be more serious and the child should be forewarned so that the
child may have a reason for discontinuing. Isolation may be a natural
consequence. If the child cannot cooperate, then he loses the right to
associate with others. Isolation doesn’t necessarily have to be an unpleasant
experience in order to learn the lesson. When a child is isolated, it is a good
idea to give him something to do.
13) Praise the positive; ignore the negative. Being aware and taking the
time to spend with those who are behaving appropriately is key. Unfortunately,
often excess time is spent with those who misbehave, which reinforces’ negative
behavior.
14) Don’t moralize. Remember to criticize the act, never the person. Long
talks of what specific behavior causes the adult to think is not very useful.
15) Consider the motives. Most children consider that punishment should be
given based on the amount of damage regardless of the motives involved. Good
discipline is based on motives.
16) Be positive. Make positive requests of children. Instead of telling them
not to do something, tell them to do something. “Stand on the floor” instead of
“Don’t stand on the table.”
17) Save face. Don’t put either yourself or the child in an impossible
situation. Leave room for a gracious way out. Don’t extract a promise which the
child likely will never remember.
18) Hands-off
policy. ‘Nuff said.
19) Be an example. God reminds us through Ellen White, “If parents desire to
teach their children self-control, they must first form the habit themselves.
The scolding and fault-finding of parents encourages a hasty, passionate temper
in their children” (CG 94).
20) Pray. There is power in prayer–even when all else fails. It is important
to pray for guidance concerning the type of discipline and manner in which it
should be
administered
so that the child may experience the best learning.
c.
Christian discipline
Most people are not always
confident about their ability to manage and discipline their own children, yet
Pathfinder directors assume the responsibility of maintaining discipline for an
entire club! Fortunately, many of the skills of discipline and management can
be learned and, with careful implementation, be very successful. Most
Pathfinder leaders have observed that discipline techniques improve with
practice.
A behavioral management plan
should be developed parallel to the annual program plan. It can be developed by
the staff during the pre-annual program planning sessions. The team may wish to
receive input from professional educators in the area, guidance counselors, or
other trained personnel.
Following the approval of the
church board of the program and management plan, both should be presented
during the club organizational meeting at the beginning of the yearly cycle.
Written copies should be provided to all families.
Responsibilities of Pathfinder Leaders
Establish rules.
1. Few
rules, simply stated
2. Post
rules and give copies to families
3. Discuss
rules in detail at first meeting and review periodically
Establish discipline procedures. The following is a five-step management
plan that is utilized by many clubs. The goal for each step of the procedure is
to help the Pathfinder choose appropriate behavior. The consequences for
misbehavior become more serious with each succeeding step of the program.
1.
Verbal Interaction. Most
Pathfinders respond to verbal interaction. Derogatory remarks may change
behavior but do not foster a Christian atmosphere. Here we outline two
techniques of verbal interaction.
a. Reality dialogue– a method of asking four
questions which helps the Pathfinder become aware of his own actions.
Leader: “What are
you doing?”
“Is it
against the rules?”
“What
should you be doing?”
“What is
your plan?”
What if the Pathfinder does not have a plan or does
not respond to the sequence of questions? Then the leader, in a very friendly
manner, tells the Pathfinder to sit in a quiet place until he has a plan.
b. Broken record dialogue– simply
restating over and over the same statement. The leader does not become involved
in an endless arguing. Simply repeating the original request somewhat as the
following example:
Leader: “Please
put the tent in the truck.”
Pathfinder: “But I’m
going to swim.”
Leader: “Please
put the tent in the truck.”
Pathfinder: “Please let me go swim.”
Leader: “Please
put the tent in the truck.”
Pathfinder “But my mom said I could go
swimming.”
Leader: “Please
put the tent in the truck.”
Pathfinder: “Well... OK...”
If the Pathfinder continues to choose inappropriate
behavior and does not respond in a positive manner to verbal interaction, then
the leader would go to the second step of the program– the Caution Ticket.
2.
Caution Ticket. A written ticket
is the second step in the procedure. This is given in such a way as to not
disrupt the meeting. The leader simply hands him a ticket. No verbal comment is
necessary; however, a smile or pat on the back may help the Pathfinder realize
that he is still accepted by the leader even though the behavior is not.
Sample Caution Ticket
The ticket is discarded at the end of each meeting
or event so that the member can start with a “clean record” for each activity.
Few Pathfinders will go beyond the ticket stage. However, if the Pathfinder
continues to choose inappropriate behavior after the ticket, third step kicks
in.
3.
Isolation and written contract.
The purpose of this step is to separate the Pathfinder from the group so that
the group activities can continue. It allows the Pathfinder one more
opportunity to specifically describe and choose appropriate behavior.
The leader asks the member to sit in an isolated
spot and think about the behavior that he is choosing. The leader then hands
the member the following contract and says, “When you’ve decided on good
behavior, then complete this contract by describing the type of behavior that
you will choose for the rest of this meeting.”
Sample Behavior Contract
!
"
#
If the member does not want to choose good
behavior, the leader respects the Pathfinder’s choice, but the Pathfinder must
stay in the isolated place until the meeting or event comes to an end. If the
behavior is a continuing problem, then have the Pathfinder take the contract
home and have it signed by the parent and returned at the next meeting. If
inappropriate behavior continues...Step Four:
4.
Parent Conference. The purpose of
the Parent Conference is to provide another opportunity for the Pathfinder to
make a commitment to choose appropriate behavior. The appointment should be at
their home or some other more neutral meeting place. The leader should be
careful to refer to behavior as the Pathfinder’s choices, not condemn the child
but refer to the choice process he is using; also what management steps have
been taken to enable better choice processes. It should be clear that we are
concerned for his growth, well-being, and continuance in the club. We are not
mad at him nor wish that he would leave. We very much appreciate specific
strengths and talents he shows (and be specific). Then you can end with a
direct statement to the Pathfinder: “John, perhaps you can share with us your
future plans concerning your behavior while at Pathfinder meetings.”
If there is a positive response, have another
contract ready to be filled out and signed by both child and parent. If the
reaction is still negative, move to step five:
5.
Suspension from the club. Since
suspension is really by the choice of the child, the leader can still be in a
friendly, caring mode. The child also needs to understand very clearly that it
has been his choice that has taken him this route. As for you, you would be
quite happy to see him choose otherwise, and perhaps
some day soon, he will make the choice to return under a better set of
behavior patterns– when that happens you will be waiting with open arms!
Note: suspension from the club for the following
reasons should be instantaneous, and none of the preceding steps would be
followed:
· Substance
abuse
· Sexual
violations
· Unauthorized
use of firearms
A sample
letter to accompany the suspension as described in the first paragraph above:
Sample Letter
Dear Sue,
I feel
sad that you have chosen inappropriate behavior during our Pathfinder Club
meetings. An important part of belonging to a club is obeying the rules and
regulations. I sincerely hope that you will miss us so much that you will
decide to obey the rules. When you are ready to re-join us, please describe the
behavior that we can expect from you by completing the Contract that is
enclosed in this letter. Please hurry back– our club will miss you.
Your friend and leader,
5.
Current Issues
...............................................(1 hour) (Family violence, AIDS, child abuse,
violence
prevention, teen drug use, tobacco
and your
heart, alcohol, etc.)
Numerous topics can be discussed
during this time frame. It is probably better to select one or two issues to be
dealt with in a given seminar. Topics may also be rotated so each leadership
weekend may have a different issue to discuss. Other topics may surface that
might be of more immediate use or need. Here are provided a few ideas for each
of the above-listed suggestions to serve as springboards for the completion of
this seminar.
Family Violence
Here figures a broad spectrum of
mistreatment within the family circle. Everything from physical mistreatment
such as hitting, throwing, or burning; sexual abuse; or emotional abuse such as
threats, insults, harassment or neglect comes under this heading.
People use violence because of a
need for power and control, because they are overwhelmed by stress, have built
up tensions over job security, unpaid bills, strained relationships, and/or
alcohol abuse and other drugs. There may be violence due to feelings of
isolation, lack of outside– extended family– support, or because it is
perceived as normal– those who grow up with violence continue the same pattern.
Abuse may be directed toward a spouse, toward or between children (see topic
below of Child Abuse), or older members of the family. Family violence may
result in death at one extreme or at least in emotional disturbance such as
depression, loss of self-esteem,
unreasonable
fear, and feelings of helplessness and worthlessness.
Abuse often remains a hidden
secret for one or more of many reasons. Persons may feel trapped by a lack of
alternatives, financial dependence, lack of protection away from the situation.
Perhaps the saddest reason these families stay together is because of the very
human emotions of hope and love. Many people in violent homes love each other
in spite of everything. They do enjoy some good times together and hope that
matters will improve. Victims often feel it is better to suffer than to be
separated from loved ones.
Family violence can be prevented.
Key to this is recognition of the problem and positive action. All can play a
part in prevention. Naturally, one can begin in their own home even if there is
no ongoing violence, does anyone show tendencies to resort to violence, how do
various members of the family respond to tension and conflict? Teach children
that violence is not an acceptable way to solve problems. Teach ways of
resolving conflicts and expressing anger without resorting to violence. Seek
ways of communicating feelings that exclude aggressiveness.
There are outside sources of help
for troubled families. Some communities have centers for Social Service, Crisis
Intervention, and other similar entities which can provide counseling,
information, referrals, and other similar helps. Clergy and religious
organizations often provide specialized service. Police departments may need to
be called upon for intervention and protection. One can become actively
involved in promoting awareness through the media and advertising. You can
support educational, legal, and social efforts to put an end to family
violence. Phone hotlines can be implemented as a local church service to the
community. In many ways and from all angles, we can help make the home a
shelter and a haven, not a place of violence.
AIDS
A special manual has been
produced for Pathfinders on this subject. Certainly, the biggest risk one can
take is to be ignorant about it. Knowledge is key to separating fact from
fiction about this disease. At least one reason this disease generates so much
emotion, even panic, is that there is no cure for it. It is caused by a virus
abbreviated HIV.
This virus can be spread
basically four ways: 1) having sexual intercourse with a person (any person,
any sex, any age) who has the virus, 2) sharing a needle or syringe with an
infected person,
3)
a mother passing the virus to her
unborn child or afterwards through breast-feeding, 4) and through contaminated
blood or blood products.
It is important to know how it is
NOT spread. Current research shows that it is not spread through 1) air, 2)
nonsexual activity such as shaking hands, hugging, or a “social kiss” 3)
swimming pools, hot tubs, restaurants, public bathrooms, drinking fountains, or
buses, 4) through casual contact such as from a phone, a cup, or fork, or by
going to school or work, 5) by mosquito or other insects, 6) nor by donating
blood (only sterile equipment is used and needles are discarded after use).
You cannot identify an
HIV-infected person by their looks. They can infect others without knowing they
have it themselves. Anyone can get it– it’s what a person does, not who a
person is, that matters. Engaging in risky behavior even only once can cause
infection. Incubation may last several years with no signs of infection, yet
the virus may be passed along during this time.
Progressive symptoms may appear,
including swollen lymph glands in the neck, underarm, or groin; recurrent
fever, including “night sweats,” decreased appetite, constant tiredness,
diarrhea, rapid weight loss, white spots in the mouth; damage to brain and
spinal chord seen as paralysis,
loss of coordination, vision or hearing, confusion,
forgetfulness, and inability to make decisions. Most people infected with HIV
go on and develop AIDS. As immune systems become severely weakened, diseases
that are normally rare or very mild turn into potentially fatal ones. People
don’t normally die from AIDS but from complications and related illnesses.
Child Abuse
Child abuse is defined as
mistreatment or neglect of a child that results in harm or injury. Much of what
has been said above for family abuse is valid here. Physical abuse may include
hitting, biting, shaking, kicking, burning, or throwing objects. Emotional
abuse may include crushing a child’s spirit with verbal attacks, threats, or
humiliation. Sexual abuse can include sexual contact, incest, inappropriate
touching, using children for sexual films or photographs, prostitution, obscene
language or exposure. Child abuse may involve neglect: willfully failing to
provide for a child’s emotional needs by withholding love or attention;
willfully failing to provide for their physical needs, such as food, clothing,
shelter, and safety; and willfully failing to offer guidance and supervision.
All children depend on adults for
security, acceptance, and guidance. When adults harm or neglect them, their
world becomes uncertain and frightening. The emotional effects of abuse can
last a lifetime.
Understanding people who abuse
children is important to understand child abuse. There is no “typical” child
-abuser. They come from all economic, ethnic, and social groups. Most are quite
ordinary people– who are having serious personal problems. Very few child
abusers are mentally ill. Most know, and even love, the children they abuse.
They do have certain traits generally in common. They have low self-esteem,
poor control over their emotions, were abused themselves, under severe stress,
and have a lack of knowledge about parenting.
We who spend time around children
need to be aware of warning signs of child abuse. Physical signs may include
bruises, welts, broken bones, cuts, burns, missing hair, and injured genitals.
Physical signs are not always visible; they may also be explained as accidents
(which may also be very valid!).
A child’s behavior may give
clues. Dramatic changes in behavior, especially aggression or withdrawal;
unusual fears, as of certain people or of going home; constant fatigue or
constant hunger, even begging for food; frequent tardy or absence and inability
to concentrate; craving attention stealing and unusual knowledge about sex -
all may indicate potential problems. While they all may be warning signs, they
do not always mean abuse. When child abuse is clearly noted, it must be
reported and addressed.
Youth Violence
Prophesies about the times we are
living in are quite accurate; we are increasingly living in a violent society.
Violence is the norm in entertainment, the news, cartoons, on the streets,
anywhere one turns. It is becoming very easy to become paranoid about it. That
is not necessarily the way it is or should be. We do not accept violence as a
way of life and must seek ways of defusing as much violence– real and perceived–
as possible. Most young people do not choose violence, most do not want to be
around violence, but too many know someone who has been a victim of violence.
It is but a very small percentage of youth who commit most youth violence.
While all
youth are influenced by violence in their lives, those who turn to it do so for
several
reasons: They suffer neglect or abuse at home; they
do not have positive role models in their lives; they begin copying that which
has become their fare– media violence; in search of family or due to peer
pressure, they join gangs; low self-esteem leads to violence; family and
community have no meaningful values; they see little future– no jobs, no
family, no reason for setting or following positive goals; youth violence must
also include mention of alcohol, drugs, and available weapons mixed with all of
the above.
We all have a responsibility to
be part of the solution to youth violence. This can come through direct
involvement in support of police, schools, and community or through example,
mentoring and working with church youth groups– i.e. Pathfindering, etc. In all
cases, role modeling is essential– we must “walk the walk.” Treat others with
respect, celebrate diversity, live healthy life-styles, never carry a weapon or
use one, be careful of what you watch on the television or read– encourage
quality in reading habits. Next, build self-esteem in the youth around you.
Begin by listening to them; many feel no one cares about what they think, they
may not want you solving their problems, but they do want someone who listens.
Give them growing levels of responsibility they can handle and learn from. They
need to understand that they can make a difference. Help them develop their
natural skills, participate in healthy after-school activities, and remind them
of the values of remaining in school.
Teen Drug Use, Tobacco, Alcohol
This topic probably could be
generalized and not just teen-targeted, since drugs are a generalized problem
affecting even lower ages, and not just drugs but alcohol and tobacco, as well,
since they are also actually drugs. Many Pathfinder clubs probably feel that
this is an irrelevant topic for them and are probably right, at least at the
present; however, drugs are reaching out farther and farther all the time in
spite of any government efforts to contain or reduce the plague. Even younger
children not yet affected by the drug craze should be aware of the dangers and
problems and know how to steer clear, because sooner or later they will be
faced with having to make a choice. All children should be taught to think
things through before making decisions about anything, including drugs. The
church’s Health Department has an array of excellent materials, from magazines
to leaflets, videos and other items to help teach young people the truth about
drugs. Their catalogue of supplies can be obtained by calling the following
phone number in the U. S. 301-680-6715 or your local field/conference Health
department, or write to Health Department of SDA, 12501 Old Columbia Pike,
Silver Spring, MD, 20904, USA and ask for their health and temperance
catalogue.
B. Camp
Planning and Programming ................................4 hours
1. Introduction
to Camping–purpose, objectives, planning process
Before planning a campout, the
leaders must decide what is the purpose of the campout. A clear goal should be
set. With the goal clearly in mind, all activities will take on meaning, and
planning becomes much simpler. Without a clear goal established, downtime will
show up during the campout, which opens a door for problems ranging from social
to safety, not to mention a lessening of interest on the part of campers.
One main goal should be decided,
with other lesser secondary goals which will enable completion of previous
goals or set the tone for future goals. There should be a clear growth pattern
(expertise development) for participants so that camping doesn’t become
repetitive and
“boring.” If new campers are joining along the way, they will need to
have parallel goals set which will enable them to enjoy without getting in over
their ability.
Objectives of Campouts
1) To help youth feel the nearness of God and to become acquainted with Him
through His creation
2) To
develop an at-homeness in the out-of-doors
3) To teach
self-reliance
4) To prepare
youth for coming events as understood from prophecy
5) To
satisfy the spirit of adventure
6) To teach
ability to cope with natural elements
7) To learn
to enjoy the challenges of adversity
8) To
challenge and overcome fears of the unknown
9)
To provide activities and
settings in which leaders and Pathfinders may enjoy fellowship
10) To teach
skills such as observation, tracking, orientation, and survival
Wilderness Impact
Most of the time clubs tend to
camp in established campsites designated by park rules, etc. On occasion, and
as expertise develops, there is the opportunity to camp in true wilderness. The
following Wilderness Traveler’s Creed should be in effect at all times, but
even more paid heed to under these special circumstances:
!"#$" % & ' #
"
Planning and programming for
Pathfinder camping usually deals with one of two different types. The more
common type is the campout of an entire club; the less common (but often more
productive) is that of a unit campout. Both types need to be planned for
maximum use in completion of requirements for various honors or class levels,
as well as for meeting the needs of Pathfinders themselves.
Planning should begin during the
pre-year planning sessions so that when introduced at the opening meeting,
parents will be able to have the necessary information to plan their year’s
schedules and finances.
Who is responsible for planning
the camp? If it is to be a club camp, then all staff should be involved. If it
is to be a unit camp, then the counselor and instructors involved should do the
planning, with the final program being voted by the club administrative
committee. This last part is important to provide a second layer of protection
for the camp leadership. Negligence makes a great lawsuit and may involve all
leadership, including those who may not even have been
camping...
so a word of caution!
It is good for the smaller group
campouts to have presented a submission to the Pathfinder committee. This paper
will reduce liability of club leadership in case of accidents occurring on an
activity not included in the submission document. It gives the committee a
chance to approve or disapprove proposed activities. It leaves a detailed
document behind with a responsible person which contains all activities,
location, and other pertinent information in case of accidents or other
emergencies.
The
document should include:
Name of group/unit camping Purpose
of camp
Date of camp Equipment
being utilized
Camp leader Transportation
Camp participants Program
of activities
Location
of camp
Note: All clubs need to be sure
that insurance coverage is in effect for all events including camping.
Aside from standard procedure for
campsite selection as learned in the basic camping skills honors, locations for
camping will determine the kinds of activities one will be able to develop. And
conversely, the purpose selected above for camping will determine site
selection. It is very wise to have a very good idea (visual reconnaissance) of
what’s available before planning a campout so that the location will match the
program expected.
Once the above items are
understood and placed in process, the actual activity planning becomes very
easy. There is no basic program which meets the needs of all campouts;
schedules, activities, and everything going will be focused and geared to
accomplishing that which was intended each and every time your group goes
camping.
2.
Hiking, backpacking, other forms of camping
Under this section we will
present some of the traditional concepts for backpacking which have been
fine-tuned over a couple generations of hikers. This information is still quite
useful for most of us who spend time in the outdoors. However, there is a
growing revolution taking place fueled by a group of hikers that are redefining
the whole realm of backpacking. They are the long-distance hikers. These people
hike over 2,000 miles (3400+ km) in under six-months’ time. This style of
hiking has brought about a drastic change in backpack philosophy which can be
applied to weekend-style hiking as well.
Backpacking has always held the
tenant that lightweight is best. Lightweight has allowed the introduction of
comfort to a level that the overall weight of packs has actually increased to
the discomfort of the packer (weekend packs tend to range from 20 to 50 lbs.
[10-25 kg.]). Long-distance hikers have been able to reduce their pack weights
to range from 12 to 24 lbs. (6 -12 kg.) yet provide all the essentials for
their months-on-end of travel. In addition to ultra-light, the cost level has
dropped equally. There is a web-site on the Internet that is providing an
ongoing forum for ultralight, cheap/improvised ideas for backpacking. You can
find this information at thru-hiker.com. Some of these ideas are also
being incorporated into revised instructional materials for the various
camping/backpacking honors.
For
instructors of this section:
You will want to have sample equipment for
demonstration of typical gear used vs. ideal available or cost-saving ideas
that do not compromise safety:
1)
Comfortable clothing, including
footwear, with seasonal/elevational changes in mind.
2) Backpack,
properly loaded with essentials.
3) Additional,
specialized gear needed for canoe/bike trips. Hiking/Backpacking pointers
· Plan hikes with destination and goals in mind that are reachable in the
time frame allowed.
·
Begin hikes slowly to allow time
for adjustments and conditioning; build to a moderate cadence.
·
Learn to walk by placing feet
softly on the ground with toes pointing straight forward.
· Learn to
breath deeply.
· Take 10-minute breaks every 50 minutes or as needed, being sure all
hikers take the break. Periodically break by sitting on the ground with legs up
against a stump or rock to relax the leg muscles– but, breaks are primarily for
the heart to rest up a bit.
· While actually hiking, it is best not to eat. Stop, rest, and eat.
Hiking can burn up to 5,000 calories/day, so food should be easy to digest,
high carbohydrate/calorie
· Do not
drink large quantities of water at one time while hiking– take frequent sips.
· Hiking
along roads: always walk in single file facing oncoming traffic.
· Keep off
private property unless authorized and leave all gates as you found them.
· Think of the other hikers: don’t shuffle your feet, causing excessive
dust; don’t step on the heels of persons in front.
· Information
shared at the front of the line must be passed on to the last.
· Assign tasks during hike: hike leader, pace setter, first aid,
timekeeper for breaks, safety observer, etc.
· Check after each stop so that no one is left behind; adult should always
bring up rear.
· Blisters
should be taken care of immediately.
· Evaluate
hike upon conclusion. What was learned? What was accomplished?
Proper Clothing
Because every season and every kind of weather is
hiking time, there’s no need to cancel a trip; just know how to prepare for it:
· Even in
warm weather, high altitudes can be cold in the evening; be prepared
· A common mistake in cold-weather hiking is to bundle up excessively; the
person should be warm without heavy perspiration; layering is ideal, with
layers removed when warm and replaced when cool
· In cold-weather hiking, wool socks are preferred; use mittens instead of
gloves, cover ears, depending on how cold; face covering may also be desired.
· Do not
allow improper footwear; no thongs, leather soles, or brand-new shoes/boots
should be worn. In cold weather waterproofed is
preferred. In warm weather some like lightweight sports shoes, others prefer
hiking boots. Double socks will prevent blister-causing friction
· Headgear is mandatory in some areas and essential at high elevations to
reduce ultraviolet ray damage; many also should use sun block for their nose.
· Snow-hiking
requires dark glasses to prevent snow-blindness.
Packs
·
There are many types of packs;
the choice is one of personal preference and affordability. Good packs will
carry the load high on the shoulders with good hip support.
· Heavy items should be in the upper compartments, light items in the lower
ones. Packs should not exceed 15-20% body weight for growing children.
· The “Go
Lite” Backpacking Checklist.
When one determines that backpacking could become a
passion and distance packing is where the real art (and fun) begins, then a “go
lite” system is imperative. The following checklist has been developed by “H-monster,”
code name for a young backpacker who recently hiked the 2,200-mile (3,500 kms.)
Appalachian Trail in eastern United States. This trip takes an average of 5-6
months to complete, and a hiker can expect to blow out three-to-four pairs of
hiking boots. This checklist will reach the total of 14 lbs. ( 6.3 kgs.) with
carefully selected ultra-light gear. With food and water for a week, the pack
will weigh approximately 24-25 lbs. ( 11 kgs.).
Essentials: Fuel
Sleeping bag Disposable
camera
Pad Flashlight,
small
2 pairs of socks and liners Bleach/
iodine/ or polar pure
2 pairs of shorts for water
2 shirts Small pot
or can for kettle
Rain jacket and pack cover Bandana
Toilet paper Lighter
Tooth paste (small tube) Spoon
Tooth brush First aid
kit:
Pen Ace
bandage
Small pad of paper A few
bandages
Pocket knife Lots of
pain killer
Leprechaun
stove*
Optional:
Gaiters For cold weather:
Walkman radio Long
johns
Hat of choice Stocking
cap
Rain fly Long
pants
Fleece
over-shirt
* Stove is made from two empty soda pop-cans, see Internet website at thru-hiker.com,
camping honor information, or the Pathfinder Administrative Manual.
Food choices
· Nutritive value. One must be much more conscious of this than at home,
since needs are pushed to their limits, and sickness on a hiking trip is not of
casual consequence. Calorie burning can far exceed any capability of calorie
consumption.
· Weight. All rations should be light, but do not sacrifice necessary
quantity for weight– unless you are willing to be perpetually hungry.
· Bulk. Opt
for less bulk. Some foods might be quite light, but they’re full of air.
· Fragile.
Foods that break, crush or melt should be avoided.
· Perishable.
Foods that spoil easily should be used only in first-day-out menus.
· Packing of rations. Pack in plastic bag’s with complete meals in one
bag, last-day on the bottom, first-day on top. Empty plastic bags can go to
bottom and packed out.
Canoe trips
Aside from day trips down gentle
rivers or paddling around some lake regions, canoeing as a form of distance
camping is becoming very limited. Fewer and fewer people ever have the
opportunity to enjoy the real spellbinding long-distance canoe trip as true
wilderness disappears from the face of the globe.
The impact on the personal psyche
of one of these adventures is well worth the effort, if there is an area within
range of your club. For that, also, it is worth the effort to include here a
few guidelines. The first of these, of course, involves the ability of
participants! All must have completed at least the Intermediate Swimming Honor
and be proficient in canoeing (they may complete the Canoeing Honor on the
trip, but should know how to canoe before the trip begins).
· Canoes
should not be shorter than 16 ft (4.7 mts.) nor longer than 20 ft (5.9 mts.).
· Aluminum canoes seem to be preferred, although there are several types
of other materials used that are lighter. Durability, even when damaged, is
key, since one can find themselves several days from civilization.
· There is a wide range of paddles on the market, with “bent-shafts” being
the most effective. However, again, durability may be more important.
· One of the nice aspects of canoe camping is the potential for more gear
and food, which makes life almost a luxury. One must remember that if portages
are involved, then limit your gear to what you can carry.
·
Packing a canoe is also an art.
One soon learns how to load so that the canoe remains level, with minimum drag
or list.
· Safety rules! Get off the water with first warning of a storm; never do
a stretch of white-water without knowing the route. Always have map and compass
and use them. Lakes can get confusing with a mix of islands, hidden portage
trails, and deceiving distances.
· Last and most important: all must have life vests; even the best
swimmers will drown if knocked unconscious in a spill.
47
Bike trips
This takes the Cycling Honor to
its logical conclusion. A week-long adventure on a bicycle can be very rewarding
physically and spiritually to participants. While the first couple days
distances may be only 50 miles (80 km) or so, doubling that figure by the third
day, and every day after, is quite possible, even if the winds are moderately
contrary. Maps and visual review are needed for selection of less-traveled
routes. Selection of adequate rendezvous points for lunch and camping requires
pre-work and permission-getting. Routes should also be selected for their
inherent beauty and points of interest along the way. It would be good for all
participants to prepare by riding several short distances (5-25 miles [8-40
km]) prior to the event.
Safety rules
1) Obey all
vehicular traffic laws– a bicycle is a vehicle!
2) Ride WITH
the flow of traffic, single-file within 3 feet (1 mts..) of the
edge.
3) Use
standard hand signals for turning or slowing down.
4) Do not
weave through traffic.
5) Do not
swerve from side to side or stunt-race.
6) Do not
ride double.
7) Be
courteous.
8) Drink
lots of fluid to prevent dehydration.
Bike Inspection
All bikes must be in good running
order, with all standard safety features. Participants should also have a basic
set of tools and spare parts that are designed for their make of bike.
Equipment needed
All bike bags should be properly
mounted and packed to keep bike in balance; riders should only use hip packs or
day packs, preferably neither. Certified helmet is obligatory, two water
bottles and padded/aerodynamic cycling wear recommended.
If a sag wagon can be provided,
camping gear and other equipment can go that way instead of in panniers.
3.
Campsite– arrangement, environmental impact, sanitation
In addition to basic knowledge
about site selection, as learned under the various camping honors, selecting a
site for a club camp involves a couple additional considerations. We can look
at the Israelite sojourn in the wilderness and see if there are possible
lessons. It mattered not where they set up camp; there was a certain order that
was followed. This order was God -inspired for a reason. Perhaps these same
reasons are still useful today. It provided accessibility, order, unity, a
sense of responsibility to the whole, as well as ease of discipline.
Upon selection of the site based
on good camping practices, the leader should inform the group where the “entrance”
is, the kitchen area, the general perimeter, tent locations for boys and girls,
and should there be need of a primitive latrine– its location.
Club flags should be posted at
the entrance, guidons at the tents of unit captains. The area should be cleaned
of litter from previous visitors prior to pitching camp, and pride should be
taken in both keeping the area litter-free as well as leaving it in better
condition than when you arrived. Neatness and orderliness is a mark of good woodsmen,
and Pathfinders are the best.
48
Several sayings illustrate the
kind of impact on the environment that our clubs should have. Cavers say, “Take
nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time.” The
Sierra Club (a wilderness/environmental organization) says, “What you take in,
you take out.” The old-timers used to say, “If it doesn’t burn, pack it; if you
brought it full, you can take it out empty.” Sites should never show signs of
knives or hatchets on remaining trees or branches. Fires should be cold and
ashes scattered. Do not bury cans or bottles; they have a habit of surfacing.
Remove all plastic, as well. Be proud of what’s left behind.
Water is always of primary
importance. Purify all water used internally even if it seems to be clean. Don’t
risk the intestinal diseases such as Giardia, which can be very difficult to
treat. Prevention is much simpler, easier, and less costly than cure. Human
waste should be buried at least 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) deep and 300 feet (90 mts.)
from any water source. Urination should not occur within 50 (15 mts.) feet of
the trail and 100 feet (30 mts.) of water. All leftover food should be buried
so as to not attract unwanted little animals, wasps, etc.
4. Fires,
first aid kits, safety, rescue
Materials needed for this section
include wood for types of fires, wood for fire sticks, fire starters such as
flint and steel, metal match, magnifying glass, steel wool, etc., two types of
first aid kits, including a small personal type and a larger club type.
Perhaps this rings a bell for
some of us? “Nimble Will Nomad” (M. J. Eberhart) in his book Ten Million Steps includes notes from
the second day of his diary covering a 4,000 mile (6,400 km.) hike:
“I figure I’d better have my warm
meal now, as this may be the last high ground I see all day. [He’s in the
Florida Everglades swamp] ...With noodles cooking nicely on my little stove I
move off a short distance to filter some water. When I return, my noodles aren’t
the only thing cooking. The little patch of grass around my stove is cooking
and my pack, which I’ve laid right next to it, is also cooking! When nylon
burns, you’ve got a very hot and dangerous fire on your hands...
literally on your hands. As I slap in desperation
at the flames I get the melting, burning nylon all over me. I give my pack a
kick into the water and manage to douse my hands at the same time. I stomp at
the grass fire, and in the process my stove, pot, noodles and all go flying
into the Everglades! As I watch my stove go down in flames on one side of the
island, I turn to see my pack pop back up on the other side belching black
billows of smoke. I slog back over there and give it a stomp back under as it
hisses and belches more black smoke at me. I then drag myself, coughing and
gasping, back onto the charred patch of ground, collapse against the pine tree
and... cry.
“I don’t know how long I sit here
with my head stuck between my knees ...I begin the damage-control check as I
look at my hands. Miraculously they’re okay!... I go to where the noodles are
bobbing in the water and retrieve my pot and stove... I drag my pitifully
charred, waterlogged-but still-smoldering pack back to the equally-charred
ground. I am soaked and covered with soot...
“I find the right shoulder pad completely
gone, and the ladder strap burned through, save a few threads. My sleeping bag
stuff sack is destroyed, and my sleeping bag is little more than a black, gooey
char the consistency of playdough. I don’t need to unzip my pack to get in it
anymore; there’s a saucer-sized hole in the right top... I’ve lost a pair of
wool socks, and I’ll no longer be able to be seen in public with my other pair
of nylon pants... I shoulder the whole pitiful mess, point the compass back at
360 and head north.”
(Twelve
months later he did complete his odyssey!)
Fire Building
Take time to review the types of
fires as described in the Fire Building and Camp Cookery Honor. Review
procedures for starting fires in cold/wet weather, and spend time practicing
starting fires without matches, using one or more of several ways. Finally,
review and emphasize safety rules in fire usage as outlined in the Honor.
First Aid and Safety
Notice, under the hiking section
above, the very abbreviated first aid kit of a distance hiker. Most of us would
rather have a somewhat more complete kit, but then most of us would rather
carry a heavier pack for shorter distances as well.
Personal kits may be assembled
and kept in a plastic bag, or they may be purchased and already come in nice,
small plastic containers. If you wish to make up your own, you can begin with
the following basic items and add or subtract with experience.
Personal First Aid Kit: Sunburn
cream
Roll bandage with clip Pain
killer
Band-aids Adhesive
tape and gauze
Disinfectant Waterproof
matches
Cravat
bandage
Snakebite
kit
Club kits will, of course, have
larger quantities of all of the above, and some additional items such as burn
ointment, charcoal tablets, scissors, tweezers, a wider range of bandages,
perhaps a set of arm and leg splints, and even a backboard. One member of the
staff (preferably all) will have additional first aid/CPR training and have
current certification. (All Pathfinders should have first aid training
according to the requirements of their attained level.)
Procedures should be reviewed
during this section on loss -and-rescue plans. Time should be given for setting
up a simulated rescue procedure based on the Basic Rescue Honor.
5.
Cooking, menus, equipment, edible plants
Instructors for this section
should be prepared to show actual procedure of baking, boiling, frying,
roasting camp food by the use of equipment, which most clubs would have
available, and some experimental equipment such as reflector ovens. Some foods
can be prepared ahead of time and then made available to show results.
Sample menus for eight campers
should be shared with section participants using foods available from local
markets, yet fitting into the camping scenes as described previously such as
backpacking, club camps, etc. One aspect of camp food that always adds a sense
of adventure involves the use of edible wild plant foods. Adding a couple of
them to a weekend menu adds a touch of novelty, as well as over the course of
several campouts introduces a variety of foods available in cases of emergency.
Of course, one must be sure that the wild foods used are safe and well -known
by experts on your staff. The rule of thumb with these foods is “When in doubt, don’t take risks.”
6.
Wilderness techniques and survival
This section and the next are
very closely associated and should be completed consecutively. All leaders who
take children into the wilderness should have a reasonably high proficiency in
the skills here presented. First, we will cover the use of topographic maps and
the use of compasses, so we never have to concern ourselves with “getting lost,”
then in the next section participants will put their compass skills to the
test.
Notice,
the second rule for what to do when lost is...
1) Be calm.
2)
Check your map and compass for
directions (of course, this presumes you have and know how to use both!).
3) Think
things over; pray. God knows where you are.
4) Find a
high spot and get your bearings (this also will help orient your map).
5) Try to retrace your steps (some survival experts insist on skipping this
step and the next one; soon you will be missed and folk will begin the search,
wandering only complicates matters for them).
6) Set out– with your compass– and go home (assuming you know how it works
and where you are going).
7)
Stay put, relax, build a nice
little fire and shelter, find some of those wild plant food goodies, and enjoy
life; you might even be disappointed when they find you. (To be able to do this
would mean that you are an expert and experts don’t get lost.)
The compass
Every participant should have a
compass for this section– preferably their own, so they can get used to how it
works. There are many compasses on the market; most of them are not very
useful. If a participant insists on using the compass embedded in the handle of
his fancy knife, fine, but he will need to be able to complete all practices
with the others (that won’t actually be possible). The best compasses are flat,
clear, plastic ones with a liquid-filled housing for the needle, and an arrow
on the plastic-base to aid in map use and direction finding. Some more
expensive ones come with special mirrors. These are a little harder to learn
how to use, but are good. Participants should learn how to shoot both azimuths
and back azimuths.
Topographic maps
Most areas of the world now have
topographic maps available. In some areas, governments still control and limit
their availability; in other areas, the scale is too large to be of any serious
use for our purposes. The best scale “topos” to use are 1:24,000 (1 km = 4.1
cm). Each participant should understand what is meant by “contour interval” and
how that is reflected on the maps available for your area. Each participant
should also know how to orient a map to actual terrain and how to correctly
point it to true north with the corrected declination.
Directions without a compass
Good wilderness travelers always
keep a general sense of direction to their meanderings– one should always know
which direction is generally back to safety– home. If that gets missed, there’s
no point going in any direction. Always rely on one basic method of determining
direction even though you may choose to consult other methods. Here are some
alternate ways of direction-
finding.
1)
With your watch. Hold a small
stick (match) vertically over the center of the watch so that the shadow falls
along the hour hand. North should then be one half the distance between the
hour hand and 12 on the watch for Northern Hemisphere hikers. Southern
Hemisphere hikers can skip the stick; just aim the hour hand directly in the
direction of the sun and north will be halfway to 12.
2) If the sun cannot be seen, look at the tree tops. Some will show a
lighted surface and a darkened surface; these will give clues to the sun’s
direction. Also, hillsides will show somewhat more lighted and darkened sides.
Even clouds may show the direction by their tones or by sun rays popping
through.
3) Snow on the ground may be deeper on the north side of hills in the N.H.
or south side in S.H.
4) Plant life may help: broadleaf trees tend to grow on the side of
east-west valleys that have more sunlight and evergreens on sides with less
light. Spring flowers will be blooming ahead of schedule often by a week or
more on the same sunny sides of hills compared to the shade sides of hills. In
the N.H. these sunny sides are north sides facing south; in the S.H. they are
south sides facing north. The closer to the tropics... oh well.
5) Moss on trees or lichens on trees may work in limited locations but
normally does not have enough constancy to be reliable.
6) At night Polaris serves in the N.H. and a measure of four fingers off
the foot of the Southern Cross serves in the S.H.
7. Orienteering
Materials
needed:
Compass
for each participant
Set of
direction cards
20
numbered stakes
Long tape
measure
Optional:
Be Expert With Map and Compass by
Bjorn Kjellstrom
By this time, participants should
be familiar with the use of their compasses. The next step is to find out their
pace length. Set up the short orienteering course in an open field area with
the numbered stakes (or a 100-foot rope with numbered cards attached). These
have been placed at proper intervals along a 100-foot (29.3 mts.) magnetic
east-west course. This overall distance may serve first to measure paces. Have
participants walk the distance twice, counting their paces. Use the average of
the two trips for calculating distances during the short course.
Short
course:
Twenty numbered markers will be
placed at 5 ft (1.5 mts.) intervals along a magnetic east-west line.
Each participant is given a card
with a set of three directions/distances on it. Each card begins at a certain
numbered marker and will end at some other unknown marker to be verified by the
instructor for accuracy. Participants should make several attempts until they
achieve accuracy. Remember that since this is a very short course, a miss by
more than even a few feet will translate into major misses (even getting lost)
in a cross-country course.
Here are
instructions for ten cards. The above-mentioned book has more.
Start at
Point 1
Go 36 degrees for 122 ft (36.5 mts.) Then 149 degrees for 58 ft (17.1
mts.) Then 235 degrees for 86 ft (25.5 mts.) Destination....
Start at
Point 2
Go 17 degrees for 104 ft (31 mts.) Then 150 degrees for 52 ft (15.4
mts.) Then 142 degrees for 64 ft (19 mts.) Destination....
Start at
Point 3
Go 38 degrees for 125 ft (37 mts.) Then 237 degrees for 90 ft (26.5
mts.) Then 186 degrees for 50 ft (14.9 mts.) Destination....
Start at
Point 4
Go 36 degrees for 122 ft (36.5 mts.) Then 174 degrees for 50 ft (14.9
mts.) The 228 degrees for 74 ft (22 mts.) Destination....
Start at
Point 5
Go 22 degrees for 107 ft (31.9 mts.) Then 158 degrees for 54 ft (16
mts.) Then 186 degrees for 50 ft (14.9 mts.) Destination....
Start at Point 6
Go 3 degrees for 100 feet (29.5 mts.) Then 132 degrees for 74 ft (22
mts.) Then 225 degrees for 69 ft (20.4 mts.) Destination....
Start at Point 7
Go 34 degrees for 119 ft (35 mts.) Then 186 degrees for 50 ft (14.9
mts.) Then 228 degrees for 74 ft (22 mts.) Destination....
Start at Point 8
Go 346 degrees for 102 ft (30.1 mts.) Then 129 degrees for 78 ft (23
mts.) Then 211 degrees for 58 ft (17.1 mts.) Destination....
Start at Point 9
Go 346 degrees for 102 ft (30.1 mt) Then 129 degrees for 78 ft (23 mts.)
Then 186 degrees for 50 ft (14.9 mts.) Destination....
Start at Point 10
Go 343 degrees for 104 ft (31 mts.) Then 141
degrees for 64 ft (19 mts.) Then 145 degrees for 61 ft (18 mts.) Destination..
Destinations for above cards: 1: point 7; 2: point
19; 3: point 2; 4: point 8; 5: point
16;
6: point 8; 7:
point 8; 8: point 9; 9: point 15; 10: point
19.
Short
Cross-country Course:
A next step in expertise
development would be very useful at this time, even though it will likely fall
outside of the available time for this unit. If this seminar is being held in
an outdoor setting (i.e. youth camp) and there is ample open area available, a
shortened version of a standard cross-country course could be set up.
Instructors should outline a 6 -10-stop zigzag course over several acres
(hectares) so that the next stop is not necessarily visible from each previous
stop, yet participants are generally in view of instructors most of the time.
Prepare a set of directions and distances and provide only the first one to
participants; they must find each marker with its next set of instructions in
order to continue.
8.
Sabbath schedule and activities
Carefully planned weekend
campouts fly by so quickly, campers wonder where the time went and why they
have to go home already. There is so much that can be done that a club will
likely never complete everything they want to do, even in many camping trips.
However, when it comes to Sabbath activity planning, quite a few glitches slip
in that lead to discipline problems or conflicts with parents. Here are some
scheduling guidelines which can help keep Sabbath scheduling appropriate and of
value:
1) The program is not an end in itself; it is a tool by which the purposes
of camping are realized.
2)
Programs ought to be planned with
the members of the group which is to be served.
3)
All phases of the program should
be related to the developmental level of the campers who are to participate.
4) The
program should be child-centered, not activity or adult-centered.
5) The
program content should be based upon sound educational principles.
6) The program should consist of an integrated series of experiences
consistent with the overall purposes of the organization rather than a
hodgepodge of opportunistic stunts and isolated events.
7) Sabbath activities should be planned with the proper observance of the
Sabbath. Campers need carefully-planned and -structured activities during the
Sabbath hours.
We often plan the Sabbath
schedule around our own desires for the day, rather than around the needs of
the campers for a full, enjoyable, and meaningful day. Often wake-up time is
delayed compared to other day’s schedules, even though most campers are up
early and excited about their first day camping. In the afternoon, “free time”
is set aside so we may rest; however, the campers then find themselves with
unsupervised, unstructured time which will often be filled with
non-Sabbath-type activity. We should clearly understand the purpose God chose
for setting this day apart from the rest– as a time for communion with Him, a
time to learn more about Him through the means He has provided. Sometimes we
plan our Sabbaths at camp with more of a world’s view of worship, which
translates “Spend a little time in ‘church,’ then the rest of the time is
yours.”
While schedules for campouts will
vary in accordance to the specific purposes of the event, here’s a sample of a
weekend camping schedule which includes a carefully developed Sabbath schedule:
Friday
p.m.
|
|
3:00-5:45
|
Arrive
and prepare campsite
|
5:45-6:30
|
Supper
and cleanup
|
6:30-6:45
|
Vespers (assuming a 15-minute-before-sundown schedule)
|
7:00-9:00
|
Campfire
|
9:00-9:30
|
Prepare
for bed
|
9:30
|
Quiet
time
|
54
Sabbath
|
|
6:00
|
Rise
and personal duties
|
6:30-7:15
|
Early
morning inspirational walk
|
7:15-7:45
|
Morning
worship
|
7:45-8:30
|
Breakfast
and cleanup
|
8:30-9:00
|
Inspection
|
9:00-10:00
|
Sabbath
School activities*
|
10:00-11:00
|
Church
activities
|
11:00-12:30
|
Honor
activity I
|
12:30-1:30
|
Dinner
and cleanup
|
1:30-3:00
|
Honor
activity II
|
3:00-4:30
|
Class
level activity I
|
4:30-6:00
|
Class
level activity II
|
6:00-6:30
|
Special
activity©
|
6:30-6:45
|
Vespers
|
7:00-7:45
|
Supper
and cleanup
|
7:45-10:00
|
Campfire,
Honor activity III
|
10:00-10:30
|
Prepare
for bed
|
10:30
|
Quiet
time
|
Sunday
|
|
6:00
|
Rise
and personal duties
|
6:30-6:45
|
Morning
Worship
|
6:45-7:30
|
Breakfast
and cleanup
|
7:30-8:00
|
Inspection
|
8:00-12:00
|
Field
events (class levels/honors)
|
12:30-1:00
|
Dinner, break camp, clean up and leave for home
|
* Sabbath school, church, and activity periods can be switched around for
variety. Also, look for ways of utilizing the ambience to full advantage in
teaching the lessons from the Sabbath school materials so that it takes on a
different look from the traditional Sabbath school as held in church.
© Special activities can involve special guest presentation by park
personnel, visit to special attractions in the area, a special outreach to
other campers in the area or people living nearby, etc.
9.
Cold-weather camping
Cold weather carries with it
multiple interpretations based on geographical settings. For our purpose here
we define cold as when the temperatures approach, or drop below, freezing (32 ë
F or 0ë C). It is generally called winter. Webster’s English dictionary defines
winter:
Winter
(winter), n. 1. The coldest season of the year; 2. Any period regarded as a
time of decline, dreariness, etc. v.
1. To pass the winter: as in, “We winter in
Florida.”
It’s not a very exciting time of
year; it even sounds like an almost unbearable time that is better spent
somewhere warm. A common Pathfinder definition is: “That time of year we can’t
be outdoors and have to work on crafts.”
However,
with careful training, an alternative view is possible, as exemplified by
author
Harry
Roberts in his book Movin’ On:
“Then, when the time comes to do that traverse of
the Divide on cross-country skis, you’re ready. You know what’s out there– and
what’s inside you, too. And when that happens– winter just becomes the best
season of all... ah, the ecstasy of WINTER.”
A basic premise first: “Very few
things are final and absolute about winter hiking and camping. What one person
considers an eternal truth, another may consider to be heresy.”
With that clearly in mind, we
proceed here to extract a few observations from the above-mentioned book by
Harry Roberts, editor of Wilderness
Camping.
A few minutes should be spent in
presenting and/or discussing each section below with the strong admonition that
a winter-camping book be checked out of a library (better yet, purchased) prior
to making plans or even buying equipment for winter camping.
Cold– and You
· You burn more than twice as much fuel (calories) maintaining core
temperature in cold weather than in balmy weather.
· Breathing
accounts for up to 18% heat loss.
· Perspiration
accounts for another 18% heat loss.
·
The remaining 64% is controllable
and means the difference between fun and tragedy.
· Heat loss
is controlled by clothing and diet.
·
Body temperature warning signs:
Below 95ë F (35ë C), shivering becomes uncontrollable. This is your last
warning. “If uncontrollable shivering fails to reverse the downward plunge
of your temperature, the process thereafter is irreversible without an external
heat source.”
· Hypothermia exists in winter and summer, and is most often caused by
wind, wet and cold, not just cold.
·
Frostbite is a burn. Treatment is
gradual thawing of the part. Don’t rub or massage. Know your
first-aid well.
· Awareness, dry socks, and dry mittens are good insurance. Wet socks, wet
mittens, tight boots, fatigue, hunger, dehydration– usually coming in bunches
and very suddenly– cause the real thing.
For Starters
“Clothing can never produce heat; it can only
conserve the heat that you produce.”
· Boots– any type that can easily accommodate two pair of socks (one wool,
one lighter). Waterproofing is a must.
· Socks–
one wool (orlon), one lighter. (Too many socks cut down circulation.)
· Pants–
old pair (wool, no cuff). Jeans are a no-no– cotton kills.
· Undershirt–
polyester fishnet is best– no cotton T-shirt– cotton kills.
· Shirt
(wool) – oversized, flaps on pockets.
· Sweater
(wool) – one heavy or two light.
· Parka–
(slightly oversized, nylon shell) – long and good hood.
· Cap
(wool) – 60% heat loss through bare scalp can kill when the going gets tough.
· Mittens–
wool (not gloves) with an outer shell for later (see below).
· Sunglasses
·
keep dry– not much insulation
needed to keep warm as long as you’re dry. Ventilation is key to keeping dry.
· One inch (2.5 cm) of insulation (dry) keeps a walker warm at -40ë F (-40ë
C) That’s an 80-degree difference between wet and dry (44-degree difference in
centigrade). Make note and don’t forget!
Feet/Hands
One tough question: “If you had
to walk out of a winter incident and you could protect either your hands or
your feet from severe frostbite (but not both) what would you choose to
protect? The obvious and wrong answer is your feet.” You can walk on
frostbitten feet, but you are totally helpless with frostbitten hands. After
that morbid thought:
· Mild
weather– anything above 20ë F (-6.6ë C) and fairly dry.
· Less than
20ë F (-6.6ë C) = cold
°
requires different boots– high leather uppers
– rubber “feet”
– heavy
crepe soles
– thick
felt inner soles
– many
good name brands out there
° gaiters, over-pants, over-boots– each for different settings and type of
trip. Experiment, evaluate, use most suitable for your specific needs.
° gloves are useless except for short-term protection while performing
fussy chores.
°
woolen mittens with over-shell provides varying
conditions versatility.
°
when removed, place mittens where they’ll stay DRY.
°
lightweight gloves are useless for warmth;
heavyweight have their own problems.
° carry
extra pair of mittens in nice, snug, dry
corner of pack.
Cautions
· Remove
clothing before you sweat and replace it before you get cold.
· Don’t handle gas on a cold day without hand protection (maybe one good
use for those gloves). Spilled gas at -20ëF (-6.6ë C) is instant frostbite.
Side-track Rules
· Eat
before you’re hungry.
· Drink
before you’re thirsty.
· Peel off clothes
before you’re sweaty.
· Put on
clothes before you’re chilly.
· Rest
before you’re tired.
· Don’t do
it just to prove you can.
– Velocio
Food and Liquid
Important: All members of the party should be
knowledgeable in the use of soup stoves.
Recommended
books: The Well-Fed Backpacker, by
June Fleming
Paradise Below Zero, by
Calvin Rustman
· Everybody needs fuel– about 1,000 calories more/day in winter than in
summer. When your body runs out of fuel, it starts to affect the liver, the
fatty tissues, the muscle tissue, etc. A big part of winter ecstasy depends on
food.
· Dehydration
increases a sense of cold, a chance of frostbite, and mountain sickness.
· Water– a safe minimum amount is between one quart and 1 ½ quarts per 50
pounds of body weight per day. (That’s .9-1.2 lt/23 kg of body weight/day)
· One-pot meals are best. They stay hot longer, are easier to prepare and
require less snow-melt and fuel.
· Pre-mix
meals in plastic bags and carefully label– the more the better.
· Enrich everything with sugar, milk or butter. Use quickest form of
cooking of whatever you’re preparing.
· A stove is very important. It should be in good working condition before
leaving, and spare parts and/or second stove should be taken along in the pack.
· At night
keep one small water bottle per person in sleeping bags. Watch for leaks!
Note: “While you’re enjoying your meal, look around at the spectacular white
world. You’re warm, well-fed,
well-rested. You’re completely at home in the toughest environment civilized
man has to contend with– or so he thinks. You know better. My, my, isn’t all
that silence pretty?”
Tents
Important–
All members of the party should be knowledgeable in
tent setup. Winter is not the time to
learn the basics of camping!
· Condensation– As long as there’s a difference in temperature
inside/outside, there will be some degree of condensation. You may have to dry
out inside-out.
· For support structure, consider a dome, wedge, etc. over the two-pole Ù-shaped.
They are more versatile in snow conditions.
· The “secret” for pitching a tent in snow is to pack the snow down well.
In fact, pack your whole campsite down.
· The tents should be up and bags laid out with just enough time before
eating to change into a dry undershirt and heavy parka.
· In winter camping, a campsite should be selected in a “little snuggle”
of conifers for a better site.
·
Set up camp early--noon to early
afternoon. This will allow for a better site location, better preparation of
site, and more time to enjoy it.
· If possible, select a site that has running water nearby. It saves fuel
and the work of snow melt.
· Don’t
cook inside a tent except in an emergency. You may create an emergency.
· A “French candle lantern” adds 10 degrees to a tent and up to 30 degrees
to a snow cave.
Sleeping Gear
· For winter
camping it is not necessary to go out
and buy a $300 special, super-
deluxe,
triple-thick, rare goose-down sleeping bag.
· A
sleeping bag comes after boots, underwear, mittens, hat, shell, parka, stove,
etc.
· Most decent bags are good for 25ë F (-4 C), especially when combined
with good underwear (and it’s a mummy bag). Need a little extra? Get a cheap
summer bag that fits over or inside your present bag.
· Put a cheap full-length closed-cell foam pad underneath the sleeping bag
to keep cold from the ground away from your bag and body. The polyfoam pads
covered by nylon don’t work in winter, because they permit air to flow under
you, which will be cold air. (2 inches [5 cm] of open cell foam equals ½ inch
[1 cm] closed-cell foam.)
· Take
along a bivouac sack, if possible.
· “The
People Sandwich”
Outer
layer– bivouac sack
Second
layer– closed-cell foam pad (under you)
Third
layer– sleeping bags (one or two)
Fourth
layer– you (with or without extra underwear but with a hat)
The People Sandwich adds more weight and bulk
perhaps, but it is more versatile. It is good from below freezing up to the hot
summer. It is less expensive than those special winter bags which are miserable
just a few degrees above freezing.
Travel
· Boot type and backpack are critical to enjoyable skiing with a heavy
pack. Boots need to be sturdy, leather high-toppers, with steel shanks. (Not
the lightweight synthetic “ridge runners”) Packs should be internal-frame
rucksacks that hug your body and stay close to your center of gravity.
· Ski touring is primarily for day trips. Multi-day trips with big packs
on untracked snow are quite possible, but not practical for early experience
attempts.
· Ski touring is hard, physical work. Skiing well (or poorly) is sweaty.
So is snow-shoeing. Greater care is needed in clothing selection and
ventilation control.
· Snowshoes– not just any shoe will do. Take time to evaluate your needs,
interests, and the primary terrain you’ll be involved with. Perhaps rent
different styles for the first couple trips. Study the advantages of the three
basic types of snowshoes (open country, general purpose, climbing). You’ll stay
out longer, go out more often, and find it more enjoyable if you choose the
right snowshoes.
If you
already have a backpack and maybe a day pack, don’t buy one for now:
· You may
want to add a waterproof nylon cover for your pack.
· Close all zippers, as snow always finds a slightly open zipper,
especially when T. P., dry socks, or spare mittens are just inside. Extend the
zipper pulls with key-chains, leader thongs, etc. This makes them a lot easier
to work when fingers are cold and zippers are frozen.
· An extra detachable pocket or two is helpful, since winter gear is
bulkier. These are available in most outdoor shops or can be easily made.
· Seal all
seams of the backpack with silicone waterproofing.
· Make sure the pack fits well when you’re wearing extra clothing. The fit
is more important than features.
Trip Organization
· In Pathfindering, trip organization should not require much discussion.
However, some strange things happen between ideal and reality. Responsibility.
· Each
participant’s actions enhance or endanger the whole group.
· A winter party shall consist of four or more persons, never
fewer. In case of an injury, one stays with the injured while two go for help.
· All
routes in remote country are hazardous due to the snow cover and weather.
· A party must move at the pace of its slowest member. There is a nominal
leader (in charge of emergencies), and the real leader is the slowest or most
tired.
· In larger groups than four, foursomes should be self-contained,
self-sufficient, and be prepared to take care of an injured hiker, etc.
· Each
person should take care of his/her own food and personal needs, as well as
have along emergency equipment, as designated by the group leader
(nominal leader).
Caution: If you are out to have a good time, take the precautions to have the
little extras that will ensure a safe
time, as well.
Build up– practice
Two-hour walk on a pretty cold day
°
The usual outfit: long johns, wool pants, wind
pants, wool socks, gaiters, net shirt, wool shirt, parka, hat, mittens
°
In day pack: spare mittens, spare hat, matches,
compass and map, pocket knife, emergency food pack, vest, water bottle or
thermos
°
Sunglasses in pocket, hard candies in another Day
trip
°
The usual outfit as practiced above
°
Mid-size pack and add to above:
extra socks, trail food, teapot, stove, polarguard parka (for lunchtime),
sleeping bag, bivouac sack, foam pad, small tarp, map, whistle
°
Take along a compass, preferably
attached to a lanyard. Include an extra shirt or sweater in the pack, depending
on the weather forecast
Overnight or weekend
° Add food, more complete cooking gear, and T. P. too, if you didn’t
already guess.
· First-aid kits, which tend to grow as needs are encountered. Consider
Advil in place of aspirin for headaches. Include waterproof matches.
· Extra glasses/contacts. Broken glasses or lost contacts aren’t much for
keeping you out of harms way.
· Lip salve
and glacier cream
· Pocket
knife and small sharpening stone
· Backpacker
thermometer
·
Waterproof matches– one set in
pocket, two or more sets in pack. A set in emergency kit never used– hopefully.
60
· A light– flashlight or headlamp. Head lamps are increasingly popular and
keep hands free.
· Biodegradable
soap and paper cleaning cloths
C.
Pathfinder and Community Ministry .............................3 hours
1. What is
Pathfinder Ministry?
Pathfinder Ministry is everything
that is done with and for Pathfinders in the church’s relationship to the
family, the community, and the world.
Proverbs 22:6 “Train up (Hebrew– to create a special desire) a child in
the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
Too often we decide to have a
child wait till he/she is older before they are allowed to participate in
various levels of outreach, then we wonder why we have so many adult
bench-warmers in the church.
When does Pathfinder Ministry happen?
_ When
youth live out their faith in the church, community, and in the world.
_ When
youth and adults together share their faith and life in all areas of church
ministry.
_ When
youth and adults support and care for one another in Christ. Pathfinder
Statements of Mission
1) Mission Statement:
“ The Pathfinder Club is an organization of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church, dedicated to meeting the social, physical,
mental, and spiritual needs of youth ages 10-16 by challenging them to
experiencing a personal relationship with Christ, having a sense of achievement
and responsibility, and developing respect for God’s creation including his
fellow human beings.”
2) Goals:
Pathfinder Ministry seeks to meet
the Pathfinder’s present and unfolding needs, to the end that we bring them to
self-fulfillment and maturity in Christian faith, characterized by their
decision to:
· Accept
Jesus Christ as a personal Savior and Lord
· Reflect
internalized Christian values through mature decision-making and behavior.
· Exhibit
the righteousness, true holiness, and fullness of stature of Christ.
· Demonstrate leadership skills, enabled and empowered to become full
partners in active selfless service supporting the mission of the church.
3) Purpose:
· To lead membership into a growing,
redemptive relationship with God
· To build its membership into responsible,
mature individuals
· To involve its membership in active,
selfless service
4) Objectives:
· The Pathfinder Club will encourage its members to belong to the church,
confess their Christian faith, and take an active part in fellowship, worship,
outreach, and service.
· The Pathfinder Club will involve its members as full partners in all
aspects of the church’s ministry to its members, to the community, and to the
world.
· The Pathfinder Club will challenge its members in the mission and
ministry of Christ through the church so that God’s Word becomes meaningful and
fruitful in their lives.
How does Pathfinder Ministry happen?
1) When we exercise in selected activities
“The only way to grow in grace (2 Peter 3:18) is to
be disinterestedly doing the very work which Christ has enjoined upon us to
engage, to the extent of our ability, in helping and blessing those who need
the help we can give them. Strength comes by exercise; activity is the very
condition of life. Those who endeavor to maintain Christian life by passively
accepting the blessings that come through the means of grace, and doing nothing
for Christ, are simply trying to live by eating without working. And in the
spiritual as in the natural world, this always results in degeneration and
decay. A man who would refuse to exercise his limbs would soon lose all power
to use them. Thus the Christian who will not exercise his God-given powers, not
only fails to grow up in to Christ, but he loses the strength that he already
had.” SC 80-81
See also Matthew 25:31-46 (the
parable of the sheep and goats); Luke 10:25-37 (the parable of the God
Samaritan); John 13:15 “I have given you an example, that ye should do as I
have done to you.” and 1 Timothy 4:8 “For physical training is of some value,
but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present
life and the life to come.”
2) When we become need oriented
Christ’s
method of ministry alone will give true success in reaching the people.
The
Savior–
· mingled
with men as one who desired their own good
· showed
His sympathy for them
· ministered
to their needs
· won their
confidence
Personal Ministry– “There is a
need of coming close to the people by personal effort. If less time were given
to sermonizing, and more time were spent in personal ministry, greater results
would be seen.
· The poor
are to be relieved,
· The sick
cared for,
· The
sorrowing and the bereaved comforted,
· The
ignorant instructed,
· The
inexperienced counseled,
· We are to
weep with those that weep…
· Rejoice
with those that rejoice.
Accompanied by the power of persuasion, the power
of prayer, the power of the love of God, this work will not, cannot, be without
fruit” (MH 143-144). See also COL 326, 4T 56.
Conditions of Christian Growth
“And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in
knowledge and in all judgment ... being filled with the fruits of
righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God”
(Phil. 1:9-11). Read GAG 285 for an expanded understanding of this verse.
· The science of soul saving
“The highest of all sciences is the science of soul saving. The greatest
work to which human beings can aspire is the work of winning men from sin to
holiness. For the accomplishment of this work a broad foundation must be laid.
A comprehensive education is needed” (MH 398). See also 4T 67.
· A balanced emphasis is essential, because skill without motivation is dormant and useless, and motivation without skill lacks logic, is ineffective,
and may be destructive.
Results of Pathfinder Ministry
“For the fruit of the spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and
truth. (Eph. 5:9)” See also Gal. 5:22,23.
“The spirit of unselfish labor for others gives depth, stability, and
Christ like loveliness to the character, and brings peace and happiness to its
possessor. The aspirations are elevated. There is no room for sloth or
selfishness. Those who thus exercise the Christian graces will grow and will
become strong to work for God. They will have clear spiritual perceptions, a
steady, growing faith, and an increased power in prayer. The Spirit of God,
moving upon their spirit, calls forth the sacred harmonies of the soul, in
answer to the divine touch. Those who thus devote themselves to unselfish
effort for the good of others are most surely working out their own salvation”
(SC 80). See also 4T 56.
Spiritual Maturity
“He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all
heavens, that he might fill all things. And he gave some, apostles; and some,
prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the
perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the
body of Christ. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the
knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature
of the fullness of Christ. That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to
and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men,
and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the
truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even
Christ” (Eph. 4:10-15). See also GAG 285.
Reward
“And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may
be confident and unashamed before him at his coming. If you know that he is
righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.
How great is the love the Father has
·
Achievement Major Concept:
|
lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is
what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been
made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we
shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself,
just as he is pure” (1 John 2:28-3:3).
2.
Pathfinder Class curriculum applied to ministry
AY Classes: We include here all
those promoted by the General Conxference Youth Department, including those
used in the Adventurer and Pathfinder programs. These are also called
Adventurer Classes, Pathfinder Levels, and/or other similar terms, depending on
the geographical area. Following is a list as they are known throughout most of
the world (some areas have opted for different nomenclature as well as number
of classes available):
$ %$ $
%" % $ %&
& % ' % (
% ) %*
% + %,
All curriculum must clearly focus
on the following overall objectives in a developmental, age-related continuum.
Concepts and Educational Objectives
Young people need to experience successful completion of worthwhile
tasks with a sense of purpose.
Educational
Objective: As a result of this learning experience, I want my youth to:
1. Know that the joy of achievement
is the fruit of faithful effort.
2. Feel the satisfaction of
achievement.
3. Respond by setting high personal
goals and by faithfulness in performance.
·
Responsibility
Major Concept: Young
people should learn to accept and faithfully carry
responsibility
in accordance with the age and experience.
Educational
Objective: As a result of this learning experience, I want my youth to:
1. Know that
fulfilling and discharging responsibility is an important part of
life, is
pleasing to God, and brings us joy.
2. Feel willing to accept
responsibility.
3. Respond by faithfully and
cheerfully performing their duties.
· Respect
for Authority
Major Concept: Young
people need to understand and accept the principle of
authority.
Educational
Objective: As a result of this learning experience, I want my youth to:
1.
Know that respect for authority
is a biblical principle, that God’s laws come first, and that just rules
enhance their happiness.
2. Feel
comfortable and secure in accepting and relating to authority.
3. Respond
by showing respect for authority; by obeying God, parents, teachers,
· Personal Growth (General)
Content Statement:
|
and those
in authority.
Class Track Objectives
Developing an awareness of personal worth and
accomplishment is very important to the development of a well-adjusted, happy
Christian young person.
A personal relationship with Jesus is basic to
Christianity and essential to salvation in the spiritual development of the
young person.
Educational
Objective: As result of this learning experience, I want my youth to:
1.
Know Jesus as their personal
Savior, of the Christian way of life, and that Jesus is relevant in all facets
of living.
2. Feel the
joy of a faith relationship and be comfortable in sharing it.
3.
Respond by accepting Jesus Christ
as a personal Savior; by developing personal devotional habits; and by becoming
involved in the church and its mission.
· Spiritual
Discovery
Content
Statement: Recognizing the leading of
Jesus and the Holy Spirit in the lives of biblical characters introduces our
youth to the reality of the presence of Jesus and the Holy Spirit in their own
lives. This will, to a great degree, determine the depth of spiritual
commitment in their lives.
Major
Concept: Young people need to become familiar with the Bible, appreciate its
relevance, and apply its principles.
Educational
Objective: As a result of this learning experience, I want my youth to:
1.
Know how to discover God’s will
for their lives through the study of the Bible; how to utilize their Bibles on
an ongoing basis; and that the Bible is a guide for life.
2.
Feel comfortable and competent in
using the Bible as a source of spiritual guidance.
3. Respond
by believing it, using it, and sharing it.
· Serving
Others
Content Statement: As a young person begins to
recognize and focus on the needs
of others,
the thoughts that
are naturally self-centered
diminish
and service begins to widen in scope, eventually
embracing
the complete family of God.
Major Concept: God wants
young people to be helpful and to witness for Him.
Educational
Objective: As a result of this learning experience, I want my youth to:
1.
Know all are called to serve and
that they should know their spiritual gifts and how to use them.
2. Feel a
love for others and a desire to respond to God’s call to service and
witness.
3.
Respond by using their spiritual
gifts, by developing witnessing skills, and by encouraging their friends to
serve and witness.
· Friendship
Development
Content
Statement: Youth are social creatures
that readily respond to peer pressure. Developing good Christian friendships
encourages spiritual and social growth patterns that are positive in nature and
eternal in scope.
Major
Concept: We should appreciate the peoples and cultures which make up our “neighborhood”
– based on Christ’s definition of neighbor.
Educational
Objective: As a result of this learning experience, I want my youth to:
1.
Know the symbols of their
national heritage; understand what constitutes friendship and how they are
formed.
2.
Feel true, healthy patriotism and
responsibility as citizens; feel that they are a true friend and have true
friends.
3.
Respond by demonstrating respect
for their country and all fellow human beings.
· Health
and Fitness
Content Statement: Healthy
bodies enable youth to develop healthy minds. The
mind and
body are so totally intertwined that each determines,
to a
great extent, the effectiveness and worth of the other.
Major Concept: Good
health and physical fitness is an integral part of
practical
religion.
Educational
Objective: As a result of this learning experience I want my youth to:
1.
Know God has given them
principles for the maintenance of good health; and the practice of these
principles brings health and happiness.
2. Feel
thankful for God’s plan of health and physical fitness.
3.
Respond by choosing a healthy
lifestyle; by following the principles of hygiene and good nutrition; and a
reasonable program of physical fitness.
· Organization
and Leadership Development
Content
Statement: Typical of youth is the
desire to belong to a special group of peers. As the only completely voluntary
organization for their age group found in the church, Pathfinders is uniquely
qualified to fill this need. This is accomplished for a very broad range of
interests and can be as in-depth as desired.
Major
Concept: Young people should learn to work together in worthwhile projects.
Educational
Objective: As a result of this learning experience, I want my youth to:
1.
Know that teamwork, based on
group discipline, is necessary for the successful performance of projects and
duties.
2. Feel the
joy of cooperative effort.
3.
Respond by listening to the ideas
of others, and by cooperating with them in the performance of worthwhile tasks
and activities.
· Nature
Study
Content
Statement: God speaks to the youth, as
a whole, through nature more effectively than through any other medium. In
nature, the character and love of God are displayed more graphically than in
any other medium or method. The heart of the youth, removed from all that is
artificial, will naturally reach out to God when He is displayed in this
manner.
Major Concept: God’s
character is revealed in nature.
Educational
Objective: As a result of this learning experience, I want my youth to:
1.
Know nature teaches them about
God and Christian living; that sin has spoiled beauty, but God promises to
restore it.
2.
Feel the exhilaration of being
part of the natural world, and appreciation for God’s gifts in nature.
3.
Respond by learning to observe
nature; by taking an interest in animate and inanimate things; by being kind to
living creatures; and by taking care of their environment.
· Outdoor
Life
Content Statement: As our youth learn to overcome
physical problems in the out-
of-doors,
they will transfer the successes gained and the
lessons
learned here to other problems they face, regardless of
the
source. The self-image will improve and the effectiveness
will
increase by an observable degree.
Major Concept: Leisure-time
activities are guided by Christian standards.
Educational
Objective: As result of this learning experience, I want my youth to:
1.
Know recreation is part of God’s
plan and young people should know the biblical principles that affect their
choice of activities.
2. Feel
happy in the knowledge that God can bless their recreational activities.
3.
Respond by choosing suitable
recreational activities in harmony with biblical principles.
· Lifestyle
Enrichment
Content
Statement: Growth at each stage of
development is an essential experience for the youth in personal development.
Public acknowledgment of this growth increases the awareness of personal growth
and value in the youth. The honor program partially supplies this need.
Major
Concept: Developing life skills prepares young people to meet a variety of
situations and encourages resourcefulness.
Educational
Objective: As a result of this learning experience, I want my youth to:
1. Know the basic emergency,
survival, and vocational skills.
2.
Feel the joy of Pathfindering and
the pleasure and self-confidence that comes with the acquisition of new and
useful skills.
3.
Respond by developing and putting
to good use their manual, outdoor, and survival skills.
At this
point, it would be a good idea for the instructor to take several minutes to
review the various class requirements and show how each one fits with the above
outlined concepts and objectives.
3.
Service Learning
The combination of these two
words may create a problem for some. Service is often viewed as “us helping
them.” However, service learning implies that the person involved in service
projects is the one also who is doing the learning. This gives an added
dimension to volunteerism which may not have been thought of before, yet is
essential if the concept of service actually accomplishes its objectives with
our Pathfinders.
First, let’s take a look at the
concept as Jesus taught it. In an article by Gordon MacDonald in Leadership (Spring of 2000) we find some
excellent principles outlined using Matthew 20:28 as the basis: “…the Son of man did not come to be served, but to
serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” When He would speak of that
which was ahead– suffering, martyrdom, etc. - they seemed to prefer occupying
themselves with arguing who would be the most important. Winning by serving vs.
winning by power has always been the “great divide” in human understanding. We
glibly talk about serving in our churches. The words sound very nice, but ask
yourself, “How much of it actually takes place?” “Jesus’ brand of servanthood
means that everyone (child, leper, non-church member, opposite gender, sinner)
is more important than me. Servanthood means that all I have and all I am is
placed at your disposal, if it will bring you into the presence of God.
Servanthood is not about how I add value to my life, but about how I add value
to yours... Serving changes the world, ruling does not.”
A couple questions:
If we think of ourselves as servants, whom are we
here to serve? What specifically can we do to serve them?
What servant skills are evident in our leadership
team? What skills need to be further developed?
Recent study:
Only 29% of Protestant young
people have spent 11 hours or more in a congregation-sponsored service project in
their lifetime. When pastors were asked about what their congregations
emphasize, service and social action were at the bottom of a list of 22
options.
Serving others is not only a
central demand of the gospel; it has positive values for our youth. Statistics
show that youth who are involved in serving others are less likely to be involved
in at-risk behaviors and are more likely to develop the kind of pro-social
orientation that spills over into choice-making, career selection, and other
positive side benefits. A negative that easily slips in is paternalism: “I have
it, you don’t, therefore I know exactly what you need, and here it is.”
So what
really is service learning? From the book Beyond
Leaf Raking (page 11) here’s a set
of
defining statements:
“Service-learning happens in the youth group that
spends a week rebuilding homes in [a back-water place] and spends the evenings–
and weeks that follow– reflecting on its lifestyle, faith commitments, and
Christian responsibilities for people in poverty.
“Service-learning happens in the [baptismal class]
that learns about elements of Christian worship by preparing and leading a
worship service in a nursing home or prison.
“Service-learning happens in the [Sabbath school
class] that prepares a guide on issues in an upcoming election– with its
understanding of the impact of the issues on the church’s commitments– and
distributes it to the congregation.
“Service-learning happens in the youth group that
runs a hotline for other young people who need a listening ear, and has regular
training sessions to learn caring skills and ways to address specific problems.
“Service-learning happens in the youth group that
initiates a peer-counseling program, teaching young people how to care for one
another and helping them process these experiences in faith terms.
“Service-learning happens when a teenager spends
Thursday afternoons tutoring at the elementary school, then reflects on that
experience in [Sabbath school] two days later.
“Service-learning happens in the family that serves
soup in the homeless shelter and uses the experience as the catalyst for
rethinking family priorities and spending habits.
“Service-learning happens in the youth group that
researches and writes a drama about the environment to encourage other churches
to take care of creation.”
Notice that each sentence is not
just listing a project of some type. There is a second component to each which
is the difference between just another project and true service-learning.
Notice, also, the focus of the honors in development and relief and their focus
on community understanding, baseline surveys, etc., which are used to provide
input into problem solving and project development. We may have it and they may
not, but they also understand what is most needed and we do not.
Service-learning is a wholistic approach to learning; it’s a way of thinking
and doing and growing.
D. Resource
Materials ......................................................2 hours
“You are
the same tomorrow as you are today with the exception of the people you meet
and
the books
you read.”
Major
resources immediately available:
People Church,
community, state/province, federal
Printed matter Books,
magazines, newspapers
Media Videos,
cassettes, radio, DVD, CD, TV, websites
Seventh-day Adventist Organizations:
1. Church
membership
· Hobbies,
skills, talents
2. Field/Conference
· Office
personnel, office library
· Camp
facility, environment
· Campmeeting,
youth meetings, retreats, leadership weekends, seminars
3. Union
· Office
personnel, office library
· Workshops,
retreats, seminars
4. Division
· Youth
ministry material resources
· Departmental
personnel, office library
· Youth
Ministry and Youth Evangelism centers
5. General
Conference
· Department personnel and material resources (catalogue available upon
request, see also web page through General Conference...Youth.)
Community:
1. Books–
public library, new and used book stores
2. Newspaper
3.
Youth organizations– other church
youth groups, YMCA/YWCA, scouts, other international youth clubs
4.
Schools, public and private–
teachers, libraries, administrators, seminars, adult education classes
5.
Professionals– health, police,
social workers, psychologists, local merchants, craft stores
6. Public
offices– appointed and elected officials, museums, zoos, parks, reserves
State/Provincial, Country:
There are numerous governmental agencies
full of personnel and printed materials that are there for our use. Most
countries have specialized facilities such as parks, museums, even university
departments interested in promoting their areas or looking for assistance of
any kind. All one needs is an inquisitive nose, a penchant for being friendly
and a willingness to volunteer services. Also there are numerous specialized
activity clubs and societies in every country comprised of collectors and other
“fanatics” of given fields of endeavor/hobbies who are always willing to
provide expertise on nearly every honor in the handbook.
Note: Instructors should take time to
show a large sampling of available materials– this, of course, means that instructors of this section must be specialists
in being nosey!
E. Pathfinder Drill and Ceremonies ...................................2
hours
Objective: Demonstrate that
participants have a clear understanding of drill and marching commands for the
following listed uses, and be able to satisfactorily execute these commands as
outlined and within the common usage of your country.
1.
Commands
· Vocabulary
· Voice
control and commands
· Foot commands
2.
Individual
drill
· Position of Attention
· Rest positions from the halt
· Facing from the halt
· Salute
3.
Basic club
drill
· Column left/right
· Left/right flank
· Change step
· Rear march
· Forming the club
· Dismissing the club
4.
Club
guidon drill
· Order guidon
· Rest positions
· Carry positions
· Raised guidon
· Present guidon
· Guidon bearer’s salute
5. Flag
customs and procedures
· Displays
· Marching
· Raising/lowering
6.
Program
ceremonies
· Opening ceremonies
· Closing ceremonies
· Pathfinder Sabbath
· Pathfinder Induction
· Pathfinder Investiture
7.
Club
inspections
· Uniform
· Club/activities
· Campsite
8.
Advanced
drill
· Pass in review
· Eyes right
· Open ranks/close ranks
· Aligning the club
Some general guidelines regarding
flags:
At church, when flags are displayed on the platform, the national flag will be on
the speaker’s right as he faces the audience (and on the audience’s left). All
other flags will be on the speaker’s left or to the left of the national flag.
When more than one country’s flag is displayed, all national flags will be on
matching poles and matching height, with the host country flag at the far right
or centered.
In procession, when flags are carried in procession (aisle of church, outside), the
national flag will either lead by itself or be to the right in the direction of
travel, if paired with another flag of lesser rank. Generally when paired, they
fly: national, provincial; Christian, AY; Pathfinder, Adventurer. Remember, the
national flag never dips in salute but is raised to vertical; all other flags
dip in salute.
When posting colors, the national flag is posted first, followed by the others in order of
rank; civil flags always rank above church flags, following the servanthood
concept of Christianity.
On a flagpole, when two or more flags are on the same pole, the national flag is
always on top. Flags of more than one country should never be flown on the same
poles (they must be on separate
poles). When multiple country flags are flown, the host country flag is always
raised first and lowered last. Other country flags are raised and lowered
simultaneously, lesser flags follow.
At a campsite, the national flag will be to your right of the entrance, if you are
standing in the entrance and looking out.
Notes,
Commands, Diagrams:
F. Outdoor
Education .......................................................3 hours
1. Concepts
of outdoor education
God initially provided an
incredible natural world as man’s learning textbook. With our wandering away
from God and His plan, He found it necessary to produce a second textbook in
black and white– the Bible. Because we are still insisting on staying so far
from Him, the Bible remains the most important textbook for mankind, with
nature coming in second place. Yet, both of these are so far ahead of anything
that follows that a third text is never included in any reference to the first
two. Notice this from a Review and Herald article as quoted in Messages to Young People, page 253:
“The study of the Bible is superior to all other
study in strengthening the intellect...Those who profess to love God and
reverence sacred things, and yet allow the mind to come down to the superficial
and unreal, are placing themselves on Satan’s ground, and are doing his work.
If the young would study the glorious works of God in nature, and His majesty
and power as revealed in His word, they would come from every such exercise
with faculties quickened and elevated.”
Here’s
one from Desire of Ages, pages
516-517, also quoted in Child Guidance,
page 534:
“Teach the children to see Christ in nature. Take
them out into the open air, under the noble trees, into the garden; and in all
the wonderful works of creation teach them to see an expression of His love.
Teach them that He made the laws which govern all living things, that He has
made laws for us, and that these laws are for our happiness and joy. Do not
weary them with long prayers and tedious exhortations, but through nature’s
object lessons teach them obedience to the law of God.”
These and many more similar
quotes regarding God’s approach to learning as delivered via the writings of
Ellen White give a clear picture of the value of a relatively new approach to
education– outdoor education– the use of nature in the process of teaching
youth most all of their basic education requirements along with a number of
learning opportunities not possible in normal classroom settings.
Pathfinder leaders have the
remarkable privilege of reaching youth through experiences that will remain
with them forever. These encounters that you, as a leader, create for your
Pathfinders will shape the way he/she perceives the world. Therefore, it is
important to design fun, hands-on activities that reach beyond simply
understanding concepts. Outdoor education accomplishes this by involving the
whole child in outdoor activities, instilling in them a curiosity and desire
for learning.
What is outdoor education? Outdoor
education is a fresh approach to teaching, observing, and learning. As leaders
and children venture beyond the safety of the Pathfinder club room and into the
great outdoors, learning takes on a whole new meaning. Here students discover
intricacies in their world by seeing, touching, hearing, smelling and tasting
the world they have only read about in textbooks. They participate in practical
uses of math and geometry, include all their senses in writing poetry, learn
the skills of those who used those lands in the past, develop teamwork with
both independence and dependence in clear balance, and most important of all,
learn to read the book of nature with a clear understanding of its authorship.
Outdoor education, in brief, is the
concept
that any subject in any curriculum can be taught out-of-doors.
2. Nature
awareness
Environmental education covers
topics such as solid-waste disposal; water, air, and soil quality; food chains;
and animal/plant life. An awareness of the world around us is accompanied by
the fact that we can contribute to its betterment or ruin on an individual
basis. Here is something in which one person can make a difference if they
choose so. It is an area that does not require major funding nor official
authorization or recognition. It is incorporated into a lifestyle and becomes a
passion. The sky is the limit to that which might be accomplished, and the
Nature Honors become the springboards of adventure.
The recognitions provided to
Pathfinders by local governments, park and reserve administrations, and others
are too numerous to list here but range all the way from free access to paid
admission locations to annual special recognition days set aside for the
efforts and contributions Pathfinders have made to enhancing the community’s
awareness of the value of their natural world.
Pathfindering sensitizes
Pathfinders to their outdoor worlds, who then in turn sensitize their
communities to the same.
3.
Spiritual applications of nature
We have stayed away from listing
books available under most of the topics in this manual, because it seems that
as soon as the manual is published, it becomes outdated, thanks to these lists.
We list here some, only as examples of the kinds of materials that have been
available at one time or another. As leaders, we must never rest in our search
for good useable printed matter. There is always something new out there, maybe
not right now at the moment we urgently need it, but it’s there none-the-less,
so we must obtain them when we find them, not when we need them.
Lantry, Eileen E. A Family Guide to Sabbath Nature Activities, Children’s Ministry
Department, General Conference
Headstrom, Richard. Nature In
Miniature, Dover Publications Tucker, James A. Windows on God’s World, Review and Herald Clark, Robert E. D. God Beyond Nature, Pacific Press
Utt,
Richard H. and others Creation, Nature’s
Designs and Designer, Pacific Press
Some basic premises need to be understood:
“He alone who recognizes in nature his Father’s
handiwork...learns from the things of nature their deepest lessons, and
receives their highest ministry” (Ed 119,120).
“Science is ever discovering new wonders; but she
brings from her research nothing that, rightly understood, conflicts with
divine revelation” (Ed 128).
“The Christian believes that in Christ he has died,
yet he is more alive than before and he fully expects to live forever. He walks
on earth while seated in heaven and though born on earth he finds that after
his conversion he is not at home here. Like the nighthawk, which in the air is
the essence of grace and beauty but on the ground is awkward and ugly, so the
Christian appears at his best in the heavenly places but does not fit well into
the ways of the very society into which he was born” (A. W. Tozer, The Best of Tozer, p 98).
One method and example:
Step One:
Take any simple object in nature, and search out
how it has been used by others to illustrate spiritual lessons.
Step Two:
Utilize the Bible first, then the Spirit of
Prophecy, then other religious/nature authors. For instance: SAND
A good concordance will show that SAND was used in
the Bible (Cruden’s is a good one). The Bible has 28 references. Look them up,
read the references in context to see how the Bible authors used SAND to
illustrate their point being made.
Next, the
Comprehensive Index to the Writings of Ellen G. White may be used.
Volume 3
lists 18 ways with at least 27 references, read them as well.
Look up some of your favorite authors, some books
on minerals, marine habitats, etc. to get further information which might be
useful.
Step
Three:
Pick the direction or end focus for your devotional
and build the presentation with the information gleaned:
–Sand
Have a small cupful of sand. If
you are camping at or near the beach, obviously it would be much better. At one
or two points during the presentation, you will want to have a handful of sand
run through your fingers either onto the ground, into your other hand, or back
into the cup.
Presentation:
I wonder if anyone here would
like to spend the day today counting the grains of sand I have in my hand?
Probably not, right?, there’s too much other fun stuff to do. I wonder how many
handfuls of sand there are on the beaches around us here? Or how many handfuls
on just the beaches of our coastal boundaries? Not even thinking of all the
beaches and all the rivers of the world!
When God wants to use a
superlative that is too big to understand, He likes to refer to sand. In the
Bible He used sand 28 times to get the point across. Several uses are in
reference to His people multiplying and being so many that, like sand, there is
no point in counting – if they are
willing to follow God©s commands. In fact a couple times He said, “If you would
only listen, you
will be like the sand” (See Isa. 48:19). But too
often we have not listened, so He has had to admonish that “even though you
have become like the sand, few will come home” (Isa 10:22).
We read about sand being used to
describe large armies, the grain that Joseph collected in Egypt before the
famine, even the number of widows left by war. In Revelation, we find that the
wicked rallying around Satan are as the sand. In Jeremiah, God associates His
creative power with putting a boundary on the seas by using sand.
There are other uses for sand in
the Bible, but four really stand out. First, in Proverbs 27:3, I read
that “carrying a heavy stone or a load of sand is easier than carrying the
troubles caused by a fool.” And, second, related to that is I Kings
4:29, which describes the blessings of God upon Solomon: wisdom, insight, good
judgment, and understanding; to be as the sands. Two opposites: a fool and a
wise man, both with sand in the illustration of their being. Is our behavior
worse than carrying around a load of sand? Or have we asked God to give us even
a handful of sand’s worth of understanding? Something to think about, isn©t it?
Then there are the other two
uses: Job and David. Job finds himself so weighted down by problems and grief
over what has happened to him and his family that he can only think of it in
terms like: “If only my grief could be weighed and all my anguish placed on
scales, they would weigh more than the sands of the seas.” Have you ever felt
like that? Something went wrong in your life, really wrong! You feel like all
the sand of the seas are piled up on top of you? Maybe you’ve enjoyed being
here camping these few days, but you know as soon as you leave and go home
those weights will come back, will weigh you down and cause you misery to no
end? I think David must have felt like that often as well. In Psalm 139:17,18
he wrote something we should always keep in our hearts, especially when we are
really feeling bad. “How tender your thoughts have been toward me, O Lord. How
vast are their numbers! If I wanted to count the times you have thought of me,
it would be like counting (you guessed it) the sand on the seashore.” Then he
closes the psalm asking God to “search my heart for me ... Let me know if there
is any wicked way in me, and then help me to walk the way I should.” Now, is
that a good thought to have every time we see sand? That’s how often God thinks
of each one of us! In other words, no, He doesn’t forget us, can’t forget us.
He is only waiting to show us what works best--so we won’t be fools--so we will
be really intelligent. How about asking Him to do that for us now? Ask the Holy
Spirit to search each one of us in our hearts, free us of all those problem
things, show us how to face life after camp. Let©s each pray silently, then
I©ll close with prayer.
Obviously not all things of
nature are referred to in the Bible, the Spirit of Prophecy or even other
religious books. Once one becomes tuned to nature, and reads much in books on
natural history, ideas, parallels, fresh thoughts and views on life start
coming on their own. That’s what inspiration is all about, and that’s what
makes nature so real, alive and interesting to us and to our listeners.
G.
Recreation ...................................................................2
hours
1. Philosophy
of recreation
We understand recreation to be
concerned with three different stages, those stages being dependent on the age
of the person participating and yet each lower stage being involved with the
next one.
Those
stages are:
1) An understanding of how the human body
functions and the use of recreation to
develop
and maintain the body in a healthy and efficient manner.
2)
The use of exercise, sport and
leisure pursuits to develop skills, coordination, and cooperation, either
through team or individual recreational pursuits.
3)
The pursuit of interests to be
maintained as a lifestyle, leading the person into forms of recreation that can
bring them joy in later stages of life.
However, it is not true recreation if it is entirely
selfish and doesn’t lead to a better understanding of and closer relationship
to one’s fellow man and to God.
Recreation is that delightful
time when Christians engage in activities to enjoy abundant living.
Recreational activities have the distinctive characteristics of taking place
during leisure time, are voluntarily chosen, and are enjoyable and
constructive. There is a vast range of activities that fit this broad
definition. Recreation gives opportunities to add balance to our lives. If we
are sedentary most of the day, it offers time for vigorous activity. If we are
primarily active, it gives opportunities for relaxation. If we are alone in our
work, it offers social choices and, conversely, it offers tranquility for the
harried. It is also a prime opportunity for families to enjoy time together and
for church members to get to know one another better.
Recreation extends from Eden to
Eternity. Our first parents had broad choices of activities in the Garden of
Eden; their activities were freely chosen, constructive and enjoyable. To
imagine them otherwise would drastically change the concept we have of that
first garden home. The heaven we look forward to is also characterized by
free-time activities voluntarily chosen, that are enjoyable and constructive.
We have unique opportunities in our recreation activities to develop our
talents in keeping with the models of both Eden and Heaven and help recreate us
fit for the later environment.
Worship was also an integral part
of the Eden environment, distinct in its reverence, respect, adoration,
communion, and devotion to God. The Sabbath is dedicated to these purposes. We
should be careful not to use recreation as an excuse for activities that impair
these special relationships. We should maintain our special times for worship
as well as providing time for meeting our recreation needs.
Recreation has unique potential
to the organized church. It offers channels of service and support for others.
Great blessings will be ours if we serve others’ needs as well as our own interests
in recreation. It is also a catalyst for outreach. Have you noticed how easy it
is to accept an invitation to recreational activities and then witness to the
abundant life in Christ? Recreation provides an avenue for fellowship both
within the church and with nonmembers. It provides teaching opportunities with
vivid examples of applied Christianity. Opportunities for ministry are
prevalent in recreation, especially for influencing the youth.
Recreation as Re-Creation
A Christian’s duty is not merely
to make a living and achieve vocational success, but to learn to live life to
the fullest. Recreation affords just such opportunity by providing avenues to
enjoy life and be creative. Recreation is to be enjoyed, but it is also a time
for the enrichment of a personality and a preparation for more abundant living.
To achieve this requires a sense of values and a sense of direction.
Useful recreational pursuits
develop those God-given talents with which a person may glorify God. True
recreation develops the power of the intellect, strengthens the physical
organs, and
refines and purifies the character. A lifestyle
incorporating these biblical principles of recreation should characterize a
Christian. Recreation is therefore a valid part of the Christian’s life. When
these principles are taken into account, recreation then becomes a delightful
time when Christians engage in activities to enjoy abundant living.
“There is a distinction between recreation and amusement. Recreation,
when true to its name, re-creation, tends to straighten and build up. Calling
us aside from our ordinary cares and occupations, it affords refreshment for
mind and body, and thus enables us to return with new vigor to the earnest work
of life. Amusement, on the other hand, is sought for the sake of pleasure, and
is often carried to excess; it absorbs the energies that are required for
useful work, and thus proves a hindrance to life’s true success” (MYP 362).
Recreation versus Amusement
Since the inception of sin in
this world, however, Satan has always provided a counterfeit to God’s ideals.
Amusement is the antithesis of true recreation. This does not include what are
commonly called “innocent pleasures” but differs from recreation in the area of
motivation for participation. It glorifies self, is sought basically for
pleasure, tends toward excess, denies the biblical principles of stewardship,
confuses the senses of the youth, and its excitement sets in motion desires
that fill the mind with worldly pursuits which become so engrossing they deaden
spirituality. See also MYP 38, 386
Amusement for young people today
largely consists of that which is provided by the industry generally called “the
media.” This industry is comprised of the movie/TV industry, music, radio and
spinoffs such as computer toys and other lesser components. Critics of this
mega-industry such as Newton Minow, former chairman of the Federal
Communications Commission in the U.S., have pronounced this programming a “vast
wasteland.” Mr. Michael Medview, another critic, even goes deeper stating that “it
is not that the movies and TV shows are laced with dung, but that they cannot
help being laced with dung... because those industries by their nature are at
odds with traditional moral teachings... they contradict the fundamental
messages of the Judeo-Christian tradition.” Their observations as they appeared
in newspapers of April 8, 1997 conclude with “TV and the movies are obsessed
with fun. In the Jewish and Christian traditions, the focus is on happiness...
The difference... one is easy but quickly ended; the other takes work but can
last forever. One appeals to the senses; the other nourishes the soul...The
entertainment media are not designed to ennoble the human spirit.”
Recreation for a Lifestyle
Some areas of recreation can be
developed so that they become part of our lifestyle– or way of living. There
are many, for example, who have been doing exercise or have been jogging on a
daily basis for years.
·
There are many types of outdoor
recreation such as: canoeing, boating, skiing (water/snow), cycling, hiking and
camping, horseback riding, archery, skin-diving, orienteering, swimming,
tumbling, table tennis, badminton, basketball, volleyball, soccer, softball and
many other individual and group activities of recreational value and teamwork
spirit.
· Many people develop hobbies for either indoor or outdoor use. Many
hobbies can become vocational as well. Just a few of them are: photography,
woodworking,
metal craft, model building, leather work, painting,
ceramics, drawing, flower arrangement, cake decorating, music, stamp or
currency collecting, weaving, cooking, sewing, electronics.
· You might notice that cooking was included above. Often cooking is
viewed as a domestic necessity not a hobby; yet this skill is perhaps one of
the most important. For many it is an art form that demonstrates real talent,
as well as it being a means of helping people come closer to God’s ideal.
·
Other leisure-time activities not
included above are both good recreation and potential vocations. These could
include auto mechanics, carpentry, gardening, bricklaying, and many others.
Notice that most of the above-mentioned activities are actually honors in the
Pathfinder program– we could list any of over 200 topics here– all fitting
nicely into the recreation concept. There is so much to choose from, we might
be led to think that recreation involves a financial outlay of some type that
puts it beyond the reach of some, even if in the future a financial benefit may
occur. So, lest we forget: Philip Wylie wrote that “walking is an ideal form of
exercise,” which concurs with Ellen White: “There is no exercise that can take
the place of walking” (3T 78).
2. Types and
guidelines for Christian recreation
Objective– To create an awareness
of and a commitment to our Adventist standards of recreation.
Participants should discuss
various recreational activities in light of the below noted questions based on
biblical principles as an exercise in learning to evaluate all we do along the
lines of recreation.
Biblical Tests and Guidelines for Recreation:
1) Does
it help develop the image of God in me?
Eph. 5:1 “Be
imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children.” See also: Rom.
8:29; 1
John 3:2,3; Gal. 4:19; 2:20; Heb. 3:14; Phil. 3:12,13.
2) Does it
make me a good steward for him?
1 Cor. 4:2 “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must
prove faithful.” See also: Phil. 1:10; Matt. 2:21; Eph. 5:15,16.
3) Is it
good for my self-development?
1 Cor. 6:19 “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy
Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.”
See also: Phil. 4:8; 2 Cor. 10:11; Col. 1:10,11.
4) Does
participation build my self-esteem?
Matt. 22:36-39 “Teacher, which is
the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus replied, ‘Love the Lord your God
with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the
first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor
as yourself.’” See also: Rom. 8:14; Luke 12:6,7;
John 1:9.
5) Will
it bring an awareness of others and their needs?
Phil. 2:3,4 “Do nothing out of
selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than
yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to
the interests of others.” See also: Matt. 25:40; 1 Cor. 10:23,24; Col. 4:5;
Luke 6:31; Eph. 6:24;
6) Will it
improve or impair my health?
1 Cor. 3:16,17 “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and
that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will
destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple.” See also
Gal. 6:7.
7) Will it
be a stumbling block to anyone else?
1 Cor. 8:9 “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does
not become a stumbling block to the weak.” See also: 1 Cor. 4:9; Rom. 14:7,13;
Heb. 12:12,13.
8) Is it
fitting for the hour in which I live?
Titus 2:11-13 “For the grace of
God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to
ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and
godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope– the
glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” See also: 2 Pet.
3:10-14.
9) Does
it clearly belong to the world?
Rom 12:1,2 “Therefore, I urge
you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living
sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God– which is your spiritual worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of
this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be
able to test and approve what God’s will is– his good, pleasing and perfect
will.” See also: Matt. 6:24; Col. 2:20,21; 3:1,2,5; Mark 8:36,37; 1 Pet.
1:13-15; Eph 5:8; Luke 12:34.
10) Does
it Glorify God?
Matt 5:16 “In the same way, let
your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your
Father in heaven.” See also: 1 Cor 10:31; Phil 1:27; Eph 4:1.
Some
Guideline questions to ask based on God’s counsel through
Ellen White’s writings (these are
based on the pages indicated from Messages to Young People):
1)
|
Can you
invite the presence of Christ?
|
370
|
2)
|
Does it
excite the lower passions?
|
371
|
3)
|
Does it
refresh and uplift you?
|
385
|
4)
|
Does it
trouble your conscience?
|
385-386
|
5)
|
What of
its influence on others?
|
386
|
6)
|
Can I
ask the blessing of God on it?
|
|
386
|
7)
|
Would
you like to die there?
|
|
398
|
8)
|
Would
you like to be found there when Christ returns?
|
398
|
9)
|
Is
money spent as a good steward?
|
400
|
|
3. New
games and sports
Objective: To encourage
participants to discover, learn, create, and use new and useful methods to
instill the above principles of recreation in the youth under their
responsibility.
Explanation: New games and sports
will be explained and demonstrated to the participants by the seminar
instructor. Since the material should be NEW, we cannot provide a listing here
of suggested activities. They may be new to some but quite old to others and
getting older as the time from edition of this manual extends. There are
numerous books on the market with ideas available. One must weigh each
suggestion based on the above guidelines and not just teach something new for
the sake of newness.
2.During your involvement as a
staff member in the local Pathfinder Club (pre-requisite I.-3.) select any two
areas listed above under requirement III.-1. and demonstrate the skills learned
through application to specific projects, events, or situations in the
Pathfinder Club.
This requirement is a natural
conclusion of this Award. However, there are many persons who wish to complete
this Award who may not be currently active in a local club but rather may be
carrying other roles “up the hierarchy.” To those persons,
Please
Note:
One author of leadership training
states that one of the worst mistakes made by leaders is to live in the past–
attempt to survive as a leader based on events which took place at an
ever-increasing distance in the past. All leaders must be current in order to
be relevant. As leaders distance themselves from the day-to-day realities of
Pathfinder Club action, they soon find themselves in the unenviable position of
asking new leaders to put into practice that which may no longer be viable (“Do
as I say, not as I do”). Therefore, it is essential that persons at all levels
of Pathfinder Ministry who wish to maintain an effective level of leadership
periodically set aside time to return to a local club level of reality if even
for only short periods of time. Do not consider the thought of skipping this
requirement. Take the opportunity to refresh, relive, and re-energize with a
club again.
Requirement Completion Control
I. Prerequisites Signature Date
1. Be a
Master Guide.
2. Have
completed a Pathfinder Basic Staff
|
Training
Course within the past three years.
|
__________
|
_____
|
3.
|
Be an
active Pathfinder staff member.
|
__________
|
_____
|
4.
|
Be an
active Pathfinder Class and/or
|
|
|
|
Honor
curriculum instructor.
|
__________
|
_____
|
II.
Personal Growth
|
|
|
1.
|
Complete
a Bible Year plan or the Encounter
|
|
|
|
Series
II, Christ the Church.
|
__________
|
_____
|
2.
|
Read a
book on self-esteem, adolescent development,
|
|
|
|
or
interpersonal relationships.
|
__________
|
_____
|
3.
Select and develop a new personal
skill useful to Pathfinder ministry through reading, listening to tapes,
attending a class, or joining a
specialized organization. __________ _____
4. Hold a
current Red Cross CPR certificate or its
equivalent. __________ _____
III. Skills
Development
1.Increase
your Pathfindering skills by attending the following scheduled minimum hours
for each seminar as sponsored by the conference Pathfinder Ministries
personnel.
A.
Administration and Human Relations..8 hours
|
|
|
1.
|
Team Building ..................
|
(3 hours)
|
__________
|
_____
|
2.
|
Personal Improvement ......
|
(2 hours)
|
__________
|
_____
|
3.
|
Development
of Faith in Pathfinder
|
|
|
|
Growth ........................
|
(1 hour)
|
__________
|
_____
|
4.
|
Discipline ...........................
|
(1
hour)
|
__________
|
_____
|
5.
|
Current Issues .....................
|
(1
hour)
|
__________
|
_____
|
B. Camp Planning and Programming .......
|
4 hours
|
__________
|
_____
|
C. Pathfinder and Community Ministry ...
|
3 hours
|
__________
|
_____
|
D.
Resource Materials ..............................
|
2 hours
|
__________
|
_____
|
E.
Pathfinder Drill and Ceremonies .........
|
2 hours
|
__________
|
_____
|
F.
Outdoor Education ...............................
|
3 hours
|
__________
|
_____
|
G. Recreation
............................................
|
2 hours
|
__________
|
_____
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.During
your involvement as a staff member in the local Pathfinder Club (pre-requisite
I.-3., select any two areas listed above under requirement II.-1. and
demonstrate the skills learned through application to specific projects,
events, or situations in the Pathfinder Club.
Pathfinder Leadership Award Completed __________ _____
Pathfinder Leadership Award Invested: __________ _____
Location___________________________________
Date:_________________________
Officiating
Person and Title: _________________________________________________
Christ the Church
Devotional
Reading Guide as assigned on page 5-6: II Personal Growth requirement 1.
January
|
|
|
February
|
|
|
|
1.
|
AA
9-12*
|
|
1.
|
AA
119-122
|
|
2.
|
AA
13-16
|
|
2.
|
Acts
9:19-31;
|
|
3.
|
AA
17-20
|
|
|
|
AA
123-126
|
|
4.
|
Acts
1:1-18; AA 21-23
|
|
3.
|
AA
127-130
|
|
5.
|
|
AA
24-26
|
4. Acts 9:32-43; 10;
|
|
6.
|
AA
27-29
|
|
|
|
11:1-18;
AA 131,132
|
|
7.
|
Acts
1:19-26;
|
|
5.
|
AA
133-135
|
|
|
|
AA
30-34
|
|
6.
|
AA
136-138
|
|
8.
|
Acts
2:1-39; AA 35,36
|
|
7.
|
AA
139-142
|
|
9.
|
AA
37-40
|
|
8.
|
Acts
12; AA 143,144
|
|
10.
|
AA
41-44
|
|
9.
|
AA
145-147
|
|
11.
|
AA
45-48
|
|
10.
|
AA
148-150
|
|
12.
|
AA 49-52
|
|
11.
|
AA
151-154
|
|
13.
|
AA
53-56
|
|
12.
|
Acts
11:19-30; 13:1-3;
|
|
14.
|
Acts
2:40-47; 3;
|
|
|
|
AA
155-157
|
|
|
|
4:1-31
|
|
13.
|
AA
158-161
|
|
15.
|
AA
57-60
|
|
14.
|
AA
162-165
|
|
16.
|
AA
61-64
|
|
15.
|
Acts 13:4-52; AA 166-168
|
|
17.
|
AA
65-69
|
|
16.
|
AA
169-172
|
|
18.
|
Acts
4:32-37;
|
|
17.
|
AA
173-176
|
|
|
|
5:1-11;
AA 70-72
|
|
18.
|
Acts
14; AA 177-179
|
|
19.
|
AA
73-76
|
|
19.
|
AA
180-183
|
|
20.
|
Acts
5:12-42;
|
|
20.
|
AA
184-187
|
|
|
|
AA
77,78
|
|
21.
|
Acts 15:1-35; AA 188,189
|
|
21.
|
AA
79-82
|
|
22.
|
AA
190-192
|
|
22.
|
AA
83-86
|
|
23.
|
AA
193-195
|
|
23.
|
Acts
6:1-7;
|
|
24.
|
AA
196-200
|
|
|
|
AA
87-90
|
|
25.
|
Acts
15:36-41; 16:1-6;
|
|
24.
|
AA
91-94
|
|
|
|
AA
201,202
|
|
25.
|
AA
95,96;
|
|
26.
|
AA
203-206
|
|
|
|
Acts
6:8-15; 7
|
|
27.
|
AA
207-210
|
|
26.
|
AA
97-102
|
|
28.
|
Acts 16:7-40; AA 211,212
|
27. Acts 8
28. AA 103-106
29. AA 107-111
30. Acts 9:1-18;
AA 112-115
31. AA 116-118
* AA= Acts of the Apostles by E.G. White
March
|
|
|
|
April
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.
|
AA
300-303
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.
|
AA
213-216
|
|
2.
|
AA
304-307
|
|
2.
|
AA
217-220
|
|
3.
|
AA
308-310
|
|
3.
|
Acts
17:1-10; AA 221,222
|
|
4.
|
AA
311-313
|
|
4.
|
AA
223-226
|
|
5.
|
AA 314-316
|
|
5.
|
AA
227-230
|
|
6.
|
AA
317-319
|
|
6.
|
Acts
17:11-34; AA 231,232
|
|
7.
|
AA
320-322
|
|
7.
|
|
AA
233-235
|
|
8.
|
|
Titus; 2 Corinthians 1-5
|
|
8.
|
AA
236-238
|
|
9.
|
2
Corinthians 6-10
|
|
9.
|
|
AA
239-242
|
|
10.
|
2
Corinthians 11-13;
|
|
10.
|
Acts
18:1-18; AA 243,244
|
|
|
|
AA 323,
324
|
|
11.
|
AA
245-248
|
|
11.
|
AA
325-328
|
|
12.
|
AA
249-251
|
|
12.
|
AA
329-331
|
|
13.
|
AA
252-254
|
|
13.
|
AA
332-334
|
|
14.
|
1, 2
Thessalonians
|
|
14.
|
AA
335-338
|
|
15.
|
AA
255-258
|
|
15.
|
AA
339-342
|
|
16.
|
AA
259-262
|
|
16.
|
AA
343-346
|
|
17.
|
AA
263-265
|
|
17.
|
AA
347-350
|
|
18.
|
AA
266-268
|
|
18.
|
AA
351-354
|
|
19.
|
Acts
18: 19-28; AA 269, 270
|
|
19.
|
AA
355-358
|
|
20.
|
AA
271-274
|
|
20.
|
AA
359-362
|
|
21.
|
AA
275-277
|
|
21.
|
AA
363-365
|
|
22.
|
AA
278-280
|
|
22.
|
AA
366-368
|
|
23.
|
Acts
19:1-20; AA 281-284
|
|
23.
|
AA
369-371
|
|
24.
|
AA
285-290
|
|
24.
|
Romans
1-4
|
|
25.
|
Acts 19:21-41;
20:1;
|
|
25.
|
Romans
5-8
|
|
|
|
AA
291,292
|
|
26.
|
Romans
9-12
|
|
26.
|
AA
293-297
|
|
27.
|
Romans
13-16
|
|
27.
|
1
Corinthians 1-4
|
|
28.
|
AA
372-374
|
|
28.
|
1
Corinthians 5-8
|
|
29.
|
AA 375,
376
|
|
29.
|
1
Corinthians 9-12
|
|
30.
|
AA
377-379
|
30. 1 Corinthians 13-15
31. 1 Corinthians 16;
AA 298,299
83
|
|
|
|
June
|
|
|
|
May
|
|
|
|
|
1.
|
AA
469-472
|
|
|
|
|
2.
|
AA
473-476
|
|
|
|
|
|
3.
|
AA
477-480
|
|
1.
|
AA
380-382
|
|
4.
|
AA
481-484
|
|
2.
|
|
Galatians
1-4
|
|
5.
|
|
Ephesians
|
3.
Galatians 5, 6; AA 383, 384
|
|
6.
|
AA
485-488
|
|
4.
|
AA
385-388
|
|
7.
|
AA 489-491
|
|
5.
|
|
Acts
20:2-38; 21:1-16;
|
|
8.
|
|
AA
492-494
|
|
|
|
AA 389,
390
|
|
9.
|
AA
495-497
|
|
6.
|
AA
391-394
|
|
10.
|
1
Timothy
|
|
7.
|
AA
395-398
|
|
11.
|
2
Timothy; AA 498
|
|
8.
|
Acts
21:17-40; 22; 23
|
|
12.
|
AA
499-502
|
|
9.
|
AA
399-402
|
|
13.
|
AA
503-506
|
|
10.
|
AA
403-406
|
|
14.
|
AA 507-510
|
|
11.
|
AA
407-410
|
|
15.
|
AA
511-513
|
|
12.
|
AA
411-414
|
|
16.
|
1 Peter
|
|
13.
|
AA
415-418
|
|
17.
|
AA
514-517
|
|
14.
|
Acts
24; AA 419-422
|
|
18.
|
AA
518-521
|
|
15.
|
AA
423-427
|
|
19.
|
AA
522-525
|
|
16.
|
Acts
25:1-12; AA 428,429
|
|
20.
|
AA
526-528
|
|
17.
|
AA
430-432
|
|
21.
|
2 Peter; AA 529,530
|
|
18.
|
Acts
25:13-27; 26;
|
|
22.
|
AA
531-534
|
|
|
|
AA 433,
434
|
|
23.
|
AA
535-538
|
|
19.
|
AA
435-438
|
|
24.
|
AA
539-545
|
|
20.
|
Acts
27; 28:1-10
|
|
25.
|
1-3
John
|
|
21.
|
AA
439-442
|
|
26.
|
AA
546-550
|
|
22.
|
AA
443-446
|
|
27.
|
AA
551-556
|
|
23.
|
Acts
28:11-31; Philemon
|
|
28.
|
AA 557-567
|
|
24.
|
AA
447-449
|
|
29.
|
AA
568-577
|
|
25.
|
AA
450-452
|
|
30.
|
AA
578-585
|
26. AA 453-456
27. AA 457-460
28. AA 461-464
29. AA 465-468
30. Colossians
31. Philippians
84
July
|
|
|
|
August
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.
|
GC
136-139
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.
|
AA
586-592
|
|
2.
|
GC 140-144
|
|
2.
|
AA
593-602
|
|
3.
|
GC
145-148
|
|
3.
|
GC
17-23*
|
|
4.
|
GC
149-152
|
|
4.
|
GC
24-30
|
|
5.
|
GC
153-156
|
|
5.
|
GC
31-38
|
|
6.
|
GC
157-160
|
|
6.
|
GC
39-42; Jude
|
|
7.
|
GC
161-164
|
|
7.
|
GC
43-45
|
|
8.
|
GC
165-167
|
|
8.
|
GC
46-48
|
|
9.
|
GC
168-170
|
|
9.
|
GC
49-52
|
|
10.
|
GC 171-174
|
|
10.
|
GC
53-56
|
|
11.
|
GC 175-178
|
|
11.
|
GC
57-60
|
|
12.
|
GC 179-181
|
|
12.
|
GC
61-64
|
|
13.
|
GC 182-184
|
|
13.
|
GC
65-68
|
|
14.
|
GC 185-188
|
|
14.
|
GC
69-72
|
|
15.
|
GC 189-192
|
|
15.
|
GC
73-75
|
|
16.
|
GC 193-196
|
|
16.
|
GC
76-78
|
|
17.
|
GC 197-200
|
|
17.
|
GC
79-81
|
|
18.
|
GC 201-204
|
|
18.
|
GC
82-85
|
|
19.
|
GC 205-207
|
|
19.
|
GC
86-89
|
|
20.
|
GC 208-210
|
|
20.
|
GC
90-93
|
|
21.
|
GC 211-214
|
|
21.
|
GC
94-96
|
|
22.
|
GC 215-218
|
|
22.
|
GC
97-100
|
|
23.
|
GC 219-222
|
|
23.
|
GC
101-104
|
|
24.
|
GC 223-226
|
|
24.
|
GC
105-108
|
|
25.
|
GC 227-230
|
|
25.
|
GC
109-112
|
|
26.
|
GC 231-233
|
|
26.
|
GC
113-116
|
|
27.
|
GC 234-236
|
|
27.
|
GC
117-119
|
|
28.
|
GC 237-240
|
|
28.
|
GC
120-123
|
|
29.
|
GC 241-244
|
|
29.
|
GC
124-127
|
|
30.
|
GC 245-248
|
|
30.
|
GC
128-131
|
|
31.
|
GC 249-252
|
31. GC 132-135
*
GC= The Great Controversy by E.G. White
85
September
|
October
|
|
|
|
1.
|
GC 371-374
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.
|
|
GC
253-256
|
|
2.
|
|
Revelation
14, 17, 18;
|
|
2.
|
GC
257-260
|
|
|
|
GC 375,
376
|
|
3.
|
GC
261-264
|
|
3.
|
GC
377-380
|
|
4.
|
GC
265-268
|
|
4.
|
GC
381-384
|
|
5.
|
GC
269-272
|
|
5.
|
GC
385-387
|
|
6.
|
GC
273-276
|
|
6.
|
GC
388-390
|
|
7.
|
GC
277-280
|
|
7.
|
GC
391-394
|
|
8.
|
GC 281-284
|
|
8.
|
GC
395-398
|
|
9.
|
GC
285-288
|
|
9.
|
GC
399-402
|
|
10.
|
GC
289-291
|
|
10.
|
GC
403-405
|
|
11.
|
GC
292-294
|
|
11.
|
GC
406-408
|
|
12.
|
GC
295-298
|
|
12.
|
Hebrews
1-7
|
|
13.
|
GC
299-302
|
|
13.
|
Hebrews
8-11
|
|
14.
|
GC
303-306
|
|
14.
|
Hebrews 12, 13; GC 409, 410
|
|
15.
|
GC
307-310
|
|
15.
|
GC
411-414
|
|
16.
|
GC
311-313
|
|
16.
|
GC
415-418
|
|
17.
|
GC
314-316
|
|
17.
|
GC
419-422
|
|
18.
|
GC
317-320
|
|
18.
|
Revelation
4-9
|
|
19.
|
GC
321-324
|
|
19.
|
Revelation
10, 11, 19;
|
|
20.
|
GC
325-330
|
|
|
|
GC
423,424
|
|
21.
|
GC
331-334
|
|
20.
|
GC
425-428
|
|
22.
|
GC
335-338
|
|
21.
|
GC
429-432
|
|
23.
|
GC
339-342
|
|
22.
|
Revelation
13; GC 433-435
|
|
24.
|
GC
343-346
|
|
23.
|
GC
436-440
|
|
25.
|
GC
347-350
|
|
24.
|
GC
441-443
|
|
26.
|
GC
351-354
|
|
25.
|
GC
444-446
|
|
27.
|
GC
355-358
|
|
26.
|
GC
447-450
|
|
28.
|
GC
359-362
|
|
27.
|
GC
451-453
|
|
29.
|
GC
363-366
|
|
28.
|
GC
454-457
|
|
30.
|
GC 367-370
|
|
29.
|
GC
458-460
|
|
|
|
|
|
30.
|
James
|
|
|
|
|
|
31.
|
GC
461-464
|
86
November
|
December
|
|
|
|
1.
|
GC
465-468
|
|
1.
|
GC
579-581
|
|
2.
|
GC
469-472
|
|
2.
|
GC
582-585
|
|
3.
|
GC
473-475
|
|
3.
|
GC
586-589
|
|
4.
|
GC
476-478
|
|
4.
|
GC
590-592
|
|
5.
|
GC
479-482
|
|
5.
|
GC
593-595
|
|
6.
|
GC
483-486
|
|
6.
|
GC
596-598
|
|
7.
|
GC
487-491
|
|
7.
|
GC
599-602
|
|
8.
|
|
Revelation
12;
|
|
8.
|
|
GC
603-606
|
|
|
|
GC
492-494
|
|
9.
|
GC
607-609
|
|
9.
|
GC
495-497
|
|
10.
|
GC
610-612
|
|
10.
|
GC
498-501
|
|
11.
|
Revelation
15, 16;
|
|
11.
|
GC
502-504
|
|
|
|
GC
613-615
|
|
12.
|
GC
505-507
|
|
12.
|
GC 616-619
|
|
13.
|
GC
508-510
|
|
13.
|
GC
620-623
|
|
14.
|
GC
511-514
|
|
14.
|
GC
624-627
|
|
15.
|
GC
515-517
|
|
15.
|
GC
628-631
|
|
16.
|
GC
518-521
|
|
16.
|
GC
632-634
|
|
17.
|
GC
522-525
|
|
17.
|
Revelation
1-3
|
|
18.
|
GC
526-530
|
|
18.
|
GC
635-638
|
|
19.
|
GC
531-534
|
|
19.
|
GC
639-642
|
|
20.
|
GC
535-538
|
|
20.
|
GC
643-647
|
|
21.
|
GC
539-542
|
|
21.
|
GC
648-652
|
|
22.
|
GC
543-546
|
|
22.
|
Revelation 20; GC 653,654
|
|
23.
|
GC
547-550
|
|
23.
|
GC
655-658
|
|
24.
|
GC
551-554
|
|
24.
|
GC
659-661
|
|
25.
|
GC
555-558
|
|
25.
|
Revelation
21, 22
|
|
26.
|
GC
559-562
|
|
26.
|
GC
662-664
|
|
27.
|
GC
563-566
|
|
27.
|
GC
665-667
|
|
28.
|
GC
567-570
|
|
28.
|
GC
668-670
|
|
29.
|
GC
571-574
|
|
29.
|
GC
671-673
|
|
30.
|
GC
575-578
|
|
30.
|
GC
674-676
|
|
|
|
|
|
31.
|
GC 677,
678
|
87
Sample
Listing of Books useful for Pathfinder Leadership and Ministry
Code letters: C = Camp/Outdoor L =
Leadership
P = Psychology R =
Recreation
L 1.Childhood
Education in the Church
L
|
2.
|
Six
Pillars of Self-Esteem
|
|
|
|
|
|
L
|
3.
|
The Psychology of Self-Esteem
|
L
|
4.
|
Principle-Centered
Leadership
|
|
|
|
|
|
L 5.The Seven
Habits of Highly Effective People
C 6.The Day
Camp Program Book
L
|
7.
|
Counseling Teenagers
|
|
C
|
8.
|
Tips on Outdoor Education
|
|
L
|
9.
|
Youth Ministry Resource Book
|
C
|
10.
|
Food for 50
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
P
11.Helping the Struggling Adolescent
L 12.Leadership
is an Art
P
13.Discovering Your Child’s Design
L 14.Without a
Vision, The People Parish
P
15.Raising Self-Reliant Children
P
16.The Gift of Blessing
P
17. The Book of Virtues L
18. Passing on the Torch
L 19. Your
Personality Tree
P
20.Please Understand Me
L 21.How to
Develop Self-Confidence and Influence by Public Speaking
P
22.Raising Self-Reliant Children in
a Self-Indulgent World
L 23. Loving
Discipline (four audio cassettes)
L
24. Understanding Yourself and
Others (four audio cassettes) L 25. Fund-Raising for Social Change
R 26. The New Games Book R 27. More New Games
L 28.Teaching Values
L 29.Valuegenesis:
Faith in the Balance
R 30.The
Complete Book of Games and Stunts
L
31. Building Self-Esteem in
your Child (four audio cassettes) R 32. Adventure Games
R 33.Play It-
Great Games for Groups
L 34.Project
Affirmation: Teaching Values
88