Everything in Girl Scouting is based on the Girl Scout Promise and Law, which includes many of the principles and values common across religions. So while we are a secular organization, Girl Scouts has always encouraged girls to take spiritual journeys via their faiths' religious recognitions. There are various resources here to assist you and your Girl Scouts in engaging in faith-based activities.
For questions about Girl Scouts and faith or anything on this page, please e-mail info@girlscoutsp2p.org.
Girl Scout Week is a time when we shout our Girl Scout pride from the rooftops! It’s also a time when many troops celebrate the connections between Girl Scouting and their faith, learn more about other faiths and thank faith partners for their support throughout the year. Girls can join in the festivities on three specially designated dates (or a day of your choosing):
Girl Scout Sunday: Sunday March 12, 2023
Girl Scout Jummah: Friday March 17, 2023
Girl Scout Sabbath/Shabbat: Friday March 17 – Saturday March 18, 2023
Whether they participate in a worship service, plan an activity before or after the service or organize a service project, your girls can honor those meaningful connections in lots of ways! Check out these resources to help you plan, promote and carry out your event with your faith partner.
Here are some additional tips for planning your event.
Be sure to adhere to all social health guidelines when planning/executing these activities. Have an idea you want to share? E-mail info@girlscoutsp2p.org.
Want to tag your Girl Scout Sunday photos so we can share them on social media? Use hashtag #GSSundayP2P.
Resources
Ideas for Girls to Celebrate Their Faith During Girl Scout Week
Congregational Leadership E-mail Template
Girls & Faith Sensitive Issues
Girl Scout Sunday Bulletin Inserts
If you are interested in a customized bulletin insert for use throughout the year, please contact info@girlscoutsp2p.org.
Girls of all grade levels can earn the My Promise, My Faith pin, which complements existing religious recognitions and allows girls to further strengthen the connection between their faith and Girl Scouts. Once each year, a girl can earn the My Promise, My Faith pin by carefully examining the Girl Scout Law and tying it directly to tenets of her faith. Requirements for this pin are included in The Girl's Guide to Girl Scouting handbook for all levels.
Want to tag girls on social media who have earned their My Promise, My Faith pin? Use hashtag #MPMFP2P.
Click here for the My Promise, My Faith fact sheet.
Need to order a My Promise, My Faith pin? Visit your local council shop or shop online.
Virtual Resources for My Promise, My Faith
Would you like to submit your faith-based program and award accomplishments to our council to be recognized each year? You can find the form here.
Created by national religious organizations to encourage the spiritual growth of youth members, religious recognition programs reinforce many of the values integral to Girl Scouting and help girls grow stronger in, and learn more about, their chosen faith.
Each religious organization develops and administers its own program. The brochure "To Serve God" lists the religious recognitions created by various faith groups. You can find this brochure, a video explaining religious recognition programs and other resources for collaborating with faith communities at P.R.A.Y. Publishing.
Some religious organizations are not affiliated with P.R.A.Y. or may not have a national office. To learn about their religious recognitions, contact local leaders.
Would you like to submit your faith-based program and award accomplishments to our council to be recognized each year? You can find the form here.
P.R.A.Y. Program
Girl Scouts of the USA partners with P.R.A.Y. (Programs of Religious Activities with Youth) as a resource for faith-based programs. You can learn more about P.R.A.Y. here.
Other religious organizations may not be affiliated with P.R.A.Y. or may not have a national office. To learn about other local religious organizations, contact your local leaders.
P.R.A.Y. Patch Series
Bible Basics RP3 is a patch series from P.R.A.Y. It is designed to help families, Sunday school classes and Scouting groups get into the Bible.
Resources
P.R.A.Y. Awards Chart
P.R.A.Y. Awards Brochure
P.R.A.Y. Newsletters
P.R.A.Y. Facebook Page
P.R.A.Y. YouTube Channel
Are you looking for awards to complete on your own as part of your Girl Scout experience? In support of Protestant youth, Programs of Religious Activities With Youth (P.R.A.Y.), has developed additional resources for families and youth to aid in completion of religious emblems at home and foster their faith formation during this time of social distancing. Religious emblems meet the requirements for My Promise, My Faith requirements for Girl Scouts of the USA.
P.R.A.Y. Virtual Library
While we may like the convenience of a church or Girl Scout troop that provides a set schedule and instruction, the P.R.A.Y. awards are perfect to be done at home with the family. During this challenging time, there may be an unexpected opportunity for parents to share their faith with their children and grow in faith together. Reading and discussing Scripture to complete requirements will create natural space for spontaneous dialogue and ways to connect with your children. Make your family’s faith journey a priority! P.R.A.Y. has a new online library of resources for virtual learning for parents, counselors, and clergy.
The P.R.A.Y. YouTube Channel can assist parents who may wish to serve as counselors and help guide their children to completion of their religious emblem. Each workbook lesson is highlighted, explained in depth with hints and helps for those who might be serving in the counselor role for the first time.
In addition to the video series on YouTube, P.R.A.Y. is also pleased to introduce 30-Day Challenges for every P.R.A.Y. program level. When completed according to the prescribed schedule, with the help from a parent or counselor at home, youth can complete the requirements and share with their family the work toward achievement of their religious emblem.
P.R.A.Y. Video Series- 30 Day Challenges
The challenges below instruct parents/caregivers on to how to help their girls work toward achieving their specific P.R.A.Y. award
For additional help with these awards, please reach out to P.R.A.Y. at 314-845-3318 or info@praypub.org.
Virtual Interfaith Event Series
Girl Scouts and our faith partners hosted a virtual interfaith celebration that’s now available for playback. Use these recorded sessions while earning the My Promise, My Faith pin and learn about other faiths!
Session 1: Click here to view the playback!
Interfaith Celebration
Orthodox Christian speakers
Session 2: Click here to view the playback!
Buddhist speakers
Catholic speakers
Lutheran speakers
Session 3: Click here to view the playback!
Baha’i speakers
Islamic speakers
Jewish speakers
United Methodist speakers
Created by the National Interfaith Committee for Girl Scouting, the Faith-Based Programs Coordinator (FBPC) was developed to help better integrate religious recognitions into the Girl Scout program. Religious recognitions help girls connect their Girl Scouting experience with their faith and strengthen the connection between Girl Scouting and faith communities. You can find more FBPC information here or on the GSUSA website at Girl Scouts and Faith.
Are you starting a new troop and looking for a meeting place? Consider reaching out to your local churches. P.R.A.Y. and its denominational partners have developed resources to help cultivate potential partners on connecting their faith to youth through Girl Scouting. When Girl Scouting is viewed as youth ministry, congregations experience outreach, leadership development and growth. Use the specific or general flyers below to help clergy expand their programs by highlighting “To Serve God." More denominations will be added as material is approved. For more resources and updates, visit the P.R.A.Y. website.
Faith organizations regularly partner with Girl Scout councils to more closely link their religious recognitions with the national My Promise, My Faith pin. Adult volunteers advise girls along their personal faith journey and help them strengthen their own understanding of their faith.
As part of this, adult recognitions are given to adults for outstanding service to youth through both their church and one of the national youth-serving agencies. Adult awards are not earned like youth awards- an outside party must nominate an adult to receive an award by submitting the required applications, letter of recommendation and resume of activities. Self and spouse nominations will not be accepted. Nominations cannot be made posthumously.
To learn more about these awards and the resources for nominating someone, please click here.
The research is clear – a girl’s skills and abilities bloom when she is around other girls, away from school pressures and social cliques. Through Girl Scouts, she takes on new challenges and learns by doing, in an atmosphere of collaboration and goodwill. The Girl Scout Leadership Experience can be especially meaningful when delivered in a faith-centered context.
All Girl Scout programs may be enriched to include religious education, principles of a girl’s individual faith and elements of her faith tradition. Through the efforts of qualified volunteers, including members of the clergy, the Girl Scout Leadership Experience can strongly support a girl’s growth in her faith, at the same time providing her with the opportunity to gain new skills and build self-esteem.
Sample Activities:
Brownie – Earn the Philanthropist badge and learn what your faith tradition teaches about helping others.
Junior – Earn the Playing in the Past badge by learning all about prominent women in your faith from another time period.
Cadette – Earn the Comic Artist Badge when you create a comic strip illustrating a favorite story from your faith.
Senior – Create your own badge based on your faith and interests.
Ambassador – Earn the prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award by putting your faith into action and developing a project to positively impact your community.
My Promise, My Faith Pin – Carefully examine the Girl Scout Law and compare it to tenets of your own faith. Girl Scouts of all levels may earn this pin.
Congratulations! We would love to share your hard work with your fellow Girl Scouts! Currently, the only official reporting we receive is from those Girl Scouts who participate and submit their award information to the P.R.A.Y. specific program they earn. We would like to recognize all girls and adults for their faith-based achievements so be sure to complete this form (with photo if possible) if one of the following applies to you:
Your Girl Scout has earned a faith-based award through your religious organization.
You (as an adult) have been awarded a faith-based award through your religious organization.
Your Girl Scout has earned the My Promise, My Faith pin, and you would like to be considered for marketing initiatives to help elevate faith-based activity opportunities with Girl Scouts.
Thank you for helping us share these important opportunities with others in our community! Do you know another Girl Scout who has earned a faith-based award? Please share this information with her.
Questions? E-mail us at info@girlscoutsp2p.org or call 800-672-2148.
Our Faith Partner Guide to Girl Scouting brochure is a resource designed to introduce you to the fundamentals of Girl Scouts and the various ways to celebrate faith with girls.