News Items

Vacancy for Manager of the Fellowship

Rev David Marshall-Jones is stepping down as Manager of the United Reformed Church Guide and Scout Fellowship SASU.  

Following David’s retirement, we are looking to recruit a new volunteer chair for the URCGSF. This appointment is officially made in conjunction with the Scout Association (as manager of the Active Scout Support Unit).

We would welcome inquiries from anyone in the URC with links to Guiding and Scouting who would be interested in finding out more about URCGSF, joining the committee, or applying for the role of chair. The role descriptor is below. Please prayerfully consider if you could help the URC to engage with Guiding and Scouting and offer fellowship to those involved at all levels.

More information about URCGSF can be found here: www.urcgsf.org.uk.Follow the link for details about the post together with a job description.

Expressions of interested to children.youth@urc.org.uk

Scout Association Good Service Awards for members of the URC Guide and Scout Fellowship

Gill Phillips, Roy Cadoux and Lewis McKenzie have been given Good Service Awards for their service to the URCGSF over many years. On 18 June they were formally presented with their awards, on behalf of the Chief Scout by the Revd David Marshall-Jones, the Manager/Chairman of the URCGSF which is a National Scout Active Support Unit. 

On 22nd April, Lewis McKenzie was presented with his Award of Merit by Rev David Marshall-Jones, the acting Manager of the URCGSF.  The citation was as follows:

Lewis Norman McKenzie

I first met Lewis on 10 May 1969 at the 10^th Anniversary Conference of the Congregational Scout Fellowship. On that occasion Sir Charles Maclean the then Chief Scout joined us for Supper. A guard of honour to greet the Chief had been arranged and Lewis was a member. With that bit of History let me outline why Lewis has received the Award of Merit.

Lewis has been a member of the URCGSF Committee since 1987. In 1989 he became the correspondence Secretary and from 1991 to 1995 he was the Chairman of the URCGSF. From 1995 to 1996 and again from. 2017 to date he has been the Editor of Linkline the Fellowship magazine/newsletter.

Periodically the Fellowship has organised week-end and day events for leaders and Lewis has taken the lead in planning and organising some of these events. He has also from time to time sourced and sold Fellowship polo and sweat shirts. Lewis has also been regularly involved in the URCGSF base at the Gilwell Reunion. 

The Fellowship, the URC, Scouting and Guiding owe Lewis debt of gratitude for his committed and dedicated service over 35 years. In recognition of this I have great pleasure on behalf of the Chief Scout in presenting Lewis with the Award of Merit.