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The United Reformed Church Guide and Scout Fellowship

A National Scout Active Support Unit

The United Reformed Church Guide and Scout Fellowship (URCGSF) has been in existence for over 60 years. It began its existence in 1958 as the Congregational Scout Fellowship. In 1963 a Congregational Guide Fellowship was established. They continued as separate entities until 1970 when discussions began about forming a joint Fellowship and this took place in 1971 when we became the Congregational Guide and Scout Fellowship. This title was short lived because in 1972 the Congregational Church and the English Presbyterian Church joined together to form the United Reformed Church and so we became the URCGSF and the Presbyterian Guides and Scouts joined the Fellowship

The aims of the Fellowship have remained constant throughout our 60 year history, to support Guiding and Scouting in particular within the church, to work with those responsible for children’s and youth work within the church and to help with the spiritual development of the members of the two movements. Down the years these aims have been expressed in different ways but none the less they have been at the centre of what we do.

For many years the support took the form of gatherings for leaders and then we developed camps for the young people. The Fellowship has also produced a number of publications from Scout Pops (song book) of which we sold 10.000 copies, to a range of prayer books and other worship material. More recently we have produced a number of activity sheets which provide programme ideas with a bearing on faith beliefs and attitudes. In our 60 year history needs and ideas have changed and we have tried to respond to the changes and continue to do so. One or two youth members of the URCGSF normally attend the URC Youth Assembly each year. We also publish a twice yearly newsletter, Linkline, which keeps us in touch with our wider membership.

We regard all those in the United Reformed Church who are involved in Guiding or Scouting as part of the Fellowship. However, if you would like to receive Linkline and other information about what is going on in the Fellowship then become a Fellowship Member. Details of how to do this are on the membership page of the website. Group membership is a good idea as the contact will receive Linkline and other communications by email and can then distribute them to the other leaders in your units. Sometimes the Local Church is prepared to pay the Group membership to cover all the Scout/Guide units that meet on the church premises.

Rev David Marshall-Jones

Chairman/Manager