This Grace is meant for Boy Scouts.

[This is an entire worship service rather than just a grace]

Call to Worship:
The heavens declare the glory of God.
The skies proclaim the work of his hands.
The earth is God's and everything in it.
Praise God.


Opening Song: God Bless America
(Please Stand)

God bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her and guide her
Through the night with a light from above.
From the mountains,
To the prairies,
To the oceans white with foam,
God bless America,
My home sweet home!
God bless America,
My home sweet home!


Invocation: Camper's Prayer
(Be Seated)

God of the mountains and hills, make me tall and strong;
Tall enough and strong enough to right some wrong.
God of the stars, make me steadfast and sure;
God of the trees and woods, keep me fresh and pure;
God of every lake and stream, flow through my life and make it clean;
Let me do nothing base or mean.
God of the rain, wash from my life all dirt and stain;
Pure and strong let me remain.
God of night and day, through shadows or light, be my stay.
Guide my way.
God of the radiant sun, light my life;
God of the evening peace and quiet, keep me free from fear and strife.
God of the glorious dawn, make each day a fresh start.
God of the free flying birds, sing in my heart.
God of the surging waves and sea, wide horizons give to me;
Help me to see the world as you would have it be;
God of the morning dew, each day my faith renew.
God of all growing things, keep me growing, too.


Song: This Is my Father's World
(Please Stand)

This is my Father's world, and to my listening ears,
All nature sings, and round me rings,
The music of the spheres.

This is my Father's world, I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas,
His hands the wonders wrought.

This is my Father's world, the birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white
Declare their Maker's praise.

This is my Father's world, He shines in all that's fair;
In the rustling grass, I hear Him pass,
He speaks to me everywhere.


Responsive Reading:
(Be Seated)

In unison:
O God, how excellent is your name in all of the earth!

Leader:
When I consider the heavens, the work of your hands,
The moon and the stars which you created;
What is man, that you care for him?

Response:
You have put all things under his dominion.
All sheep and oxen,
All the beasts of the field;
The fowl of the air and the fish of the sea,
That man would use and care for your creation.


Silent Meditation - 1 minute to reflect


Song: As the Deer
(Please Stand)

As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after thee
You alone are my hearts desire
And I long to worship thee

Chorus
You alone are my strength my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my hearts desire
And I long to worship thee

You're my friend and You are my brother,
Even though you are a king.
I love you more thank any other,
So much more than anything.

I want You more than gold or silver,
Only You can satisfy.
You alone are the real joy Giver,
And the apple of my eye.


Message: Learned It All in Kindergarten
Robert Fulgum
(Be Seated)

Most of what I really need to know about how to live, and what to do, I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sandbox. These are the things I learned:

Share everything.

Play fair.

Don't hit people.

Put things back where you found them.

Clean up your own mess.

Don't take things that aren't yours.

Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.

Wash your hands before you eat.

Live a balanced life. Learn some and think some, and draw and sing and dance and play and work every day some.

Take a nap in the afternoon.

When you go out into the world, watch for traffic, hold hands and stick together.

Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the plastic cup. The roots go down and the plant goes up, and nobody really knows why, but we are all like that. Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the plastic cup - they all die. So do we.

And then remember the book about Dick and Jane and the first word you ever learned, the biggest word of all:

LOOK

Everything you need to know is in there somewhere.
The golden rule and love and basic sanitation.
Ecology and politics and sane living.
Think of what a better life it would be if we all had cookies and milk about three o'clock every afternoon and then lay down with our blankets for a nap.
Or if we had a basic policy in our nation and other nations always to put things back where we found them and cleaned up our own messes.
And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.


Offering


Benediction: Old Irish Blessing

May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rain fall soft upon your fields,
And, until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.


Dismissal