Royal Ambassadors

Our church has some kids programs that are new to our boys.  Royal Ambassadors meets on Sunday evenings for boys in grades 1-6.  Dylan and Zachary have been attending RA's for a few months, enjoying it, and making some new friends.

A few weeks ago, they had an award presentation during the Sunday morning service for RA's and GA's (Girls in Action, the sister group for girls in grades 1-6).  Mr. Rick, the RA leader, made it a special time for the boys.  After he passed out the previous year's awards, he had a commissioning service for the coming year for the boys.  He had them all come to the front of the church, and they lit candles to represent each point in the Royal Ambassador pledge, which they recited.  It is as follows:

As a Royal Ambassador I will do my best:

• To be a well-informed, responsible follower of Christ;
• To have a Christ-like concern for all people;
• To learn how to carry the message of Christ around the world;
• To work with others in sharing Christ; and
• To keep myself clean and healthy in mind and body.



Dylan

After this, he had the parents of the boys stand up, and he gave a challenge to the boys and their parents.  Although my boys have not been in the group long enough to earn awards, Dylan worked hard to meet the requirements to earn his RA vest, which Mr. Rick presented to him as part of the ceremony.  Zachary almost met the requirements, and I think he thought he could slide through and get his vest, anyway.  I was glad that Mr. Rick stuck to the standards and didn't let Zachary slide through.  He did give him a second chance to get his vest at the next RA meeting, and Zachary took it more serious and earned the vest, but too late for the ceremony.



Zachary

Being new to this church and being the protective parent that I am, it worries me a little to drop my kids off for an hour program, not knowing the teachers very well.  I know it's church, but there have been plenty of scandals in churches in recent times.  What time I have spent talking with Mr. Rick, though, he seems to genuinely care about the boys.  It seems like he's not just leading the group because "somebody needs to do it."  This was evidenced by the fact that he took the extra effort to make the ceremony a special event.  Also, during the ceremony, one of the boys graduated from the program and Mr. Rick presented him with a special RA Bible and pocket knife.  He got emotional and teared up when he made this presentation.  I'm glad to have other men in my boys lives that take a genuine interest in them and strive to be positive role models for them, and I'm excited to have my kids grounded in some programs where they can have fun, learn, and make some new friends. 

The kids are glad, too.  Dylan told me recently that if we visited any more new churches he wasn't going to go.  At this age, he doesn't really have a choice, but I know what he means, and I take the warning signs seriously!  Kids need stability, and leaving their old church and friends behind and bouncing around for the past year-plus has been tough on all of us!