100 Years of Girl Scouting: Celebrated with Interfaith Service at the National Cathedral
WASHINGTON, April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital will host Girl Scouts 100th Anniversary Interfaith Service: Many Faiths, One Promise on Saturday, April 28, 2012 at 10:00 am, at the Washington National Cathedral. As Girl Scouts celebrate their 100th anniversary, the Interfaith Service is a tribute to Girl Scouts' rich diversity and inclusion principals.
Girl Scouts was founded in 1912 by Juliette Gordon Low based on the belief that all girls should have the opportunity to develop physically, mentally and spiritually. Today, the movement is 3.2 million Girl Scouts strong in the United States, with 90,000 members residing in the Greater Washington Region.
To honor our founding principles, the Interfaith Service will bring diverse faiths and beliefs together, united by Girl Scouts' common values. According to Lidia Soto-Harmon, CEO Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital, "Girl Scouting is based on the Girl Scout Promise and Law, which includes the universal values of faith-based communities. While we are a secular organization, we have always respected the beliefs and traditions of our members and are excited to share the values of service and compassion through this unique Interfaith Service."
The Washington National Cathedral is a spiritual home of the nation and has played a leading role in convening interfaith dialogue in efforts to promote peace and understanding. Leaders from many faith communities have been invited and will attend the service. They include: The Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church; Reverend Dr. Nancy Lee, Executive Minister at Community of Hope AME Church; Dr. D.C. Rao, Hindu and Jain Representative of the Board of Directors for the Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington; The Reverend Kaz Nakata, resident minister at Ekoji Buddhist Temple; Rabbi Rachel Gartner, Director of Jewish Chaplaincy at Georgetown University; Imam Mohamed Magid, Executive Director and Minister at the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) Center; and Father Frank Ready, Vicar General for Pastoral Services with the Catholic Diocese of Arlington.
The Interfaith Service will recognize Girl Scouts who have earned the new My Promise, My Faith pin. This new recognition allows girls to further strengthen the connection between their faith and Girl Scouting by examining the Girl Scout Promise and Law and relating it to the tenets of their faith. This pin can be earned once a year by all Girl Scouts, grades K-12.
Girl Scouts will bring small homemade prayer flags to the Interfaith Service, symbolizing peace and compassion. These flags will be on display at the National Mall on June 9, 2012 at Girl Scouts Rock the Mall: 100th Anniversary Sing-Along, where an anticipated 200,000 Girl Scouts from around the world will enjoy and mark the centennial anniversary of the Girl Scout movement.
About Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital
The Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital is a leadership development organization for girls, with 90,000 girl and adult members: 63,300 girls (grades K-12) and 26,700 volunteer, adult and lifetime members. With the support of dedicated adult volunteers and parents, the generosity of corporations and foundations, and our popular Girl Scout Cookie program, Girl Scouting helps build girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place. We serve the Greater Washington Region, which includes the District of Columbia, eight counties in Maryland, ten counties in Virginia and seven counties in West Virginia. Girl Scouts was founded in 1912. The Council will host the largest gathering of Girl Scouts in Washington, DC on June 9, 2012 at Girl Scouts Rock the Mall: 100th Anniversary Sing-Along. For more information on how to join, volunteer, or donate to Girl Scouts, visit our website at www.gscnc.org.
About Washington National Cathedral
Washington National Cathedral is called to be the spiritual home for the nation. It seeks to be a catalyst for spiritual harmony in our nation, renewal in the churches, reconciliation among faiths, and compassion in our world. Learn more at www.nationalcathedral.org.
SOURCE Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital
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