Our partnership with Girl Scouts goes all the way back to the second troop of Girl Scouts.
Just one year after Girl Scouts was founded in 1912, the second troop in the nation found its roots in Tampa at Hyde Park United Methodist Church. It all started when Juliette reached out to her close friend, Jessamine Flowers Link, who, too, was a fearless blazer of trails. Jessamine eagerly took the reins and led Tampa’s first troop of nine girls to earn badges, go camping, and help others—just as Girl Scouts do today!
The rest, as they say, is history.
A Vibrant Partnership
Our partnership may have started long ago but our care for girls has not changed. We believe in the amazing program of Girl Scouts to develop girls who thrive in self confidence, positive values, leadership, relationships, and who make the world a better place. The mission of Girl Scouts of the USA is a parallel to our mission to “transform the world.”
My Promise, My Faith
Girl Scouting is based on the Girl Scout Promise and Law, which include similar principles and values found common across religions. While Girl Scouts stands as a secular organization, the program has always encouraged girls to take spiritual journeys via their faiths’ religious recognition.
The most common way Girl Scouts combine their faith and Girl Scouting today is by earning the “My Promise, My Faith” pin to wear on their uniform. To earn the pin, girls must examine the Girl Scout law and tie it directly to their faith’s principles. They must discuss with others, connect with women in their faith community, and create something to reflect what they’ve learned. Doing so empowers girls to strengthen the connection between their faith and Girl Scouts.
The United Methodist Church encourages the spiritual growth of young girls through religious recognitions offered to Girl Scouts as well. We utilize the P.R.A.Y. program and collaborate with Girl Scout programming, offering additional pins for girls to wear on their uniforms.
Part of growing into a courageous, confident, and well-rounded future leader involves growth and development across all aspects of a Girl Scout’s life. We are proud to offer an open door to faith growth for girls through Girls Scouts.
You Can Serve Girls Too
Partnering with your local Girl Scout Council:
Girl Scouts offers your church lots of opportunities
to engage and connect with families. Your church
can host a Girl Scout troop; provide meeting space;
host programming to help girls build their leadership,
STEM, and outdoors skills; and engage girls in service
opportunities for your community. We invite you to
reach out to your local Girl Scout Council to start or
expand a partnership between your church and Girl
Scouts. Use the Girl Scout Council Finder to connect
with your local Girl Scout council.
You’ll be taken to a short list of options to contact your
local council, including phone number and website.
Call the main number and ask to speak with someone
who’s able to discuss a partnership between your
church and Girl Scouts. You could also send an email
with a subject line “Partnering with the name of your
church and location].” Schedule a meeting to discuss
partner opportunities.
What to be prepared to discuss: Girl Scout
councils will have different opportunities to serve
girls. Some things to be prepared to discuss include:
- Hosting a Girl Scout troop – Does the council have
a specific age group to start with? - Providing meeting space – What size and how
many rooms do you have available? - If you’re ready to give it a try, ask about hosting a
Girl Scouts staff-led program series – Girl Scouts
can open the door to try a program so you can see
it first. - How you communicate with families at your
church – Social media, church bulletin, the
church sign. - Recruiting caring adult volunteers – No
experience is required to be a champion for girls! - What you hope to get out of the partnership –
Where do you want to connect the most – service
projects, leadership growth, opportunities for
adults to serve, opening doors for faith, having a
fun and constructive place for girls.
Contact: Kara Ball, Director, Faith-Based
Partnerships, GSUSA kball@girlscouts.org
(212) 852-8574
“Girl Scouts is so epic I am speechless!!”
— Susan Lawyer
“The work of today is the history of tomorrow, and
WE ARE ITS MAKERS.”
-Juliette Gordon Low
“Girl Scouts gives the girls a chance to grow and experience the outdoors in ways they can’t anywhere else. Girls learn to lead girls and support each other. Girls not only become the future but they live it today.”
— Kathy Jacobson
Community Outreach Youth Ministries 