American Heritage Girls

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The American Heritage Girls was formed in 1995 by a group of parents from West Chester, Ohio who were unhappy that the Girl Scouts accepted lesbians as troop leaders, allowed girls to substitute another word more applicable to their belief for "God" in the promise, and allegedly banned prayer at meetings.[1]. American Heritage Girls is a Christian Scouting group modeled after young women's organizations such as the Girl Scouts of the USA and Camp Fire USA. The group currently has troops in many states of the continental United States. Membership as of 2006 is about 5,000.

1 Oath
2 Creed
3 Statements
4 Adult members Statement of Faith
5 External links

[edit] Oath

I promise to love God,
Cherish my family,
Honor my country,
and Serve in my community.

[edit] Creed

As an American Heritage Girl, I promise to be:

Compassionate - Understanding others in fellowship, empathy, kindness, and caring. Respect others' opinions and emotions.
Helpful - Willingly serve others.
Honest - Always tell the truth and keep my promise.
Loyal - True to God, family, friends, community and country.
Perseverant - Continue to strive toward a goal despite obstacles.
Pure - Keep my mind and body pure.
Resourceful - Wisely use my time, materials and talents.
Respectful - Honor my country, be obedient to those in authority and courteous to all.
Responsible - Accountable for my own actions. Reliable in all situations.
Reverent - Faithful and honoring to God. Respectful of the beliefs of others.

[edit] Statements

The Mission statement is:

Building women of integrity through service to God, family, community and country.

The Vision statement is

American Heritage Girls is the premier scouting organization for young women that provides a program which embraces time honored moral standards while encouraging each member to grow in their faith in God, personal integrity, family values, citizenship and community service.

[edit] Adult members Statement of Faith

Adult members subscribe to a Statement of Faith:

We believe that there is One Triune God - Father, Jesus Christ His one and only Son, and the Holy Spirit - Creator of the universe and eternally existent. We believe the Holy Scriptures (Old/New Testament) to be the inspired and authoritative Word of God. We believe each person is created in His image for the purpose of communing with and worshipping God. We believe in the ministry of the Holy Spirit who enables us to live a Godly life. We believe that each individual is called to love the Lord their God with all their heart, mind, soul and strength; and to love their neighbors as themselves. We believe that each individual is called to live a life of purity, service, stewardship and integrity.

Clarity is further provided to the following terms:

Purity - An AHG member is called to live a life of holiness, being pure of heart, mind, word and deed, reserving sexual activity for the sanctity of marriage; marriage being a lifelong commitment before God between a man and a woman.

Service - An AHG member is called to become a responsible member of their community and the world through selfless acts, which contribute to the welfare of others.

Stewardship - An AHG member is called to use their God given time, talents and money wisely.

Integrity - An AHG member is called to live a moral life, demonstrating the inward motivation to do what is right, regardless of the cost.