Originally posted by Forestsong:
Even though we're a Girl Scout camp, we had a camper parent complain about Grace one year (we did it in the lodge, standing at the tables before every meal) The graces we do are the kind most people have talked about, just little songs... any way... now we do them out side, before the meal, and we call it blessing (which to me sounds more religious, but oh well) and we make a comment at the beginning of the week that the girls can fill in words with whatever religion is their own choice. We had a staff a while back who had us change all references to Lord and Father to God, which sounded weird in most songs, but since she's left we've kinda phased the references back in, just because they sound right. I, myself, am not a really religious person, but "blessing" doesn't bother me. Some staff adamatly don't partcipate, but in general I see it as a way to get every one's attention and calm before the meals... Has any one has had a similar experience?
I had a girl a few years back who was Jewish and didn't want to sing our graces (which we try to keep non-denominaional). She wouldn't even stand up for graces, which I had no problem with. Well, one of our staff members that year completely railed on her: "You have to stan dup and sing grace with us. it's respectful." Of course, the camper came to me afterward. And the person who said this to her was my supervisor, so I was just wondering what I was supposed to do.
I told the camper that she had every right to sit during grace if she found the graces too Christian for her. I even double-checked with our assistant camp director to make sure, and she said that the camper was completely in the right.
