I just saw something and it gave me an idea. I do not know if I have ever really stated what I believe the MG Uniform should be.
We have reached a time in youth and children's ministries where there is more structure to it than Senior Youth and Junior Youth. Once upon a time you chose which focus you wished to have and pursued a Master Guide Track that got you there. Now with a distincitive line drawn in ministry one underlying thing must remain and it is not the uniform. It is the purpose, a Master Guide should have enough basic knowledge of youth and children's ministries in the church to step in and assist or even intermitantly lead when called upon. This does not mean being an expert in all areas of each ministry, it means a basic understanding of the structure and purpose of everything from AYS to Beginner's Sabbath School. No doubt most of us could use a little briefing on some areas even if we once worked in them.
So where does that leave the uniform. Well you have read enough of my description of the official and common applications to see where I am headed by now. I believe there should be a basic MG Uniform for those who are not now affiliated with a particular ministry, or are leading AY, in stand alone MG Clubs, church Youth Director or CM Director and the like. It should be the same basic uniform that has been in place since the 1950's. In the like I think it is time to make official a series of ministry specific uniforms as optional only uniforms for each of the "scout" ministries. Pathfinders could use black or green (I could care less, black will have a higher overall cost for wearers), Adventurers with the USAF blue, Eager Beaver as the tradtional green as well as little lamb, TLT as Black, and Y.E.S. as Blue.
The patches will vary to match the ministry, if you are in a joint club (most Eager Beaver and LL groups are part of Adventurers) then the primary uniform (in this case blue) would be used with the "Membership" pin of the group on your lapel and the proper shoulder patches. The uniform shoud be clean though, the director's star(s) as appropriate, membership lapel, AY Pins and ribbons, name tag... All very clean and sharp. The one major difference is the thing I just saw:
Alfredo Lopez (alfa0722) from East Texas has a pic on his sight that is the perfect over all identifier for ALL Master Guides (I think). I had not seen it before and it would, on even the tradtional 1950's uniform, replace the World Patch (as no continuing education patch should):
Alfredo I hope you do not mind my putting this here, but it was the thing I have been searching for in my mind. The item that will, or can, tie all Master Guides together as one family of youth leaders in the church when they are in uniform. I think the plan is simple enough and could leave open the choice of $ spent to the club and wearers.
God Bless,
Chris Fishell
Xtreme Youth Resources International