Pathfinders is a community service oriented youth organization of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, open to all children from ten to sixteen years and upwards. It was founded in 1907. The first camp was held in Town Line Lake, Michigan USA in 1926. Activities include community service, camping, crafts, classwork, marching, Bible study, Seventh-day Adventist Church history, and leadership training. Staff to student ratio is said to be about 1:5, which the organization stresses as an important learning benefit for participants. Participants are children and teenagers aged 10-15, progressing through different ranks called Class Levels each year. Pathfinder clubs across the globe are sponsored by the local Seventh-Day Adventist church and participate in numerous activities and events and camp.
Pathfinder clubs are sponsored by a local Seventh-day Adventist Church and will usually meet either once a week or bi-weekly.
Annually, each conference will hold a large event known as a camporee where pathfinders from throughout the conference will come together to participate in events and competitions as well as religious meetings.
Every so often a camporee is held which is a whole area such as North American or South Pacific divisions come together and enjoy fellowship and do activities together.
Phuket Camporee PatchThe first Division camporee was the Far East Division Camporee in 1984 in Phuket, Thailand; This was followed by the North American Division's (NAD) camporee at Camp Hale Colorado in 1985.[2][3] This was followed by the "Friendship Camporee" in Pennsylvania in 1989. In 1994, the NAD hosted the first International Camporee near Denver, Colorado. Other international camporees have been "Discover the Power" in 1999 and "Faith on Fire" in 2004, both located on the grounds of the Experimental Aircraft Association in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The next international camporee, themed "Courage to Stand", is scheduled for 2009, also at Oshkosh.
Pathfinder Class Levels
There are 6 standard ranks (known as "Class Levels") a Pathfinder can hold, each of which is awarded upon the completion of specific classwork requirements. The ranks are Friend, Companion, Explorer, Ranger, Voyager and Guide. These levels are designed to be completed in one year each, but need not be awarded sequentially. Also there are advanced requirements, for example Trail friend & Frontier Voyager, etc.
Friend - 5th Grade or age 10
Trail Friend (advanced class)
Companion - 6th Grade or age 11
Trail Companion (advanced class)
Explorer - 7th Grade or age 12
Frontier Explorer (advanced class)
Ranger - 8th Grade or age 13
Frontier Ranger (advanced class)
Voyager - 9th Grade or age 14
Wilderness Voyager (advanced class)
Guide - 10th Grade or age 15
Wilderness Guide (advanced class)
After the student has finished the Guide level, they can decide whether or not they wish to continue on to the Master Guide program. The Master Guide program is more independent, requires more effort and self interest than the other levels, and its requirements focus on witnessing and leadership more than individual skills. This class was designed to train youth leaders in the basic skills of youth ministry and leadership.
Pathfinder Pledge and Law
The Pathfinder Pledge and Law are intended to provide guidance for participants, and although the wording differs between countries, the USA version as shown below illustrates the format and topics such as health, lifestyle and religious topics reflects the range which are included.
The Pathfinder Pledge
By the grace of God, I will be pure and kind and true.
I will keep the Pathfinder Law.
I will be a servant of God and a friend to man.
The Pathfinder Law
The Pathfinder Law is for me to,
Keep the Morning Watch,
Do my honest part,
Care for my body,
Keep a level eye,
Be courteous and obedient,
Walk softly in the sanctuary,
Keep a song in my heart,
Go on God's errands.
Pathfinder Emblem
The Pathfinder emblem meaning:
The red color on the emblem represents the blood of Jesus Christ and how Pathfinders believe that he gave his life as salvation from sin.
The white color represents purity, and how the objective of Pathfinders is to have the purity and righteousness of Jesus Christ in their lives.
The blue color represents loyalty and how one of the objectives of the club is to be loyal to God, their parents, and their church.
The gold color represents excellence and how it is a standard of measurement. The Pathfinder club has high standards to help build a strong character for the kingdom of heaven.
The 3 sides of the emblem represents completeness. Completeness of the Godhead: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. It also represents the tripod of education: Mental (as done through Honors and Crafts), Physical (as done through work bees and campouts), and Spiritual (as done in witnessing and missionary activities).
The shield represents protection. In the Bible, God is often called the shield of His people. Pathfinders believe in God's protection.
The sword represents the Bible. They are in spiritual warfare against sin; their weapon is the Bible.
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