“I am very grateful to so many faithful leaders who displayed in their lives what it was to live as a disciple of Jesus.”
I joined the BB in 1972 when 6th Glasgow Company was re-established at Partick Newton Place Church (now part of Partick Victoria Park) in Glasgow. We started with a small but enthusiastic Juniors age group but soon grew into a full Company.
While in the Juniors I remember working to collect the six achievement badges. In the Company age group the highlights were Battalion competitions. We played football on Saturdays, and our Company came second in the Subbuteo (remember that?) tournament.
I was also a drummer in our BB band; we played for parades to Church services and on Remembrance Sunday. It was important to have your shoes polished and brass buckle on your belt shining.
For me, a particular memory is of Bible Class, before the Sunday morning service. One of our leaders took us through badgework on the Apostles’ Creed which involved memorising the Creed.
I remember going on a Battalion camp to Aberfoyle and one year our Captain volunteered our Company to help with some end of season maintenance at the Dalguise camp site in Perthshire. After we had helped with creosoting fences, we could have a go on the ropes and swings among the trees.
The BB is really good for teaching young people to work together – you were always part of a team.
The BB gave us lots of opportunities to explore a large range of interests. The number of badges you could work for was huge; we were always comparing our arm full of badges to one another trying to gain more and more badges. This meant we were always trying new things, there were badges for First Aid, for map reading, for all kinds of sports. Having a ‘try something new’ attitude is really good in life and the BB can help teach us this.
Becoming a minister in the Church of Scotland I became a BB Chaplain to 1st New Cumnock Company. At the time this was a very large Company with three full sections of boys, and it was a great privilege to be part of the BB team at New Cumnock.
The Object of the BB, “to advance Christ’s kingdom” has been achieved in my life. I am very grateful to so many faithful leaders who displayed in their lives what it was to live as a disciple of Jesus. Many children and young people have first heard of Jesus through the BB and have come to know the Lord Jesus to be their own anchor who always holds them through all the paths of life.
Rt Rev Gordon Kennedy has served as a minister in the Church of Scotland since 1993, and between May 2026 and May 2027 is additionally serving as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
