Girl Scouts from throughout the Lehighton area recently celebrated World Thinking Day at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church. It was a chance for Scouts and their families to learn more about different cultures and meet Scouts from other local troops.

Learning about other cultures, from food and forms of scouting to each country’s sports and traditions, is a good way for these girls to immerse themselves in a way of life other than their own, said Barbara Ahner, the Lehighton service unit manager.

“We do this so that the girls realize they have sister Scouts all around the world, even in countries where it is hard to be a Scout,” Ahner said. “A lot of them made costumes. They did research on clothing and foods, culture and scouting organizations in their country.”

Scouts stamped World Thinking Day “passports” as they traveled to each table and learned about the countries.

World Thinking Day is traditionally celebrated in mid-February and is a day when Girl Scouts and Girl Guides from 146 countries learn more about the cultures and issues faced by fellow Scouts and Guides around the world.

Lehighton troops typically mark World Thinking Day in conjunction with Girl Scout Sunday in order to share the day with Trinity’s congregation and a larger group of Scouts.

Ahner said the troops try to feature different countries each year.

Countries that were profiled this year included Kenya, the Dominican Republic, South Korea, Venezuela, Jamaica and Azerbaijan. This year’s displays held special meaning for some girls, as a few of the Scouts have ties to South Korea and Venezuela through family and the military.

Each display showed details of a Scout’s life from that country, from uniforms to their Scout Law and Promise. Most tables offered a taste of local food as well.

The Lehighton Scouts also celebrated Girl Scout Sunday that day. They attended Trinity’s Sunday service, served as lectors, and presented the American and Girl Scout flags at the beginning of the service.

The sermon was given by the Rev. Denton Kees, the pastor of Trinity Lutheran in Bowmanstown, and based on the well-known verse John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but have eternal life.”

Kees noted that this can be a difficult passage to prepare a sermon for, since it is so familiar.

“It offers the question: How do I preach this in a fresh way? Is there anything new that I can say?” he said.

Kees said this verse follows a passage retelling Moses’ lifting of a bronze serpent. All of the faithful who had been poisoned by the serpent’s bite but looked upon the bronze serpent were healed. This foreshadows the crucifixion and resurrection, in which all who believe may have eternal life.

“The cross is not about punishment, or payment. It’s about healing,” Kees said. “Our job is to bear witness to the light, not to judge.”

Following the sermon, Vicar Rich Bergen offered a blessing for the Girl Scouts and leaders present at the service. Dozens of current and past Scouts stood for the blessing.

Ahner encouraged parents and family members of young girls to consider the Girl Scouts, both to join scouting and for the adults to become volunteers and leaders.

For more information about the Girl Scouts, contact a local troop leader or go to www.girlscouts.org.