LUTHERAN PIONEERS STRUCTURE

Listen my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. They will be a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck. Proverbs 1:8,9.

Joseph had served his father faithfully seventeen years, but now, because of the hatred of his brothers, he is a slave in a foreign land. Even as a slave in Egypt, Joseph obeyed God and did not rebel against those whom God had placed over him. As a Lutheran Pioneer, you too are un- der others in your Train as you will learn in this section on Train Organization. God has placed leaders over you even as He placed others over Joseph. Listen to their instructions, heed their teachings and God will bless you as He blessed Joseph.

TRAIN ORGANIZATION

What is Lutheran Pioneers? What is a Train? What does a Quartermaster do? After your first meeting you may have had many questions. There are hundreds of boys all across the country who have just joined Lutheran Pioneers too, and they will be asking the same questions.

What is a Lutheran Pioneer? The dictionary tells us that a Pioneer is “someone who goes be- fore, preparing the way.” It is someone who leads. The word “pioneer” is French, meaning foot soldier. You have become a foot soldier for Christ.

TRAIN ORGANIZATION

Boys

Just as the early pioneers led the way across this land in covered wagons, you are part of a wagon, too.  Your wagon  is made up of four to six boys who will study together, play together, build pro- jects together and camp together. Your wagon should have a name, a yell and a flag; for example you might belong to the Road Runner Wagon and have “beep…beep” as your yell!

Just as all the wagons belonged to a wagon train many years ago, your wagon, and all of the other wagons, belong to a Train. There is  only  one Train in each church that has a Lu- theran Pioneer program.

Every wagon train had leaders to help the pioneers find their way across the mountains and through the desert. You have leaders too. Your wagon has two leaders who are boys just like you. The first is the Wagon Leader. He leads your wagon at the meetings and on campouts. He also helps you learn some of the skills in this book. He is usually older, has completed the Camper requirements and has shown leadership skills.

There is also a Wagon Driver who helps the Wagon Leader. If the Wagon Leader is absent,  the Wagon Driver leads the wagon. The Wagon Driver has usually completed the RECRUIT requirements.

The boy who is in charge of all the wagons is called the Wagonmaster. The Wagonmaster leads all of the wagons during formations and helps teach the younger boys some of the skills in the program. The Wagonmaster has usually completed the CAMPER requirements.

Above the Wagonmaster are the Junior Train Leader (JTL). They are responsible for all of  the boys in the Train, and help the adult leaders teach some of the more advanced skills in the program. They also help the adult leaders plan the meetings and are advisors of the Pow-Wow. The Junior Train Leader is the highest rank that you can have as a boy. He is usually at least fourteen years old and has completed all the FRONTIERSMAN requirements. A Train may have more than one Junior Train Leader.

There also two boys who take care of the Train records. The Quartermaster is in charge of all the Train equipment. He makes sure that it is clean and in working order. He must keep accu- rate records of all the equipment that the Train owns or uses. The Recorder is in charge of all the Train dues and weekly attendance records. He will check with each Wagon Leader to see who is at the meeting, and if their dues are paid. Both of these positions can be held by one  boy, or by someone who is already a Wagon Leader or a Wagonmaster if your Train does not have enough boys. The Quartermaster and Recorder should have completed the CAMPER re- quirements.

The Wagon leaders, Wagonmaster, Quartermaster and Recorder should meet at least once a month to help the adult leaders plan the meetings and activities by making suggestions to them. This group is called the Pow-Wow. The JTL is an advisor, the Wagonmaster runs the meeting, and the Recorder takes notes. The Trainmaster should sit in on this meeting, too.

The adult leader of the Train is called the Trainmaster. With the help of the Senior Train Leaders and the Pow-Wow, the Trainmaster plans all of the meetings, activities and projects. The Trainmaster is the “boss.”

There are also leaders who help the Trainmaster with this work, who are called Senior Train Leaders (STL). They often work with the various levels of the Train. One will probably work with the Recruits, one will work with the Campers and one will work with the Frontiersmen. One of the STL will probably be an advisor to the Pow-Wow and one may serve as an advisor to the Troopers.

There are four to six adults who help the Trainmaster run the Train, but they are not always leaders. These adults are part of the Train Council. It is their job to find leaders, guide the program and to help teach when one of the leaders is absent. Do you know who is on your Train Council?

TRAIN ORGANIZATION

Since we are Lutheran Pioneers, there is one other person who helps lead the Train. He is your Pastor. He is called the Train Chaplain. He helps the Trainmaster with devotions to help keep you a “foot soldier for Christ.”

Back to our original question. What is a Lutheran Pioneer?

IT IS YOU!

NATIONAL ORGANIZATION

But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly manner. 1 Corinthians 14:40

The “twelve tribes of Israel” marched through the wilderness in order. Judah was first, fol- lowed by the other eleven, ending with the tribe of Dan. When they made camp at night, each tribe camped in a specific place. In the midst of all the tribes stood the tabernacle with the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark reminded all that God was in their midst. The same Lord is in the midst of the Lutheran Pioneers national organization, guiding and directing it for His glory.  You are the reason for their planning.

Let’s start at the top of the National Organization. Just as your Train has a Train Council, Na- tional has a National Council. It is made up of ten (10) men elected at the National Conven- tion. The delegates to the convention are the adult leaders from Lutheran Pioneer Trains across the country.

The National Council elects its own officers just as your Train Council does. It also has men who assist them run the Lutheran Pioneer Program called Advisory officers. There are seven (6) of them: the National Chaplain, who spiritually guides the Pioneer Program; two Pastoral advisors, who help develop and promote the Lutheran Pioneer Program; the Treasurer, who takes care of the financial records of the Program; the Development Director, whose function is fund raising for the program; the Executive Director, who manages the Lutheran Pioneer Program. The National Chaplain and Pastoral Advisors are pastors and the Executive Director  is a Staff Minister.

The National Council and its Advisory officers meet at least twice a year to discuss new and existing programs, policies and ideas that have been submitted by Lutheran Pioneer leaders.

The Executive Director manages the entire Lutheran Pioneer Program of Buckaroos, Pioneers and Troopers. It is his job to carry out the directives and policies of the National Council.

NATIONAL ORGANIZATION

To help him with his work, the Executive Director has an Administrative Assistant and a Secretary. The Administrative Assistant fills orders, pays the bills, prints newsletters and booklets and maintains the financial records.

To help the Executive Director with his work, he has Assistant National Directors (AND) who work in different areas of the program. There is an AND in charge of the Buckaroos, one in charge of the Pioneers and one in charge of the Troopers. Another Assistant National Director works with the Districts and one works with the National Activities. The Executive Director  can have as many AND’s as he needs and they all work with him to keep the entire Lutheran Pioneer Program within the guidelines established by the National Council.

To help the Executive Director to serve all of the Trains in Lutheran Pioneers there are four vol- unteer leaders called Regional Directors. They cover the Great Lakes, Midwest, South and West areas of our country. Assisting the four Regional Directors are the National Train Advi- sors.  These NTA’s are asked to work with a group of Trains in their immediate area.  They  help congregations who want to begin a Lutheran Pioneer Train or get their Train going again.

They also help leaders if they are having problems and share ideas to help make the program more interesting for you as a Lutheran Pioneer.

In September of 1976, the National Headquarters building in Burlington, Wisconsin, was built and dedicated. It is here that the National Council meetings are held along with other commit- tee meetings. The Executive Director has his office here and, assisted by his Administrative Assistant sends out information, fills and sends out orders and maintain records. It is also here that the uniforms, books, training aids, camping equipment and craft kits are stored, waiting to be sold to Lutheran Pioneer Trains like yours.

Each church that has a Lutheran Pioneer Train, belongs to a District. A District is made up of Trains that meet regularly to plan activities and exchange ideas to help each other. The Na- tional Council establishes the Districts. The District is led by leaders who serve on a District Council. Each District sets up its own officers as it feels it needs. Usually there is one person who will serve as the District contact with the National Office. Each District has a name cho- sen by the members of the District. The District name has some importance for the area in which it is located. Each District decides what types of activities it will have. These will in- clude campouts, Pinecar derbies, Klondike derbies and others.

This is the National Organization. Your Train’s yearly member- ship fee helps these men to provide your Train with books for your Train Library and Training Aids for your Leaders.

The National Organization exists to serve your Train and to serve you. As a Lutheran Pioneer you are part of a program that has members throughout the United States and Canada. In all these places there are boys and leaders, just like at your Train, who regularly gather for meetings. They are boys and leaders who share your faith in their Lord and Savior. They, like you, are: