This week we light the second purple candle – the candle of Peace. As we prepare our hearts for the Prince of Peace, I’ve been thinking about how rare and precious peace can be in our world, and in our scout halls.

The theme this week focuses on Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem – a journey that required inner peace amid external chaos. They didn’t know what awaited them, but they moved forward with peaceful determination. It reminds me of our scouts navigating the ups and downs of growing up, learning to find calm amid the noise.

So how do we cultivate peace in Scouting?

Peace in Preparation – Just as Mary and Joseph prepared for their journey, our scouts prepare for camps, hikes, and challenges. But are we teaching them to prepare their minds and hearts too? This week, what if we built in moments of quiet reflection? A few minutes at the start or end of meetings to simply be still, to think about the week ahead or the day behind.

Peace in Conflict – Let’s be honest: patrol corners can get loud, disagreements happen, and tempers flare. The second week of Advent invites us to model and teach peaceful resolution. When conflicts arise this week, can we slow down and ask: “How can we find peace here?” Not just quiet, but genuine understanding.

Peace in Service – Our service projects this week might focus on bringing peace to others. Visiting those who are lonely, writing cards to people who need encouragement, or simply being a peaceful presence in our communities.

Inner Peace – Scouting can be chaotic and energetic (and that’s wonderful!), but we can also teach our young people that inner peace is a skill worth developing. Whether it’s a moment of mindfulness before a challenging activity, or teaching them to pause before reacting, we’re preparing them for life.

This Week’s Activity: Peace Candles

Here’s a simple craft that brings the theme of peace to life: have your Scouts create peace candles from old jam jars. Clean jars, tissue paper or glass paint, tea lights, and some creativity are all you need. Scouts can decorate their jars with peaceful symbols, calming colours, or words that represent peace to them. When lit, these candles create a gentle, peaceful glow – perfect for their bedrooms or to give as gifts to family members who need a bit of calm in their lives. As they work, talk about what peace means to them and where they can be peacemakers in their own lives.

I’d love to hear from other Scout Leaders: How do you create moments of peace in your meetings? Have you found ways to teach conflict resolution that actually work with young people? What does peace look like in your scout group?

As we move through this second week of Advent, may we help our scouts discover that peace isn’t just the absence of noise – it’s the presence of calm, even in the storm.

Yours in Scouting,

Mark