Selling Girl Scout Cookies at Church

[FlightlessDuck]

Ok, here's the situation:

Our Christian church allows a Girl Scoit troop use our Fellowship Hall for their meetings once a week. I do not know if we charge them rent (probably not since they are a 501(c)(4)?). This troop is in no way officially affiliated with the church. They just use our facilities.


The troop asked the committee chair that deals with the facility if they could set up a table to sell cookies on a Sunday. I assume after service, but I need clarification.

As either a Girl Scout or someone who goes to church, what's your opinion on seeing this? I mean, there's the whole "Jesus flipping tables" business, but like...this is Girl Scouts, ya know?

 

[KayaWildfire]

As long as it is after the service or even before, I see no issue at all with it. Our church does it's own fundraisers before and after services, we have had the Boy Scout popcorn sale, girl scout cookies, etc. It's common here to see scouts and schools selling stuff at the grocery store and the like as well. If you don't want to buy anything, just keep walking.

 

[tink89]

Girl Scout mom here. What exactly is the issue?

 

[L&Lfan]

We often have groups “selling things” before and after church.

They are usually seated at a table near the entrance but people are free to walk by and not stop without any “hard sell”.

I don’t support the Girl Scouts for philosophical reasons which means I just walk by with a smile.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

Girl Scout cookies contain palm oil. Even though their bakers are members of RSPO - "Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil," studies show this is basically a scam certification as RSPO does nothing to enforce sustainability rules. Responsible for massive deforestation and habitat loss for endangered species. The fires set to clear the land for palm oil have caused acute respiratory issues for hundreds of thousands of people. So no, I would not want my church to allow sales of this.

edit ... sorry, I had my acronym wrong at first.

 

[SaintsManiac]

We have a scout in our troop who sells at church on her own. She doesn’t set up a table, though.

I don’t really see an issue with it.

 

[daisyx3]

I'm all for it, but then my girls were both scouts. I live in northern Ohio and I'd rather they made some extra money at church than sitting outside Target or wherever in this cold. My church lets the boy scouts meet there so I think supporting girl and boy scouts would be a positive thing.

 

[Disneylover99]

I think it’s fine.
It wouldn’t bother me at all.

 

[PollyannaMom]

As either a Girl Scout or someone who goes to church, what's your opinion on seeing this?

Yeah...cookies!!!!!

I used to have a couple of Scouts on my street, but they've grown older and moved on to other activities. I'd be glad to have a new, predictable cookie source. (The grocery store tables around here are hit or miss - and I tend to miss them.)

 

[dish rag]

Takes away from potential Church donations.

 

[Sephrina]

It is always up to the hosting organization/business if they want to have Girl Scouts selling cookies. If as a church there is not objection to business taking place at the facility, there is no reason you cannot allow the troop to sell. Where you may end up with hurt feelings is if you have members with girls in troops that meet at other locations that feel they did not have a chance at selling at church, whether at a table or direct contact. Unfortunately, not much can turn ugly faster than cookie sales. In my area, our prime cookie booth slots go faster than BG for RoTr. There is always someone complaining they're technology did not work, they couldn't get in, weren't told the correct time etc and that is after all the complaints that somebody started early or posted incorrectly on social media.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Girl Scout mom here. What exactly is the issue?

Is having Girl Scouts selling cookies on church property after worship counter to Matthew 21:12-17?

 

[FlightlessDuck]

If as a church there is not objection to business taking place at the facility, there is no reason you cannot allow the troop to sell.

This is the essence of my question. I was looking for examples from those involved in Scouts or their church on whether this is an issuw.

 

[lifesavacation]

I kinda think it’s a bad idea if they aren’t members of your congregation. If they are, it doesn’t seem like an issue.

 

[Allison]

Not an issue.

 

[kiddo76]

To avoid getting into a deep religious discussion, I'll just say I wouldn't classify Girl Scouts as thieves.

 

[ponyboy]

Girl Scout cookies contain palm oil. Even though their bakers are members of RSPO - "Responsibly Sourced Palm Oil," studies show this is basically a scam certification as RSPO does nothing to enforce sustainability rules. Responsible for massive deforestation and habitat loss for endangered species. The fires set to clear the land for palm oil have caused acute respiratory issues for hundreds of thousands of people. So no, I would not want my church to allow sales of this.

You make a well articulated argument and I was starting to agree with you but then I thought about do-si-dos.

 

[Sephrina]

I don't know that I have had any troops in my service unit sell at a church, which just means they did not ask my permission as their service unit cookie manager or put it out publicly on our program that lists the sales, so I never saw it. If I am not hearing about, my troops are either not doing or there are no issues.

I did have a family several (probably at least 10) that would set up at their church once a cookie season.

That being said, I'm not sure I would be comfortable selling after a church service, because I feel a church should not be a place of other business and I have many other options..

 

[Southernmiss]

I was in scouts 12 years. Earned Gold Award.

I work at our church.

We do not allow outside organizations to sell to our members after services. We have several church groups that need to raise funds for their own activities.

Opening up after church sales to one group sets a precedence that if we do for one, we'll have to do for others- Boy Scout popcorn, VFW poppies, etc.etc.

If individual scouts who are members of the church sell to their church friends, that's fine.

 

[ronandannette]

...As either a Girl Scout or someone who goes to church, what's your opinion on seeing this? I mean, there's the whole "Jesus flipping tables" business, but like...this is Girl Scouts, ya know?

Unless your church leadership coerces the poor and oppressed in your congregation to buy the cookies by lording false spiritual authority over them and then they personally profit from the sales, I think you are OK there. Your church doesn't also happen to have it's own currency that members are forced to buy at a rigged rate of exchange by any chance, does it?

Takes away from potential Church donations.

Pray tell how?

Is having Girl Scouts selling cookies on church property after worship counter to Matthew 21:12-17?

No.