Faith Works 8-30-08
Jeff Gill

Great Dads Need a Great Team Behind Them

If you think about a dad, the picture tends to be of a solitary figure, standing boldly and bravely and often alone.

That may be a problem.

Dads, like anyone, need love and support and perspective. Other dads, buddies who help build you up, and a loving relationship at home are all so very important. Fatherhood is not a solo act.

A number of Licking County churches are joining together for a “Great Dads” seminar, next Saturday at Centenary United Methodist in Granville. Ed Rizor and the men of Centenary are pleased to invite Christian men from all over our area to spend from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm looking at a program titled “The 6 Basics of Being a Great Dad.”

Ron Hitchcock is pastor of marriage & family life at Vineyard Church of Columbus, and he will present the day’s program around the themes of:

1. Providing Unconditional Love and Affection
2. Spending Time
3. Communicating Constantly and Creatively
4. Partnering with Mom
5. Instilling Moral and Spiritual Values
and 6. Establishing Your Fathering Legacy
Ron shares that in surveys, teens have been asked about stress, and who they turn to for help in a crisis. The truly disturbing answer was that dads ranked 48th on their list!
Cost is $25 per person with pre-registration, and you can call Centenary at 587-0022 to ask about signing up; same day registrations are possible but can’t be guaranteed.
This morning seminar is aimed at dads, prospective dads, dads in training, newly wed men, expectant fathers, or any guy who plans on having children in his household someday. For more information about the seminar you can visit www.greatdads.org and see more about the roots of this program.
And can I point out that this is the time of year when Cub Scout Packs all over Licking County are doing their fall recruitment – check the elementary school near you. Boys 1st through 5th grade can become Cub Scouts, and scout leadership is always in short supply! Check out www.lickingdistrict.org or www.skcbsa.org for more info, or call the Field Director for our county, Jeff Schiavone, at 438-8094.
Finally, on the news and events front, the 11th annual Licking County Prayer Breakfast is coming right up on Sept. 11, with doors opening at 6:00 am. Program time with worship and prayer (of course!) starts right at 6:30 am, and I can say from past experience they get us back towards our day’s obligations by 7:30.
Tickets are $15 per person for a fine, filling breakfast and a few favors at your table, and you can buy a table for $100 to seat eight. Elsa Kok Colopy is speaking on “Changed,” out of her experience as a risk-taker, adventurer, author, and storyteller. Call 522-7407 to reserve your spot!
Jeff Gill is a writer, storyteller, and supply preacher (but not much of a risk-taker); share a risky tale of adventure with him at knapsack77@gmail.com.