fellowship north speaks

a place to talk about what's going on at FN

February 9, 2012 • 2:05 pm 0

Raising a Modern Day Knight: fathers and sons

I’m convinced that most fathers have a desire to be excellent fathers and to raise children who flourish in every possible way as they grow older. And yet, it seems like every father I know (myself included) rarely feels like they have what it takes to succeed in that role. That we are deficient when it comes to knowing how to successfully father our children through adolescence and into adulthood. We need help.

About a year and half ago, in an effort to get that help I took part in a six-week program our church was offering called “Raising a Modern Day Knight.” The idea was pretty simple. A group of fathers who were interested in raising young men of honor gathered together (just the dads) to learn and discuss what it looks like to provide what our sons need from us. Part of what made this experience so good for me and others was that it wasn’t just some lectures we heard and some vague ideas about what we might do. Rather, each meeting we left with specific things we would do that week to connect with our sons in a way that maybe we hadn’t before.

The whole experience culminates in a ceremony in which fathers and sons share a meal together, then gather in a circle as one by one a father looks his son in the eye and tells him how much he is treasured, gifted, a loved. Then standing among other fathers and their sons, the dad “covenants” with his son that he will be there for him. That when the turbulent waves of adolescence hit, he will stand with him in the storm and help him navigate his way to adulthood. Those are words that can be said in the privacy of one’s own home, but somehow saying it in the company of other fathers and sons adds weight to whole experience. It is something that I don’t think Cole or I will ever forget.

Fellowship North is offering the series again this spring. It kicks off on March 1^st (Thursday) at 6:00pm. You may need more information, which you can get this Sunday after 2^nd service in The Lookout – we’ll be having a quick lunch and orientation to help you know what you are getting yourself into. I invite you to come and join us.

As one father to another, you need help in your efforts to raise your sons to become all they are meant to be in Christ, and this is a place to get it.

______________________________________________

Today’s post is by Taido Chino, who works with middle and high school students at FN. He is married to Alison, and they have 4 kids: Cole, Mary Polly, Ben and Simon (and currently, Vitara, an exchange student!) Taido is something of a theology nerd and mountain enthusiast. Oh, and he twitters.

Filed under: student, fathers, Raising a Modern Day Knight, sons

January 31, 2011 • 3:39 pm 0

Camps, camps, and more camps!

If you’ve been hanging around Fellowship North lately, you know that there is a LOT going on with our middle and high school students. Camps are quickly approaching and we want to make sure you are in the loop! If you are interested in finding out more about the events below, contact Taido Chino or Bobby Harrison at 771.1117.

The New Year is here and we’re already marking up calendars here at Fellowship North. We have a big 2011 planned for our students with plenty of opportunities for them to grow in their relationship with God. This year may prove to be a little different than last, or even the last few, but we’re asking you to be open to some new ideas this New Year.

elevate – MIDDLE SCHOOL

LSD @ Castle Bluff – FEB 11-13

Love, Sex, and Dating Camp: It’s an incredible opportunity for students to hear what the Bible has to say about such a critical topic. Also, if you’ve never experienced the Bluff in the winter, you’re missing out!

crossing – HIGH SCHOOL

SNOWCAMP @ Copper Mountain – MARCH 20-26

Another year, another great trip to the mountains. This go-around we’re headed to one of Colorado’s finest. Better yet, we’re staying right on the mountain. First time? 4^th time? Doesn’t matter. You won’t want to miss it.

PEAK MINISTRIES – MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL

KIDS ACROSS AMERICA Camp – JUNE 17-24

First things first: there will be no DCAMP or HS Mission Trip this year, certainly not in the way that we normally think about those trips. But we still believe discipleship and mission are incredibly significant for our students. That is why we are headed to Kids Across America this summer.

A handful of our students and leaders have been to KAA camps in the past and come back with one thing in mind: we need to give all of our students the opportunity to experience this. Well here’s that opportunity.

KAA’s mission is “to build Christian leaders by encouraging, equipping, and empowering them.” Discipleship is woven right into their fabric. Our church’s mission is “to mobilize a racially-unified family of God, called out as the presence of Jesus in our world, to pursue His mission: all people reconciled to God.” KAA is a predominantly urban youth camp, with a focus largely towards inner-city students. By bringing our mostly suburban youth into this environment, we’re hoping to see God stretch and grow this generation into caring about one thing: loving God and loving people.

Discipleship and Mission will right at the forefront of what we do this summer. No doubt about it. It may look different than it has in the past, but we believe this could be 2011’s biggest strength. Join us in this new journey.

For more info on KAA, go to kidsacrossamerica.org

Forms for all camps will be available at fellowshipnorth.net

Filed under: colorado, mountains, peak ministries, senior high, student, Taido Chino, trip, unity

May 26, 2010 • 4:59 pm 3

Looking for a hero!

Berit Kimrey loves VBS at Fellowship North. She wrote about it here a couple of summers ago. It’s that time of year again, and Berit wants to know if you will help out – here’s what she wants her family at FN to know:

2010 VBS will be held June 21-25! As in years past, we will open our VBS to the community with special emphasis on the Summertree/Pike View area.

This year’s theme is Hero Headquarters! which is a supercool superhero format relating to unlikely heroes in the Bible. I am including a link here so that you can peek around and listen to the upbeat music.

VBS will once again be held indoors this year (yea!) with the exception of dinner nightly. We will have moving rotations like last year. However, unlike years past, we will NOT have a middle school program during VBS. They will have their own event, End-O-Summer Daze, in August. The schedule is provided below:

5:30-6:00 – dinner

6:00-6:35 – opening

6:40-7:35 – rotations

7:40-8:00 – closing

As we all know, VBS doesn’t happen by itself and is only successful because of the dedication of the volunteers, like you. We have the following groups available:

1st-5th Boys/Girls (there are 10 possible classes)
Drivers/Dismissal
Registration
Dinner (must be available early each day to prepare dinner)
Clean up
Part-time (we will place you where you are needed most)

So what’s next? If you served last year as a leader and want to move up with your class, please let me know ASAP so we can reserve that particular age group for you.

Please email me at berit.kimrey@heifer.org, bkimrey1@comcast.net, call/text me at 416-1501, facebook me, or tweet me (@beritk). Let me know the following: Name, Contact Phone, Contact email, area of preferred service, and dates you are available.

We will have a couple of training sessions (Wednesday, June 16, or Sunday, June 20 – you can attend either one) in order to review some necessary information to make VBS both worry and hassle free.

This is one of the best outreach events we do each year- and is so fulfilling to watch kids of all ages and backgrounds come together to shout out Bible verses and sing and dance for the Lord.

In Him,

Berit

Filed under: FSM, student, elementary, Pike View, Summertree, VBS

February 12, 2010 • 1:11 pm 0

Are you a compass?

The following was written by Barbara Scorza, our Director of Operations here at Fellowship North. She shares about the impact a mentor can have on a student.

Do You Have a Compass? Are You A Compass?

January is National Mentoring Month and the North Little Rock Mayor’s Youth Council (NLRMYC) honored eleven mentors at their Third Annual Compass Awards Ceremony.

What a fitting name for an award that recognizes mentors! A compass is an instrument that we rely on to determine direction and a mentor, sometimes unbeknownst to them, is a person that determines direction, through their words, actions and in some cases, just by listening and allowing the person to know they are worthy. I have heard time and time again from young people how having a mentor in their lives helped them in their decision-making, paving the way for them to live a life of purpose.

I had an opportunity to attend this event and listen to the words of eleven Council members as they read a personal tribute to their mentors and presented them with an award. I must admit, I went because Kenderick, my son, had nominated Mark Palmer, but hearing the words of each student was such a blessing.

This is the third year Jan Scholl, Director NLRMYC, has held this event. Council members were asked to choose adults who had set them on or kept them on the right path, and had played a large role in helping them to become who they are today.

It was a very moving event; we got to hear these students speak words of encouragement into the lives of their mentors, for all the encouraging words and lessons they had been speaking to them.

Mentor honorees were Mark Palmer, Eugene Turner, Sherry Ratliff, John David Pittman, Ed Scott, Jerry Butler, Amanda Ware, Shirley Lindsey, Christen Pitts, Betsy Jones, and Nancy Moore. Council members are Kenderick Scorza, Micah Turner, Shannon Holman, Connor Ratliff, Justin Klucher, Brisa Bartczak, Grant DePoyster, Winston Meyer, Justin Lindsey, Kaley Scott, and Daley Johnston.

These are the words Kenderick spoke about his mentor, Mark Palmer.

I’d like to introduce you to my friend and mentor, Mark Palmer. He started a small study group that consisted of several teenagers. Since the time was so early, the rest of the group stopped coming. I still wanted to meet, so at 8:00 in the morning, every Sunday, he comes and picks me up at my house. We go to a nearby restaurant and we discuss different topics about God in our time together before church.

Mark has had a very strong influence in my life. In our meetings, he has showed me that you must be humble in all that you do, and that has offered me help when I am in need.

He has also shown me that you must help others when you are able. One time, my mother and I and my church’s pastor were on our way to see a friend of ours who was in the hospital at the time. Out of the blue, my mother’s car broke down. We called him up, and he drove all the way to Texas from Arkansas to take us to see our friend, and even got his family to allow us to sleep in their home that night. That situation helps me continue the service I do for others.

I admire his love of helping others and that he’s willing to share his wisdom with those who ask. I would like to thank him for all that he does. He is a great man and is a walking example of the word “humble.”

Mark, you are a very, immensely important part of my life and I thank you once again for showing me what it is like to be an incredible individual.

Filed under: faith in action, peak ministries, senior high, student, unity

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