Fathers and Sons Build Relationships at Jenness Park
By Jennifer Lloyd
Do you want to stay the way you are, or do you want to be transformed by Jesus? This thought provoking question was posed by speaker Steve Diehl to the fathers and sons who attended the 2008 Father/Son retreat at Jenness Park on the first weekend of May. Diehl challenged the fathers and sons to, Learn to cooperate with God to be transformed into Christ's likeness. It is only thorough this process that we have hope in the difficult circumstances of the world.
The men and boys were challenged to grow in their relationships with each other and with God. Barry Lloyd, the Program Coordinator for the Father/son retreat said, Fathers and sons build relationships by worshipping together and by being active together. We try to plan services and activities that will promote fellowship.
During free time, the men and boys participated in activities like playing paintball, flying on the newly constructed giant swing, jousting in an inflatable jousting ring, and building race cars.
Several of the families who attended, have participated in the Father/Son retreat for multiple years.
The Tuck family included three generations. Dr. Russell Tuck, son Russell, and grandson Daniel have been coming to the Jenness Park Father/Son retreat for eleven years. The trio joked about the expectations for the paintball contest. Russell commented, Last year the fathers whipped the sons. This year the sons are out for revenge. The senior Tuck joked, Last time I forgot my long-sleeved shirt. Someone loaned me one, but it was red. This year I remembered my gray shirt. Someone else can wear the red shirt!
Terry Veiga brought his sons Wesley and Gavin to the retreat. They all jumped from the Leap of Faith and swung on the giant swing. Terry remarked, My sons and I do sports and community activities together, but this retreat is unique. We are around people who share our Christian values. Faith in Christ is reinforced. I'm trying to make this a tradition with my boys. We've been coming for four years.
A weekend like this takes a great amount of preparation. For the week prior to the retreat, a group of 32 volunteers from Fellowship in the Pass Church of Beaumont helped prepare the camp. In that group, two sets of fathers and sons contributed their labor and expertise. Danny Savolainen and his father in law, Ray Sothern, painted the entire exterior of the dinning hall. Mike McCafferty along with his seventy-six year-old father, Pat, built an interior wall for the nurse's station. Mike commented, My dad's fun to work with. There is never a dull moment with him. Besides, he's got all the tools we need in his truck!
Whether through building, playing, worshipping, or praying, these fathers and sons enjoyed each other and were challenged to experience the changing power of Christ. The 2009 Father/Son retreat is scheduled for the first weekend of May.
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