Normally, a fire at a church is not a good news item. But then Hope Fellowship is anything but a “normal” church and the fire I am reporting is cause for joy.
Our youth group has always liked to start and end the year with a bonfire. Over the years, Harold and Diane have welcomed HSM (High School Ministries) to roast marshmallows and hotdogs over a blazing fire at their place in the country. We’re grateful to them for their amazing hospitality. But we have always wished that we could invite kids to their familiar meeting place – the Youth Room – and walk to the back of our spacious property where we have lots of room and plenty of gravel for a fire.
To make it happen, Alice Brink, our Youth Zone Coordinator, phoned the fire department and was told that we were allowed to make a small, self-contained fire that produces very little smoke. The key to that is clean burning firewood, preferably in the metal outdoor fireplace that we have purchased.
And so, at the HSM kickoff, our youth enjoyed a campfire, a safe distance away from the church building. It went well and was a great success.
Our boys club, the newly organized Cadets for Grades 3-8, also enjoyed a small fire on their first night of the season. That, too, went extremely well. So well, in fact, that the Cadets will be using the fire pit this Tuesday to work on their first project, a Campfire badge. Sounds like fun, doesn't it!
I was raised with this maxim: “You already have a No; by asking you may just get a Yes.” Alice asked and she got a Yes. How great is that!
- Pastor Peter
P.S. Permission to have a small campfire on Hope Fellowship’s premises is always required so that Alice can sleep at night! The metal firepit is available on request.
Our youth group has always liked to start and end the year with a bonfire. Over the years, Harold and Diane have welcomed HSM (High School Ministries) to roast marshmallows and hotdogs over a blazing fire at their place in the country. We’re grateful to them for their amazing hospitality. But we have always wished that we could invite kids to their familiar meeting place – the Youth Room – and walk to the back of our spacious property where we have lots of room and plenty of gravel for a fire.
To make it happen, Alice Brink, our Youth Zone Coordinator, phoned the fire department and was told that we were allowed to make a small, self-contained fire that produces very little smoke. The key to that is clean burning firewood, preferably in the metal outdoor fireplace that we have purchased.
And so, at the HSM kickoff, our youth enjoyed a campfire, a safe distance away from the church building. It went well and was a great success.
Our boys club, the newly organized Cadets for Grades 3-8, also enjoyed a small fire on their first night of the season. That, too, went extremely well. So well, in fact, that the Cadets will be using the fire pit this Tuesday to work on their first project, a Campfire badge. Sounds like fun, doesn't it!
I was raised with this maxim: “You already have a No; by asking you may just get a Yes.” Alice asked and she got a Yes. How great is that!
- Pastor Peter
P.S. Permission to have a small campfire on Hope Fellowship’s premises is always required so that Alice can sleep at night! The metal firepit is available on request.
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