vindy.com | Golf ministries

Saturday, June 19, 2010

Churches’ outreach program extends to the links

McClatchy Newspapers

FRESNO, Calif.

Churches and faith groups are connecting with the public through sport.

In some areas, golf ministries are giving people a way to have fun and build fellowship while learning more about churches and faith-based organizations.

“Just about anyone can play golf,” says Dennis Hammond, president of the Christian Golf Club of Central California.

The club holds monthly tournaments to help raise money for faith-based organizations.

This year, proceeds are going to the Evangel Home, a Christian organization helping women and children.

“You don’t have to be a gifted athlete to play golf,” Hammond says. “All ages play, youngsters to grandparents in their 90s. You don’t have to be a good player to have fun.”

Faith leaders say golf ministries create opportunities for people to better understand what they do. It sometimes translates into new members, volunteers and donations.

But they say they are mainly interested in helping people.

In the spring and summer months, when the weather is best for golf, ministry events are presented in California’s Central Valley nearly every day.

On a recent Thursday, for example, Fresno/Madera Youth for Christ had its annual golf tournament — 110 golfers played through an afternoon drizzle at Fort Washington Country Club.

After play ended, everyone gathered in the club’s banquet room, where Youth for Christ’s executive director, Ed Kaczmarek, gave a presentation on how the faith-based organization helps needy kids and how donors can help.

“Golf reaches those who are business owners and community leaders — and it’s a great group to reach,” Kaczmarek says.

“There’s good camaraderie, good fellowship on the golf course.

“When you have a good day of golf, it lifts up your organization. There’s a levity that brings warm fuzzies around your organization.”

Clovis Hills Community Church presents a Twilight Golf League ministry, which has four-person scramble events at 3 p.m. Sundays at Eagle Springs Golf and Country Club.

The ministry is designed for men and women — church members and nonmembers — to get to know each other outside of church.

“We know church can be intimidating for people who have never gone,” says a Clovis Hills associate pastor, the Rev. Dave Love.

“So many people have gone to church and had a bad experience. So we just try to lessen the stereotype that people tend to have.”

The ministry’s organizer, Rod Gleghorn, says he always tries to share his faith and tell others how they can get involved in church ministries.

“If you just go on Sundays, you just sit in the pews and don’t get to know others,” he says.

Richard Lee, who plays in the Clovis Hills league with his wife, Mickey, says he tries to listen on the course, hoping to zero in on people’s needs.

The Lees coordinate the church’s Crown financial ministry, which trains people to apply biblical principles in money management.

“When you have a ministry, golf is another avenue for how you can meet other people,” he says.

“It is an outlet that is safe for everybody.

“You ask, ‘What can we do to help you out?’ You can’t do that if you don’t meet people.”

“People need various avenues to come to church, and we just want to be an example to them,” says Steve Melnyk, director of the recreational ministries for NorthPointe Community Church in northwest Fresno. “Whatever door they can come through, we just want to provide that opening.”

Melnyk says creativity counts, but so does faith. He says, “I think God leads stuff, and we just follow.”