Fathers, daughters invited to inspirational one-day summit
Janel Shoun |
A one-day conference that changed the lives of more than 700 fathers and daughters in Nashville last year will make a return appearance on Saturday, Feb. 10, in Lipscomb University’s Allen Arena.
The Father-Daughter Summit, held by the National Center for Fathering, will feature worship, break-out sessions, talks by the founder of Promise Keepers and the author of Dear Dad, and inspirational one-on-one activities for each father and daughter pair. The summit will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the cost is $99 in advance or $109 at the door per father-daughter pair. The price includes the summit materials, lunch and a snack.
The summit is sponsored by Lipscomb University’s Family and Consumer Sciences Department, which experienced a wave of positive reviews after last year’s event.
“So many people who came said to us, we hope you will do this again. And men who didn’t get a chance to go called me up to say, when will the next one be held,” said John Conger, chair of the Lipscomb Family and Consumer Sciences Department and a family minister at Harpeth Hills Church of Christ.
Randy Phillips, founding president of Promise Keepers and his 18-year-old daughter Kimberly Phillips;
Carey Casey, CEO of the National Center for Fathering who worked for years as a pastor in the inner city of Chicago;
Jeanett Charles, who escaped a life shaped by addiction to found Divine Alternatives for Dads Services (DADS); and
Doug Webster, a minister who authored Dear Dad and Dear Mom, based on interviews with 2,500 kids about their parents.
Topics for the break-out sessions include the five needs of daughters and how to fulfill them; why fathers are so important; qualities of an outstanding young man; and getting the most out of your father daughter bond. These sessions are divided up by age groups, so that each session can address the issues on the front-burner for that particular group, from dating to the aging of parents.
Conger said last year’s summit drew fathers and daughters of all ages, from 11 and up, and in various stages of their relationship.
“I don’t think men realize how important they are in the life of their child. They often assume the child doesn’t want to be with them that much,” he said. “It’s an awkward area for a lot of guys and this summit makes it easy for them to grow closer to their daughters.”
Walt Leaver, minister at Brentwood Hills Church of Christ and father of four daughters, has attended two Father-Daughter Summits and he agrees that the summit can be daunting for fathers before-hand, but the coordinators make it comfortable, enjoyable and memorable.
“There’s a lot of interaction and humor; it’s very fast-paced and informative,” he said. “It’s designed so dads, regardless of their personalities, can be comfortable and enjoy it.”
Katie Leaver was still in college at Lipscomb when she attended the summit with her father Walt. “Dads can often seem really busy and seem like they don’t understand, but I learned that my dad really does want to spend time with me and get to know me. We just don’t always know the best way to communicate,” she said.
The Summit makes effective use of pop culture such as movie clips, worship music and inspirational activities to bring fathers and daughters closer, Conger said. Because the summit will include some important one-on-one interactions, each father is asked to register only one daughter. Gradnfathers, uncles and any father figure are welcome at the summit.
Events such as the Father-Daughter Summit are crucial in a society where 39 percent of all American children, 27 million, live apart from their fathers. In a typical year, well over one-third of these children won’t even see their dad, according to the National Center for Fathering.
The center, founded in 1990 by Dr. Ken Canfield, strives to not only discuss the problems inherent in lack of fathering, but to be a positive voice for involved fathering. The center conducts research, develops practical resources to prepare dads for fathering challenges and communicates the benefits of father involvement in their children’s lives.
As part of their senior project, seniors in Lipscomb’s family relations program will work with officials from the Center on Fathering to coordinate the summit.