First Presbyterian Church Fort Dodge

Church member Kim Bodholdt was the Game On! guest during worship October 8^th.  Kim is the director of school climate transformation at Fort Dodge Middle School. Her job is to create a positive learning experience daily for the 1200+ students and staff at FDMS.  The practices that have been put in place to improve all things related to culture and climate in the school building are applicable to the church as well.  She gave us several examples for consideration.  The teachers smile and greet each student by name as they enter the classroom. How easy it that?!  Do we extend that same warm welcome when people enter the doors of First Presbyterian?  Fort Dodge is a Rachel’s Challenge school district which encourages creating a chain reaction of kindness in school and the community like kindness rocks,  kindness quotes put in library books or a mission of kindness challenge. Everyone has the ability to spread kindness. 

Just this last week I mailed 47 college care packages created by our Faith Alive children and families, when I was leaving the post office a woman handed me a book of stamps saying, “pay it forward”.  I shared with her where the packages were going and thanked her for the stamps.  I said your generosity will pay for greeting cards to be mailed to home bound members. 

Kim shared a quote from a Jon Gordon, a positivity author, “Being positive won’t guarantee you’ll succeed. But being negative will guarantee you won’t!  How do you start each day?  Filled with thankfulness and gratitude? Wondering what you can do to share God’s love with others?  For the rest of this month let’s all take on the mission of kindness by practicing positivity. Our memory verse Romans 12:2 reminds us, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- his good pleasing, and perfect will.”  “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. ” Proverbs 4:23.