editorial1

@thomastontimes.com

Pastor Greg Smith cherishes his role as father to Joshua, his college-age son. He also cherishes his role as pastor, mentor and friend to hundreds of children in the Thomaston-Upson County community as the organizer of an innovative program for children called High Impact Summer.

Since 1986 Smith as served as pastor of New Life Church and for years the children and congregation looked forward to the annual Vacation Bible School each summer. Ten years ago the VBS program broadened to include the entire community and was held at the Civic Center. About 250 children attended each year.

"We have a responsibility as a church to make a difference and impact the next generation," he said.

This year Pastor Smith felt led to do something different, something that could impact even more youth than before. He began to brainstorm and came up with a vision, which he then shared with his congregation. This vision was High Impact Summer, a way to entertain, educate and minster to children throughout the community for most of the summer.

"I love being in the Thomaston community and I was excited about moving beyond four walls. I was looking for ways to impact lives outside the church," he said.

For the past 21 years Pastor Smith has been doing just that through his jail ministry. He became achaplain at the Upson County Sheriff's Office 15 years ago. He works half of a day at the high school during the school year and is chaplain for the high school football team.

Yet, there was always a place in his heart for ministering to children.

The congregation of New Life Church embraced High Impact Summer and contributed generously to the program. Corporate and business members of the community also contributed financially.

High Impact Summer was launched the first week of June. Children were divided into groups by age and and gender. There is a pre-school group, primary boys and primary girls group, junior girls and junior boys groups and a teen group. There is a leader for each age group responsible for planning activities for their group.

Pastor Smith said he has worked with many of the children throughout the year. Many of the parents don't attend his church. Some of the children don't get a great deal of parental involvement in their lives.

There are five vans used to pick up the children who participate in the program. They travel to every part of the community: Farview Apartments, Triune Village, Lincoln Park, downtown Thomaston and the northside community.

The first week of High Impact Summer primary school age boys played basketball and math tutoring was available from noon to 2 p.m. The following day some children went swimming, some went to a park and the teens attended a backyard movie. There was a community-wide activities day at Weaver Park June 6.

Games and activities included hoola hoops, stick ball, an obstacle course, races and lunch.

Last week teens went swimming at the Wellness Center; junior boys went swimming in Barnesville; primary boys went swimming in Griffin; junior girls went swimming at the Rock Ranch, primary girls went skating; and preschoolers took a trip to Monkey Joes in Columbus.

"We don't just do activities. We do ministering. We engage them in Bible study, life skills and building character," Pastor Smith explained. "We use the fun part to engage them and provoke them to be better people."

A second community event will be held Saturday, June 20 at Farview Apartments. A third community event will be held July 11 at Triune Village.

"We're really excited about that," he said. There will be games, door prizes and school supplies given out at the third event.

Not only is the program beneficial for the children, it is beneficial to the adults involved.

"As a pastor, I help people find their place and utilize their gifts – help them take that quantum leap. They may fall, but we don't let them stay down," he said.

"With the support of the ministry, we have fun and touch a lot of lives," he said.

He has also touched the lives of those closest to him, including his son.

Joshua graduated from Upson-Lee High School in 2007 and received an athletic scholarship to Tulane University in Louisiana. He plays defensive end for the football team and is entering his third year as a marketing major.

"We're extremely proud of him and the adjustments he made," Pastor Smith said of his son's college experience. "Hopefully he'll get what he needs to venture into life."

Joshua is taking classes there this summer and works part-time.

Pastor Smith speaks with his son daily, though not initially, he added with a chuckle.

"If we don't call him, he calls us," he noted.

Pastor Smith, who grew up in Atlanta and was the last born of seven children, had a different kind of relationship with his own father. Though blessed with growing up in a two-parent home, he said his father didn't know how to interact with him and his brother or how to show them affection. Though they were actively involved in sports, he wasn't there to watch them.

Later, after Pastor Smith was grown, his father shared with him things about his past that brought him pain.

"He didn't give the intangibles because he didn't know how," Pastor Smith said.

From this, Pastor Smith learned a valuable lesson. He could be bitter about what he didn't have as a child, or he could take what he learned and be involved in his own son's life.

He chose the latter and became actively involved in Joshua's life. They share a love of sports, and Pastor Smith coached him in little league ball for years. When Joshua entered high school, his father became the football team chaplain.

"We've always had a wonderful relationship," he said.

Joshua, who likes to perform Christian rap, came home from college last month and performed a new song for his dad's congregation. He is involved in church while at school and participates in campus Bible study.Pastor Smith said the best thing about being a father is "the investment I'm able to make in his life."

"He's a wonderful dad," Joshua said from his apartment at Tulane. "He helps me out in so many different ways – spiritually, in tough situations and of course, financially," he said with a laugh.

Pastor Smith was always involved in his son's extracurricular activities and interested in his academic and emotional well-being in high school.

"I really appreciate that and now that I'm in college, I'm glad he stuck with me," he said, adding it was an advantage.

"I'm glad he's my dad and I love him," Joshua concluded.