Stephanie Stafford's Article about PikeView High School FCA Huddle

     PikeView High School Fellowship of Christian Athletes are on Fire!  On Fire for God that is!  With troops numbering in the eighties, the PVHS FCA has not only become very active, but they have put their heads together to become quite creative with worship and missions.

      Starting the year off with a bang, PikeView High FCA immediately showed potential for a great year with 21 students applying for Leadership!  That's right, 21!  With such an awesome response to God's calling to reach out in the halls of PikeView High School and into their communities, PVHS FCA leadership quickly began the planning process for hosting their Third Annual Fields of Faith Event held on the second Wednesday of October.    Fields of Faith is a national event for high school Fellowship of Christian Athlete Huddles across our great country to gather together on our athletes’ fields on one day, delivering one message about Our One God! The event is a wonderful opportunity to gather students from neighboring schools, to invite local churches to bring their youth and to reach out to the local communities to join together for one special night!

     Many hours researching, planning and practicing were spent preparing the PVHS FCA Skit that would be presented at FOF.  The kids were so dedicated, making special efforts to come before school in the wee dark hours since this was the only time they could find when everyone could meet.  All of the hard work paid off!  Fields of Faith was an amazing success!  In addition to the physically challenging skit performed by over 20 FCA members, the FOF program was completely student led.  Four beautiful students gave their moving testimonies, another young man read Our Scripture, while still another member led us in prayer.  The evening was completed with a super pumped concert by the Texas based band, Seventh Day Slumber!  With approximately 600 in attendance, all eyes were on the stage as the lead singer, Joseph Rojas spoke from the heart about his experience with drugs and alcohol and his desperate attempt to end his life at an early age. Tears began to flow and hearts began to open to the Great Healer.  Many students were touched and 8 made decisions to trust Christ as their Savior!  O Holy Night!  We are so blessed! 

     The PVHS FCA helped keep the spirit alive in Panther territory while also fundraising by selling spirit beads and painting faces at the football and soccer games!  Looks like it worked…..both Panther Football and Lady Panther Soccer went to the post season Playoffs!  Way to Go Upstate, Panthers!  Everyone gathered together to share an afternoon of movie and ice cream in early October to unify our diverse group of athletes!  Many sports were represented as they gathered to watch To Save A Life, a wonderful movie encouraging our leaders of the school to reach out to those that feel unnoticed.  After prayer and discussion, brownies, ice cream and yummy toppings were enthusiastically consumed on the front lawn!

     Following the Christmas Break, FCA members returned to school rested and excited about how they could serve their school classmates.  A great desire to pray for their school, administration and classmates, known and unknown, on a regular basis resulted in the leadership members committing to a weekly morning prayer meeting called FCA’s Awesome Morning Prayer Group.  They agreed to meet at 7:30 A.M. on Friday mornings.  And these great prayer warriors didn't stop there….general prayers for their school and its students were not enough.  At the request of PikeView FCA, one of the members' father made a beautiful prayer request box.  Open to any student or faculty, requests may be slipped into the locked box in the PVHS Office at any time during the week.  During FCA’s Awesome Morning Prayer Group, the prayer requests are honored and prayed for.  An average of 20+ students attend FCA’s Awesome Morning Prayer Group with increasing numbers and new faces every week.   With enthusiasm and passion, the students accept weekly challenges to not only invite someone new to FCA’s Awesome Morning Prayer Group, but to also meet someone in their school that they have never met before.  The Panther FCA are stepping up to the challenge, bringing new names every week!  Bible Study led by a different student every week is offered in the library on Wednesdays during seminar.

     In an effort to further their service in their own school, students have gained permission to create an Inspiration Wall in the commons area of the high school.  While quoting scripture is not acceptable, the guys and gals of the PVHS FCA have become quite creative in ways to inspire their fellow classmates to desire more.  Lyrics, poetry and art are just a few of the ways to share The Message in the halls of PikeView High School on the newly created Inspiration Wall.  Completion of the Inspiration Wall is expected by the end of March.

      Taking advantage of the only Friday night home boys basketball game that the girls basketball was not playing away, the PV FCA teamed up with Lerona Methodist Church to host the first ever Wings and Worship!  With snow flying outside as the clock ended the game, youth pastor, Corey Brooks , led over 75 students of all ages in song, praise and worship!  Participation was magnificent!  Not to mention, the wings, nachos and drinks provided by the Lerona Methodist parents and members.  When it was time to clean up…over 40 lbs. of wings had disappeared!  Super Night!

     Always looking for new ways to serve and grow, the FCA is hoping to raise enough money to attend FCA Leadership and Athletic Camps this summer.  In hopes of continuing the passion that has the PikeView High School FCA on fire for God,   the search for ways to keep young people active and submissive to His Will is always a challenge.  With constant prayer and support from local churches, youth pastors, parents and the fantastic administration at PVHS, The PikeView High School FCA plans to open its heart and mind to all Our Heavenly Father has in store for us!  Let the flame grow and The Fire Spread!  Blessings to All!

Stephanie Stafford

MOM to Sarah and Emily/ PVHS FCA Volunteer

Dennis Dye's Article on Marsh Fork High FCA Huddle's Beginning

It was near the end of the 1993 football season and we were traveling to Burch High School for another Friday night football game.  The season was not going well and we were finding it hard to win.  This game was one that we were looking forward to because it was almost a sure win.  They were a young team and had not won a game yet this year so our confidence was high. 

          From the very beginning of the game it was clear that Burch High school had a different idea about who was going to win. The game was hard fought with a lot of controversy in the officiating but by the end of the game we came out on the losing end.  To make it even worse there were some harsh words spoken between the coaches and the officials which caused the officials to write a written report to the WVSSAC.  By the end of the game I was looking forward to getting the team dressed and on the bus to go home.  However God had other plans.

          The basketball coach of Burch High School came to the coaches at the end of the game and invited us to join the home team for sandwiches and drinks provided by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.  Since the ride home was long and we would not be able to stop to eat anywhere, we decided to accept their invitation.  As our football players and cheerleaders walked through the line to get their sandwiches and drinks they were each handed a FCA New Testament Bible.  Each one took the food and bible and sat down to eat.  After a quick bite to eat we loaded up on the bus and started home.   I was surprised to discover that none of our players or cheerleaders had left their bibles behind, and some were even reading them on the ride back home. I remember thinking to myself, “what a wonderful way to share the good news of God’s love”.  To provide food for the visiting team and give them bibles.  That night I began to pray for a Fellowship of Christian Athlete’s huddle in my school so that we could minister to the needs of the students like Burch High School. My prayer was answered one year later on the same week in November when Mike White came to the school and signed us up to begin a huddle at Marsh Fork High school.

          The story of God’s love and work through the FCA at Marsh Fork High does not end here.  That year was not a good year for sports at our school.  There were several incidents during the year that lead to unsportsmanlike penalties in football and technical fouls in Basketball.  The end result of this was a very low rating in sportsmanship for our school by the end of the year.  In fact we were rated next to last.  In November of 1994 we began the FCA huddle with prayer and hope that God could change the atmosphere of athletics around the school.  We had meetings every Thursday morning and several of our athletes began to come.  Through the help of our local churches and businesses we invited every visiting team during the basketball season for sandwiches or pizza after each home game. Along with this the FCA provided each athlete with a More than Winning gospel track. Slowly God began to change the hearts of our athletes.  Our teams were playing with more intensity and less unsportsmanlike incidents.  By the beginning of 1995 when the WVSSAC came out with the school rankings for sportsmanship we were second.  What a dramatic change in the atmosphere of our athletic teams.  God continued to work through the FCA at Marsh Fork High until the school was closed in 2001.  Hundreds of lives were changed and many found Christ as their savior. May God continue to bless the athletes and students through the ministry of the Fellowship of the Christian Athletes?

Written by Dennis Dye

Liberty High School Basketball Coach, former Huddle Coach for Marsh Fork High School, Adult Chapter Member, & Basketball Leader for West Bank Sports Project in Israel.