MISSION
The goal of the DFW Christian Singles Network is to promote opportunities for
ministry, fellowship, and friendship among single Christians in the Dallas-Fort
Worth area.
We hope to fill in the gap if:
-your church doesn't have a singles ministry
-your singles ministry doesn't have regular activities
-the singles ministry in your church is mainly outside your age range
-you don't have a church home
-you want to meet new people and make new friends
We meet as a monthly home group in Arlington/Grand Prairie and plan various
activities throughout the month.
ABOUT US
The Focus: Matthew 6:33
We're to seek God first -- before any other relationship or endeavor. This group
doesn't focus on dating or finding your partner in life. You are God's partner,
complete as you are, and your single status gives you the opportunity to be of
greater use to God.
What do we look like?
We come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, and attend various churches around the
DFW area. The age range is 30s-60s. We have a great mix of men and women with
various backgrounds, experiences, and spiritual gifts. Some have been married;
others not.
Afraid of being the "new person?"
25-50% who attend the monthly home group are first-timers. Within minutes you'll
feel like you've been part of the group for years.
Don't be shy! We look forward to seeing you at our gatherings.
Sign up to receive home group and activity reminders.
http://www.singles.meetup.com/1669
Religion
Posted on Sat, Jul. 19, 2008
Group brings unmarried Christians together - but romance isn't first priority
By TERRY LEE GOODRICH
SPECIAL TO THE STAR-TELEGRAM/WILLIS KNIGHT
David watches as Lynda takes a turn in a game of bunco at a recent Dallas-Fort Worth Christian Singles Network monthly gathering in Grand Prairie.
SPECIAL TO THE STAR-TELEGRAM/WILLIS KNIGHT
When Lynda Lotman began attending a tiny Arlington church in 2000, she was the only single person there.
One Sunday, as she walked through the church doors, a group of women flocked to her.
"They " Lotman recalled. The women were saying, 'There’s a single guy here!’ had good intentions, but Lotman, who was newly widowed, was chagrined by the matchmaking attempt.
These days, Lotman is coordinator of the Dallas-Fort Worth Christian Singles Network. If romance happens, fine, but the group’s emphasis is on friendship and shared faith, she said.
"I think truer friendships are formed because we weed out the meat market," said Lotman, a network coordinator for an editing and writing business. "We are not a dating group. I won’t promote how to find a spouse."
Lotman, in her 40s, said the group is a "loneliness chaser." It fills gaps for people whose church either does not have a singles ministry or has a singles ministry targeted for a different age group. It is also an option for people who do not belong to a church or who simply want to make friends.
Most of the network’s more than 250 members are in their 30s through 60s. They come from many denominations and cultures, Lotman said.
"We have Democrats and Republicans; we have some people without a high school degree and some with doctorates," she said.
Gatherings at homes or churches are on the second Saturday of each month. Members bring food. They chat and play cards or other games. Other events and activities, such as biking or hiking, stem from the get-togethers.
The group is not for Bible study, Lotman said, and "there’s no doctrine. You don’t have to sign a document of faith."
People dealing with divorce often find the group a help, said David Thompson of Grand Prairie. Thompson, an information technology and safety director in his 50s, knows that firsthand. "You need to have contact with other people, even those of the other sex, where it’s a safe environment, not rebound circumstances," he said.
The network migrated into a Web site from a Yahoo message board begun by two brothers in 2002. For safety, people are required to use their first names and to post photos.
"We don’t want anonymous," Lotman said. "We watch out for each other."
Getting acquainted through the site makes in-person meetings easier, said Bob Cason, 45, a divorced Fort Worth salesman.
"Nobody pressures you," he said. "We play games but also take trips to the lake, coffeehouses, plays and dinners. You meet people who believe like you and want to have fun. I’m looking for someone I’d be able to share my church life and maybe life with. No luck yet, but I’ve got lots of friends."
For Jeanne Cretsinger, 41, a Mansfield customer-service representative for a paper company, there is another advantage.
"I’m a single mom of two special-needs kids," she said. "I’m pretty busy, and this is really flexible."
Thompson appreciated a fellow member who came to his side during a hospital stay; others have been comforted by network friends who showed up at funerals of loved ones.
"I’ve had people take care of my dogs; I’ve taken care of theirs," Lotman said. "You’re in a stage of life that can be frightening if you’re alone. This is like an extended family."
Online: singles.meetup.com/1669
TERRY LEE GOODRICH