What is a Mentor?
A mentor is someone who wants to see others succeed; a mentor believes in the person they are guiding and supporting. They strive to know their mentee’s strengths and limitations and they accept, encourage, and challenge them without judgment. A spiritual mentor helps the person they are mentoring reach their full potential as an eternal son or daughter of HP. Their support provides a boost to the person’s confidence as they confront the joys of new experiences, as well as the hard work of building a life of faith.
What is the mentoring program at the BAFC?
Fall of 2023, we launched a 9-week mentor program for young adults at the BAFC. Coming from the inspiration of a women's group that meets regularly, Christine Froehlich and Myrna Lapres are leading the program. All of our mentors have attended a training centered on spiritual mentoring and have practiced Active Listening skills in their lives. Learning to listen, be present to the other persons, and ask guiding questions is an excellent process that all of need to develop. Did you know that usually, we only hear about 25-30% of what others say? And we are often thinking about our response instead of creating connection and empathy through being present to the person with whom we are listening.
The program will begin again in early October 2024 at the BAFC. Participants will be paired with a mentor and begin by getting to know each other through a kick-off meeting (2 hours). Then, the pairs will meet each week for at least 1 hour together through mid-December. There is a manual that will guide the process with weekly activities, discussion questions and spiritual readings. The topics covered in the nine weeks are:
What A Mentor Can Do For You!
Committing to something, like this mentoring program, for a time period starts with the intention to learn and grow. The mentoring program gives you the opportunity to make some goals about your life, your faith and other areas that you want to improve and grow in. Having a mentor offers support, encouragement, feedback, guidance and accountability in doing this. Below is a photo and brief bio for the trained mentors. Those with NA following their name are continuing with a current mentor and are Not Available currently to meet with someone new.
A mentor is someone who wants to see others succeed; a mentor believes in the person they are guiding and supporting. They strive to know their mentee’s strengths and limitations and they accept, encourage, and challenge them without judgment. A spiritual mentor helps the person they are mentoring reach their full potential as an eternal son or daughter of HP. Their support provides a boost to the person’s confidence as they confront the joys of new experiences, as well as the hard work of building a life of faith.
What is the mentoring program at the BAFC?
Fall of 2023, we launched a 9-week mentor program for young adults at the BAFC. Coming from the inspiration of a women's group that meets regularly, Christine Froehlich and Myrna Lapres are leading the program. All of our mentors have attended a training centered on spiritual mentoring and have practiced Active Listening skills in their lives. Learning to listen, be present to the other persons, and ask guiding questions is an excellent process that all of need to develop. Did you know that usually, we only hear about 25-30% of what others say? And we are often thinking about our response instead of creating connection and empathy through being present to the person with whom we are listening.
The program will begin again in early October 2024 at the BAFC. Participants will be paired with a mentor and begin by getting to know each other through a kick-off meeting (2 hours). Then, the pairs will meet each week for at least 1 hour together through mid-December. There is a manual that will guide the process with weekly activities, discussion questions and spiritual readings. The topics covered in the nine weeks are:
- Why a Life of Faith?
- How does the culture of your school, work and friends support or detract from your life of faith?
- Conversations With God
- Reflection and Review
- More Than Words--Spiritual Practices
- Remarkable Life--Service to Others
- Spirit & Truth--Connect WIth True Mother
- Friends of Faith
What A Mentor Can Do For You!
Committing to something, like this mentoring program, for a time period starts with the intention to learn and grow. The mentoring program gives you the opportunity to make some goals about your life, your faith and other areas that you want to improve and grow in. Having a mentor offers support, encouragement, feedback, guidance and accountability in doing this. Below is a photo and brief bio for the trained mentors. Those with NA following their name are continuing with a current mentor and are Not Available currently to meet with someone new.
|
Raquel Ivanenko was involved with CARP, MFT, street and campus witnessing, camp staff, and STF/ Pure Love Alliance. Raquel was involved with One Heart Camp as parent advisor and coordinated art stations. She also worked with children and youth ministry through Sunday School and various workshops. She worked at the Principled Academy as a teacher and administrator and is currently teaching 3rd grade at Turner Elementary School in Antioch. Raquel is excited to partake in the new challenge as a mentor because she is a staunch believer in invigorating and supporting the spiritual growth of the youth in our community.
|
Lenka Golovlev was involved with MFT for three years and CARP for two years. Currently, she is a parent of two young adult sons and a middle school teacher. Lenka says, "I am excited about this mentoring program because mentoring can support us to break free from our negative habits and awaken our hearts.
I received supporting through mentoring and counseling myself which was very beneficial and I would like to pass it on and touch the lives of our young people." |
Monika Kellett was a former CARP member and a foreign missionary in developing countries. She has been working in a flower business for over twenty years with her husband Michael. Monika has been involved with Women's Federation for World Peace activities for many years as well as providing beautiful flower arrangements for many church events. Monika says, "Self development never stops for me--I want to continue to learn and grow. This mentorship program is a great opportunity to navigate through the challenges with various challenges together, fostering greater unity between 2nd and 1st gen (younger and not so young)."
|
Liisa Burns was on a tour around the world when I met CARP in San Francisco. She stayed with CARP for five years fundraising, witnessing and doing events in campuses in Bay Area and Boston. Blessed to Mike 1992, she has been a teacher and mother. She likes all kinds of sport activities and all camps and organizing them
She says, "I like to be mentor to give back to the community and I am very happy to listen and learn from young people in our community." |
|
Gary Fleischman was a missionary in Mali, the Congo, and the Philippines. He is a native of Marin County and loves nature, mountains, hiking, history, biographies, and aviation. In addition to church missions and focusing on his family, he has a professional background in international business, shipping, logistics, and supply chain. He is happy to share or listen on any or all topics. He said, "I am interested to experience the satisfaction of helping a young person who's seeking support or guidance."
|
Micaela Diaz met the UC as a second year college student and became a CARP member. During her seven years as a CARP member, she fundraised and witnessed on college campuses in the Bay Area. Currently, Micaela is a teacher at an elementary school in Hayward.
She says,"I have always been interested in education, especially guiding our youth and young adults to live healthy and happy lives." |
Gundala H. Sasaki joined UC in Germany in 1992 and spent 3 years of fundraising and campus witnessing. After coming to the US to join World CARP, she was a team leader, mother-figure
4 years of mission as a team leader and mother figure, took care of STF participants and actionizing for new members. Blessed to a Japanese husband, Gundala has 2 teenagers. She has worked as part of the church staff, WFWP, family camp, sisters groups, healing groups work with Pat Detlefsen and children/ youth workshops. Currently, she is working at Whole Foods. She wants to be part of this mentor pilot program, because she sees a need for our young adults to have an older person they can connect to and be accountable to in regards to their spiritual growth |
I was born and raised in Sweden where I worked as a nurse. I questioned the purpose of life and decided to travel around the world to look for answers. I met the Unification Church in San Fransisco, where I joined and eventually ended up being Blessed to a native of Marin County. Did mission work in Korea and together with my husband in the Philippines. We have three grown up kids and I volunteered at my kids schools. I have a passion for physical, mental and spiritual health and well-being, using God given natural tools and remedies; healthy food; nature walks along the ocean listening to the waves and watching the sunset; observing and listening to the birds in the trees and greeting the cows and the sheep in the fields. I love people and having deep conversations. I'd like to listen with an open heart and mind and be a true friend or mentor to anybody who seeks guidance or understanding. That would be my greatest joy and honor.
|
|
Michael Lapres joined UM over 45 years ago in San Francisco and participated in church center activities, IOWC in the mid-Atlantic states, studied at and graduated from UTS, worked in CARP, Ocean Church, and over 10 years at the World Research Institute for Science and Technology (WRIST). He also has worked in the tech sector for the last 30 years in small and large companies. He served as the Scoutmaster for 10 years. He says, "As a spouse and parent of 3 boys, I made my share of mistakes and hopefully learned from them. I am committed to personal and spiritual growth and sharing that journey and its lessons with others. We all need unconditional love to know fully our Heavenly Parent. "
|
I joined our church in San Francisco in 1975 when I was 18 years old. I served 8 years on MFT, fundraising, as a captain, and regional coordinator. Then I worked as a manager for 40 years in the wholesale floral industry. I served as a scout leader with Boy Scouts for over 20 years where I enjoyed mentoring. My hobbies are hiking, camping, really everything in the outdoors.
|
Before she joined the BAFC community more than 30 years ago, Elisabeth Soulman was active in German and European CARP. She participated in fundraising, witnessing, and campaigns on college campuses, most memorably the demonstration at the Berlin Wall with Hyo Jin Nim. At the BAFC, she was involved in WFWP and teaching Sunday school for elementary grades, besides supporting the ongoing church campaigns. In addition to that she was scoutmaster for Boy Scout troop 818 for the last ten years of its existence at BAFC. Her main motivation was to create an opportunity for boys to develop deep friendships and experience God in nature through camping, hiking, and attending camps. She homeschooled her four children, having a love for life-long learning and education. She is passionate about personal growth and healing and supporting others on their journey of reaching their full potential as children of Heavenly Parent.
|