CHEF Introduction

Introduction to Christian Home Educators' Fellowship (CHEF)

A Note of Introduction CHEF Statement of Purpose CHEF Statement of Faith

CHEF Code of Conduct CHEF History Why a Support Group?

A Note of Introduction

We, the members of Christian Home Educators Fellowship (CHEF), are glad you are interested in home schooling. We understand you have many questions concerning curriculums, their selections and use, legality of home schooling, support group structure and activities. It is our goal that the materials within this information packet will help you in making a decision regarding your child's education. If you are already home schooling, but are new to this area, we hope that the enclosed information will answer any questions you may have. If after reading the information on CHEF, you are interested in joining, please refer to the color membership form in the back.

CHEF's goal is to provide support, encouragement, and fellowship to home school families. Through our organization, we provide educational co-operatives, teacher support groups, testing facilities, and promotion ceremonies. In addition, we organize social activities such as skating, gymnastics, plays, sports day, and field trips. We also participate in the Pizza Hut Book-It reading program. CHEF tries to keep its members updated on current state and national legislative issues as they pertain to home schooling. We strive to provide an atmosphere that will be pleasing to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

CHEF Statement of Purpose

The Christian Home Educators' Fellowship is a local support group whose purposes are:

1. To provide mutual support and encouragement by home educators for home educators. This support includes sharing of knowledge between home educators by means of formal and informal discussions consisting of teaching, training, seminars, lending library, etc.

2. To enable home schooling families to participate in activities that would be more difficult to do on their own, i.e. field trips, cooperative learning experiences, plays, etc.

3. To advance the cause of home schooling by educating the people of Conway, Faulkner County, and Arkansas through our presence, letters, support, and activities.

4. To provide a framework from which to pursue legislative activity on a local, state, or national level as it seems appropriate, either through other lobbying organizations, or by ourselves.

CHEF Statement of Faith

As members of CHEF, we believe that Jesus Christ, the only begotten son of God, suffered and died on the cross for our sins, rose bodily from the dead, and is Lord of all eternally. We believe that the Bible is the Word of God, the only true guide for thought, word, and deed. We believe that all true believers bear with one another in love, united by the Holy Spirit in one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all.

The essence of this statement includes four elements:

1. Personal faith in Jesus Christ and His work on our behalf.

2. Personal faith in the Bible as the revealed Word of God.

3. Personal commitment to love our brothers as ourselves.

4. Personal commitment to the body of Christ.

CHEF Code of Conduct

We agree that in order to function effectively as a Christian group, we must have a minimum standard of conduct for all members, families, and visitors. The public bases its opinion of home schoolers on the contact they have with our group; it would be unfortunate if our behavior hurt the cause of Christ or of CHEF.

We agree that at all CHEF activities, all persons present must agree to submit to the authority of the Board of Advisors and the officers of CHEF. In addition, specific activities will have Event Leaders, Chaperons, and Assistants, who have specific responsibility to assure order. Any adult or child who is not willing to submit to the duly-constituted authority will be verbally reprimanded