07/07/2026
Every year, the women of COGOP come together for their National Women's Retreat. To keep the conversations and encouragement going throughout the year, they also host a monthly Women's Connect online programme.
Although Father's Day fell in June, Senior Leaders Rev Joyce Fletcher and Maureen Morris felt it was important to dedicate July's Women's Connect to celebrating fathers and father figures. They invited the COGOP Men's Ministry Team to lead the session, and Earl Lynch had the privilege of hosting.
The theme centred around men who are often "fighting the fight of their lives".
Using the analogy of a 12 x 3 minute-rounds in a boxing match, we reflected on the fact that no boxer is expected to fight every round alone. Between each round comes the opportunity to rest, recover, receive advice from the corner team, and prepare to go again. Life should be no different.
We were privileged to hear two inspiring father-and-son conversations.
🔹 Mark and Cleon Russell spoke openly about the disappointment Cleon experienced after being rejected for several IT roles, and how a father's encouragement and belief helped him keep moving forward.
🔹 Michael and Mikey Selman shared the importance of supporting young people through the transition from school to college - an important stage of life that is often overlooked but can have a lasting impact.
One of the most powerful moments came from Bobby Mensah, who brilliantly unpacked the famous Ali vs Foreman - "Rumble in the Jungle" fight. He explained how Muhammad Ali's famous "rope-a-dope" strategy wasn't about weakness - it was about resilience, patience and knowing when to respond.
What made Bobby's presentation even more remarkable was that he began by sharing that his daughter had been taken ill at 5:00am that very morning. Despite the worry and emotional strain he was carrying, he still delivered an exceptional presentation. Had he not told us, nobody would have known.
It was a timely reminder that many men become experts at hiding what they're really feeling.
During the "Between the Rounds" segments, we highlighted the BACP's RAISE campaign, which encourages us to recognise some of the warning signs that someone may be struggling:
R – Risk-taking
A – Anger
I – Isolation
S – Substance misuse
E – Exhaustion
Sometimes, the strongest thing a man can do is let someone know he isn't okay. Equally, one of the kindest things we can do is notice when someone may be struggling and start a conversation.
If you'd like to learn more about recognising these signs and how you can support someone, please click the link below.
🔗 https://www.youtube.com/live/V0EyBJQIrg8?is=PUAWxwUFu8swxzrX
And finally, if you're reading this and you're going through your own battle, please don't fight it alone. Speak to someone you trust - a friend, family member, colleague, church leader or professional. There is strength in asking for support, and there are people who genuinely want to help.
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