What is Fall Family Weekend?

Bible Baptist Church in Wilmington, Ohio held a Fall Family Weekend September 25-26. It is a huge event, which included an International Professional Rodeo Association rodeo on Sunday afternoon. It was a full rodeo that included Bronco Riding, Calf Roping, Barrel Racing and Bull Riding.

I attended the Fall Family Weekend this year and observed everything they did to make Fall Family Weekend a success. During and after the weekend I talked with the staff to get an idea about what they did and why they did it.

Pastor Dixon has held Fall Family Weekend for four years. The goal of the weekend is community outreach, fellowship and to build relationships. The events of the weekend are always held on Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday events include a 5K run, a sanctioned SWOGTP Garden Tractor pull, open rodeo events that anyone can be a part of, a Cruise In, hayrides and a Fun Zone for the children that included a petting zoo, a corn box, pony rides, inflatables, a dunk tank and a photo booth. On Saturday evening there was a concert featuring Joseph Habedank. A free hotdog and brat lunch was served at noon. The weekend is becoming well known by the community and organizations in the community are asking to be a part of it. This year Kettering Health Network asked if they could land their helicopter on church property on Saturday. Kettering is interested in building a new facility in the Wilmington area and was looking for some community exposure. The SWOGTP Garden Tractor pull was added because one of the members of Bible Baptist is involved in that organization.

On Sunday, at 10 am, a service was held on the property behind the auditorium in a large tent near the rodeo events. After the service, a free rib lunch was served to everyone in attendance. Lunch was followed by the IPRA sanctioned rodeo that included a message from Pastor Dixon during the intermission. The fun zone was also open on Sunday.

The attendance for the weekend exceeded 2,000 people. As you can imagine that requires a lot of volunteer workers. It takes 300 volunteers to make the weekend a success. Since the members of Bible Baptist know the purpose and the results of the weekend they sign up to do all the work necessary to make the weekend a success.

The church advertised the weekend on mostly secular radio stations, newspaper, Facebook, canvassing, posters at various businesses, flyers the members of Bible Baptist handed out and signs around town.

Next week part two will highlight the results of the weekend.

 

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