October 27, 2016
This Sunday, Galilee held its annual Fall Festival. Pastor Jason described the event as “Galilee’s primary friend-raiser.” Because that’s what we do! We welcome our friends and neighbors to the church for Trunk or Treat, moon bounces, entertainment, and good food. Our church is in the friend-making business.
There is a modest return for us, of course. The Galilee Christian School sponsored the cake walk and so advertised its name among parents of young children in the neighborhood. The Backpack Buddies volunteers who served hot and cold cider collected $123 in donations to help feed food-insecure kids in Loudoun County schools. The man who ran the shaved ice van kicked us back 10%. That’s awesome. That’s money that Galilee can use in its programs of generosity.
But let’s say it again: this isn’t a fundraiser, it’s a friend-raiser! Fall Festival is really about growing together as a community and getting the word out about this church and the Lord who inspires us to think less of ourselves, more of our neighbors.
There are some wonderful pictures from Fall Festival below. As you look through them, think about what this church means and what it means to you. Our sermon series, Rise Above, is about generosity as a Christian value that allows us to break free from the gravity of a materialistic world. That’s something we can do together.
When we put our heads together and pool our resources together, we can do amazing things. Just this week, a gift from the pastor’s discretionary fund helped a family stay in their home. Just this week, a couple at the Chapel heard about two students at Algonkian Elementary who went home to an empty house in the afternoon, and so sponsored two scholarships for Galilee’s After Care program.
Making friends brings us together. Being together, we can be extraordinary.