Cynthia King of First Baptist Church, Sevierville, lets an attendee admire her newly designed face during a fall festival at Lincoln Avenue Baptist Church in Newport. — Photo by Lonnie Wilkey
NEWPORT — Presenting a fall festival for residents of Sevier County has become a tradition at First Baptist Church in Sevierville.
The event usually draws between 12,000-13,000 people over four nights, said Craig Mintz, Grow and Go pastor at First Baptist. “We do it up big,” he said. The festival typical includes a lot of food, hayrides, a corn maze, games, and a biblical drama with a gospel presentation.
Following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in late September, however, First Baptist leaders felt it was a good time to alter its tradition. “We decided to take our fall festival on the road,” Mintz said.
“We sensed that we needed to use our resources to take care of our neighbors who were still recovering from damage caused by the hurricane,” added Craig Wells, Next Gen Ministries pastor at First Baptist who coordinated the effort.
“We felt the greater need this year was in Cocke County,” Wells said.
First Baptist contacted Mike Hensley, director of missions for East Tennessee Baptist Association about the idea. He talked with his pastors and they were receptive to the offer.
Hadlee Williams of First Baptist Church, Newport, decorates a pumpkin during the recent fall festival at Lincoln Avenue Baptist Church.
“Our churches were blessed to have First Baptist Church come and provide their fall festival in five locations across the county,” Hensley said.
It gave people in the churches and community a time to relax and get their attention off the problems caused by Hurricane Helene, he added.
“First Baptist Church let us know in a very tangible way that we are not alone,” Hensley said.
Changing an established tradition is not always easy in churches, but members of First Baptist overwhelmingly supported the decision to help their sister churches in Cocke County, Mintz and Wells affirmed.
Katherine Huskey, a longtime volunteer leader with the fall festival, didn’t hesitate when asked about moving the event to Newport. “I said let’s go.
“We want to help people in need, even if it’s just providing a warm meal and games to take their minds off their troubles. … We also want to plant (gospel) seeds for children and adults and to be a reflection of Christ’s love,” she added.
In less than four weeks, the church pivoted from plans that already were taking shape in Sevierville to focusing on Cocke County.
Five locations were chosen — Lincoln Avenue Baptist Church, Memorial Baptist Church and Crossroads Community Church, all in Newport; Del Rio in conjunction with Piney Grove Baptist Church; and Pigeon Valley Baptist Church in Hartford.
Wells and other First Baptist leaders traveled to Cocke County and checked with each church and location to see what was needed.
Dishing out snow cones are, from left, Chris Mees, Michelle Stanford and John Kucela, all members of First Baptist Church, Sevierville.
Mintz stressed that First Baptist wanted to provide each church with what they needed. “We wanted to be a blessing to them.”
As a result, each location varied. First Baptist held two full fall festivals at churches — Lincoln Avenue and Memorial.
They held a scaled down version in Del Rio with games and food between the community’s volunteer fire department and elementary school. They provided food boxes and cooked for an event at Pigeon Valley Baptist and at Crossroads Church they provided food and assisted Crossroads with a trunk or treat they already had planned.
First Baptist members were asked not to wear First Baptist shirts, Mintz said. “It’s not about us. We wanted to help the local church shine in their community. It’s about Jesus.”
A common thread with each event was First Baptist members mingling among those who attended and starting gospel conversations.
Those conversations resulted in at least two people accepting Christ at the fall festival in Del Rio, Wells reported. In addition, pastor Rick Clevenger of Crossroads Community Church reported several professions of faith were reported by FBC volunteer Tom Ownby. They will be followed up by the church, Clevenger said,
Several thousand people attended the five events throughout the county.
Bryan Seaton of First Baptist Church, Sevierville, helps a fall festival attendee choose her favorite chips.
Jennifer Lunsford, a member of Lincoln Avenue, was grateful for the fall festival. “This is good for the community. It takes minds off the bad things that happened. We also are spreading the gospel,” she affirmed.
Jenny Egert of Newport attended the event. “The last few weeks have been so rough on everyone. It is wonderful to see our community all together and enjoying a great evening,” she said.
Lincoln Avenue pastor Randy Runions appreciated what First Baptist members did. “They wanted to bless our community that is hurting but they also wanted the community to look to us (Lincoln Avenue).”
“First Baptist Church, Sevierville, went beyond the call of duty,” affirmed Fred Cagle, pastor of Piney Grove Baptist Church in Del Rio.
“This was something we needed in a time of crisis. We appreciate First Baptist for coming up and doing this for our community,” he said.
He was excited about the two professions of faith that were made and the other gospel conversations that were held. “We will follow up,” he affirmed.
Dan Spencer, pastor of First Baptist Church, Sevierville, gives a devotion during a festival the church hosted for Piney Grove Baptist Church in Del Rio.
“First Baptist Church came alongside us and helped. They were top-notch, said Clevenger, of Crossroads Community Church. He added that he was impressed by the willingness of First Baptist members to engage with the people who attended the trunk or treat event.
“They were a joy to have,” he said.
Wells related that he has heard nothing but positive remarks about each of the events. It affirms that God wanted First Baptist to take our fall festival on the road, he said.
“God reminded us helping people move from their point of need to hope in Christ is not about a specific location. We want to thank the Cocke County pastors and neighbors for letting us walk alongside, serve and build relationships during this time of tragedy and rebuilding,” Wells said. B&R
