Press release
The First United Methodist Church of Mabank will celebrate its 20th annual Lord’s Acre Harvest Festival on Saturday, Oct. 10, at the church, located at 501 South Third Street in Mabank. The Lord’s Acre Festival, named for the custom of farmers years ago who would dedicate an acre of land to the Lord and bring the produce raised on that acre to sell at a festival, has become a successful fundraiser that supports the church’s ministry to the youth of the Cedar Creek Lake area.
Twenty years ago, several families in the church, including the DeLongs, Underriners, and Loars, were concerned about keeping their teenagers interested in the church and ministering to teens that might not have a church home. While on a youth mission project in Tennessee Larry DeLong and Carol Loar met Troy Chapman from the Crowley United Methodist Church who spoke about a project in their church called ‘The Lord’s Acre Harvest Festival’. They brought this idea back to the church and, as they say, the rest is history. With the continued assistance of the Crowley congregation the Mabank version has been very successful through the years and has supported local, national and international youth activities and ministries. To this day the Crowley and Mabank congregations support one another through their Lord’s Acre festivals.
Although it has been a very successful fund raiser the purpose of this event has grown far beyond fundraising. The purpose has become touching the lives of our church family and the community beyond. The Lord’s Arce Festival has become a homecoming event where everyone involved with FUMC, old and young, near and far, past and present, join together in a celebration of the uplifting, healing love of God in our world.
Through the funds raised, the youth and numerous adult sponsors have impacted our world not only in the Cedar Creek Lake area but nationally and internationally. An ongoing local project is “Kids Klubhouse” at The Foundry House in Cherokee Shores. This is a teen-led after school program, a ministry taught by the youth of our community. In the summer of 2012 the FUMC youth program director Allison Partridge was instrumental in bringing the national organization Group WorkCamps Foundation to the Cedar Creek Lake area. Youth from all over the country came to our area and worked on home repair projects for the elderly, handicapped and economically challenged.
Members of the FUMC Youth group have recently participated in ministries in Austin, Galveston, Mississippi and Hurricane, West Virginia. These ministries include working with children and assisting in home repairs. For the past eight years members of our youth have gone to the same orphanage in Honduras to work with the children. Many lives have been touched by this lasting connection. The young people have also worked with Kids Against Hunger and made Health Kits for The United Methodist Council on Relief (UMCOR).
The festivities will kick off with a chili supper and gospel singing in the tent Thursday evening Oct. 8 at 6 p.m. The doors and the tent for this year’s Lord’s Acre Festival will open at 9 a.m. Saturday morning Oct. 10. Kid’s activities, including a bounce house, train ride, face painting and games will be from 9-noon. The Country Store, including homemade baked goods, crafts, plants, Christmas gifts and decor will also be from 9-noon. The Silent auction including gift certificates for local businesses and travel will be from 9-noon and the live auction will be held from 1-3. Don’t miss the free (donations are appreciated) BBQ lunch from 11-1.
This annual event, perhaps more than anything else we do all year brings our church family together with our community to show Christ’s Love. It’s fun – it’s inspiring – it’s a great way to spend a Saturday in Mabank and we hope to see you there.
