In 2002 the Strawberry Baptist Association saw this grand gathering as a unique opportunity to reach out to this multitude in the name of Christ. We reserved our site, set up a booth, and for eight hours our volunteers touched nearly 3,000 individual lives by offering free lemonade and water to thirsty "pilgrims," by allowing families to use our baby changing station for life's little emergencies, and by presenting the Gospel through puppets, song, and evangelism teams that worked the busy streets. About a dozen of our churches were directly involved in one way or another. We also passed out tracts and literature from our booth to those interested in learning more.

This year we are back, and we are praying for an even greater response from our sister churches. We will have as many folks coming to our streets on Saturday, September 27, as attended the nightly Franklin Graham Festival this past May. Is this an opportunity for ministry, or what!!

We ask that you prayerfully get your teams together, contact Rita Calhoun at 540-297-5271 or the Association office if you need further instructions. For help regarding puppets, mime, balloons, clowning, or drama, give Matt Stafford a call at 540-586-8953. You can also visit the Website to read all current and previous articles about CenterFest. Come with us, and let's join God in the exciting task that He will be about. Available ministry opportunities include puppets, mime, balloon wrangling, street evangelism, prayer walking, distributing our new "Strawberry Sensations Recipe Booklet," and of course, helping at the booth for an hour or two during the day. Help us enlist more workers through your Sunday School class, youth groups, mission and evangelism teams, and men's and women's groups.

On September 11 and 19 we will hold pre-Fest rallies at 7:00 p.m. at Bedford Baptist and Trinity Baptist respectively. Participants need only attend one rally. Besides sharing detailed ministry instructions and "how-tos," we'll also rehearse and practice some of the special presentations. We'll talk about prayer-walking, witnessing, and courtesy so we will be best prepared to represent our Lord on the big day. We'll even enjoy a time of Christian fellowship with food! Before the rally is ended we will have been challenged to experience God in a most wonderful way. Let us know which rally you will participate in so we can have adequate food and material on hand. Please don't let another minute pass away without committing yourself to share in CenterFest 2003 on Saturday, September 27. Our Jerusalem is coming to us, and there will never be another day just like it! Remember Christ's charge to us in Acts 1:8.