Fall is a favorite season for many people, including me. Who doesn’t love pumpkin desserts, cozy sweaters, hot drinks, and of course, the LifePoint Fall Fun Festival! Last Saturday, our church had the opportunity to live out Matthew 5:16, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” We were blessed to have so many guests, and hopefully they felt welcomed and loved.

You might think this event is mainly for our preschool and elementary children, but there is always something for everyone. The children love playing the games to get prizes, making crafts, the bounce house, and wagon rides, but a highlight for others is all the yummy food!

A long-standing tradition is our chili cook-off. We had 10 entries this year, and the winner was Zach Dorsey. He simply calls his chili, "Zach’s Chili".

Another well-loved contest is the bake–off. Chef Chris Henderson was busy tasting 20 different entries. Shout out to the following winners of each category:

Piper Law, winner of the Kids' category, with her Pumpkin Roll

Rebecca Piper, winner of breads/muffins/cookies, with her Vanilla Macarons

Chrissy Weller, winner of cakes/pies/crisps/cobblers, with her original recipe of Peach Cobbler Cake

Just in case you’re not into eating spicy foods or sweets, we added a brand-new cook–off with our Mac and Cheese. What a big hit that was! We had nine entries, and bringing in the most votes was Meagan Parrish with her Cheddar Gruyere Mac and Cheese Bake. Having all of these great recipes is perfect timing as you make plans for your holiday meals.

Planning, organizing, and implementing a large-scale outreach like this takes a lot of time and people who are willing to help. Special thanks to those on the committee who helped me – Hannah Drent, Crystal Baer, Elizabeth Smillie, Lauren Lenox, and Shelley Speiden, and to the 80 people who put on their smiling faces to serve at one of the 36 stations.

Let’s do it all again in 2026!



Mary Veal, Children’s Director

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