Summer Events at First Baptist Church of Greater Toledo

First Baptist Church of Greater Toledo does not slow down in the summer! In fact, things are really hopping around FBC each summer. Our summer schedule generally kicks off Father's Day weekend with the Strawberry Fest where we sponsor the event and have a booth each year. We send a group to the Alive Festival in late June followed by our annual "Patriotic Sunday" where we celebrate Americana through a worship service filled with great American music and hymnody. Our Night Light services move outdoors and youth events take place each week throughout the summer including attendance at the Alive Festival, many outdoor evenings and a trip to Cedar Point. Vacation Bible School is the first week in August and we conclude our summer activities with our annual "Rally Day" event as the new church year begins. Plan now to be a part of summer at FBC!

Strawberry Festival Volunteers Thank You!

Strawberry Festival returned to Holland, Ohio on June 18, 19 and 20, 2010. Due to the help of members of our congregation who helped at the Strawberry Festival and the many helping hands of visitors at our booth, we were able to complete 15 “No-Sew Throws” to donate to the Blanket Toledo for the homeless project. We have 5 blankets yet to complete…they need to have the fringe cut and tied. Please contact Patti Logan if you are willing to finish any of these blankets over the summer. Pictures ahead! Click "Read More" . . .

Studio GO! Vacation Bible School Huge Success

Our 2009 "Studio Go" Vacation Bible School was a huge success! We reached many new children and families through the ministry of Vacation Bible School and we were excited to have a great turnout each evening. We surpassed our goals for the week and had to call in extra workers to help with the numbers.

Each evening featured an opening session with "Wade Winalot," our game show host for the week. Children participated in a live game show plus learned great songs and collected canned food to help out our food closet as a part of their special service project. Each day featured stations including: the PrimeTime Bible Challenge, Spotlight Creations and Backstage Fun. Our closing sessions featured contestants Professor Wordsmart and Coach Armstrong plus more great music. We were blessed to have Chick-fil-A join us as a part of our Thursday night closing party.plus an appearance by the Chick-fil-A cow. Each day during VBS, our children earned tickets toward our "Backstage Bash" Rally Day on August 30th when they can use those tickets for our dunking booth, games and food.

Alive Festival Moves to Atwood Lake Park for 2010

For most of its 22 years, the Alive Christian Music Festival has taken place at Clay's Park Resort in Canal Fulton. But next year, the three-day event will move about 30 miles south to Atwood Lake Park in Carroll County after striking a deal in February with the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District, managers of the park.

The festival has become an annual summer destination for Christian music fans and church groups who have flock to Stark County from towns across in the United States, Canada and New Zealand to hear the festival’s more than 50 performers and speakers and to worship, camp and swim.

Atwood spokesman Darrin Lautenschleger said the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District, which manages Atwood Lake Park, signed an agreement with Northeast Productions in February to bring the Alive Festival to Atwood beginning in 2010.

First Baptist Church of Greater Toledo will be taking a group to the event that runs from June 23 to 26, 2010.

Strawberry Fest 2009 an Uplifting Experience

2009 marked the first year of full participation in the annual Strawberry Fest in Holland Ohio for First Baptist Church of Greater Toledo. We featured a float in the 2008 event, but this year we took things up a level and became major sponsors. With this new level of commitment, we added a booth on the midway where we had a chance to mingle with the festival guests and share our testimonies and promote our church. Our booth featured a slide show of the last year's events at First Baptist, a "10 Questions" game to lead the conversation toward spirituality, flyers and information about our church, performances by our Praise Band and water for those who were thirsty (both physically and spiritually!).

Sunday featured the annual Strawberry Fest parade and we featured a float in the parade. Our Praise Band played on a red, white and blue decked out trailer. We wish to offer our tremendous gratitude to Thayer Ford (www.thayerford.com) for loaning us the use of their truck and trailer for the event.

Our booth was located on the carnival midway (see circled area) so festival attenders couldn't miss us as they entered the festival midway from the parking lot!

Chances to reach out and witness were in abundance throughout the week!

Some members of our Praise Band entertain the passing crowds.

The Strawberry Festival committee and Outreach Committee would like to give a special “thank you” to Paul Thayer, for the use of his beautiful new truck and trailer for our Strawberry Festival Parade Float. The Thayer dealerships are located on Route 25 in Bowling Green. Thanks again, Paul!

FBC Group Attends Alive Fest 2009

First Baptist Church of Greater Toledo sent a group of 15 youth and adults to the annual Alive Fest in Canal Fulton, Ohio on June 20, 2009. This was the final year the event will be held in Canal Fulton as it moves to Atwood Lake Park in Sherrodsville, Ohio in 2010. The day started in a light drizzle as we parked in a VERY muddy field and struggled over muddy paths to our "base camp" for the day which was a large tarp in the main amphitheater area. We brought in plenty of food for us to snack on throughout the day plus changes of clothes, sunscreen and mosquito repellent. The temperatures hovered in the mid 80s throughout the day so we quickly made our way to the beach for some swimming and enjoying great music from the "Beach Stage" close by. Later, some of our group attended programs at other stages throughout the park including a "Snakes Alive" program where some were able to hold a 13 foot python! Phil Keaggy, Randy Stonehill, Britt Nicole, Everyday Sunday and many other groups performed throughout the afternoon.

The evening events included a worship time featuring almost 18,000 worshippers joining their voices in song with California praise band "Worth Dying For" followed by a powerful sermon by Reggie Dabbs. The cool night air was perfect as the evening closed with music by "The Afters" and the first chance to see new "Newsboys" frontman Michael Tait and a special cameo by former lead singer Peter Furler. It was a great time for all and everyone is looking forward to next year when we will attend for the entire festival!

Getting settled in to our places in the amphitheater.

Fun on the beach!

Fun in the water!

A 13 foot (and very heavy) python!