Celebration Sunday
by Kelly Dockery
The word celebrate comes from the Latin word, celebratus, and means to “go in great numbers, honor, praise” and that is exactly what StoneBridge did as we recognized June 2 as “Celebration Sunday”. Communion was celebrated, high school graduates and communicant members were recognized, and two students publicly proclaimed their decision to follow Christ through baptism. We worshiped God with powerful and upbeat music. The culmination of the morning was our record attendance at the annual picnic, buoyed by God’s gift of a breezy and balmy afternoon.
The festivities began with a hard working set up crew, as many tables, chairs, food stations, and inflatables were carefully placed for crowd flow. As the 10:30 service ended, attendees of all ages filtered out into the parking lot and were greeted with aromas of smoked BBQ and fried chicken. Buffet tables were lined with potluck-style salads and sides, which were mouth watering and scrumptious. The dessert area held platters of homemade cookies and bars. No detail was neglected by the event planning team.
The parking lot was filled with laughter and conversation, as friends caught up with each other and new connections were formed. Excited kids ran from one inflatable to the other wearing clever balloon hats custom made for them. Grins were red and purple, thanks to the Kona Ice truck!
HoldFast marriage ministry welcomed couples at their booth engaging them in hilarious “minute to win it” games, as shepherd couples enjoyed conversation with curious husbands and wives who wanted more information on the re|engage curriculum. A prize of a $100 gift card for a date night was awarded as well as a free registration for the fall semester.
StoneBridge, we celebrated well this past Sunday. There was a sense of lingering, as many had no rush to leave this community of fellowship. Let’s continue this celebration every week, as we gather to praise and honor God in our worship of him, our community with each other, and our desire to know Christ in a deeper way. We are placed for a purpose right here on our campus, drawing others in with our love for God and his people.
