Fam-Fest

Mary Ann was the brainchild behind our Fam-Fests (Family Festivals) She did all the curriculum development teaching the children and myself how to help over the years. What a skill! We would start in the winter months writing a theme song with daily themes for our Summer and Fall programs which we'd use in the winter months until another Fam-Fest 4 day programs were created.

She would assign specific tasks to each child because every ninety-plus minute program in our four-day Fam-Fest followed the same routine. The first twenty minutes was a worship segment using three action songs that got youth and adults up and doing actions, then a transition song into two or more songs focusing on GOD and our relationship with HIM. During the worship segment we have the words of the songs projected on the big screen and one of the younger children would use the remote control to the computer to advance the slides which allowed folks to see the words of the songs and enter into worship. Each night we'd used the same songs so after a few programs folks could close their eyes and enter into real worship.

After a prayer asking GOD by HIS Spirit to work among us and have HIS way, we would go into a puppet song so during the prayer Mary Ann and the kids would sneak behind the puppet stage. Some would control one or two puppets, sometimes using rods for the puppet hands, other children would control the props and back drops. Over time each child developed some excellent puppetry skills that we learned from training videos and friends. The props would consist of signs or objects relative to the song or skit. Then we launch into the Memory Verse Segment which was about ten minutes long where Mary Ann would teach a Verse for the night from the Bible getting adults and youth to come up on the stage to help teach the Verse! Josiah would be at the computer and lighting controls showing the various slides used to teach the memory verse. After each segment a slide would pop up on the screen with an audio sound reminding everyone to jump up and do something like give a high-five to their neighbor. This got the wiggles out and transitioned to the next segment. The next segment was the Lesson which was about fifteen minutes long and for 2006 it included Abby as "Agent Nut-So-Bright". This involved Jasmine teaching a Bible lesson centered around that nights memory verse sometimes using a puppet, or science experiment and a bunch of large screen slides, even videos that Josiah created. During this time Mary Ann and some kids were behind the puppet stage getting ready for the skit. The skit would use props, back-drops and a professionally recorded skit with sound effects, great voices, and a Biblical themed lesson. Mary Ann even had the children become puppets with wigs, big eyed glasses, and stuffed tiny legs dangling from the puppet stage as they mimed out a puppet song along with the two little girls running out for the grand finale dressed in leather jackets and dark glasses and fake guitars! One time during this amazing human puppet drama our puppet stage started falling apart! It was hilarious to see their faces and them trying to stay in character as the front of the puppet stage came apart!

Then after the 'Action Slide', Jasmine would come out and do a ten minute Game Show. She would form two teams of boys and girls, sometimes adults and Josiah would man the computer to project a software game that Sam Lussier had created and sold to various churches. Then I would do the True Story Time about ten minutes long showing pictures and telling a story about a missionary usually involving a young person as the hero. We would start to wrap things up with a human video where the whole family would do drama using dowel rods to a powerful song driving home the theme for the night. Then we would give an invitation for salvation and explain GOD's phenomenal plan through the life of JESUS so that even young children would understand. We'd also do an invitation for those who need prayer for whatever reason. During this time Mary Ann would quietly play the keyboard while the rest of the family mingled at the altar allowing GOD to alter lives and do what HE does best! Even young Bethany would pray with children and adults that came forward for prayer needs. Finally, I would close the service with prayer. Some of the kids would go out into the foyer to manage our products table where we sold books, CD's, t-shirts with the Fam-Fest Theme. Jo started selling his motion graphic DVD's some of which would bring him a small monthly check!

So as you can imagine there was a lot of work going into these four programs and we'd start working on them late winter throughout the spring so we could start using them early summer through the fall and winter months. When we did a regular Sunday morning service Mary Ann would pull components from the Fam-Fest and we'd do a shorter service consisting of a worship time, puppets, children sharing testimonies and songs, I'd do a short message projecting the Word onto the screen, and depending on time we'd end with one or more worship songs then usually an altar call and prayer time.