Corner House Christian Church plans Back-to-School Carnival

By LINDA M. LINONIS

linonis@vindy.com

HUBBARD

Fun, games and a giveaway await those attending the fifth annual Back-to-School Carnival sponsored by Corner House Christian Church.

There’s a serious motivation behind the light-hearted activity planned from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday on church grounds, 6954 Chestnut Ridge Road.

“It’s an outreach to the community and a way to introduce our church. It is our biggest outreach,” said Pastor David T. Coxson. “We realize many in our community really need the school supplies we give away.”

The church has been collecting a long list of supplies, including Crayola crayons and colored pencils, composition notebooks, blue and black ink pens, index cards, wide-ruled spiral notebooks and construction paper. These items and many others will be packed into backpacks to be distributed during the carnival.

Pastor Coxson said there will be “age- appropriate” supplies for elementary to junior high school students. “These are school-approved supplies,” he said.

The minister said the supplies giveaway is a way “to meet the need in the community.” He added that donations of school supplies still are being accepted; whatever is not given out this year will be saved for next year.

The carnival side of the event will feature 15 religious-based games. “The games are fun but they’re also educational about the life of Jesus,” Pastor Coxson said. Each backpack includes copies of the stories that the games relate.

Games include 12 Disciple Memory, Nativity Search, Jesus Baptism Dunk Tank, Fishers of Men, Empty Tomb, Salvation Bean Bag Toss, Full Armor of God, Roman Soldier and Bible Books Jenga.

Pastor Coxon said church members have prepared for the event by refurbishing the older games and working on the new ones. To present the carnival and giveaway, it takes nearly 70 volunteers, the pastor said. Two volunteers are needed to work each game while other volunteers see that the supply giveaway and other activities including a basket auction run smoothly. There also will be free carnival-style food.

Marti Nicastro, a church member all her life, is carnival chairwoman. “I believe this fills a need in the community,” she said of the school-supply distribution. She estimated that between 150 and 200 bookbags with supplies are given out. Average participation is about 350 people.

“This event shows children that people in the community care about them,” she said. “We’re just everyday people trying go do some good in the world.”

Pastor Coxson, who has served the church nearly six years, said the carnival is in line with the church vision statement “to proclaim Christ through faith, family and fellowship.” At a “Standing in the Gap” worship service at 10:30 Aug. 21, students and bookbags will be blessed. Church members will distribute invitations to attend the service to those at the carnival.

For information on the carnival, call the church at 330-534-4665 or visit www.cornerhousecc.org. Contributions of school supplies or monetary donations are welcome.