Church To Host Outdoor Music Festival

After finding out that Creation Festival was canceled for the second year in a row, Josh Fulmer, youth minister at Hempfield Church of the Brethren, 1186 Stevens St., Manheim, was disappointed. The youth group members had also been looking forward to attending the music festival, so Fulmer discussed ideas with the church secretary, who suggested hosting a music event at the church. Fulmer noted that he did not want to plan something small with only a few bands. Instead, he wanted to aim high and shoot for the stars.

Hempfield Church of the Brethren will host its first Hempfield Community Outdoor Bash event from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 25. The event is free to the public and will take place on the church grounds. The purpose of the event is to provide a fun and entertaining environment for the community to interact with the church, enjoy food and fellowship, and be introduced to the Gospel through music, messages, and personal connections. Speakers, singers, and bands are scheduled to take the stage. Among them will be The New Haven, Ryan Mayersky, and Matt Wheeler. There will also be food for purchase.

"I want to make sure our community is OK and make sure they know that we care about them," said Fulmer. "What better way to do that than to give them something made specifically for them?"

On Friday, Sept. 24, Hempfield Church of the Brethren's youth group will spend the evening listening to live music, eating food, and playing games. Teens will also camp overnight in tents at the church. "We want to remind the teens that you don't have to go far away to have these kinds of experiences," explained Fulmer. "You can be in those awesome moments anywhere."

The full schedule will be posted online once finalized. For more information, search for "Hempfield Community Outdoor Bash" on Facebook, call 717-898-0181, or email josh@hempfieldcob.org. To learn more about Hempfield Church of the Brethren, visit http://www.hempfieldcob.org.

"I want to be able to walk away and know this event helped people, benefited people, and gave people hope," said Fulmer. "Building bridges and forming relationships with the community would be a win."