Three years ago, Sarah Short and her mother, Mary Martz, joined the children's ministry team at Lampeter United Methodist Church (LUMC), 1101 Village Road, Lancaster. Short grew up as a member of the church and decided to become involved with the ministry after having a child of her own. At the time of Short's and Martz's arrival, the members of the children's ministry team were devising ways to engage young families in the community. Short suggested an autumn celebration hosted by the church, and the rest of the team jumped on board. The first Fall Fest at LUMC was held in October 2021.

Fall Fest has become an annual tradition at LUMC. This year, the rain-or-shine event will be held on Saturday, Oct. 14, from noon to 3 p.m. The free celebration will include a variety of autumn-themed activities for children and their families, including harvest bingo, sack racing, a bounce house, an apple toss, a pumpkin ring toss and pumpkin bowling. During a pumpkin roll, participants will race each other as they push a pumpkin to the finish line. Complimentary hot dogs, chips, popcorn, cookies, coffee and apple cider will be available throughout the day.

Cherry Crest Adventure Farm has donated 150 pumpkins for Fall Fest, which children will have an opportunity to pick from a pumpkin patch to decorate. Another station will be set up for youngsters to complete other fall-themed crafts, and barrel train rides will be offered throughout the day by Steve Lehman of Holtwood.

Each attendee of Fall Fest will receive a free ticket for a prize drawing, which will include items donated by local businesses. Among the available prizes will be gift cards and various items from Shear Fade, Speckled Hen, Strasburg Pizza, Starbucks of Willow Street, Country Barn's Barnyard Kingdom and Joe on the Go Coffee Co. Tickets will be drawn a week after Fall Fest, and the prize winners will be contacted directly.

Although Fall Fest is free to attend, LUMC will collect nonperishable food items during the event. Donations will benefit the church food pantry, which offers goods to families who reside in the Lampeter-Strasburg and Penn Manor school districts. The pantry is open on Tuesdays and the first and third Saturdays of each month from 10 a.m. to noon, as well as Thursdays from 6 to 8 p.m.

"We had over 300 people at Fall Fest last year, and we expect even more this year," Short said. "It's been really successful in reaching young families and growing the ministry," The children's ministry at LUMC offers Kids Club on the first Wednesday of each month from 6:30 to 8 p.m., and this program includes games, crafts, and Bible lessons for children from kindergarten to fifth grade. The church's youth choir will also begin preparing for its Christmas concert on Wednesday, Oct. 11, from 6:15 to 7 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.lampeterumc.com.

In addition to its Fall Fest food drive, LUMC launched "Sock-tober," on Oct. 1. Through the campaign, the church will collect socks for children who are patients at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Until Wednesday, Oct. 25, new socks may be dropped off at the bins located in the church's narthex and outside of the office. For more information, contact Gabrielle Chapman at gabgirl1015@gmail.com.