Fall Fest at Rise Church

Owasso church event will benefit their local outreach ministries

One of the most enjoyable parts of the fall season are the craft shows that kickstart holiday gift shopping. And Rise Church in Owasso is no exception for throwing a well-loved event in the community every year. What makes their two-day event so special is that the church combines their indoor craft show with an outdoor fall festival, making it one big and fun shindig.
“We’re doing the craft show in the sanctuary this year and the vendors have just swarmed in,” said showrunner Susan McCammon. “We’ve already filled up the whole sanctuary and now we’re expanding to the all-purpose room.”

Indoor craft festival has something for everyone!

With room for 60 indoor vendors, shoppers can expect to find a wide variety of gifts, such as, jewelry, pottery, crocheted items, Christian themed gifts, tumblers, candles, wreaths, homemade soaps, and more. If interested in being an outdoor vendor alongside the Fall Fest that’s an option too. There will be different events for Fall Fest. Friday, Oct. 27 at 6-9 p.m. will be truck-or-treat, hayrides, games for kids to play to win prizes, a car show, face painting, balloon animals, and food vendors. Saturday, Oct. 28 at 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. will include bounce houses for kids, a petting zoo, face painting, and balloon animals. The best part about the entire event is that it’s free to attend.

“On Saturday, every hour, on the hour we’ll be giving away gifts donated from vendors,” McCammon said. “We’ll give you a ticket as you arrive and you don’t have to be present to win. We’ll call you.”

Free event provides funds for missions.

The reason Rise Church makes this event largescale and welcoming is because it’s their biggest outreach fundraiser, which provides funds for missions in Mexico, Honduras, Africa and Ukraine, various ministry groups within the church, and their newest ministry Celebrating Teachers. After meeting with Owasso principals and learning where their help was needed, Rise Church decided to partner with Ator Heights Elementary to both help teachers with their needs and to show their appreciation for them. “We’re going to do a teacher luncheon for back to school in August,” said Pastor Chase Sanders. “We’ll give them school supplies too to help them gear up.”

Rise Church celebrates teachers.

The school holds an annual back-to-school block party and volunteers from the church will help serve it. “We’re really partnering with the teachers to give them the support they need to be able to help the community that they serve,” said Pastor Stephani Sanders.

Because a church can only go so far into a public school, Celebrating Teachers allows them to bless teachers in the way they deserve, which in turn, blesses the students. Teachers will be served lunch at Thanksgiving, have wish lists granted at Christmas, be gifted during Teacher Appreciation Week, and so forth. It’s both of the pastors goal to eventually be in the position of helping the teachers with direct requests as well. “We’d love to be that source of help and hope for them,” Chase said. “We love people and want to lead them to Jesus.”