Will Starling brings mac and cheese for the Mac Attack mission opportunity.

Will Starling brings mac and cheese for the Mac Attack mission opportunity.

<p>First Baptist church gets ready to release balloons after lunch on Family fun day.</p>

First Baptist church gets ready to release balloons after lunch on Family fun day.

<p>Jeremy and Kaitlin Adkins with their daughter Emma Adkins enjoy the parade at Family Fun Day.</p>

Jeremy and Kaitlin Adkins with their daughter Emma Adkins enjoy the parade at Family Fun Day.

<p>Families release balloons into the air for Family Fun Day.</p>

Families release balloons into the air for Family Fun Day.

<p>First Baptist Church members release balloons into the air on Family Fun Day.</p>

First Baptist Church members release balloons into the air on Family Fun Day.

<p>Caroline and Brooks Strafford enjoy their pizza dinner.</p>

Caroline and Brooks Strafford enjoy their pizza dinner.

<p>Dr. Ray Ammons shares a short devotion with the children.</p>

Dr. Ray Ammons shares a short devotion with the children.

<p>Michael and Ruth Ann Parther Mabel, Magdalene and Matilda Parker all enjoy their food.</p>

Michael and Ruth Ann Parther Mabel, Magdalene and Matilda Parker all enjoy their food.

<p>Clinton Mayor Lew Starling and his children, Annell Grace and Annie Marie enjoy Family Fun Day.</p>

Clinton Mayor Lew Starling and his children, Annell Grace and Annie Marie enjoy Family Fun Day.

<p>Lindsay Matthews and her daughter Bevan Matthews select a prize from the prize table after winning a round of Bible Bingo.</p>

Lindsay Matthews and her daughter Bevan Matthews select a prize from the prize table after winning a round of Bible Bingo.

<p>Ellie Carlton supports the Mac Attack mission opportunity, taking her family’s donation of macaroni and cheese cups to the collection site at Family Fun Day.</p>

Ellie Carlton supports the Mac Attack mission opportunity, taking her family’s donation of macaroni and cheese cups to the collection site at Family Fun Day.

<p>Joel Starling and children Will and Elizabeth get their area set up social distancing style at First Baptist church’s Family Fun Day.</p>

Joel Starling and children Will and Elizabeth get their area set up social distancing style at First Baptist church’s Family Fun Day.

<p>Gabriel Bowker helps support the Mac Attack mission opportuity.</p>

Gabriel Bowker helps support the Mac Attack mission opportuity.

<p>Lauren McCollister is the Minister of Music and students at First Baptist church and Margo Montgomery Bowker headed both events for Family Fun Day along with members of the Children’s Committee.</p>

Lauren McCollister is the Minister of Music and students at First Baptist church and Margo Montgomery Bowker headed both events for Family Fun Day along with members of the Children’s Committee.

The members at First Baptist Church held two Family Fun Day events to make up for lost events they couldn’t have during the more restrictive COVID-19 era where larger crowds couldn’t meet even outdoors.

“It was just really good for us to get back together and see everybody even though we still social distanced, it was just nice to see the children and their families, Margo Montgomery Bowker, First Baptist Church member stated. “We didn’t get to have our normal Easter egg hunt this year because of COVID. We normally have a Children’s Day, it’s a worship service that the children get to be a part of; we didn’t get to have that because of the COVID restrictions.”

Bowker noted that Family Fun Day happened in two parts. The first part took place on Sept. 2 and the children all took a party pail full of bubbles, chalk, bingo cards, a sand art craft, worship ribbon and devotions. Plus, the children went over to a Dairy Queen truck and got ice cream. Bowker stated that the weather was perfect for the occasion.

The next event took place two weeks later in the First Baptist Church parking lot. The new family ministry center was just built according to Bowker and the church wants to bring in more families once the pandemic has subsided.

“The idea was for our families to get excited about the upcoming “family fun day” that would take place the following week in the First Baptist church parking lot as well as our new family ministry center,” Bowker stated. “The families were encouraged to bring boxes/cups of macaroni and cheese for our community food pantry and our participating families did a wonderful job at donating tons of mac and cheese.”

Family fun day was held on Sunday, Sept. 13 in the First Baptist Church parking lot from 4 to 6 p.m. Families returned their party pails and also had them stuffed full of mac and cheese for the Mac attack mission project according to Bowker. First Baptist Church will send the mac and cheese to the community food pantry according to Bowker. She explained that they picked mac and cheese because it is a fun food for children to eat.

“Families were encouraged to bring beach towels/chairs and set up in the First Baptist church parking lot,” Bowker explained. “Social distancing activities were planned as this was our very first opportunity to gather again since COVID hit.”

According to Bowker, the churchgoers played bible bingo (families won fast food gift cards, puzzles, toys and Annadales of Clinton donated gift certificates for the Sweet shop). Families had sand art craft opportunities, bubbles, music with Bowker, a devotion and storytime with Bennie Montgomery.

“We had a free boxed dinner of pizza, chips, cookie and juice/water,” Bowker added. “Matthews Cards and Gifts donated helium for our biodegradable balloons that were used during our balloon launch. After saying a prayer tons of balloons were released by the attending families as we prayed and thanked Jesus for our new family ministry center and all the good that will come of it.”

Brendaly Vega Davis can be reached at 910-592-8137 ext. 2588.