2022 critter encounter

THANK YOU SO MUCH!! 

We are SO GRATEFUL to all of our community sponors and for the support we received from members and friends of Second Pres during our recent Critter Encounter. 

We are still settling up with the final bills, but we hope to have a total soon. 

A "field observation" from the day ... 

This was intended as a combo community service project /outreach event/ fundraiser for the Animal Welfare League of Scioto County which does so much good in our community, especially among low-income families. During this event, the AWL gained new friends and supporters. One of their reps said, “We met a lot of people who needed us today. Thanks!” 

Other field observations:

As families gathered together on blankets (some chairs were provided, but since they had attended last year, they knew they wanted to have a little picnic instead!), the only time they looked at their phones was to take pictures of the kids. The rest of the time was spent talking to each other. (That goes for visitors and volunteers!) 

There were picnics on the lawn; children laughed and ran barefoot through the grass; strangers smiled and took photos of one another; relationships were made and strengthened – memories were made in love and laughter. 

Visitors of all ages learned and experienced new things about some of God’s amazing and unique creations. Babies touched their first turtle, teens felt their first porcupine quills, and one luck senior citizen was unexpectedly kissed by a camel! (Talk about sharing love: she was thrilled!!) 

Quote from a senior citizen (not the crowd we expected!): “We…stopped by to check out the animals and watch the people. We have had so much fun. I can’t remember laughing so hard! Thank you!”

Quote from a business partner (after driving by the event in progress): “Thank you for allowing us to be part of this wonderful project. Seeing so many children enjoying themselves was worth it all. Hope you do it again next year.”

Quote from a child (with blue lips from his icy treat and mustard on his cheeks from his hot dog):  "Mom, I could stay here forever.”

Quote from a family: “We almost didn’t come. We thought this would be another one of those things where Jesus was getting shoved down your throat. This isn’t like that. You can feel God’s love here anyway. You all got it right. Thank you!”

No event is possible without the laborers who lend their talents, knowledge, wisdom, experience, and muscle to get the job done. The need for volunteers was also filled with abundance. Second Pres members, friends from other churches and the community (from as far away as Columbus, OH) came together and sweated, laughed, labored, and loved and said they wanted to do it again. THANK YOU!

When all these things come together in one place for the one, REAL cause of sharing God’s lovingkindness, you can look out across the parking lot and the yard, and the wild, uncontainable Holy Spirit becomes a tangible presence.