May 28, 2001
SPIN CITY:
Tarrant Baptists take up art
to spread the gospel at Mayfest
___By George Henson
___Staff Writer
___FORT WORTH--Volunteers from 10 Tarrant Baptist Association churches recently spun ministry into an art form.
___The churches shared time in a spin-art booth at Mayfest, an annual celebration held in Fort Worth's Trinity Park along the banks of the Trinity River.
THOUSANDS of children enjoyed the spin art booth hosted by 10 Tarrant Baptist Association churches during Mayfest in Fort Worth.
___Jim Lemons, pastor of River Oaks Baptist Church in northwest Fort Worth and event coordinator for the association, said the size of the event dictates that the churches be involved as well.
___"If Jesus were here today and 250,000 people were gathered together, he would, no doubt, want to be there."
___This was the second year for the association to take an active part in the event, he said.
___"Mayfest is a huge and much-anticipated people-gathering event here in Fort Worth each year. There are usually between 200,000 and 300,000 people who turn out. A couple of years ago, I and other members of our association's ministries in specialized settings team began to explore some ways we might be able to get our churches involved in having some kind of a spiritual presence at these kinds of large community celebrations."
___The result is eight spin-art boxes, built by a member of one of the Fort Worth churches, that allow children to create spin-art masterpieces without making their clothing an extension of the canvas. Volunteers then help the children put their pictures in specially designed frames that carry a scriptural message about how each child is a special creation of God. Churches also may include information about their congregations on the back of the frames.
___About 20 volunteers from Connell Baptist Church worked the event on Friday night and during that time greeted more than 200 families, Children's Minister Lisa Arnold said.
___"It's a good opportunity to get out our promotional material and to meet all these children and their families and just let them know how special they are to God," she said.
___Lemons said the ministry is one of great significance.
___"It's a very low-keyed and yet significant seed-planting witness for Jesus Christ," he explained. "Mayfest is a wonderful opportunity for our churches to get to work together and show the people of Tarrant County that Baptists care about kids."
___This year, more than 7,000 children visited the booth, including about 700 special-needs children who were assisted by the office staff of the association during a time exclusively for them on Friday morning.
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