Loving Neighbors by Helping Them Park Their Cars
Loving Neighbors by Helping Them Park Their Cars
“Pull ahead to the woman waving the orange flag! That’s it! Just a little further forward…Stop there…Perfect!”
These words ring out again and again in the expansive parking lot of St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church during the twelve days of the Great Minnesota Get Together, otherwise known as the Minnesota State Fair. St. Christopher’s is strategically located just a couple of miles from the main gate of the fair and is a preferred spot to access the free park and ride service to and from the fairgrounds.
St. Christopher’s has partnered with the Minnesota State Fair for the past ten years, providing a fabulous opportunity for our faith community to host many thousands of delighted fair attendees with a safe and welcoming fair experience. Members of the parish are the first smiling faces and cheerful voices which greet fairgoers as they begin their adventure of hopping on shuttle buses rumbling to the front gates. They are also the welcoming presence when tired and weary attendees return to their cars following a long day of great excitement and adventure.
Nearly forty parishioners happily volunteer in joining this parking ministry each year, covering shifts beginning in the early hours of the morning and stretching into the late evening. During days both steamy hot and chilly, in full sunshine and in cooling rain, the volunteers greet and provide hospitality to fair attendees. Vehicles are directed to the 163 designated park and ride spots, which fill and refill throughout the day. Free State Fair buses shuttle fair attendees, both young and old, every 15 minutes on their non-stop journey to the entry gates. A quick scan of vehicle license plates in our parking lot notes the great distances many people have traveled to attend the fair. People excitedly waiting in line for the shuttle bus arrival proudly proclaim their hometowns; Duluth, St. Cloud, St. Paul, Bemidji, and even Berlin, Germany! All are welcome!
St. Christopher’s happily participates in this State Fair parking ministry, as we welcome our new friends and neighbors to this annual celebration. We consider it just one of the many ministries in which we engage our community, as we intentionally reach out through sharing our energy and facility with service and support groups, spiritual directors, music students, mid-week worship services and activities, and being the home site of the MN Chinese Daycare Community.
“Welcome to St. Christopher’s and we are glad you are here! Have a great day at the Fair!”