To see more pictures from the Shiloh Kids' Carnival, please click Shiloh Carnival Pictures
"This is now an extension of our WOW (Worship on Wednesday) service," says Shiloh Pastor Kenneth Calvert. "It's an outreach ministry for the young folks in the community, and it's open to everybody, not just blacks and whites, but the Hispanics who are part of the community now, and the other ethnic groups that live in Kingsport."
The carnival featured several new "inflatables," those big air-filled balloons that kids can actually be on. "From the basketball hoops, to the big slide, to the familiar jumping castle, there was an activity for every child to enjoy," says Pastor Calvert. "There's gonna be some tired kids tonight."
There were the other usual items that kids enjoy at the carnival.. the bean toss, similar to horse shoes (that was there, too), the train that seemed to attract more adults than kids, because it created a breeze, face painting for both kids and adults, and of course Bingo.
"One thing we added this year," says Pastor Calvert, "we had women of the church who wanted to clean out their attics and closets, so we had a free yard sale. Everything from clothes, to toys, to household items were all free. We had a lot of people come out and get free items for the home, many things they might not be able to afford."
The event was topped off with a lunch of hot dogs, soft drinks and chips. The line went rather smoothly, with the food all prepared by women of the church. Many folks camped out on the grounds and had lunch with their children, in a picnic setting.
"The Kids Carnival is always a great family ministry," says Pastor Calvert, "especially in these tough times. We have a wonderful community, wonderful people in our neighborhood, and this carnival is an extension of what we want for the community."
