Antioch Church Holds Twentieth Fall Fair

Twenty years ago, the members of the Antioch United Methodist Church were looking for a way to raise a few dollars and reach out to their neighborhood. They came upon the idea of hosting a small "Fall Fair," inviting their neighbors to gather for some shopping and a great meal.

Twenty years later, the members of the church shake their heads at what this event has become. What started out with humble beginnings has become an important community event, bringing almost a thousand people to the church on the first Saturday in October. It has expanded to include a flea market, a farmer's market, a bake sale, both silent and regular auctions of items from all over, a breakfast and barbecue lunch, and a children's carnival area.

The church has had to include parking attendants to help with the traffic, and church members have to park down the street and ride a shuttle bus to leave parking spaces for the guests. "It's really hard to imagine the scope of what we do on that day," said Jay Voorhees, pastor of the congregation. "You really have to experience it first hand."

Voorhees shared that the church sees this as a service to the people of Antioch and South Nashville. "We don't have enough opportunities to gather as a community in South Nashville. We hope that our Fall Fair can be one of those times where neighbors from throughout the Antioch area and beyond gather for fun and fellowship."

However, the reach of this event goes beyond a single day and a single congregation. The Antioch congregation designates almost half of the proceeds of the event to be awarded to service projects and organizations outside of the church. These funds have been used to prepare biscuits for local hunger agencies, build houses for Habitat for Humanity, and support local work with the homeless and needy of Nashville and beyond.

This year will feature a new dress up area for the children. Kids will be able to dress up in costume, get made up, and have pictures taken of them in a variety of outfits. The Antioch United Methodist Church Fall Fair 2007 will be held on Saturday, October 6, from 8:00 a.m. until 2 p.m. More information about the event can be obtained by calling the church office at 832-6248 or e-mail at office@antiochumc.net. The Antioch United Methodist Church is located at 41 Tusculum Rd., near Blue Hole Rd. in Antioch.