Scenes from the 2015 Festival of Faith
By GARRETT SAGER
Hays Post
The Ellis County Ministerial Alliance and Hays Area Chamber of Commerce are teaming up to host the 25th annual Festival of Faith, set to begin Sunday from 3 to 4 p.m. in Beach-Schmidt Performing Arts Center on the campus of Fort Hays State University.
This will be the 25th year that the community has gathered to share their faith in Jesus and unify together as Christians — regardless of denomination.
“This is a multi-denomination effort to bring everyone together to show that we worship the same Jesus and that we are united,” said Tammy Wellbrock, chamber executive director and co-chair of the Festival of Faith. “We want to bring all the sectors of life together for the Christian faith.”
Six hundred people are expected to be present at the event, said Wellbrock, noting many people travel to the event from throughout northwest Kansas.
“We’ll get many people that travel in from outside of Hays for this event,” she said.
In its 25th year, the festival’s focus is on the “past, present and future.” During the first year of the event, the Hays area was going through a terrible drought, and those present offered prayers for rain. Shortly after, that rain came and the drought ended for the Hays area.
During the Festival of Faith this year, participants will be remembering what all has been accomplished in the community through a historical video that will pay tribute to the past.
“This is about looking at what has been accomplished for the faith foundation of this community,” Wellbrock said.
The Festival of Faith will not be your typical church setting, she added, noting different Christian beliefs will be incorporated into the event.
This year, instead of having special guest speakers, the festival will feature local church representatives offering uplifting prayers. The historical video is taking the place of the guest speakers, noted Wellbrock.
“Each denomination will have a prayer representative,” she said. “There is a committee of 10-plus volunteers of all different faiths, but Christian faith.
“The prayers will be geared towards helping to the community and those who work in the community.”
Music again will play an important part of the festival. Much like the prayers, the music played will reflect the different Christian churches present.
“We are all united in our faith and that is what this event is about, to bring us all together for the same cause,” Wellbrock said.
An offering will be collected to help benefit the Ellis County Ministerial Alliance Second Mile Fund. The Second Mile Fund provides assistance to the needy in the community. Nonperishable food items also are encouraged.
Eagle TV will rebroadcast the event in its entirety on Ch. 14 and 614. Check Hays Post for air times.