Self-Guided Tour 2: South Lawn

When you think about the four-plus acres of our campus that are not taken up by our landmark structure and its two paved parking lots, the word “potential” inevitably comes to mind.

Originally, some of the old timers saw potential for a woodland park surrounding an outdoor worship center.  They purchased insane numbers of seedlings (One normally reliable source claims six thousand!) For the youth and scouts to plant.  Most of those 1950s trees have died and been replaced, but some—including the iconic “family picture tree” beside today’s playground–still thrive.

  Decades ago, someone saw potential for neighborhood recreation and planted a ball diamond & backstop in the southwest corner.  

In the early 80s the Preschool Board built the kids (and the neighborhood) a largely homemade, largely wooden playground.  In 2023 that was replaced by a professionally-built, less splinter-prone design.  It’s also quite invitational; a sign along the city’s nearby hike-and-bike trail lures families off the trail to use our always-open playground and share the Story Walk displayed along its east fence.  Some even check out (Get it?) the variety of books in the nearby Little Free Library.

In 2011, the Bunger family combined recreation with spirituality when they funded a fire pit/worship space in the south lawn’s southeast corner in memory of their beloved Brad, lost in a tragic freak accident.

The south lawn is a wonderful public space as well.  In the 2000s, Danny Oberg found the well-manicured south lawn an ideal place to park 100-plus classic automobiles for his annual charity car shows that have raised tens of thousands of dollars for worthy local charities.  And since 2020, we have we have welcomed GI Pride to stage its popular summer festival in the south lawn’s shaded environs, affirming our potential for loving all of God’s children.

Finally, let’s not forget to thank the crew of committed member-volunteers who faithfully maintain the parklike beauty of our entire campus!

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