WE ARE SAD TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE FESTIVAL IS CANCELLED FOR 2020 DUE TO COVID-19 REGULATIONS.
WE WILL​ HAVE A "VIRTUAL FESTIVAL"... BE WATCHING FOR NEWS OF THAT!  AND WE WILL SEE YOU IN 2021-- THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

"Virtual" Strawberry Fest 2020

Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, goodness, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

When Pastor Kathi Elliott realized that we would not be able to hold our annual Strawberry Fest in 2020 due to guidelines for safety surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, she began to think of what might be able to replace the beloved community event.  One Sunday morning, she awoke and remembered a poem she had written 15 years ago.  It begins:  "Today, someone brought me strawberries. 'Fresh from the garden, dirt and all!', she said as she placed the bowl on my desk.  I don't know if they were the first fruits from the patch, but they must have been among the first.  As soon as she left I popped one in my mouth!  Mmmmmmmm...  Nothing could have pleased me more in that moment.  How pleased God must be when I lay the fruit of my life, dirt and all, at His/Her Holy feet!"

That was all it took to get the wheels turing.  WHAT IF?, she wondered.  What if we encourage the people of the community to offer up the Fruit of the Spirit to one another this year!?  What if we remind one another that, even in this time of social distancing, we can STILL come together as a community?  What if we give BACK this year to the wonderful people of Terre Haute who support us every year?

Here's how:
  • In the weeks leading up to the normal date of the Strawberry Fest, find ways to do acts of love, joy, peace, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Take photos or write stories of what you do and post them to social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) using the hashtag: #FirstChurchTHFirstFruits.  If you don't have a way to access social media, come by the church on June 11th between 1 and 4 pm.  We'll be out front with the Strawberry Horse-- you can share your stories and we'll post them for you!
  • We are working on getting "Strawberry Treat bags" for children up to age 12.  You may pick those up on June 11th also between 1 and 4.  There will be ideas for your children on how to share THEIR Fruit of the Spirit with others.
  • If you are a "Terre Haute Rocks" member, we would love to enlist your help in painting rocks with strawberries and hiding them all over the community.  This to remind people to do their acts of love, joy, peace, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  We'll be hiding a few of our own, and there will be 5 with a special CODE on them (It's a secret, so don't ask what it is!)  If you bring your rock with that CODE to next year's festival, come and find Pastor Kathi at the children's booth, and you will receive at coupon for a free "WORKS".
  • Let us hear from you with how you have given back to the community!  We can be "Terre Haute Strong"!

Advance Order Information

Advance orders can be made at any time up until 4 p.m. on Strawberry Fest Day.  

Phone orders can be made by calling 812-232-8880. If we are unable to take your call, please leave your name and phone number and we will return your call and take your order.  Our fax number is 812-645-3863. Our e-mail address is firstchurchth@frontier.com. On Strawberry Fest Day, orders are accepted until 4 p.m. 
Advance orders, via email or fax, can be sent in at any time and are accepted until 4:00 p.m. on Fest Day, Thursday, June 11. You can download the advance order form using the link below. Advance orders must be a minimum of 4. 

Pick up is available until 5:00 p.m. on the day of the Fest.  Pick up is in the church basement, accessible through the east door, between the church and the parking garage.  If you are planning to pick up a large order or will be driving a distance, you should consider bringing a cooler with you to keep your strawberry shortcakes nice and cold while you travel.

Advance Order Forms

Download the Advance Order Form in PDF format by clicking here.

Pdf Advance Order Form

Download the Advance Order Form in Word format by right clicking here and using the "save link as" option then open the file on your computer.  Be sure to save your completed order form so you don't return us a blank form.

Word Advance Order Form