Christian churches prepare for festival

By Jenny Jones
Staff Writer

When people leave the Lafayette Religious Arts Festival, the organizers want participants to embrace the gifts and talents God has graced upon the Christian community.

The Christian Unity Service launches the festival at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Community Reformed Church in Lafayette.

The service will allow Christians to gather together for worship.

"It's a good time to see Christians coming together to show Christian-like love to one another," said Pastor Ernie, elder of Eastlawn United Methodist Church.

Welcoming Christians of all different backgrounds, Dr. Paul Crowe, a professor at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, will be delivering the sermon for this event.

"There will be some different things for everyone," said Sue Ringenbach, general chair of the Religious Arts Festival.

The festival’s organizers are working to lift the spirits of attendants through January and February’s ongoing events.

"It gives people a chance to dispel different misconceptions about faith," said Tony Varas, director of worship for the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Lafayette.

Although the Christian Unity Service has not been an annual event in the festival, those involved have great expectations for the service.

"Getting people out here is the challenge," said Ringenbach.

It allows for people to experience the traditions of different churches and allow couples who may be considering marriage a chance to see their faith, or faiths, from a different perspective, said Varas.

The organizers of the Religious Arts Festival want to bring the Christian community traditional hospitality and an enriched view of religion.

"We believe there is a common bond or ground that exists in all of us," said Varas.

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