Thanksgiving Blowout
Sunday November 21, 2010
The ARC
5:32 PM
The “Thanksgiving Blowout” was born 24 years ago and quickly became an important St. Mathew tradition. Though the venue, style and persona of this tradition has changed over the years , its importance and value have only increased. You don’t want to miss it!
The “Blowout” began as a spontaneous, last minute, thrown together fun event. It was as simple as calling 15 families and saying “Come on over this Sunday night. We’re having a party! Bring a covered dish and let’s have some fun.”
Between 40 and 50 people, gathered in what is now the former nursery for a pot luck dinner. After the meal we hastily took down the tables and did a spontaneous spoof on the what was then known as "The Gong Show.” It became a tradition to call out a different emcee each year to give comic order to the evening. It was so bad it was hilarious. We laughed till we cried. New friendships were made. Old friendships deepened and a tradition was born.
It was quickly named “The Thanksgiving Blowout” because we blew the roof off with great food, outstanding and awful talent, boisterous laughter and over capacity crowds. It was and is the largest annual gathering of the St. Matthew family.
The gathering grew each year until we had to move across the street to the Mound Elementary cafeteria. Our church family was growing by leaps and bounds and so was the talent. Every year St. Matthew stars were born in what was the “Best Little Variety Show in Texas.” Standing room only crowds gathered to share a meal, elect elders and deacons and meet their growing church family.
We had two traditional services and families were joining every month. Besides being an event where we assembled to laugh till we cried, and groaned till we rolled our eyes, it became like a family reunion. Two different worshipping congregations came together to connect to family not seen in a while and welcome those who had since joined the clan. From standing in line for food to laughing, crying and groaning during the show to cleaning up after a long night, lasting relationships were forged, memories were made and the church felt small even as we grew larger and larger.
After years of a standing room only crowd at Mound, we joyfully moved “The Blowout” back to St. Matthew in 2003 after the ARC was built. By then we had grown to three worshipping bodies. From year to year “The Blowout” format changed, talent shows, concerts, dances, skits, but the aim was always the same. As the church grew, help make the church seem small and simply enjoy the gift of life that God has provided.
Today we have 5 worshipping bodies, two Sunday morning small group hours and numerous small groups that meet throughout the week. The venue, style and persona of this tradition has changed over the years , but its importance and value have only increased.
This year we will assemble for the same purpose but the tenor of the night will have an added element. As always, we will share a covered dish feast, wear name tags, enjoy sweet fellowship and elect elders and deacons. But we also gather as 5 different worshipping congregations to give thanks to God for all he has done in St. Matthew’s 39 year history. After the meal, the choir and band will jointly lead us in a time of praise and worship. The children will sing and prayers will be offered. We will elect deacons and elders, hear a report on our financial status, celebrate the past, dream about the future, and give thanks to God for the present moment. The evening will conclude around 7:30 with the sharing of the Lord’s Supper.
So “Come on over this Sunday night. We’re having a party! Bring a covered dish and let’s have some fun.” Bring a your favorite recipe. Bring the whole family. Bring a friend. Bring an appetite. Bring a thankful spirit but whatever you do come! The whole family is coming over and it won’t be the same without you. It is time to get reaquainted with the whole family. St. Matthew now consists of five different services, but there is only one Father, one Lord, one Holy Spirit, one purpose and one family.
The tradition continues.
Proud to serve as one of your pastors,
Rick
