What do you do when you own a big facility right in the heart of downtown Clear Lake, you love your city and want to take all of the fun of the Christmas season and pack it into three hours?
Zion Lutheran Church has combined all of that and will be opening its doors from 1-4 p.m. in conjunction with the Christmas By The Lake celebration.
“I love the idea of church being a fun place,” said Jennifer Colby, director of adult ministries at Zion Lutheran Church. “God has given us a wonderfully large, indoor building right in the middle of all the action. How could we not open it up?”
Zion joined the Christmas by the Lake fun in 2019 when the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce asked if it could use some of the facilities. Fast forward to 2022 and Zion staff and over 120 volunteers now host the fun.
“We hope that by opening our doors to the community, people might come to believe that our doors are always open to them, which someday might translate to them opening up to learn more about Jesus and how He loves them,” said Colby.
Thousands of people walked through Zion’s doors last year during Christmas by the Lake and a larger crowd is expected this year.
The fun being offered at Zion’s Dock location, 500 Main Ave. includes: bounce house inflatables, a cafe offering coffee, apple cider and tea, photo booths and winter princesses and characters to meet and great children, complete with a snow machine. There will also be seating and a place to get out of the cold.
In the Blackbox location, 20 N. 5th St., there will be entertainment, family competitions and a small shopping market. Entertainment includes the Clear Lake High School Band at 1 p.m., the Zion Choir at 1:30 p.m. and the Clear Lake High School Choir at 2 p.m. At 2:30, 3 and 3:30 p.m. there will be audience-participation family games. Fizz Co will also be selling their drinks, with 10 percent of the proceeds going to the performers of the day. All the proceeds from the shopping market will go to the Freedom Inn His Graces initiative to create a warming shelter in Mason City that has no restrictions.
Across from the Blackbox is the gym where a snowball fight will be held, a 9 square court, ping pong, foosball and carpetball. Outside the Blackbox doors there will be mini donuts for sale, which supports Zion’s missionaries who serve in Peru.
At the Hub location, 501 1st Ave. N., there will be cookie decorating and yard games set-up and smaller inflatables for younger children.
All of the locations are in one building, but can also be entered separately from the street.
The event is financially supported through Zion’s local missions and outreach budget, which is funded by regular attendees’ tithes and offerings.
“We know people who don’t regularly attend church might attend this event. Our hope is they will come back on Christmas Eve for a church service and check that out,” said Colby. “I remember last year thinking, I hope people come back and to my excitement they did. There was one family in particular who came to the event and then to Christmas Eve for the first time and then they became regular members and now they are serving this year at Christmas by the Lake. How cool is that?”
Zion will offer Christmas Eve services at The Dock at 2:30, 4 and 5:30 p.m. A traditional service will be held on Christmas Day at 9 a.m. at the sanctuary, 112 N. 4th.
