What Is Going On?

July 3, 2023, is the Red, White, and BOOM! celebration in Columbus, OH. Click here to see the official website.

This Independence Day attraction regularly achieves hundreds of thousands of visitors, many of whom spend the day outside, culminating in a magnificent fireworks demonstration at 10 PM. Coincidentally, I was saved on July 4, 2006, in the morning, so we’ll be celebrating 17 years of dependence upon Christ for me!

Please review this carefully because we are doing things differently than in previous years.

Location

We are moving our ministry location from near Nationwide Arena to closer to the Columbus City Hall where more people congregate and will walk past us. This year, we will set up our shop near Front St and Broad St or High St and Broad St. The location is subject to change when we arrive, so it’s important we all stick together.

Ministry Times, Yes, Ministry TIMES (plural)

In order to make the festivities more enjoyable for everyone, we are going to offer two separate ministry times. You are welcome to join us for both or one of those, whichever works for you that day.

  1. We will meet at my house at 10 AM on July 3 and travel downtown together for ministry from approximately 11-2 PM. This will be in the blazing sun but also at a time when fewer people are out being offensive. This is a good slot if you want to bring children and should give you a little time if you want to walk down to the food vendors for a minute or get your kid a USA-themed whatchamacallit. We will depart around 2 PM from downtown and go back to my house.
  2. We can then fellowship and relax for a few hours at my place. I’ll provide refreshments of some kind. Feel free to contribute something if you like. We can fire up the grill or you can take a shower or whatever you need.
  3. The second ministry time is from 7 PM to ~11. We will leave my house around 6 PM and travel to the destination. Then we will minister until the fireworks start. After the fireworks, we can tract the crowds as they walk to their cars and continue preaching, then we will drive home. If we have a bunch of energy, maybe we’ll find a place to go eat and hang out or something.

We will try to stick to the times as closely as possible.

Considerations

If you would like to meet us downtown, then I will need to update you when we are closer to that time with our meeting place. But for planning, plan to arrive at the Southeast corner of Broad and High at 11 AM or 7 PM (depending on which session you choose). If you ride with me, then you have nothing to worry about (and I have less to worry about).

If you have a van or minivan and are willing to be a driver that would be helpful in case we get more folks than will fit in my Odyssey.

Be prepared to walk up to a mile from where we will find parking to where we will minister.

Be prepared for sunshine/sunburn as well, and bring whatever you need to hydrate yourself.

I’ll have tracts, but feel free to bring your own. As always, follow the rules. If you invite a friend, make sure they read this first, then pass on their information to me.

If you need lodging, let me know, and I’ll figure it out.

Question? I tried to answer every reasonable question, but let me know by texting me.

I need to know:

  1. If you are coming in the morning ministry opportunity.
  2. If you are coming in the evening ministry opportunity.
  3. If you are coming to my house in between for food and fellowship.
  4. If you are planning to ride with me from my house to either of the events.

This is always a really fun event. I plan to bring my boys to the daytime/morning ministry and then it will just be me in the evening one.

Thanks,

Michael