Imagine yourself on the cover of a NASCAR magazine or a university football program. That’s an option for guests at the Wayne County Fair in northern Ohio, thanks to the Grace Brethren Church of Wooster.
For the past four years, the church has hosted a booth where individuals may have their photo taken at no charge in front of a green screen. It is then superimposed on a digital background, making it appear that it is a magazine cover. Backgrounds have ranged from NASCAR Illustrated to an Ohio State Buckeyes fan magazine and the teaser quotes on the fake cover include times for the worship service and an invitation to visit.
Once the photo is taken, the image is available to be downloaded from the church’s website the following afternoon.
The project is the brainchild of Bob Doerr, associate pastor of young adult ministries, and was initially staffed by individuals from the church’s young adult ministry, Four14. Last year, volunteers were sought from the entire congregation.
“The church has to be there if we are serious about reaching people,” says Dave Lawson, administrative pastor at the church.
The event, which advertises itself as “Ohio’s Foremost Agricultural Fair,” has an annual attendance exceeding 100,000 persons and includes perennial county fair favorites such as farm tractor pulls, demolition derby, horse and livestock shows, and produce and baking competitions. The Wayne County Junior Fair, which is held concurrently, is thought to be the largest gathering of 4-H participants in Ohio.
People have responded positively, according to Lawson. Thousands of photos have been taken and fairgoers may also put their name in for prizes. A daily drawing might include an Ohio State Buckeyes t-shirt, with a grand prize drawing for a tailgate package that includes chairs and a cooler.
“It gives the church the necessary outward focus during the fair,” says Lawson. “People are ‘on mission’ at the fair,” he adds, noting that it also mobilizes people’s gifts such as hospitality and technology, while allowing the church to be relevant in the community.
This year, the Wayne County Fair will be September 12-17.
MaryAnn Peteya was an editorial intern with the Brethren Missionary Herald Company during the spring semester. A 2009 graduate from Grace College, Winona Lake, Ind., she is from Akron, Ohio.