Organizers of the first-ever outdoor community revival at the gardens have set Thursday, Sept. 12 to Saturday, Sept. 14 for a three-day spiritual rejuvenation in Marion. They hope what has been dubbed the Victory Gardens Revival will awaken hearts and sprout into an annual affair.
The Sons Family from Means, Ky., a small town an hour east of Lexington, will be providing both the music and evangelism all three nights. Greg Sons is an evangelist, and he and his family tour as a southern gospel musical group.
“That’s their life. That’s pretty much all they’ve ever done,” said Kenny Odom, pastor of Lola Baptist Church, where The Sons Family has performed before. “They travel all over the county. Our church loves them and can’t wait for them to return.”
In fact, the idea for a community revival at the Victory Gardens was born in April while The Sons Family was singing at Odom’s church in Lola. On that particular day, several community-level inmates from Crittenden County Detention Center were in the congregation supervised by jail staff. That gave Odom an idea.
“I noticed they were enjoying it real well,” the pastor began. “So I tapped (Jailer Robbie Kirk) on the shoulder, and he said it would be good to have (The Sons Family at the gardens) for an outdoor meeting. We had been working on it and praying about it, and that’s what we came up with.”
The Victory Gardens, which are 28 plots, an orchard and 40-plus acres tended by Class D inmates at the local jail, are the charge of Kirk as head of the jail. Churches in the community contributed to start the Victory Gardens years ago and continue to make donations to keep the project going as a way to provide vocational skills and therapy for inmates while offering fresh produce to the community at no charge.
“A lot of people have been out there to see the beautiful view,” Odom said, adding that those who have not will be in for a treat at the revival.
The outdoor revival is being sponsored and coordinated by several area churches. Kirk said pastors Odom, Aaron Brown at Marion Baptist Church and Mark Girten at Crooked Creek Baptist Church are the backbone of the planning committee, but all churches are being invited to participate.
“It’s not a denominational thing,” Odom emphasizes. “It’s not a specific church. It was kind of my idea that this would be a good thing for the whole community.”
The services will begin at 6 p.m. each night. Kirk and Odom are both aware the middle of the revival falls on the same night as the first home football game for the Crittenden County Rockets.
“We may suffer some on Friday,” said Kirk, adding that autumn is a difficult time to schedule anything that does not over lap with something else going on in the community.
Parking will be on the lot of Rocket Tire and H&H Supply on Sturgis Road. A van will be used to shuttle visitors to a grassy seating area where a stage will be erected at the gardens. Those attending are asked to bring their own lawn chairs. In the event of rain or threatening weather, the revival will be held at Marion Baptist Church Family Life Center on Depot Street.
A love offering will be taken during the service.
