The 2nd Annual Orange Event was held at the First Baptist Church of Dexter this past Sunday with a large crowd in attendance. The event was planned around a large amount of fun with a very important parenting message being shared with everyone.

The promotion of Orange 1 & Orange 2 has been a little vague in the way First Baptist Church promotes this event. The underlying meanings behind the events name "Orange" is solid and promotes good things within our community yet a little ellusive in the way the church promotes the event.

The past two years, mysterious signs and promotional material begins to appear throughout the community simply designed with the word "ORANGE" and a date. The idea was create curiosity among members of the community to inspire them to seek out what "ORANGE" was all about.

There is a deeper meaning to the Orange Event that truly brings a hope to the people of the Dexter area through God and our community churches.

"Yellow stands for the light Christ sheds in our lives through the church. Red stands for the love of a family. Orange is the combination of the two," noted Pastor Steve Easterwood of First Baptist Church. "It's the church and family working together to raise up champions in the next generation."

Pastor Steve's message reminded those attending of the excitement and hopes that were present when each of our children were born. Then the overwhelming fears of inadequacies that we felt toward the responsibilities as parents to raise these young miracles in a very tough world.

What are our goals for our kids? Are our goals for our children to have them accepted to a great college, get a good job or to meet the perfect mate for life. Of all the goals, we should teach our kids to love God.

Pastor Steve spoke from Deuteronomy Chapter 6 where Moses offered the Israelite parents a teaching plan to "...teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise."

All of us want for our kids a great life filled with the certainty of good things and a Godly plan was offered by Pastor Easterwood:

1. Attend Church Next Three Weeks as the sermons at First Baptist will be teaching parenting God's way.

2. Establishing Core Values of Your Family. An example was given of one family that painted their family values on the wall of their home that were: - Love God - Family First - Be Kind - Work Hard - Tell the Truth

3. Enroll Your Kids in the AWANA's program at First Baptist Church where your kids will learn the Bible first hand.

4. Enroll yourself in a Wednesday Night Class at First Baptist Church so that you too can deepen your relationship and knowledge of Christ. All sorts of classes exist from parenting to finance and will provide your kids with a new you.

5. Make Christ The Center of Your Life.

After the sermon, members and guests were treated to a fun time of fellowship with games, BBQ hamburgers and music provided by "Cost of Living". If the success of an event could be judged by the smiles on everyone's face, Orange 2 certainly met all expectations of a great day.