"Second Wind" Marathon Ministry

In 2005 a ministry was born at First Church to serve the thousands of people who participate in the Memorial Marathon. In 2009, 19,000 runners competed on the last Sunday in April. Since the Marathon starts on one side of our church and ends on the other side, access to the church on that Sunday morning is almost impossible without some planning. That planning took place in 2005 in the form of a Pancake Breakfast for all the marathon participants and their families. 650 plates of pancakes were served in a three hour span. A Children’s Fair was held on the “upper” parking lot. In addition, almost 100 of our members volunteered to be Course Marshals for the last five miles of the race. Our job? Cheer the runners on the last leg – that God would grant them a "Second Wind." In 2009, we served over 3,500 plates of pancakes, and the ministry grows every year!

Click on the pages to the left to find out more about this year's outreach and to volunteer.