What Community Events Does Faith Lutheran Eldridge Host?

Faith Lutheran Eldridge hosts two recurring community events described on its site: a Fall Festival on Sunday, October 18 from 10:15 am to 12:30 pm, and a monthly Friday Fun Club for children in kindergarten through 6th grade who attend Ed White Elementary in Eldridge, Iowa. The Fall Festival is open to all and centers on food, games, and fellowship; the Friday Fun Club requires monthly pre-registration and runs on the last early-dismissal Friday of each month from 1:05 pm to 3:30 pm.

Fall Festival: What to Expect

The Fall Festival is the church's main seasonal gathering, held on a Sunday right after morning worship. The scheduled window is 10:15 am to 12:30 pm, which fits neatly between the 9 am service and the afternoon.

Planned activities include:

• Food and fellowship
• Games and giveaways
• Crafts
• Pumpkin decorating
• Sugar cookie decorating
• Soup sampling
• A pie giveaway

Volunteering at the Festival

The church is recruiting volunteers to make chili or soup for a cook-off, as well as people to bring sides and desserts. A sign-up sheet is available in the Gathering Area, so anyone interested can add their name on a Sunday visit rather than needing to contact the office first.

Who it suits: Families, neighbors, and anyone curious about the church who wants a low-pressure way to visit. No registration is mentioned for attendees.

Friday Fun Club: A Monthly After-School Program

The Friday Fun Club is aimed specifically at families of children attending Ed White Elementary in Eldridge. It runs on the last early-dismissal Friday of each month during the school year, from 1:05 pm to 3:30 pm.

How the afternoon works:

1. Adult volunteers meet registered children at 1:05 pm — kindergarteners at the Kindergarten Doors, grades 1–6 at the West Entrance of Ed White.
2. The group walks together to Faith Lutheran Church.
3. Children get a snack and take part in story time, crafts, science experiments, games, and music.
4. At 3:30 pm, children are released to walk home or to their parents or caregivers.

Adult volunteers supervise at all times, with some high school youth helpers assisting.

2026–27 Dates

Registration and Contact

Monthly pre-registration is required — signing up once does not cover the whole year. The site offers both an online registration link and a printable form. Questions go to Pastor Carrie Lewis La Plante at [email protected] or 563-285-4501.

Common snag to plan for: because registration is monthly, families need to re-register before each date on the list. Marking the calendar a week ahead avoids a child arriving at the meeting point unregistered.

Other Ways to Connect

Beyond events, the church lists a Pastor and Staff Appreciation period from September 11 to October 11, with thank-you cards and envelopes available in the narthex and a reception during Fellowship time after the 9 am worship on Sunday, October 11. The site also publishes monthly "Faith Perspectives" reflections from Pastor Carrie, which give a sense of the congregation's tone before a first visit.

Choosing Which Event Fits

• You want a one-time, drop-in visit with food and activities: the Fall Festival on October 18 is the simplest entry point, with no registration mentioned.
• You have an Ed White Elementary student who needs after-school care on early-dismissal Fridays: the Friday Fun Club fits, provided you pre-register each month and are comfortable with children walking from school to the church and being released at 3:30 pm.
• You want to contribute rather than attend: the festival's soup cook-off and dessert sign-up, or the staff appreciation cards, are the listed options.

For anything not covered on the site — such as whether the Fall Festival moves indoors in bad weather — contact the church office directly rather than assuming.