The excitement surrounding Harvest Train in Falcon, North Carolina, an annual IPHC event that kicks off the holiday season, is unmatched. On the days leading up to Thanksgiving, manypeople from around the country travel to Falcon to support Falcon Children’s Home and Family Services (FCHFS) and the good work done there. FCHFS was started in 1909 with a set of siblings, Thomas and Mary Ward, who needed a home. Falcon Children’s Home and Family Services has grown steadily since then, providing a home for children who cannot live with their parents in a traditional home setting. According to their website, they do this through programs like residential care, maternity and new mothers care, transitional living, foster care and adoptions, Falcon Christian Academy, and a second children's home in Turbeville, SC. For Harvest Train, participants bring donations such as diapers, wipes, cleaning supplies, school supplies, or household items.
On Monday evening, the Royal Home opened the festivities with a concert and service. The Royal Home is part of FCHFS, focusing on expectant and new mothers who need a safe place to stay. The home offers the mothers the opportunity to complete high school, training/preparationsfor jobs, and also classes on parenting. The service opened with music from The Chosen Trio and included a welcome from Karelys Pereira, Director of the Royal Home. Pastor Casey Strickland offered a brief devotional before Mission M25 was honored for supporting the Royal Home with their 50 cc Diaper Run. Next, Emmanuel University’s Emmanuel Singers took the stage. Finally, Presiding Bishop A.D. Beacham, Jr. greeted the attendees and offered a closing and prayer, praying specifically for the mothers and babies of Royal Home that were in attendance.
The Harvest Train event continued with a parade on Tuesday morning, November 26, at 8:30 am. The parade consisted of floats made by different churches and organizations, buses carrying local students, a multi-car “train,” tractors, a local JROTC, and motorcycles ridden by members of M25. The highlight of the parade for many children in attendance was the candy thrown from the parade members.
At 9:45, in the Culbreth Memorial Auditorium, the Emmanuel Singers from Emmanuel University in Franklin Springs, Georgia, began pre-show entertainment, leading modern worship songs and classic choral selections. At 10:30, the program opened with a welcome from Garland Slate, the alumni president, followed by the national anthem sung by Sabrina Forte. Next, Bishop Ray Boggs, Chairman of the FCHFS Board, and Presiding Bishop Dr. A. D. Beacham, Jr. offered greetings and prayer. Joseph T. Leggett, CEO of FCHFS, recognized special guests and presented an award to the top-giving church of 2023.
Next, the event's highlight, the kids’ program, began. This year, the play focused on the life of Lila Berry. In 1949, Lila Berry, a young pastor’s wife who lived across from FCHFS, looked out of her kitchen window and saw several children playing. She had an all-encompassing desire to help and bless those children in some way. She felt led to contact the leader of the home and offer to spearhead a campaign to collect gifts and necessities for the children. This effort grew to become what we know of as “The Harvest Train” today. The play was well-written and well-produced, utilized digital screens, and highlighted characters from “today” and Lila Berry's time. The children involved in the play celebrating Lila Berry's life are all Falcon Christian Academy students, and the students’ singing and dancing talents were on full display. The Academy admitsstudents from kindergarten through the twelfth grade, and enrollment is open to FCHFS residents as well as those living in the surrounding communities.
Along with the festivities, there was an ongoing contest for the best art project (by the students) and the best float in the parade. Culbreth East (a dormitory) won the award for the best art project, and Shiloh PH Church won for the best float. At the end of the program, the totals from the fundraiser and commodities collections were announced: more than $295,000 in cash and more than $60,000 in commodities, for a grand total of more than $355,000 collected.
Following the program, the attendees enjoyed a time of fellowship with a delicious lunch of Carolina BBQ, chicken tenders, green beans, coleslaw, a roll, and dessert.
If you have never attended or it’s been a while since you made the trek, make plans to join us in Falcon next year!
