It’s Family Life’s “Hometown Heroes”

Celebrate the congregations and volunteers in our listening area who created a magical, memorable evening for hundreds of special guests

The Night to Shine has become a global movement across the past decade, and numerous local churches are plugged in — many of them since the early days when the Tim Tebow Foundation launched a prom-styled festival for special-needs individuals.

In this edition of “Hometown Heroes”, we hear about the local area’s Night to Shine events held February 9, 2024. Representatives of three of these congregations tell us what happens, who is served, the significant responses of the families and the local community, and how this one night spurs churches to be attentive to special needs ministries throughout the year.

Our radio news feature offers highlights and stories. For each of these three congregations, we also will be posting expanded interviews with web-only bonus content.  

• “Hometown Heroes” feature — highlights from all three congregations, as aired on the Family Life Noon Report  [click the podcast player above to listen]
  

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  • Bethel Life Church, Greenville PA:  bonus content with Pastor Kent Bell [web]
    
  • Auburn Alliance Church, Auburn NY:  bonus content with Event Coordinator Chad Mitchell  [web]
    
  • Sunbury Bible Church, Northumberland PA:  bonus content with Pastor Preston Atkinson [web]
    
  
  

Other congregations whose leaders and volunteers also deserve “Hero” status are other churches in the Family Life listening area. These also sponsored a Night to Shine this month:

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  • Our Lady Of Peace, Erie PA [web]
    
  • New Life Baptist, New Wilmington PA [web]
    
  • LCBC, Dickson City PA Campus [web]
    
  • Epic Church-Buffalo: Williamsville NY [web]
    
  • Cross Creek Church, Elmyra NY [web]
    
  • Catalyst Church, Altoona PA [web]
    
  • Calvary Church, Boalsburg PA [web]
    
  
  

The Night to Shine movement began ten years ago (2014) as an outreach of the Tim Tebow Foundation. The Heisman trophy winner for the Florida Gators, former NFL quarterback and sports broadcaster started his foundation to fight for what they call the “MVP” — the Most Vulnerable People.

Tebow (himself growing up as a missionary kid) has been at the forefront of multiple forms of international Christian ministry.

Find out about the Foundation and watch the national/international Night to Shine video.

“Hometown Heroes” is one of our Tuesday news features on our Noon Report and 5 O’Clock Report.

A fun P.S….  Tim Tebow (who became famous for waiting for a uniquely Christian marriage partner, despite his famous “eligible bachelor” status) met his future wife at his 2018 NTS, where Demi-Lynn was attending with her special-needs sister.)