Church isn’t just for Sundays anymore.

Area churches have scheduled summer season picnics to help bring the community together through entertainment, food and fun while also raising money for the parishes, programs and other causes the churches support throughout the year.

The first picnic to kick-off the season is at St. Joseph Parish Friday, June 3, through Sunday, June 5 at the corner of Wyatt Avenue and Jefferson Street in Stevens Point.

“I always think it’s the community aspect of it,” said Mike Horgan, one of the members of the St. Joseph Picnic Leadership Committee. “You have all of these different people who come together and do their thing and it becomes such a huge event just because of the generosity of the people coming together and working together, and the friendships you forge over the years working together.

“It’s a great way for us to be able to practice our faith,” Horgan said. “The community is part of it … the community side of it is what He wanted, us being united like that.”

Among the church picnics slated this summer are St. Joseph Parish and St. Peter Parish, which are the first ones of the season. They often include music, raffles, entertainment, children’s activities and, of course, a variety of food and refreshments.

St. Joseph Parish

St. Joseph picnic will run 4 to 10 p.m. Friday, June 3, and Saturday, June 4, and 10 a.m. to about 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 5, at the corner of Jefferson Street and Wyatt Avenue in Stevens Point.

Events include:

Friday, June 3

4 to 7 p.m. – Fish Fry, served in the Family Center.

5 p.m. – Cherry tree, food tent, Ice Cream Shoppe & Country Store open, Silent Auction open for bidding in Ehr Hall, games of fun and skill, basket raffle and 50-50 raffle (new this year).

6 to 10 p.m. – Music by River Cities Jazz.

Saturday, June 4

4 p.m. – Mass under the tent, music by St. Joe’s Folk Choir.

5 p.m. – Cherry tree, food tent, Ice Cream Shoppe & Country Store open, Silent Auction open for bidding in Ehr Hall, games of fun and skill, basket raffle and 50-50 raffle.

6 to 10 p.m. – Music by Gray Catz.

Sunday, June 5

10:30 a.m. – Mass under the tent, music by The Choraleers with Duane and Tom from The Old Time Brass.

11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. – Chicken dinner with all the trimmings, served in the Family Center.

11:30 a.m. – All events open: food tent, Country Store, cake walk, cherry tree, Ice Cream Shoppe, games of skill and more family fun, silent auction open for bidding in Ehr Hall, basket raffle and 50-50 raffle.

11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. – The Old Time Brass providing old-time and country music.

1:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. – The Harmony Kings and Keepers of Honky with continuous music.

2:30 p.m. – Bingo in the Family Center.

3 p.m. – Last bids for silent auction.

6:30 p.m. – Main raffle drawing.

St. Peter Catholic Church

St. Peter Catholic Church will hold its church picnic on the Middle School grounds, 708 First St., Stevens Point, from 2 to 10 p.m. Saturday, June 11, and 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, June 12, when a raffle drawing will close the events.

“Our uniqueness is in the different foods we have like the smoked pork on Saturday,” said Larry Proulx, whom some describe as the spirit and backbone of the church picnic. “We also have soft-serve ice cream, slushies and root beer floats to name a few … Plus there is the music we have like big band on Saturday and polka on Sunday. We also boast a large tent space (so) if the weather is a little misty, big deal. We have enough tent space to cover everyone.

“The picnic brings out the best in people especially those that come to work,” he said. “Once they get there they realize the fun they can have spending worthwhile time doing something good. It is not all work. Some of the people we have, have been doing this for a long time, without these people we would be lost.”

Events are:

Saturday, June 11

2 p.m. – Grounds open.

4:30 to 7 p.m. – Smoked pork dinner.

4 p.m. – Mass with polka music from Old Time Brass with the Choraliers.

6 to 10 p.m. – River Cities Jazz Band.

7 p.m. – Paddle cake walk.

Sunday, June 12

10:30 a.m. – Mass with polka music from Old Time Brass with the Choraliers.

11 a.m. – Grounds open.

11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Chicken dinner with homemade soup and pies.

11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. – Battle of the Bands: Norm Dombrowski’s Happy Notes vs. Hauser’s Hot Shots.

2 p.m. – Paddle cake walk.

6:30 p.m. Raffle drawing.

Picnics still to come include St. Stephen in Stevens Point, Holy Spirit Parish in Stevens Point, St. Bronislava in Plover, St. Adalbert in Rosholt, Sacred Heart in Polonia, St. Mary of Mount Carmel in Fancher, St. Bartholomew in Mill Creek and St. Mary in Torun.

St. Bronislava picnic will be from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 10 and will feature food, refreshments and raffles. It is free and open to the public.

St. Adalbert’s Church Picnic will be held Sunday, Aug. 7 at the church, 3305 St. Adalbert Road, Rosholt.