It is perhaps a “Pay it Forward” type of event in its truest form.

On Saturday, Aug. 11 the community of Oakdale is in for a treat, as Elder Bill Kenoyer and his team present “Oakdale Community Shindig” at Dorada Park. The jam packed free community event will be hosted between the hours of 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Kenoyer and crew will provide free carnival games, as well as food for this community outreach event. It’s an event which Kenoyer shared was inspired by his church’s participation in the Love Oakdale community work day earlier this year. According to the elder of Redeemer Modesto and the future local branch Redeemer Oakdale, the coming together and community support served as inspiration for the Saturday event.

While ‘Financial Planner’ may be his day job, it’s his long term involvement with varying churches, which serves as Kenoyer’s true passion.

“In my twenties I actually came out here and helped start River Oak Grace,” he said. “So coming back here is like coming back to a very familiar place.”

Redeemer Oakdale will host its first service on Sunday, Aug. 26 at 10 a.m. Services will be hosted at Sierra View Elementary School, Oakdale. As the elder of the church, Kenoyer maintains a bit of a family tradition. His great-great grandfather George Cuppy was once an Oakdale pastor.

Redeemer Modesto was first started by Kenoyer and a group of friends in 2007. Not sure what to expect, the first service was hosted in a friend’s garage. With over 50 showing up for the first service, they secured another space. Today the Modesto membership is at close to 400 members.

“I love people. I love hearing their story and being part of that,” Kenoyer stated. “I love seeing Jesus really transform them in ways that I can’t.”

And so it is the hope and plan of Kenoyer and his team that they can begin that connection with the ‘Shindig.’

“The reason we decided to do this was to do something for the community,” he shared. “I’m excited to have fun and engage with families. Oakdale’s unique in the sense that it’s a tight knit community. People care for their community. They love their city.”

Kenoyer also looks forward to bringing fellowship and worship to the community, just two weeks following the free picnic event.

“We’re here to build purposeful relationships,” he said of the Redeemer Oakdale/Modesto mission, “inside the church, outside in the community. So we can speak the love of Jesus in one another’s life.”

For additional information on Oakdale Community Shindig, August 11 visit the Facebook page bearing the same name. For information on Redeemer visit www.redeemermodesto.com.