Friday Night Life in 2025
More and more, the desire grows in me simply to walk around, greet people, enter their homes, sit on their doorsteps, play ball, throw water, and be known as someone who wants to live with them. It is a privilege to have the time to practice this simple ministry of presence. Still, it is not as simple as it seems. My own desire to be useful, to do something significant, or to be part of some impressive project is so strong that soon my time is taken up by meetings, conferences, study groups, and workshops that prevent me from walking the streets. It is difficult not to have plans, not to organize people around an urgent cause, and not to feel that you are working directly for social progress.
But I wonder more and more if the first thing shouldn’t be to know people by name, to eat and drink with them, to listen to their stories and tell your own, and to let them know with words, handshakes, and hugs that you do not simply like them, but truly love them.
Spring 2024 marked the completion of the 31st year of Friday Night Life!
We began Friday Night Life (FNL) in 1993 when we invited residents of The Timothy House to come back on Friday Nights for dinner in order to stay connected with our community. Later that year, we moved FNL to Central Avenue United Methodist Church because the Timothy House did not have the capacity to provide for the number of former residents who were coming back to visit. After 8 years, the event outgrew Central UMC and we moved FNL to The Plains United Methodist Church. Today, Friday Night Life hosts 50-60 people each week and is offered to the community from 4:30-7:30 pm. Friday Night Life is held in the Family Life Center of The Plains United Methodist Church from October to March and at the Good Works property on Luhrig Road (picnic style) from April to September. Friday Night Life is designed to bring together the residents of the Timothy House, and the people of Athens County into a community of HOPE where people can establish trust, build friendships, help one another in practical ways, encourage one another and discover new ways to love and serve one another.
For information on how to sponsor a supper, click here.
FRIDAY NIGHT LIFE has several different components:
Each week, a different community group, organization or congregation volunteers to sponsor Friday Night Life by providing the food for the meal. Sponsors, (about 5-10 people) arrive at 4:00 pm, are welcomed by a Good Works staff person and are provided with additional information about how Friday Night Life and the meal portion work, with the goal to have the dinner ready by 5:15 pm.
Before and after FNL, a wide variety of activities take place. These include volleyball, basketball, poetry, art, Bible study, live music, health education, special presentations and clean-up. Kids activities are held for kids ages 4-17.
At 7:15 pm, take-home food is provided to any participant of Friday Night Life who has signed up to receive take-home food. Take-home food is usually a bag full of non-perishable items. Also at 7:15 pm, all participants who sponsored the dinner and participated are requested to join a conversation with the Good Works staff to reflect on their experiences and to learn more about the vision and hopes of the Good Works community.
If you think you might be interested or would like more information on how to sponsor a supper, you can email us.
Kids activities provide local kids (and children living at The Timothy House) an opportunity to develop friendships outside of school and gives former Good Works residents’ children the opportunity to stay connected with the Good Works community. Friday Night Life provides inspirational and educational activities for children of Athens County and children in the neighborhood. Leadership for the Kids Club is provided by the Good Works staff along with volunteers from the Athens area.
Schedule for Summer and Fall of 2024
4:00 pm = Sponsoring Group arrives on site.
4:30 pm = “Doors Open” and people arrive.
5:15 pm = Community Building events
5:30 pm = Dinner starts!
7:15 pm = Take home food is provided!
7:15 pm = Sponsor Group Reflections.
7:30 pm = Friday Night Life ends
Good Works provides transportation from Central Avenue in Athens and also from the Chauncey Library to and from Friday Night Life.
For information on how you can become a volunteer at Friday Night Life, visit our Volunteer Opportunities page and click on Friday Night Life.