By Angel Perkins Staff Writer
Bourbon’s First United Methodist Church is having a three-day revival, a “Restoration Celebration,” and benefit for a local woman and her son who lost their home and possessions in a fire Aug. 21.
A regular service will be held at the church at 204 N. Washington, Sunday, Sept. 13 from 10 to 11:30 a.m.  (with a meal following) and another from 6 to 7 p.m.

Monday, Sept. 14 there will be a special service from 7 to 8 p.m. at the church with food and fellowship following but the services will move to the “sit park” downtown at the corner of Main and Center Streets for Tuesday’s service from 7 to 8 p.m. with food and fellowship afterward. Michele Payton of Warsaw and Ross Kuester of Walnut Creek United Methodist Church of Warsaw will be key guests during the three-day event giving testimony and inspirational messages to revival participants.
The 26-year-old Kuester is the worship minister at Walnut Creek UMC and currently attends seminary classes at Grace College. At his church he leads the praise team, youth band and often delivers sermons during the contemporary services.
His messages will focus around the “real message of the church, the true role of the church by following Christ’s example of serving each other,” say the pamphlets making their way around the Bourbon area.
Kuester will speak at each of the services while Payton and her band Lazarus Rising will perform Sunday. The singer and songwriter (who has been featured on Pulse FM radio as well as many radio and television commercials) will also sing with the children’s’ choir during the Sept. 13 morning service at Bourbon’s FUMC.
Live music from the Walnut Creek United Methodist Church praise team will be featured Monday and a second live performance, one from the United Pentecostal Church of Bourbon’s choir, will take place Tuesday evening during the benefit for the Brenda Johnson family.
Additional fundraising for the family will be taken Monday and Tuesday at two local eateries. If customers bring a coupon (which they can get from any church member) to the Bourbon Subway, 10 percent of their total purchase price will be held back for the family.             Customers that would rather dine on items from the Bourbon Street Pizza menu those days can also use the coupon at that establishment to have 15 percent of their bills go toward helping the Johnsons get back on their feet.