In Matthew 18:20, Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” Maybe those gatherings can include baseball. What started as a joint event sponsored by Susan and Bob Russell through On Belay (after which the invitation extended to Mariners, then the whole congregation) has turned into an annual intergenerational gathering of church members, friends, neighbors, and family who get together for a fun tailgate and baseball game with good food, good conversation, and baseball.

Three memories from our first tailgate and baseball game back in 2014 stick out for me:

• Middle aged congregants and little kids experiencing their very first tailgate together (on a literal tailgate).
• First Pres old-timers and new-timers rolling on the artificial turf in the Coliseum parking lot.
• Our buns to hot dog ratio being way off and us ending up with too many leftover buns!

Over the past six years, we’ve had fun introducing tailgating to people—always a mix of people new and old to First Pres. And over the years, we (David Wagner, Justin Roth, John Wong-Rolle, and I) have been able to get the bun to hot dog ratio right.
 
We’ve also been able to get other things right: We set up a bright yellow Cal Bears EZ-UP so we can be easily spotted in the parking lot; we take care of the food so all you need to do is come and partake—we even keep the hot dogs hot whether you arrive two hours or thirty minutes before first pitch; we have seating charts so you know who you’re sitting with (though people move around during the game to chat with friends); we also have wheelchair accessible seats when needed. And for this year, on July 27, we are sitting in Section 126R away from the glare of the setting sun and with easy access for those who want to enjoy the Pixar-themed fireworks from the playing field. 
 
Come by the Pathway table this Sunday and buy tickets for the tailgate and game. Tickets including the tailgate, game, and fireworks are $25. We accept PayPal in addition to check and cash.
 
We’ve enjoyed the opportunity to create new memories as well as invite friends and neighbors who would normally not attend church. Join us for this annual form of fun at First Pres this year.