Join us at The Lex for a joy-filled Juneteenth Family Reunion Picnic, designed for a seamless transition from worship to fellowship. This is a time to slow down, share a meal, and soak in the company of the people around you — neighbors, friends, and chosen family alike.
Following the Community Church Service, the celebration continues — and the best part is just getting started.
Juneteenth Family Reunion Meaning
The Juneteenth Family Reunion carries deep meaning. After the devastation of slavery, which separated families, erased names, and severed generational bonds, coming together was an act of resilience and joy. Reunions became a way to find one another, celebrate survival, and build new bonds with chosen family when blood family couldn't be found. For many Black Americans, family has never been limited to bloodlines — aunts, uncles, and cousins can be people you chose, people who showed up, people who stayed.
Now in its second year, this reunion invites the entire Columbus community to gather as that chosen family. Expect food, games, bouncy houses, a community family tree, and the kind of warmth you only find when people truly show up for each other. Taking place on Father's Day, it's also a chance to honor the fathers, father figures, and family legacies that shape who we are.
You don't have to share a last name to belong here. You just have to show up.
In partnership with NAACP Bartholomew Co., Bartholomew County Public Library, African American Pastors Alliance, Stunna’s