Thursday, Jul. 10, 2008

Six churches to reach out Saturday

By John Marks

Enquirer Herald

LAKE WYLIE--Six area churches are putting the "REACH" in outreach by, naturally, reaching out to each other as well as their community.

REACH, a community event for the Oakridge area planned for Saturday, is a partnership between Liberty Hill AME Zion Church and New Loves Chapel AME Zion Church in Lake Wylie, Zoar AME Zion Church and Clover AME Zion Church in Clover, New Home AME Zion Church in York and China Grove AME Zion Church in Rock Hill.

"It's open for everybody, anyone who wants to come out," said Rev. Wanalyn Barnette, associate minister at Liberty Hill and coordinator of the event.

The evangelistic event will bring food, games, giveaways, praise dances and activities both for children and adults. The six churches will gather atop a large, marked field on Oakridge Road, just north of S.C. 557. The churches have worked together in the past, but not on so large a scale, Barnette said.

"This is the first to this extent," she said. "We basically want to go out as Jesus commanded us to go out and reach out to the world, to let people see that the church does care."

Piedmont Medical Center is sponsoring the event, as is Carolina Panther Thomas Davis. Davis, who is active with Liberty Hill, will not be at the event because of training camp with the team but did contribute Panthers team gear and prizes for the event. Many of the activities will be geared toward the younger crowd within the Oakridge community, though all ages are welcome.

"Everything is free," Barnette said. "There'll be food, games, different events, especially for the kids. We want the kids, but we also want the parents to come out."

Organizers are planning for 300 guests, so anyone in attendance is invited to bring friends and family. The event takes place from 4 to 8 p.m. July 12. For more information, call (803) 493-3261.