The Live Blog

Do you have any Coats, hats, scarves, gloves or blankets?

We are blanketing Columbus with a clothing drive to benefit 2nd Chance Resource center at Highland Community Church in Columbus.  No donation is too big or small. Donation bins will be located in multiple locations throughout the church; by the cafe, Welcome Center and by the Live booth.

For more information please contact Derrick at derrick@ccclive.org, or call the office

It was the fifth year that Highland Community Church put on their annual Christmas Carnival.  Each year the church puts on a community event in the Highland area on 5th Avenue for all the families and friends.  The main focus is on bringing families out to socialize and meet other neighbors and to allow the kids to have a fun day of playing and of course learn about the Christmas story and maybe get some Christmas gifts.

The festivities included multiple blowups, hay ride, horseback rides, face painting, cotton candy, kettle corn and hot dogs. All free for the joy of Jesus birthday.  The families came out and shared how great the event was and that no other place in the area shows as much love to the neighborhood, year after year.

Highland Community Church serves as a hub for outreach for numerous churches in the valley.  All of the festivities were donated and volunteers put in many, many hours preparing, participating and showing Christ’s love to a community in need.  From people bringing their tractor and trailer down and driving the families around and around not charging a dime, to horsemen bringing their horses down and allowing hundreds of people the opportunity to ride on a horse. Many of these families, adults included had never been near a horse, let alone sat one one.  The lines at times seemed long, but the volunteers, and horses, kept right on loving people and giving rides as long as someone wanted on.

The beautiful day brought several hundred people from various churches and many local residents that do not even go to church. Some had just heard about the great activities for the kids and wanted to check it out.  It was a family affair from little kids all the way up to grand parents being able to enjoy sometime together as a family.

Christ Community Live ministry got involved and actively participated in providing cookies and hot chocolate.  The team created and delivered several gallons walked among the carnival passing out hot chocolate and cookies to anyone in need.

One of the new additions this year for the Carnival was the idea of decorating the neighborhood, hence the name “Deck the Hood”.  The idea was simple, get donations and then while the children play the adults can volunteer and hang donated lights on houses that would like to have lights be do not have the means to do it on their own.

This took on a great symbolism of the Christmas story.  As Jesus came in to be the light of the world, we as a body of believers want to light up the world, specifically the Highland neighborhood.  We know that evil thrives in the darkness, and if we can use the Christmas holiday to have an excuse to bring light into this neighborhood, then a victory is proclaimed.

The teams gathered at the cafe and got their house addresses and headed out with decorations, ladders, tools and servant hearts to spread love in the neighborhood.  Multiple teams participating, many teams coming back for the chance to decorate multiple homes, until the decorating supplies were vanished.

The result was that 20 houses got decorated because of the love and enthusiasm displayed. This new activity has proven to be a blessing to the community, but if you know anybody that attended this outreach activity, they will probably tell you how blessed they felt by going and just loving people was we have been loved.  If you get a chance, drive through the neighborhood and see the light that has been shared in a once dark area of our town.

For all that came out or donated to this activity, please know that your love was acknowledged and gratefully appreciated by Pastor Rob and all of the staff and members at Highland Community Church.

For more info about Highland, please visit their website at http://hopeforhighland.org

Highland Community Church is coming to Christ Community Church on Sunday, January 30th.  Their very popular “Breakfast Choir” will be also joining for worship. Rob Strickland, pastor of Highland Community Church, will provide a message at both services.  To read more about Highland Community church, their outreach ministries and actions going on, visit their website  http://www.hopeforhighland.org .

Highland Community Church is a local mission field project where we do much outreach into the community through.  There are multiple activities available to get involved such as Chicken & Rice, Mission Meals & 2nd Chance Resource Center.  You can see articles in our blog under the category Local Missions.  If you would like to get involved with connecting with this outreach, click the button below and give us your information.