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About three years ago, the pastors of several Greensboro churches started getting together for fellowship and prayer, and found a common desire to unite to help the community. "There's over 200 churches in this city, and if we could get all those churches behind a cause, can you imagine what would happen?" said Jim Snider, pastor of Gate City Vineyard Christian Fellowship.

They may not have gotten all the churches together yet, but five have joined this year to host the free July 4th Community Celebration. Churches participating are Center City, Greensboro Mennonite, Elim Christian Fellowship, Family Harvest Outreach and Gate City Vineyard.

"This is a first step in trying to add our piece to the whole pie," Snider said. "We're all small churches, and we believe we can make a difference in a practical way."

The celebration — which will be from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday at Center City Church in downtown Greensboro

— includes games, face painting, a moon walk, snow cones, cookies and sweets, as well as free bottles of water. One or two musicians from each church were chosen to form a band that will perform contemporary Christian praise music.

"In our culture, you usually have to pay for everything," Snider said. "All of this is free. It's really just a way to serve our friends and neighbors in Greensboro."

Nine churches came together last year to host a similar celebration across from Grimsley High School.

"One lady came up crying, a single mom with kids, who said she couldn't afford all the events downtown," Snider said. "We believe by touching lives in a practical way, we can break down the crazy perceptions some have of Christians."

Dan Colvin, pastor of Center City Church, agreed.

"So many people in the past 10 years have had a dim view of the church, and we have to step up and prove them wrong," he said. "We're not all about judging and criticizing. We want to pray for them and meet their needs."

Colvin said he hopes those already downtown for Fun Fourth stop by, too.

"We'll have a different flavor," he said. "So often people go to these things, but their life is unfulfilled. We want them to meet Jesus."

Contact Jennifer Atkins Brown at 574-5582 or jennifer.brown@news-record.com