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In the past, Brandt Oaks Baptist Church has held Fourth of July cookouts for its church family - but this year, it decided to do things differently.

Brandt Oaks will have the communitywide "Fun and Faith on the Fourth, Your Neighborhood Celebration" from noon to 3:33 p.m. Friday to celebrate Independence Day.

"Our pastor came up with the idea to end the celebration at 3:33 p.m. because of the Trinity," said Mary Via, ministry coordinating council chairwoman. "We wanted to open our celebration as an outreach to the community, provide an alternative to other celebrations with gas prices so high, and honor our troops."

There will be a free moon walk, face painting, crafts, games such as an egg toss and balloon toss, and an old-fashioned cake walk.

Food, including hot dogs, popcorn and snow cones, will be available for a small fee, and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will be on hand for a pet fair with animals that can be adopted.

In addition, a prayer circle will be held around the church's yellow ribbon oak tree.

Several years ago, Brandt Oaks partnered with Army Reserve units and placed yellow ribbons around trees in the church's oak grove to represent loved ones serving overseas. Though many of the smaller ribbons have weathered away or been presented to families after their soldier has returned, a big, yellow ribbon still adorns the grove's biggest oak, a tree probably 150 years old, Via said. Guests will be invited to pray for the military around this tree during the celebration.

The church also sent care packages in the past filled with items such as wipes, drink mixes and snacks to the soldiers. Via said they would love to start that ministry again and will accept cash donations for packages during the celebration Friday. There also will be a station where participants can send cards to members of the military.

"It's mostly been a prayer ministry the past few years," Via said. "With the Fourth of July and the state of war, it's a great time to do this and keep that ministry in the forefront."

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