By Deb Risden
CORE Christian Community, a coalition of three Falcon area churches, will host a four-day community revival July 30 through Aug. 2. The revival will combine worship, guest speakers, children’s activities and optional camping in an event designed to celebrate the historic role churches have played in America.
The event will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. each evening at the Meridian Point Church campus near Meridian and Garrett roads. Everyone is invited to attend any or all four nights, and those wishing to extend the experience may camp on the church’s 15-acre property throughout the weekend. Electricity and restroom facilities will be available for campers.
Lead Pastor Barry Zimmerman of Meridian Point Church said the idea for the revival grew out of conversations about the country’s upcoming 250th anniversary and the role churches have played throughout American history.
“We wanted to do something bigger for the community,” Zimmerman said. “We’re not trying to recreate nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. We wanted to do a modern version of an old-school revival.”
Each evening will begin with guest speakers discussing a different theme related to the role of the church in America, including its influence at the nation’s founding and its past, present and future.
Scheduled speakers include U.S. Rep. Jeff Crank, state Rep. Jarvis Caldwell, El Paso County Commissioner Carrie Geitner and Dr. Harold Siegel, principal of Liberty Tree Academy and a member of Hillsdale College’s faculty.
The second hour each evening will feature worship music led by church worship teams, followed by messages centered on the evening’s theme. A local bluegrass band also will perform.
Children in kindergarten through fifth grade can participate in activities similar to Vacation Bible School. Weekend activities will also include camping, games, a shooting contest, a bucket golf tournament and campfires. A pig roast is planned for 4 p.m. Saturday.
Zimmerman said the revival is intended to encourage people to spend time together rather than simply attend an evening service.
“Old-school revivals were about community,” he said. “People stayed, talked, built relationships and spent time together. We wanted families to experience something like that.”
Zimmerman said Meridian Point Church was founded nearly 20 years ago. Rather than growing into a megachurch, church leaders chose to establish additional congregations while sharing facilities and ministry programs through CORE Community. Today, CORE Community consists of three nondenominational churches: Meridian Point Church, Hills Christian Church and Access Christian Church.
The three churches jointly sponsor youth and family ministries, a monthly food pantry, support for families in need, outreach through Life Network and international ministries in Albania and Honduras.
Zimmerman said Access Christian Church began about two years ago and is unique because it specializes in serving families with special needs through a quieter worship environment and the presence of special-needs experts. Access Christian Church meets on the Mountain View Academy campus at Constitution Avenue and U.S. Highway 24.
The revival is free and open to the public. No reservations are required, including for those wishing to camp on the grounds.
A complete schedule is available at https://www.MyCoreCommunity.com.
“Our hope is people will get a look at the heritage of the church in this country,” Zimmerman said. “We want them to see the church as a community and a family that serves others.”
