A group of volunteers from two local congregations will hold out a helping hand Saturday with a free “Car Prep” day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Crossroads Pregnancy Center.

Northridge Christian Church and Church Central are joining for the event that organizers hope will aid single mothers. Volunteers will give their cars a check and change the oil if needed.

“Our purpose is to serve the community and for churches to work together to make Milledgeville a better place,” Northridge Christian Church minister of involvement Mitchell Shiver said.

Both churches have a history of community involvement aimed at service to the community for the greater good of those who may not be able to help themselves. The combining of the two churches for Saturday’s effort is part of the work of the collective church, which is seeing a trend toward more service-oriented work.

“The church is coming together to change the world,” Simmons said.

The two churches are participating in a global project called “One Prayer” that will last through the end of the month. More than 1,600 churches worldwide are taking part.

“The idea behind ‘One Prayer’ is that believers everywhere will stand together and be an answer to Jesus’ prayer in John 17 that we might be one,” Shiver said.

One of the tactics behind the push is to share resources, serve the community and give to a meaningful cause. Shiver and Church Central Pastor Jeff Simmons discussed combining forces to make a greater impact.

“We recognize there might be a lot of single mothers out there who don’t have the money for a $30 oil change or know much about car maintenance,” Shiver said.

Thus far, the group has had supplies and gift certificates donated from Express Wash and Lube, Chambers Oil, NAPA Auto Parts and Bumper to Bumper.

“We believe that the church exists to reach out to the poor and forgotten people of the world,” Shiver said. “The church is most effective outside the walls of the building.”

For more information, contact Church Central at (478) 414-7812 or Northridge Christian Church at (478) 452-1125.