By Chanel Bingham | Special to the Advertiser

This weekend will be a busy one for a couple of local churches who are gearing up for their annual fall outreach.

Clanton Church of God will host a fall outreach and clothing giveaway from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday at the church grounds.

There will be inflatables and games for the kids, along with free hotdogs, drinks and even a small car show.

There will also be a clothing drive to help those in need.

Cathy Newton, an event organizer, said the idea for the clothing drive came from the desire of their church to help more people.

“We want to reach out to the community,” Newton said. “With the economy the way it is, a lot of people are struggling and need help. We want to give to those who are in need.”

There will be clothing of all sizes for children and adults, along with comforters, blankets, jackets, shoes and children’s toys. People are encouraged to come and take what they need.

The church will have prayer stations set up at the event where individuals can receive prayer and encouragement.

Through the Grace of God Ministries will also be on site to provide information about their ministry and the resources available to help those who may be in need of assistance.

Everyone in the community is invited to attend.

Thorsby First Baptist Church is also hosting a fall outreach this weekend.

On Sunday, the church will host its first “Family Fest” from 3-7 p.m. at Susan Bentley Field.

While the church has hosted other festivals in the past, this will be the first time hosting the festival with a gospel presentation.

Youth pastor Justin Caton said the purpose of this event is to reach out to the community with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

“We have done a fall festival for three years below the church on the baseball field, but we have not really been able to connect with people in a meaningful way,” Caton said. “We wanted to have an event that would allow us to share the gospel with people.”

Kevin Derryberry, worship leader at Westwood Baptist Church of Alabaster, will provide musical entertainment and share the gospel message with those in attendance.

Also, the event will feature fun activities for people of all ages.

There will be a moonwalk, games, a few carnival rides including the “twist and shout” and “cyclone swings,” a 70-foot obstacle course and much more.

Hot dogs with all of the fixings will be available, along with canned drinks and bottles of water at no cost.

For those interested in crafts, there will also be a bracelet design and door hanger painting session held at 3:15 p.m. and again at 6:15 p.m. Spaces for these times are limited and are on a first-come, first-served basis.

Both of the outreaches are free of charge.

For more information about these events, contact Clanton Church of God at (205) 755-7497 and/or Thorsby First Baptist Church at (205) 646-3970.