MACON, Ga. WGXA)– On Sunday afternoon, Arise Nation Church in Macon brought the community together to celebrate the launch of their new church through what they called a Family Celebration event.

The gathering offered rides, food, and fun for all ages, along with a special church service designed to welcome both visitors and members.

WGXA News spoke with the founding pastors, Shamaiah and Jarvis Adside, who said the event was all about building unity and faith within the community.

Shamaiah Adside shared, “Community is important because the Bible tells us to go out and grab people. I think one of the ways for us to do this is for the church to show themselves as friendly, as a representation of who Christ is on Earth. It’s something that God ordained and wanted us to do as part of our purpose. So we’re doing that here at Arise Nation Church.”

Pastor Jarvis Adside added, “Oh my God, it is filled with excitement, anxiety — it’s surreal. But it’s a reminder that dreams come true. If we just have faith, we can see, dream, and have vision — God can make it happen. We want people, from the moment they arrive, to feel that sense of community. There’s so much isolation and division in the world, but within these walls, we want to create a loving and supportive environment.”

The pastors said this event marks just the beginning of many more community gatherings and outreach efforts to come.