Local Cove Pastor Speaks at Saturate Altoona Service

Pastor Chris Garretson of Redefined Community Church in Martinsburg spoke at the last service on Sunday, June 30 for Saturate Altoona which took place in the city's Heritage Plaza.

The event was held every Sunday night in June.

Every week the event would open with blessing booths where churches and local non-profits could set up booths to give away food and other free items.

"They had popcorn machines, cotton candy, hotdogs, hamburgers, and all kinds of good food," he said.

This would then be followed with a church service in the plaza.

Garretson said that this is the fourth year for the event, and there was an average of 750 people there every week at least for the service.

"The whole concept is to just be able to bless the community," he said. "It's called Saturate Altoona but they are expanding and looking to all of Blair County."

One reason Garretson has become involved in the event is to build a bridge to The Cove.

He said the way the service works is one pastor will do the prayer focus, a worship team will provide music and then another pastor will do the main speaking.

Last year Garretson did the prayer focus, and this year he was asked to do the main message.

The theme for his message was doors of opportunity.

"They ask every pastor to keep the message about how we spread the message of Jesus," Garretson said. "There is a verse in the Bible where Paul talks about this great door that is ahead of him."

During his message he talked about what is on the other side of the door.

"I'm going to talk about how we need to take the steps to walk through that door and walk into the potential and purpose of what God has us to do," Garretson said.

He said one of the messages of Saturate Altoona is that there is hope for everybody.

"Sometimes people feel that they are going through their darkest moment - sometimes that prayer, that hug, that free food and positive message really can change things around," Garretson.

Then it is about connecting them with churches in the community, he said.

"It is not just a visit on a Sunday night in June, and that's it," Garretson said. "We want to connect them to a faith community so they continue walking that out."

He said there were people from the Cove who attended the event.