Two of Nashville’s largest megachurches, Mount Zion Baptist Church and Brentwood Baptist Church, united their congregations for the 2nd annual Back-to-School and Healthcare outreach event at historic Hadley Park last Saturday. Families from all backgrounds were in attendance to prepare for and celebrate the start of the school year with free backpacks, health screenings and opportunities to build faith-based relationships across the racial divide.

The Back-to-School and Healthcare outreach was established 11 years ago by Bishop Joseph Walker, senior pastor at Mt. Zion. Last year, Bishop Walker joined with his friend Rev. Mike Glenn, senior pastor of Brentwood Baptist, to expand its reach and purpose by bringing together a predominately Black and a predominately White congregation.

The event featured fun activities for kids, worship and arts presentations, and health screenings. Healthcare providers, including the Brentwood Baptist Medical Dental Unit, were on-site to provide the free screenings for dental, blood pressure, HIV testing, and immunizations as well as health education counseling.