YOUNGSTOWN - Two churches are coming together to share one message. The pastors at New Beginnings Outreach Ministries and Zion Lutheran Church will be worshiping under the same roof Saturday. Both leaders are of different race and cultures, but decided to come together as a way to set an example of unity in the face of an act of violence. 

The pastors hope that having combined services will spread the message that everybody is welcome in the church. Although both churches have different traditions, they agreed to put that aside for the service, and put the focus on the message.

"It's about coming together as one," said Kevin Carson, Pastor at New Beginnings Outreach Ministries.

Shortly after the Charleston Church massacre in 2015, a mass shooting motivated by racism, the pastors formed a leadership team called Changing Hearts. Since then, they have worked together on church and outreach services.

"The gospel itself is about coming together, tearing down color lines. Because the blood of Christ unifies us all as one. And if we say we're believers, if we say we have this faith, then we should not be separate," said Carson.

The pastors did a combined service back in February. Both of the churches had a positive reaction to the first combined service in February. 

"There were people from both of our congregations who said we need to do this more often, and so, here we are just a few months later," said Duane Jesse, Pastor at Zion Lutheran Church.

Jesse and Carson hope to continue combining their services in the future, and already planned to do more services together in 2024. 

The combined service is 5 PM Saturday at Zion Lutheran Church.