Also in July, a team of 23 high school students, led by Carriage Lane Youth Pastor Michael Dixon, went to Chattanooga, Tenn. to work with Hope for Chattanooga, a non-profit organization working to improve standards of living within communities. Team members also worked with New City Fellowship, a local Presbyterian church. The Carriage Lane team helped renovate three houses in the community - two for Hope For Chattanooga's housing branch, and one for their neighborhood outreach center. In the evenings, the team led Vacation Bible Clubs in the local housing projects.

Another July trip involved eight mission team members from Carriage Lane who traveled to Guadalajara, Mexico to assist a mission church in the suburb of Miraville with a construction project and Vacation Bible School.

This was the second time within a year that a Carriage Lane team had worked with the Guadalajara church. Last year, team members constructed a playground at the church to give local children a safe place to play. During this years' trip, the team continued to improve the church property and to assist with community outreach through ministry to children.

In early August, Carriage Lane members Jim Mitchell and Russell Hatcher spent five days on an inner city mission trip to Chicago, Ill. Working with Pastor Brad Beier of Bethel Christian Church Mission, Mitchell and Hatcher visited inmates at the Cook County jail facilities where more than 12,000 inmates are housed. Mitchell and Hatcher also participated in "The Bridge" ministry, a structured outreach program geared toward connecting local churches with ex-gang members and ex-offenders. Both Mitchell and Hatcher agreed that one of the highlights of their trip was a Christian parenting discussion held at the Bethel Christian Church Mission in conjunction with its summer Vacation Bible School.

Those who would like to know more about Carriage lane's mission teams may contact the church office, 770-631-4618, e-mail [email protected], or check the church's web site, www.carriagelanepres.com.