During a spring luncheon in 2003, a small group of Gwinnett pastors toyed with the lofty idea of helping people in need through volunteerism.

"That conversation birthed Unite," said Chip Sweney, metro outreach pastor at Perimeter Church of Duluth.

Unite is a movement started that day by Sweney and other pastors from Perimeter, Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church and Victory World Church, both in Norcross.

By October that year, 30 churches held the first Compassion in Action Weekend where volunteers perform a variety of services.

This year's fifth Compassion in Action Weekend has merged with two other annual events, Hands on Atlanta Day and Gwinnett Great Days of Service.

Sweney expects about 6,500 of those volunteers will represent the Unite movement. The 100 churches, which are now on board, come up with their own ideas. In past efforts, volunteers have painted homes, restored school buildings and grounds, and built access ramps for the elderly. Others put on health fairs and counsel the homeless.

"Compassion in Action is what gets all the publicity but Unite [is active] all year round," Sweney said.

The group works with World Relief, and volunteers routinely visit local apartment complexes to help immigrants assimilate into the area or to teach English as a second language, he said.

Unite's member churches also helped displaced families from Hurricane Katrina to find jobs and housing.

The Unite movement inspired Good Samaritan Health Center of Gwinnett. The Lawrenceville center assists people who cannot afford health care. It was started by medical professionals who volunteered during Compassion in Action and wanted to do more.

Bringing together people from different faiths and ethnicities is just as important as the service Unite provides, said Sweney and Brian White, a pastor at Hopewell.

Hopewell, whose congregation is mostly African-American, is located in a predominantly white neighborhood. White hopes that through Unite, Hopewell demonstrates that its doors are open to all cultures.

"Unite helps us to get beyond our differences," White said. "We shouldn't be just a black church."

Compassion in Action Weekend concludes with a public celebration of song and tribute 6-8 p.m. Sunday at Hopewell, 182 Hunter St. in Norcross.

For more information on Unite Compassion in Action Weekend, visit www.uniteus.org.