In a world that Rev. Cameron Gutjahr says is craving connection, St. John the Divine Anglican Church offers Squamish families a space to gather, share a meal, and play games, through their Family Feast program.
“I just feel like there’s a real hunger for connection and community, that’s not news to anybody,” said Rev. Gutjahr.
St. John the Divine has been running the gatherings monthly for about a year and a half. Family Feasts start at 5 p.m., but people trickle in for the first half hour. At 5:30 p.m., community members gather in the church sanctuary for a half hour of ‘light programming.’
According to Rev. Gutjahr, the programming reflects St. John’s broader parish goals:to connect with God, as a church, and in the community through music, food, and family.
“We’ll usually have some songs, and a Bible story, and then we’ll go and have a little craft together, and then we sit down for dinner,” said Rev. Gutjahr.
Sometimes church volunteers will make a homemade meal, and sometimes they order pizza, along with veggies and salads. One family feast tradition is the monthly birthday cake, to celebrate any member’s birthdays that happened that month. There’s a “kind of rhythm of celebration,” said Gutjahr.
They’ve started to add some new ideas to the gatherings as well, last month a member of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), joined the gathering’s programming, Sharing a story, a song and leading the families in a craft.
“It’s exciting at this point to draw the circle a little wider, for more folks to be involved and share,” Gutjahr said.
After over a year of running Family Feast, Gutjahr’s biggest takeaway has been a simple one.
“You don’t need a program very much, actually. It’s not that the program is unimportant, but it’s just kind of creating space for people to be together,” Gutjahr said.
To that end, the church brought in games leaned into volunteers, typically seven to 10, who don’t just help set up tables and serve food, but get to sit down, eat and connect with the families themselves. Gutjahr said the heart of it is intergenerational community.
“It’s whole families and different ages of kids interacting with each other and with adults.” Gutjahr said. “I think it makes for a more robust and resilient community of people.”
The response from the community has been deeply positive, said Gutjahr. Forty to 50 people regularly show up to the feasts, with a group of regulars often bringing in new families and expanding the group.
“It’s a busy world out there, especially for families. I hope it doesn’t feel like just another wedge into the schedule, but a space for connection,” Gutjahr said.
The next Family Feast is set for March 20 at 5 p.m. at St. John the Divine Anglican Church, with more on April 24, May 29 and June 19.
