Throughout the year, Wayside Presbyterian Church places a special focus on engaging with the community outside its congregation. The church, which is located at 600 Stony Battery Road, Landisville, frequently opens its grounds for free events that it invites the public to attend. The goal of the events is to give local residents an opportunity to learn about Wayside Church and its programs, and the gatherings serve as a way for community members to learn more about each other as neighbors.

Wayside Church's next community event, Jazz Sunday, will take place at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 18. The event will include a worship service that features jazz renditions of traditional hymns. The songs will be performed by a group of collegiate jazz musicians led by Wayside Church's accompanist, Charlie Postas. The group will include Jordan Colucci on bass, Jack Harnish on drums, Jonah Gelbart on trumpet and Jonathan Jedrzejek on saxophone. In addition to jazz renditions of hymns, the group will play arrangements from popular artists such as Duke Ellington, Oliver Nelson, Jerome Kern and Herbie Hancock.

Wayside Church has held jazz worship services in the past to offer church members and visitors a unique Sunday worship experience. The special services have also allowed the church to showcase the talents of its music director, Janelle Pabon, and Postas, who is an accomplished jazz musician and educator with years of experience. "We wanted to invited the community into Wayside's sanctuary to enjoy a refreshing worship experience that's neither high church or relaxed folk," said pastor Steve Fritz.

Wayside Church invites members of the public to attend a community picnic and Sunday service for visitors on Sunday, Sept. 8. The service will begin at 10 a.m., and it will incorporate traditional and contemporary traditions as part of the church's summer worship schedule. After the service, attendees will be invited to gather under the outdoor pavilion for a picnic. In the event of inclement weather, the picnic will take place in the church's atrium.

In addition to its community events, Wayside Church supports local nonprofits such as the Hempfield Area Food Pantry and Hands Across the Street at Columbia Presbyterian Church. "Since I first came to Wayside, I've seen the church continue to grow its program opportunities and emphasis on local outreach while retaining its special, family feel," Fritz said. "We offer numerous programs throughout the year to give our neighbors a taste of the life and witness of the congregation and to demystify the mission of the church."

For more information, visit https://waysidepc.org.