Three local churches are coming together each Sunday in July for special outdoor services at 11 a.m. in Blue Lake’s Perigot Park.

The participating churches are the United Methodist Church of the Joyful Healer, Arcata United Methodist Church and the non-denominational Catalyst Church.

“We chose Perigot Park … because it is quiet and handicapped accessible with good parking and usually warm days,” said Pastor Bethany Cseh who, along with husband Pastor Jason Cseh, leads services at both Arcata United Methodist Church and Catalyst Church in Arcata.

She added, “What I love about (the) outdoor service is children running around and playing, dogs usually around and a sense of relaxed ease that comes with worshiping outdoors in creation. Having a shared worship service is always a joy, because it reminds us that the church is way larger than the individual church a person attends.”

All are welcome to the remaining outdoor services (July 20 and 27) and are encouraged to bring a blanket or chair to sit on and to dress for the weather.

Tony Giraud, certified lay minister at United Methodist Church of the Joyful Healer in McKinleyville, says his church was invited by Jason and Bethany Cseh to join their two churches for this month-long series of combined summer services.

“The Joyful Healer administrative leadership team discussed it and had a unanimous decision to bring it to the larger congregation. It was very well received and we are blessed to be able to join the other two churches,” Giraud said.

He added, “The United Methodist California-Nevada Annual Conference came up with a vision statement last year that is ‘Following Jesus, Thriving in Community, and Healing the World.’ The focus this year is ‘Thriving in Community,’ and I feel this joint worship is a beautiful example of that. It gets us out of our familiar surroundings, out into nature and an opportunity to connect with those in different faith communities.”