Outdoor Worship at Winslow Park Unites Church and Community

Pleasant Street SDA church members worship and fellowship together in God's great outdoors, creating an opportunity to reach the community.

Members and guests of Pleasant Street SDA Church in Worcester, Massachusetts, recently came together at Winslow Park, located right next to the church, for a vibrant and Spirit-led outdoor worship event. With nature as the sanctuary and community at the heart of the plans, the day was filled with praise, fellowship, and mission-driven outreach.

This event was more than a service—it was an experience. As attendees arrived, they were warmly welcomed by Pathfinders in Class B uniforms stationed at park entrances. These young ambassadors of Christ greeted visitors and invited passing community members to join the worship experience. At the welcome table, guests enjoyed a light morning snack—apples, bananas, Nutri-Grain bars, and bottled water—while selecting their lunch preferences. A collection of spiritual literature in English and Spanish was available for guests to take home.

The morning continued with a unique Sabbath School program entitled “Creation Chronicles,” a creative news-style broadcast that brought the Genesis creation story to life. Church members as news anchors and field reporters were stationed throughout the park, engaging attendees with interactive storytelling, live interviews, and vivid retellings of each day of creation. Children and adults alike followed the broadcast, gaining a fresh perspective on the origins of our world as told in God’s Word.

The divine worship hour followed, filled with heartfelt praise music, intercessory prayer, and a Christ-centered, powerful message delivered by John Amoah, pastor of the Pleasant Street church, who reminded all present that the Creator who made the heavens and the earth also longs to dwell in our hearts. He invited all to find sanctuary in the Creator. Nature itself, with the beautiful trees, beaming sun, and at times the gentle breeze, seemed to join in the worship.

A delicious lunch was provided for all, promoting warm fellowship and conversations among members and visitors alike. After the meal, several small groups were sent into the nearby community for a prayer walk outreach, equipped to hand out personalized water bottles and Bible study tracts featuring QR codes for easy sign-up to future studies. This simple act of service opened doors for spiritual connection and witness.

The day concluded with a concert of praise, echoing Psalm 150:6: “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.” Music filled the park as voices joined together in joyful worship, drawing in even more community members who happened upon the celebration.

One longtime community member reflected, “Please do more of this, because we are a family and need to connect well in this community.” Others expressed interest in Bible studies.

At this worship event at the park, the words of Ellen White came alive: “Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Savior mingled with men as one who desired their good…He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, ‘Follow Me’” (The Ministry of Healing, p. 143).

The Pleasant Street church plans to continue outreach-focused worship services in the future, sharing the love of Christ in fresh and meaningful ways.