Asbury United Methodist is taking worship to the streets this summer. For the first time ever, Webster City residents can take advantage of the summer Sidewalk Sunday School program. The free program begins on Thursday, June 29 and will be held every Thursday through August 17 at East Twin Park. The event will begin each Thursday at noon and go until 1 p.m.

“It’s church being done in a way that most people have never experienced,” said Asbury Christian Formation Director Jennifer Peterson.

The weekly program is free and open to the public. Everyone who attends will have to register at the beginning of the program each week. There will be a tarp set up on the grass for people to sit on. There will also be chairs available for those who are unable to sit on the ground.

Asbury is one of many churches across the nation spreading their ministry in a more unique approach. Asbury has partnered with many community organizations over the past few years. The sidewalk program is another avenue the church is exploring this summer to get out into the community.

“The church has this amazing vision that they think whatever is good for the community is good for the church,” said Peterson.

Peterson decided to bring the program over to Webster City after working with the program at her former position in Fort Doge. After being in charge of the ministry there, Peterson knew she wanted to develop relationships through the program here in Webster City.

“I’m really excited that this year we are going to be starting a Sidewalk Sunday School here,” said Peterson.

Any age from infant to adult is welcome to come out for an hour of activities and ministry.

“It’s open to anyone who wants to come,” said Peterson. “Our number one goal with sidewalk is to get people in the community to know that there’s a God who loves them and that there are people in the community that love them, no strings attached,” Peterson said.

This year’s theme is “Outcasts in the Bible” and that God can use anyone to do great things in the world around them. There will be games, music, stories, and a related Bible verse every week. If kids can recite the verse of the week at the next week’s meeting, they will earn a small prize.

“Each week we will talk about a Biblical outcast and then later on in the service we have a modern-day equivalent,” Peterson said.

Some modern-day equivalents include the founder of Dominos Pizza, who grew up in foster care, Maya Angelou and Clara Barton. This year topics include foster care, adoption, stuttering and people in the Bible who everyone just kind of discounted.

The sidewalk ministry program began in New York City. The name came out of the fact that people would meet literally out on the sidewalks of the city.

“It’s just one of those great relational ministries that you just get to know people,” said Peterson. “There are no strings attached. So it’s not that we’re going out and saying you have to come here to church or else we don’t want you to be here.”

“We just care about the people and want to get to know them and let them know that we care,” said Peterson.

With the program ending at the same time the outdoor swimming pool opens, Peterson noted that it’s the perfect set up as kids can walk right over to the pool, which opens at 1 p.m.

“I think right now our world right now just hammers in us how we’re different from everyone else in a bad way, so when I wrote this curriculum, my goal was to help the people who attend sidewalk to embrace how God has made them different and look for ways that He can use them to do great things,” Peterson said.

Peterson hopes that the community takes the time to come out and see what the sidewalk ministry is all about.

“There are a lot of people who have heard about God and even people who have been in church for years, who have learned about Him but haven’t truly grasped how much He loves them,” Peterson said. “I’m jut really passionate about making sure that everyone knows that there’s a God who loves them, no matter where they’re coming from or what their story is.”