A Fort Smith pastor and priest are doing just that once a month at the Fort Smith Brewing Company in Chaffee Crossing to connect with people.
“It started from becoming aware of the fact that there’s a lot of people for whom church just doesn’t work,” local pastor Steven Kurtz said.
Kurtz wants the monthly meetings at the brewery to be a chance for those interested in religion to have a space to gather without the formalness of the actual church.
Father Matt Garrison, the priest for Sacred Heart of Mary in Barling and St. Sabina and Mary in Fort Smith, shares a similar mindset.
“A lot of times when I’m teaching or preaching in a church setting, it’s formal,” Garrison said. “It’s a lot more difficult to really open up and in this setting, it’s easier to just be completely honest and open and to bring in more elements of humor and things like that.”
The monthly gatherings are an informal way for people who might not feel comfortable going to church or want a more relaxed introduction to learn about Catholicism, Garrison said.