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The Church at Old Town in Helena hosted its second annual Fall Fest event on Sunday, Oct. 23 from 3-6 p.m. (Reporter photo/Lizzie Bowen)

By LIZZIE BOWEN | Staff Writer

 HELENA – It was all treats and no tricks at the Church at Old Town in Helena on Sunday, Oct. 23 as it hosted its second annual Fall Fest.

Children were dressed up and going from car to car during the “Trunk-or-Treat” event where cars are decorated and candy was passed out from 3-6 p.m.

Josh Knierim, the senior pastor at The Church at Old Town, said that events like this help the church to be better involved in the community.

“This is our second year we’ve done this,” Knierim said. “Our desire is to help the community get to know us since we’re new and to introduce ourselves into the community. We are excited. A lot are church members, but a lot of it is folks from the city and the areas around it.”

Since its opening in 2021, the church’s growth has been sizable.

“We launched in June of 2021,” Knierim said. “It has been a great journey so far. Numerically, we have grown a lot. But more than that, it is those connections to the city. We see ourselves as part of the community, and we want people to know about us so we can be a part of their lives.”

Due to Helena’s community, Knierim said the city has been a great place for The Church at Old Town Helena.

“This is a town that loves festivals and loves its community events,” Knierim said. “So, when we can do something here and bring this many people together, it is a chance for them to lean into that small town feel that I think people really appreciate.”

Knierim said he believes churches should strive to serve within the communities it surrounds.

“We believe churches should play a central role in the community,” he said. “Not just in their activities, but really participating in the greater health of that. If we can contribute to that this way, that’s awesome.”

Events like the Fall Fest can help to draw others to salvation, Knierim said.

“One of our hopes for this is to open the doors for ministry,” he said. “People nowadays need to know what a church is like, and that is kind of what this does for us. They see faces they know, and this event last year lead us to eight to ten families that got connected here and I think that will happen this year as we have more and more connections.”

Compared to last year-which already saw considerable turnout- the 2022 Fall Fest had sizable growth.

“I think last year we saw about 1,100 people last year,” Knierim said. “We are anticipating somewhere around 1,500 or more today, so it should be exciting.”

More information on The Church at Old Town Helena can be found at Thechurchatoldtownhelena.com.