Building relationships as God's beloveds: A Conversation with CotG volunteer Rev. Dylan Mello

In August, Christ & Holy Trinity Westport, led by Reverend Dylan Mello, hosted a cookout at Chapel on the Green. It was a daring thing to do, given the size of the grill (quite small) and the size of the crowd (quite large--over 100 people), but CHT was determined to make it work. "Folks at CHT are passionate about walking with people [from different backgrounds and in different circumstances] and trying to understand them," Dylan says. "Chapel on the Green builds community in New Haven and in Westport." That day, CHT served 200 hot dogs and hamburgers, as well as homemade potato salad, cole slaw, Spanish rice, other side dishes, and brownies for dessert. Their enthusiasm was infectious, and many of the CotG community members gave the meal a five-star rating.

Dylan's journey with Chapel on the Green began when he was a seminarian doing an internship at the South Kent School (a boarding school for boys) with their chaplain, Reverend Steve Klots. For the past several years, Reverend Steve has been committed to bringing his students to CotG once a month during the academic year, even though it takes almost two hours each way to get from the school to New Haven. Dylan says, "Father Steve is passionate about taking his students to Chapel on the Green, and as I attended, I felt drawn to this special ministry."

When I asked Dylan what the worship experience is like for him, he said, "Chapel on the Green is one of my favorite places to worship. I feel the Spirit moving there. We often hear the voices of passersby, cars honking, and ambulance sirens; through all of that, there are the voices of the faithful. The noises don't distract; rather, they enhance the realness of worship and finding Jesus in the midst of it all." Every time he's there, Dylan prays that Chapel on the Green continues to reach people who need a safe place for prayer, authentic relationships, and community.

Dylan says he would like newcomers to know that the first time they visit, "There is a lot going on! You never know who will show up for the service or to share the meal. There is so much beauty in that unknown.... It is a place where we can leave our backgrounds behind and just be with people where they are. It is a special place where the community holds a wide spectrum of people at different places on their spiritual journey and have different life challenges, and everyone can be in relationship with one another."