Northern Indiana church’s homicide thriller fundraiser supplies ‘spooky’ enjoyable for households – Episcopal News Service

Selena Arnt, proper, portraying the fictional charlatan medium, Selene Ravenloft, within the Oct. 10 homicide thriller dinner fundraiser hosted by St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Valparaiso, Indiana, shares with a participant, left, her supposed relationship with the “murder victim.” Photo: Shireen Korkzan/ENS

[Episcopal News Service — Valparaiso, Indiana] St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church’s narthex, right here, was festooned with Halloween decorations – black cats, skulls, blood splatter, jack-o’lanterns and far more – when the parish hosted its third annual homicide thriller dinner fundraiser with volunteer actors from the congregation and neighborhood.

“It’s an occasion for people to dress up in a costume and step outside their usual self, and to take on an Agatha Christie or Dashiell Hammett-like puzzle with people they know,” the Rev. Cathy Carpenter, priest-in-charge at St. Andrew’s and an actor within the homicide thriller who portrayed the character Dr. Katrina Varga, informed Episcopal News Service.

St. Andrew’s hosts a homicide thriller dinner fundraiser each October. In earlier years, proceeds benefitted the church’s youth group. At this yr’s Oct. 10 occasion, the church raised $857, which is able to assist pay for a brand new carpet. Participation and proceeds have been growing yearly for the reason that first occasion in 2023.

Steven Pugh, a former parishioner of St. Andrew’s who now lives in Connecticut, writes the homicide thriller plot yearly. All characters are unique works of fiction written by Pugh.

“It was really enjoyable to come back this year to solve a new mystery,” Richard Arnt, a participant, informed ENS. His spouse, Selena Arnt, a historic researcher for the Westchester Township History Museum in Chesterton, portrayed the character Selene Ravenloft, a charlatan medium.

The Rev. Cathy Carpenter, priest-in-charge at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Valparaiso, Indiana, left, leads prayer earlier than the Oct. 10 homicide thriller dinner fundraiser commences. Photo: Shireen Korkzan/ENS

Upon getting into St. Andrew’s foggy entryway, which was embellished to resemble a disturbed cemetery, the 72 members, ranging in age from kids to aged, had been greeted by a grey “monster” who led them to the dinner tables and appetizer cubicles. Many had been wearing Halloween costumes, together with a ghost, Superman disguised as Clark Kent, a nun and extra.

The appetizers additionally had been offered for the event, like barbecue miniature smoked sausages as “baby fingers.” Red punch was served in “blood bags.” After consuming a pasta dinner made and served by Carpenter and church volunteers, the homicide thriller members had been served a chocolate cake designed to appear like a criminal offense scene and Jell-O “blood” served in syringes.

The “dinner party” was “hosted” by socialite Evelyn Blackwood (a personality portrayed by Michelle Klemczak, St. Andrew’s church administrator and producer of the homicide thriller fundraiser), in her mansion, a.okay.a. the church.

While consuming dinner, the members watched and listened to characters method one another to make accusations and specific alleged grievances with one another, like Varga (Carpenter) arguing with Dr. Elizabeth Potts (a personality portrayed by Jane Brown) over their educational credentials and for Varga giving a pupil, Nathaniel Cross (a personality portrayed by Oliver Rodd) a “B” grade at school. The conversations served as a prelude to the eventual homicide.

After dinner, the members gathered within the nave to hearken to Selena Arnt, as herself, inform native ghost tales, just like the legend of Diana of the Dunes, the nickname given to Alice Mabel Gray, a girl whose ghost supposedly haunts Indiana Dunes National Park alongside the southern shore of Lake Michigan.

“This is 100% up my alley not just because I love history, but I also love murder mysteries and true crime,” Selena Arnt informed ENS. “I’m happy I got to participate in a much bigger capacity this year.”

Selena Arnt, as Ravenloft, who was featured leisure for the fictional ceremonial dinner, mentioned she “swears” she’s an actual medium as a result of “99.2% accuracy is still an ‘A.’”

Michelle Klemczak, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church’s administrator and producer of the church’s Oct. 10 homicide thriller dinner fundraiser, far proper, portraying fictional character Evelyn Blackwood, questions two fictitious homicide “suspects”: Dr. Elizabeth Potts (character portrayed by Jane Brown), far left, and Nathaniel Cross (character portrayed by Oliver Rodd), heart left. Cross was revealed to be the killer. Photo: Shireen Korkzan/ENS

While Selena Arnt was telling a ghost story, any individual screamed, and everybody returned to the narthex and discovered that somebody “murdered” Varga. Blackwood and Police Chief Harold Kane (a personality portrayed by Jim Brown) questioned the “dinner guests” and requested Cross, who wore a copper-colored steampunk outfit, who he was and the place he got here from; he hadn’t been invited to the ceremonial dinner.

The homicide thriller members looked for clues inside St. Andrew’s and requested characters about their relationship with Varga, preserving monitor of their findings in little notebooks. One clue revealed that Kane had been accused of wrongdoing in an unsolved lacking particular person’s case. Another clue revealed that Varga had been stabbed with a picket stake. Blackwood had famous that the character Victor Moreau (portrayed by Steve Mancione), a particular dinner visitor, eats his steaks additional uncommon.

Cross was revealed to be the killer. He had snuck into Blackwood’s get together to kill Varga, whom he believed was a vampire. Varga was a human, however Cross’ principle wasn’t fully farfetched, nevertheless, as there was, in actual fact, a “real vampire” on the get together.

Pugh, who’s Klemczak’s son, informed ENS that he enjoys incorporating purple herrings and twists, like the looks of a “real” vampire this yr, in his tales.

“It’s a fun process writing murder mysteries and games, and it’s a great opportunity to help out the community,” he mentioned.

The homicide thriller occasion ended with a dressing up contest in classes like “Best Costume” and “Scariest Costume.” A lady donning a bathe cap and a bathrobe over her garments gained “Funniest Costume.”

For Klemczak, the fundraiser is “exhausting” however “absolutely worth the effort.”

“I go all in because I love my church and I love entertaining people and making people happy,” she mentioned. “We don’t make a lot of money doing this compared to other fundraisers throughout the year, but we want families to come here and have fun in a welcoming and safe environment.”

-Shireen Korkzan is a reporter and assistant editor for Episcopal News Service. She may be reached at [email protected].