Mount Carmel Church Hosts Block Party Friday

Looking to strengthen its ties to the broader Mill Valley community and raise money for some much-needed improvements in the process, is hosting a big ol’ party this Friday, Sept. 7.

The downtown church’s event, dubbed the and set for 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., features an array of food from the like of and , along with live music from Tam Jam and Cheap Therapy, games, a photo booth and more. Tickets are $5 for individuals and $20 for families.

“We’ve been working to reach out to the larger Mill Valley community to celebrate the good things going on together,” said Jonathan Lewis, the director of religious education and youth ministry at Mt. Carmel. “And we’re continuing to grow our engagement with young people. This will be a safe, family- and teen-friendly event.”

In addition to hoping to better engage with the broader 94941 community, Lewis said the church hopes to raise money to pay for repairs on some of the five buildings it owns downtown. That includes replacing the roof on the building that contains the Greenwood School, as well the roof of the church itself, he said.

“But it’s not just about Mount Carmel – it’s about the whole Mill Valley community coming together to celebrate,” Lewis said.

Lewis said Mt. Carmel officials are looking to do a better job engaging the community about all the church does on a regular basis to reach out to the community. In addition to running one of the largest youth sports programs in all of southern Marin with Mount Carmel CYO Basketball, the church serves up hot lunches once a week to low-income residents and operates a tutoring center for students who need extra assistance in Marin City.

It also sends ambassadors to individuals and families to assist people who’ve fallen on hard times and need short-term assistance with things like paying bills or buying Christmas gifts for their families, Lewis said.

“It’s a mission-style approach to reaching the large number of people in our local communities who need some type of assistance on a short-term basis,” Lewis said.

The 411: The is the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church parking lot, 3 Oakdale Ave., is Friday, Sept. 7 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets are $5 person or $20 per family.

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