Pajamas And Pancakes Holiday-Style At Hillside Community Church

By Dean Wright, The Bristol Press

December 13, 2021

Visitors and church members took part in the Hillside Community Church Pajamas and Pancakes Christmas Brunch Saturday to celebrate the holiday season, faith and fellowship among one another.

“We wanted to plan a community event where anyone from the public could come and tell the story of Chrristmas, Jesus’ birth, and have fun crafts, pajamas and pancakes. We wanted to make it free so everybody could enjoy it,” said Sheena Jakum, event organizer. “Our main goal is to tell the story of Christmas and Jesus’ birth.”

Sean Vanalstyne, elder and youth pastor, said a big focus of the event was on youth.

“I am excited for kids to come and have fun. It’s the holiday season and we are Hillside Community Church and we try to do a lot of events in the community to get kids to come out,” he said. “It’s exciting to have them come through and enjoy what we’re doing.”

This was the first Pancakes and Pajamas Brunch. Among other activities, the church puts on a vacation Bible school in the summer as well as Upwards Basketball for first grade through sixth grade students which begins in January.

As part of the holiday event, families shared in hot cocoa, pancakes, crafts, cookie decorating, a live nativity and storytelling.

Teresa Chadha and her niece were helping serve pancakes to visitors with help from Hillside Community Church Youth Group member Xander Asensio.

“Part of the Christmas season is to give and share the love of God and Jesus,” said Chadha. “We’re here to share love to the community by giving them pancakes, hot chocolate and coffee. We’re also making homemade cards for seniors who can’t get out… It’s that time of year to give and share love. This is big for me. I’d rather share the experience of doing good for others than buying a gift.”

Gina Petersen, Chadha’s niece, said she was visiting her aunt and was from Bethel and is a nurse who teaches at Fairfield University.

“I’m really grateful to be here and learn about this church’s mission. It seems like they are really open to all people and from the moment you walk in you see you belong here and that speaks to everyone,” said Petersen.

Asensio said he wasn’t sure what his favorite activity was going on at the event but he felt they were all great.

“I think it’s cool that everyone is coming out and hanging out and learning about Christmas and eating pancakes,” said Asensio.

Hillside Community Church Pastor Jason Jakum said he felt the event was great seeing the community come to the church. Sheena and Jason are married.

“It’s been a difficult couple years and we wanted to do something free for the community that they could come and enjoy,” said the pastor. “We wanted to also present the truth about Jesus. Really, it was my wife’s doing and we wanted to feed people, crafts and have a nativity to open the doors.”

Jason said it’s important to have events like these to uplift the spirit of others after a tough time and especially during the holiday season.