Christine E. Whiteside, an administrative assistant, likened the Church to a colonial New England meetinghouse.

“The meetinghouses were places of worship first and foremost, but they were also the central meeting point for everything else that happened in the community,” she said. “That’s what we hope Memorial Church can be more like. We want it to be welcoming—where people can celebrate, study, worship, sing, and tailgate.”

Nathaniel P. Katz, the Epps Fellow at Memorial Church, emphasized the community-building benefits of the tailgates and of MemChurch Café, which will replace the former Wednesday Tea tradition.

“At the end of the day, the idea behind the Tea—hospitality—will never expire, but in that iteration it was really dependent on [the late Reverend Peter J. Gomes] and his spirit,” Katz said. “I’m hoping that the tailgates are going to be a sort of new, visible, engaging opportunity for people to explore the Church community.”

The tailgate was the first in a series of events that Walton and the Memorial Church staff plan to host at Sparks House over the course of the semester.

“We’re going to be throwing parties for every football home game and absolutely for the upcoming basketball season,” Walton said. “I might even paint my body for that,” he added.

—Staff writer Matthew M. Beck can be reached at mbeck@college.harvard.edu.