By Leslie Kilgore EBS STAFF
The Young Adult Community Group at Big Sky Christian Fellowship began when James Mummery, Caleb Dvorak and Joe Ciardelli met at church and decided to start a Bible study for themselves. A small effort that quickly expanded into a weekly Tuesday gathering now connects to roughly 80 people on WhatsApp and draws 20–25 young adults during the busier seasons in Big Sky.
“We all met at church searching for a like-minded community of our age,” Mummery said. “We were like, hey, do you guys want to start a Bible study, and then before you knew it, there were a bunch of people coming by word-of-mouth.”
Mummery, 36, moved to Big Sky in 2021 after years in San Diego and a childhood split between Japan and the U.S. He described arriving to a town of seasonal friendships and high-paced adventure that left some residents, himself included, feeling isolated once crews left for other seasons.
“That loneliness was sort of the catalyst for me to start going to church more and pursue my faith,” he said. “I think being able to find community is really important in people’s decision of whether they’re going to stay in Big Sky longer or not.”
Founders and leaders Mummery, Dvorak and Ciardelli organized the meetings around shared meals and discussion. The group meets every Tuesday night at the Big Sky Chapel. Retired physician Dr. Kirk Weber and nurse Cami Weber regularly provide dinner, a contribution Mummery said was vital to creating a welcoming space and a “generational bridge.”
“We need the generations that came before us to pour into us so we can learn and grow,” Mummery said. “It’s a very important part of the group and something that is often lacking in our world today. We need more of this in our communities, and it shows within our group.”
Organizers built the group with an aim of openness. Mummery said it was designed from the start to be welcoming, accessible and transparent to anyone in the community. There are no formal prerequisites or fees, meetings are public and announced in advance, and newcomers are encouraged to join at any time. The group’s leadership model favors shared responsibility and rotating roles so decision-making and responsibilities aren’t concentrated in a few hands, but the entire group as a collective.
“We want this group to be for anyone, regardless of where they are on their faith journey,” Mummery said. “If you’re not a Christian and part of your story is deciding what you believe in personally and what values you want to help lead your life, having a community is so very important. So don’t do life alone.”
The group’s structure also emphasizes stewardship of individual gifts and placing people where they can contribute and grow.
“Our structure and organization are based more on the stewardship, how everything is a gift from God,” Mummery explained. “We try to identify what your strengths and weaknesses are, what your gifts and talents are, and let’s put you in a position so that, not only are you good at what you’re doing, but you enjoy it.”
Leaders credit that stewardship model with keeping volunteers engaged and the group sustainable.
Attendance varies with the season. A core of roughly a dozen members live in Big Sky year-round. During peak periods, turnout commonly reaches two dozen or more. Outside meetings, the group stays connected via a roughly 80-member WhatsApp channel used for logistics, invitations and pastoral support.
Activities blend fellowship with outdoor life — skiing, snowboarding, hot springs trips, hiking — and study, offering a social alternative to the town’s party-focused options. Seasonal workers and short-term residents often arrive expecting social life to center on skiing, nightlife and expedient friendships. Several have told leaders they found a quieter route to belonging through the Tuesday meals and weekly study, along with a dependable place to meet peers, get practical help and form long-term ties that go beyond a single season.
Santiago, who asked that his last name not be shared, joined the Young Adult Community Group with his wife to get to know more people in the area outside of work.
“This group has brought a lot of joy and community to my life, for both my wife and me, in many positive ways,” he said. “Some of the speakers we have are older and wiser than we are at this age, and we can learn a lot from them, whether it’s about things like finances or it’s about our relationship with Christ.”
Santiago added, “Before joining this group and joining the church, we weren’t sure if we wanted to invest long term in Big Sky. But now, it definitely feels like a place we could call home, thanks to the strong feeling of community that we now have.”
Big Sky Resort Chaplain and longtime minister Brad Lartigue helps connect resort workers and seasonal visitors to the fellowship and young-adult gatherings.
“The motivational charge that I get from ministering alongside and mentoring these next-generation young adults of our Big Sky faith community gives me reason to do what I do,” Lartigue said.
He also framed youth mentoring as part of a lifetime of community work.
“I have been privileged to have worked with every age group of people who make Big Sky a community. In all my years of stroking my paintbrush on our Big Sky community’s canvas, these are the days I am excited to see and to be a part of this picture coming to fruition. The young adults of the Big Sky Christian Fellowship church community are a significant part of this,” Latigue said.
Leaders agree that the group has produced tangible outcomes. Members have found faith, built friendships that lead to jobs and housing, and in several cases have decided to remain in Big Sky because of this community.
“A lot of people say it’s because they found this group and community,” Mummery said. “Without this community, they would never have decided to stay in Big Sky.”
Mummery urged anyone feeling lost or lonely to seek connection.
“No man is an island. An iron sharpens iron. So we’re not really growing in life unless we’re surrounded by good people who can help us to grow,” he said. “Everyone is special. You’re not alone. You were created with a purpose. That is one of the most important messages we share within this group.”
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