Northern Indiana church’s murder mystery fundraiser provides ‘spooky’ fun for families

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

“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 in the murder mystery who portrayed the character Dr. Katrina Varga, told Episcopal News Service.

St. Andrew’s hosts a murder mystery dinner fundraiser every October. In previous years, proceeds benefitted the church’s youth group. At this year’s Oct. 10 event, the church raised $857, which will help pay for a new carpet. Participation and proceeds have been increasing every year since the first event in 2023.

Steven Pugh, a former parishioner of St. Andrew’s who now lives in Connecticut, writes the murder mystery plot every year. All characters are original works of fiction written by Pugh.

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

Upon entering St. Andrew’s foggy entryway, which was decorated to resemble a disturbed cemetery, the 72 participants, ranging in age from children to elderly, were greeted by a gray “monster” who led them to the dinner tables and appetizer booths. Many were dressed in Halloween costumes, including a ghost, Superman disguised as Clark Kent, a nun and more.

The appetizers also were presented for the occasion, like barbecue miniature smoked sausages as “baby fingers.” Red punch was served in “blood bags.” After eating a pasta dinner made and served by Carpenter and church volunteers, the murder mystery participants were served a chocolate cake designed to look like a crime scene and Jell-O “blood” served in syringes.

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

While eating dinner, the participants watched and listened to characters approach each other to make accusations and express alleged grievances with each other, like Varga (Carpenter) arguing with Dr. Elizabeth Potts (a character portrayed by Jane Brown) over their academic credentials and for Varga giving a student, Nathaniel Cross (a character portrayed by Oliver Rodd) a “B” grade in class. The conversations served as a prelude to the eventual murder.

After dinner, the participants gathered in the nave to listen to Selena Arnt, as herself, tell local ghost stories, like the legend of Diana of the Dunes, the nickname given to Alice Mabel Gray, a woman whose ghost supposedly haunts Indiana Dunes National Park along 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 told ENS. “I’m happy I got to participate in a much bigger capacity this year.”

Selena Arnt, as Ravenloft, who was featured entertainment for the fictitious dinner party, said she “swears” she’s a real medium because “99.2% accuracy is still an ‘A.’”

While Selena Arnt was telling a ghost story, somebody screamed, and everyone returned to the narthex and learned that someone “murdered” Varga. Blackwood and Police Chief Harold Kane (a character portrayed by Jim Brown) questioned the “dinner guests” and asked Cross, who wore a copper-colored steampunk outfit, who he was and where he came from; he hadn’t been invited to the dinner party.

The murder mystery participants searched for clues inside St. Andrew’s and asked characters about their relationship with Varga, keeping track of their findings in little notebooks. One clue revealed that Kane had been accused of wrongdoing in an unsolved missing person’s case. Another clue revealed that Varga had been stabbed with a wooden stake. Blackwood had noted that the character Victor Moreau (portrayed by Steve Mancione), a special dinner guest, eats his steaks extra rare.

Cross was revealed to be the killer. He had snuck into Blackwood’s party to kill Varga, whom he believed was a vampire. Varga was a human, but Cross’ theory wasn’t entirely farfetched, however, as there was, in fact, a “real vampire” at the party.

Pugh, who is Klemczak’s son, told ENS that he enjoys incorporating red herrings and twists, like the appearance of a “real” vampire this year, in his stories.

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

The murder mystery event ended with a costume contest in categories like “Best Costume” and “Scariest Costume.” A woman donning a shower cap and a bathrobe over her clothes won “Funniest Costume.”

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

“I go all in because I love my church and I love entertaining people and making people happy,” she said. “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 can be reached at skorkzan@episcopalchurch.org.