Godless congregation, please be seated

There’s a moment at every traditional Irish wedding, when the priest realises that this is – by far – the biggest, youngest crowd he will address all month. This is his moment. This is his chance to preach for Jesus.

I dread that moment.

And it's not because I'm a grumpy atheist who thinks Richard Dawkins should be up there, mocking religion. It's because, when I go to a wedding, I want to be emotional. I want to experience the love that brings friends together in celebration. I don't want to be drawn into a debate about how outdated the church's views are, or how little the priest knows those he is preaching to.

In Ireland, so many life-defining moments are dominated by the church because, while the devil may have all the good tunes, God has most of the good venues. And because we in the secular community haven't settled on a clear alternative.

That’s one of the reasons I volunteered to help set up the Sunday Assembly, a godless congregation in Dublin. The movement was started in London this year, by two comedians, Sanderson Jones and Pippa Evans (above). They wanted the good bits of church – singing, celebration, community spirit – without the supernatural bits.

It has been successful. Assemblies are springing up across the UK, North America and Australia.

Tonight, in Dublin, we’re joining that party. We’ll be singing songs such as I Get By with a Little Help from My Friends and Crazy World, listening to a talk about science, and letting Jones lead the celebration as only he knows how. And yes, it is counter-intuitive to have the first meeting of the Sunday Assembly on a Friday, but Jones is conducting services across the world. We would be delighted to welcome you.

The Sunday Assembly Dublin takes place at 8pm tonight, in the Little Museum of Dublin, 15 Stephen's Green. Entrance is free