Four different voices, in pitch and tune, begin to sing.
“Tune my heart to sing Thy grace, Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise…”
“You’re a bad singer.”
“YOU’RE a bad singer.”
“Stop fighting, you two. You are both bad singers.”
“Whatever, Dad. You aren’t even singing!”
“Because these kinds of songs are stupid. Hymns. I like the newer ones the guy sings while playing the guitar. I’m sitting in protest. I will not sing these things.”
I looked back to see Declan looking intently at the lyrics, continuing to sing.
“Teach me some melodious sonnet, Sung by flaming tongues above…”
Declan made a weird face and put the tip of his tongue between his lips, continuing to sing as the song progressed.
We were at a new kind of Sunday worship. Since we were still unable to worship as a congregation inside of the church, the pastor decided we would worship outside in our cars while listening to the service on our car’s radio.
In short; Church, drive-in style.
The church services progressed, as church services do – this time, with an added twist.
“Stop touching me!”
“I swear, if you don’t stop, I am going to kick you as hard as I can! Don’t you think I will? Well, THERE!”
“Mom!!!”
“Kids, stop! We are in church!”
“We are not actually IN church, Mom. We are in our CAR in the church parking lot.”
“You are technically right, Declan. I just mean, let’s pretend like we are in an actual church. Keep our hands to ourselves and be quiet.”
The guitar guy went onto the stage to play a song. Bob happily sang along.
“Why is everyone honking?” He asked when the song was over.
“Because they like what he played. Instead of yelling, ‘Amen!’ I guess you honk your horn.”
Bob’s eyes got wide. “That’s awesome!” he yelled and laid on the horn a few times.
I looked around the parking lot, at the cars parked near, to see if any other families were having a volatile time in their car too.
“Bob, look! That lady is talking on her phone while the pastor is preaching!”
Bob didn’t look. His hand was poised above the horn, ready for his next opportunity to honk.
“Whatever, Karen. Mind your own business much?”
“Catelyn, stop calling me a Karen. I don’t care that she’s on her phone. I was just surprised.”
“Whatever!”
“Whatever!” I childishly mocked back.
Bob honked the car horn. Distantly, other cars could be heard doing the same.
“Did you guys hear that? I started the honking! I’m like the guy who starts the slow clap! Everyone honked after I did!”
The kids cheered from the back seat. I rubbed my temples.
“It’s time for communion. Everyone take out the cup thingy they handed out when we pulled in.”
“This looks gross.”
“Why do I have to eat it?”
“It’s supposed to represent the body and blood of Jesus.”
“I’m like a vampire! ‘I vant to suck your blahd,’” Catelyn recited in her best Dracula voice before she drank her juice down.
I looked over to Declan, whose face was so pinched I thought he might have eaten a lemon.
“I’m okay,” he said and coughed a little.
A prayer was said, and a song was sung. Church was over. Bob happily honked us through the entire parking lot, waving to everyone the whole way out.
“We’re coming back to these drive-in ones. They’re so much fun!” Bob declared as we finally pulled out of the parking lot.
Drive-in church taught me a few things:
1. We will look back at this past year and be amazed at all the different ways we made accommodations to do the things we enjoyed.
2. Church with just your family in a car is WAY different from an actual church service – it’s not quiet, and everyone says what is on their mind. And…
3. Bob REALLY likes to honk the horn!
Y’all are the best 😄💖
Haha! Thanks! 🙂
Does one have to dress nice for Drive In Church, or can one go in their comfy clothes?
And was that snow?!? 😲
We weren’t sweat pants comfy, but we weren’t in dress clothes either. Just car comfortable :-).
In all the times we went, I never took a picture so I had to borrow one from the church’s website from February. Thank goodness there is no snow now!
Drive in Church! I think that is a great outside the box idea! Of course I don’t have any children who would be in the car with me . And just btw my husband David would be honking the horn like a demon at the end of sevice.
Haha! It would be so loud with Bob and David at the same service! A couple of happy honkers!
This sounds like so much fun! I definitely agree with how amazing it was to how everyone innovated and accommodated, including the churches.
And that disposable communion definitely reminds me of Dracula too. I’m with Catelyn on that. lol.
And I can imagine it being quite unruly in the car too. Sounds like a fun family outing!
Those little cup things were a little weird. We just did the whole process on our own – and in our car – well, it didn’t have the communion “holy” feel. 🙂 Drive-In church was definitely a good memory and fun experience!
Hahaha. I can only imagine how “different” it is when you don’t really have to worry about being quite and the kids fighting in the back seat. I’ve been watching my church on Facebook Live, which can be a challenge with really, really slow internet. I sort of like it because I can get up and get a cup of coffee anytime and watch in my PJ’s. But, it’s not the same, is it. I plan to start back to in-person services this coming Sunday.
We definitely felt like we were in our own little bubble at the drive in services – everyone just said what was on their mind! They are starting outdoor services for us – like, outside no car kind of thing. I am excited to be back inside!
Were they trying to push every one of your buttons?
I guess techinically they were all just being themselves – but, yes!
Good one! If my family ever went to a service like that there would be running commentary beginning to end, with lots of kicking too. But no one would sing, especially me because I can’t hold a tune.
There was definitely a lot of chatter! It was as if we were all just sitting around watching TV and commenting on what we were watching, doing, or thinking.
I would have to really tidy my car up for that, bet my car alarm goes off.
Yesterday I was juggling two plants for the garden and some gardening supplies, walking from the store to my car while listening to an audiobook. It took me sitting in my car to realize I was the car whose alarm was going off. 🙂
Karen!!! Oh that daughter of yours. Sounds like a lively church service. We left You-tube church behind a few weeks ago and are back in a socially distanced church building finally.
We did a couple of YouTube church services and they ended up the same – lots of chatter! I can’t wait to get back into the church (where we can be on our best behavior 🙂 ).
If I could escape my girls’ bickering, I might like drive in church. In person church is a tough one. I remember my kiddo’s 1st communion… the priest went on to make some comparison to a flashlight being the light of Jesus… and my very literal child said, [very loudly], A flashlight? That’s silly! I can laugh about it (now). 🙂
Haha! Yes, that might have been tough then but a funny one now!