After encountering several stories last week of walk up and drive through ashes for Ash Wednesday, it seems appropriate to start this week with the story of a new kind of church: the drive-in church. Over the past few days several people sent me a link to Amy Kiley’s piece on Daytona Beach Drive In Christian Church (Daytona Beach, FL), which holds worship services in an old drive-in theater. From the comfort of their vehicles parishioners listen to worship on their radios. When worship concludes those present are invited to enjoy Krispy Kreme donuts in Friendship Hall, which previously served as the drive-in theater’s concession stand.
Unusual
This church offers anything but what an American might expect in a worship service. It also offers an unexpected twist for worship in a drive-in: there is no big screen onto which anything is projected. Instead, those leading worship stand on the 2nd story of the Altar Building (the A-frame building shown at right). Since the congregation is a part of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), communion is celebrated every week. Worshipers receive pre-packaged communion sets of grape juice and bread, which they partake of from their vehicles at the appointed time in the service.
So What?
Niche churches can be incredibly effective. Daytona Beach Drive In Christian Church finds it is especially well suited for
- people who need privacy and healing,
- those who have trouble walking,
- those with antsy children who enjoy the open space,
- those who revel in the ocean air and Florida sunshine, and
- those who want to worship with their whole family including their pets.
If you were in search of a new church home and one of your options was a drive-in church, would you be likely to seriously consider it? Why or why not?