For the first time, Gerringong Uniting Church will have a drive-in service this Sunday, June 7.
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An idea born out of necessity due to COVID-19, with Minister of the congregation, Reverend Peter Chapman, coming up with the inventive way of bringing the church together in these challenging times.
Rev. Chapman said the church was fortunate to have a member of the congregation who volunteers his time producing community radio and offered to look after the technical side of things.
The service, from 11am, will be broadcast on a very low power FM transmitter, allowing people to tune their car radios into the set frequency without breaching broadcasting laws.
A temporary stage will also be constructed to ensure every car gets a clear view of what's happening 'upfront'.
"Given that in normal times we get at least 120 people across two Sunday services." Rev. Chapman said "we hope to get around half that number for this experimental worship experience.
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"This means we will fit around 40 to 50 cars, with possible overflow if needed, due to the sizeable sloping grass expanse out front of the church building."
Rev. Chapman said ministers are always on the lookout for new ideas and resources and had seen online that churches elsewhere around the world were being inventive, so when someone offered to provide the broadcasting tech, he knew he needed to try it out.
"We really are stepping out in faith with this service and have no idea what to expect other than some anecdotal feedback that has been largely positive," he said.
"People are excited about it, partly due to its novelty value and partly due to the opportunity to connect in some form.
"I sense some of our older folk will still be hesitant to come out and be around large crowds of people, even in their cars, and others have given the honest feedback they like watching the service from home," Rev. Chapman stated.
During the pandemic, like most other churches, Gerringong Uniting, has been putting its Sunday worship online and has taken the extra step of giving their folk the chance to interact daily in a half-hour catch-up and prayer via Zoom.
The pastoral staff have divided the congregation and taken the responsibility to call each of them regularly so that no one gets left behind or feels isolated.
The kids club gets regular online challenges and the youth group has also got into the world of online games as a means of staying connected.
"Being a small-town church, Gerringong's sense of community is a crucial part of their DNA," Rev. Chapman said.
"They have a long tradition of belonging before believing, which enables everyone to feel comfortable fellowshipping."