Photos and story by Mark Peterson.
(New Galilee, PA) They say necessity is the mother of invention and that was proven on Sunday in New Galilee. With strict orders to avoid large public gatherings already in force due to the Covid-19 virus, Pastor Andy Russell from the New Galilee Church of The Nazarene began to get creative. Russell didn’t want to skip the Palm Sunday service. More importantly, he also wanted to preach a message, and have it feel like his congregation was gathering together, but how? Then, like a blast from the past when parents put their kids in sleeping bags and loaded up the station wagon with snacks for a late night double feature at the drive in, Pastor Russell got his inspiration. If people stayed in their cars, they would likely be more than the government suggested six feet apart, and not compromise their own safety amidst the struggles to thwart the Corona Virus. In no time, arrangements had been made to broadcast Sunday’s sermon over 1230 WBVP, 1460 WMBA and 99.3 F.M. and church members were invited to pull into the church parking lots, as well as an adjacent lot along Washington Avenue in New Galilee and tune in. Just like the drive in, when the sound came through a speaker in the car, everyone could easily hear the service broadcast through the radio, and visually catch the “action” while gazing through the windshield. Though in this circumstance, it wasn’t a large white screen adorned with footage of movie stars they were watching, but rather a popular home grown pastor preaching from a small hillside near the church building.
By all accounts, the event was a huge success. Careful preparation was done ahead of time to ensure all the technical aspects of doing an on site live broadcast were taken care of and extra speakers were set up in the makeshift outdoor sanctuary as well. Troy Miller played the guitar and sang a few worship and praise songs before and afterwards that, at times, had cars in the parking lots honking their horns with affirmation, which in this case would be akin to applause. At one point in time during Andy Russell’s message, a couple of firecrackers were set off at a neighborhood house. Given the timing of the blasts during Russell’s stirring oratory, the enthusiasm exhibited by local New Galilee residents over their special church service and the positive reception of the event in general, one can easily conclude that those were nothing more than protocol for an outdoor drive in church congregation “Amen” response.
Things went so well, as a matter of fact, that this drive in is turning into a double feature. Almost immediately following Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Russell began receiving texts and well wishes from many people who had listened to the radio broadcast locally in Beaver County, and from from others who live farther away and had listened to the Beaver County Radio live online audio stream. Buoyed by the positive support, and the fact that he seemed like a man on a mission, Russell finalized arrangements to host this coming week’s Easter service at the New Galilee Church of the Nazarene in the same fashion. Broadcast and service time will again be from 1 to 2 P.M.
The New Galilee Church Of The Nazarene is located at 505 Washington Avenue in New Galilee. For more information, call the church at (724) 200-0132.