NACOGDOCHES, Texas — When it comes to having safe, large gatherings during the pandemic, Iron Wheel Baptist Church in Nacogdoches may have cracked the code.
The same method they’ve been using the past two years -- drive in services -- will come in handy this holiday weekend.
Praise and worship team leader Alana Culpepper said the community is growing -- 300 people and counting.
“We're bringing everybody together and that's the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, right?" Culpepper said. "So we're fulfilling that dream.”
Pastor James Ervin credited the idea to the good ole days with drive-in movies.
“We would drive up, you sit in your car, crack your window, put this little speaker inside your window and enjoy the movie," Ervin said. "So we used that concept."
The weekly service has gradually attracted more people and crossed racial barriers.
“We have black folks and white folks and brown folks and all kinds of folks together,” said Rev. Kyle Childress.
Services crossed the barriers of the parking lot too.
“We have members of people that's worshiping with us from their porches, pulling out chairs, sitting in a lawn chairs in their yards, because our church is in the community,” explained Pastor Ervin.
Event speaker, Rev. Charles Johnson, is the founder and executive director of Pastors for Texas Children.
“I stand with these fellow pastors in mobilizing this great city of Nacogdoches to carry on Dr. King's legacy in promoting and advocating quality public education for all children," Johnson said.
During services, Iron Wheel this has their own way to say, "Amen."
"Instead of saying amen, you blow your horn. So you’ve got folks honking horns, all the time," said Rev. Childress.
The year’s Dr. Martin Luther King celebration begins at noon Saturday January 15. You can meet Iron Wheel in their parking lot, or really anywhere within in ear shot.
The church's address is 820 1st St. in Nacogdoches.
After the parking lot celebration, Iron Wheel iron service attendees will take the party to the streets in a drive-by parade through Nacogdoches.