'Something That Connects Us in Spirit to the Water': VB Churches Worshipping Together in 'Boat Church' Despite Pandemic
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- CoronaVirus has redefinedthe way we do church.
Sunday in Virginia Beach,they came by boat and beach
for what's being called boat church.
Wendy Griffith was there.
(logo whooshes)
♪ I long, I long to worship ♪
- [Wendy] It was apicture perfect morning.
♪ Worthy of my praise ♪
- For those torn between being outside
on a beautiful summerday, and going to church,
boat church here at the narrows
at First Landing StatePark in Virginia Beach
offers the perfect solution.
- We have just reallymissed being in church,
as I'm sure so many families have.
And we have four kids,so for them to be able to
be out here on a beautiful day and worship
and hear the word and play on the beach,
it's just been a really special morning
on Father's Day, for sure.
- [Preacher] For God so loved the world
that he gave his one and only son.
- [Wendy] Several local churches
are taking part in boat church.
Sunday, Adam Cates, thepreacher at Big House Church,
gave a message on God's love.
- In the gospels, Jesus preached
some of his best messages from a boat.
There's a reason people come to the shore,
come to the beach or loveto get out on their boat.
There's something that connects us
in the spirit through water.
- [Wendy] Organizer and formgovernor, Bob McDonnell,
says the inspiration for boat church came
from a similar experience he had
at Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia.
- We kind of copied the SmithMountain Lake boat church
idea, and started theplanning about a year ago.
I think this is just providential
that the planning endedup with this concept
to start in the middleof a pandemic when people
were looking for a way tobe together to worship.
- [Wendy] Co organizerCheryl McLeskey says,
the hope of boat churchis also to inspire those
who don't know the Lord.
- I've always wanted to bring in people
that don't believe in the Lord,
and people that don'tgo to church on Sundays.
And if we're touching one person,
then this is worth it,and we're just so pleased.
- [Wendy] Boat church plans tomeet every Sunday at 10 a.m.
at First Landing StatePark until September 6th.
Wendy Griffith, CBN News, Virginia Beach.