Our Saviour Lutheran Church holds Drive-In Worship Service

Rev. Brian Rosnau (right) leads a Drive-In worship service in Fort Qu’Appelle. Ruth Erickson (left) played piano for the event and Sheila Casper (centre) led congregational singing.

FORT QU’APPELLE, Sask. – The March 18, 2020 Lenten service was the final time the congregation of Our Saviour Lutheran Church (OLSC) gathered for worship before following recommendations from Lutheran Church–Canada to suspend services and church activities until further notice due to COVID-19. Like many other congregations in the days before and after, the congregation left the church that evening not knowing when they would be back together to hear God’s Word, receive communion, and share in fellowship. They were reminded that they are a community of Lutherans and should be looking after the well-being of each other, and were asked to pray for the church, pastors, and members.

Keeping in touch through calls and physically distant visits with each other became the new normal. Many times, conversations would turn to how much people missed worship. Then someone asked a simple question: “If other churches are having drive-in services, why can’t we?” And so the church council, pastor, and other members took on the challenges of planning a no-contact drive-in worship service on May 31.

Guest vocalist Gail Breti sings during the Drive-In worship service.

Teams of volunteers were formed to research and comply with health guidelines, to plan traffic control, and to work out logistics for hymnal, bulletin, and guidelines distribution, no-contact offering collection, and equipment requirements.

May 31 was a great day, despite the wind, and by 2:00 p.m. in the parking lot of K2 Crosstraining, more than 30 vehicles with 40-50 people had gathered to hear Vacancy Pastor Bryan Rosnau deliver the first drive-in worship service from atop a flat deck trailer. The organist, Ruth Erickson, played the keyboard, member Sheila Casper led the hymns, and special guest Gail Breti sang “Let it Be” during the offering. Community member Dennis Regel provided the technology to broadcast the service over an FM station. A resounding chorus of honking horns followed the benediction, a sure sign of thanks and joy from being together once again to hear the Word.

Lavinia Henderson

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