My First Car was a Truck
So many important and memorable moments of my life have involved vehicles. I vividly remember spending hours staring at the pages of the World Book encyclopedia section detailing automobiles. The pages included crude contraptions that appeared to be little more than a sled with bicycle tires and a steam engine and beautiful antique cars that shown parked near covered bridges. I remember seeing a convertible corvette for the first time when we walked out of church and Willeva Lindsey had parked her car at the end of the main sidewalk. The car was grey with a black top!
The Lindsey family was widely known throughout the community because they owned one of the local funeral homes. Their funeral home was next to the home of one of our babysitters. I would spend hours admiring the black Cadillac hearse that was parked behind the funeral home. I was so enamored with antique hearse that my mother was afraid that I wound become a mortician. The Lindsey family was also well-known because they were all extremely tall—even the women in the family were over six feet tall. I would enjoy talking to Mrs. Lindsey about her daughter’s corvette and I especially enjoyed talking about the Cadillac hearse. She gingerly declined my endless offers to buy the 1956 Cadillac hearse. (They also had a black 1966 Cadillac hearse and a blue 1973 Buick hearse, but they couldn’t compare to my fascination with the older hearse.)
When I was a few years older, our church received a new pastor, Rev. David Henry. He had a gray antique car (I think it was a Nash) that had mag wheels that were similar to the custom wheels seen on the popular cars and vans. His antique car gave him instant credibility and influence. I was willing to serve as an acolyte each Sunday because it gave me a chance to see his antique car that was parked at the parsonage next to the church. Around this time, my friends and I began collecting Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars. We collected cars not only based upon how the cars looked, but also because of their function. We were collecting cars that were necessary for the pretend communities that we were creating.
I was especially impressed by the miniature community that was shown during the opening sequence of Mister Roger’s Neighborhood. Seeing the exceptionally detailed sidewalks, apartment buildings, cars, homes and the train track and the trolley car looked so realistic. Some of my friends had miniature tracks for cars and multi-level parking garages. Other friends had elaborate train sets that included train cars that carried livestock, vehicles, logs, etc. As we became older, the attention to the detail of the cars became more important. We collected tow trucks, garbage trucks, car carriers, ambulances, police cars, etc., to have the full range of vehicles necessary to serve the needs of a growing community.
When I received my driver’s license, my dad bought an old truck for me from a friend at work. Her father, James Douglas, had recently died and the family decided to sell some of his vehicles. Among his vehicles was a 1950 Chevrolet 3/4 ton pickup and a 1958 Chevrolet pickup. The 1950 pickup was in “rough shape”—the floorboard was rusted; the rear fenders were rusted, dented and heavily damaged; and the original owner had used a paintbrush to paint the front section of the truck. None of that mattered to me, it was my big truck and because it was a 3/4-ton pickup, it was much taller than all the other vehicles on the road! It had neither heat nor air-conditioning. Because the floor wasn’t insulated, the heat from the engine warmed the occupants in the winter and baked them in the summer! I enjoyed my first truck so much that at the end of my evening shifts at one of the local radio stations, WAZF, I would play Glen Campbell’s recording of “I Love My Truck.” The old truck is still parked at my parents’ house.
The Blessing of the Wheels/Family Fun Festival (BOTW/FFF) that is scheduled Sunday, June 28, from 2:00-4:00 builds upon the widespread fascination that many people have with vehicles. Many churches host car shows, motorcycle blessings and/or events that attract the community to the church. Some churches even host model car shows that invite children and families to share their collections of model cars and elaborate dioramas. Some churches provide models for the children to build and take home. These events are evangelism tools that encourage people to discover and share their enjoyment of vehicles and their faith.
Some churches have been hosting car, truck and motorcycle events for many years. At the Shawnee United Methodist Church in Lima, Ohio, they have hosted a Blessing of the Bikes service over 25 years. Their event is the largest in northwest Ohio. Other national, church-related organizations have been developed to facilitate evangelism and fellowship. Online searches also identify United Methodist Motorcycle Enthusiasts (UMME) or the United Methodist Motorcycle Association (UMMA) as faith-based riding groups operating as official or grassroots ministries of the United Methodist Church. They host community rides, charity fundraisers, and bike blessing events to reach people outside traditional church settings. These associations function as 21st-century "circuit riders," combining a passion for motorcycles with a commitment to Christian outreach and fellowship. Some churches offer minor repair services and driver safety information as part of their vehicle-related outreach events.
This Sunday, we are looking forward to sharing stories about cars, trucks and motorcycles, as well as enjoying food, fun and games. To broaden the appeal of the event, we will offer activities for all ages and mobility levels. As we continue to pursue our vision to be a multigenerational church that honors tradition and embraces innovation, we hope that the BOTW/FFF will help people to grow and feel welcome. Prayerfully, we will strengthen our relationship to God and to each other.
We’ll see you in worship, in class and around the community representing the church.
In Christ,
Jon McCoy
