Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

NILES — Safety and celebration was the catalyst for invention in Rev. Jeffrey Whittaker’s take on this year’s Easter celebration at the Michiana Christian Embassy.

With the day celebrating the resurrection of Jesus coming on Sunday, the church wanted to offer a unique experience to its congregation, while also complying with the state mandates and keeping everyone safe and healthy. Facebook Live events are already a part of the church’s response to social distancing, and Whittaker was reminded of a story of another pastor who moved out west to plant a church.

“I was reminded of a story about a pastor in California, 50-some years ago,” Whittaker said. “He went out there and bought an old, defunct drive-in movie theater. That’s how he started the church.”

While the model does not bring the consistent sunny, warm weather that California possesses with it, Whittaker is excited to apply it to the annual Easter Sunday service.

“I was just kind of relaxing and praying and things, and that memory came back to me,” Whittaker said. “I thought, ‘oh man, this would be cool.’”

Another thing Whittaker considered as he shaped the Easter plan was what he was seeing in his community already.

“You can take bike rides. You can go jogging or take a walk with your dog,” he said. “Our neighborhood is alive. Once we hit 60 degrees, people are outside, and they’re walking on opposite sides of the street. They’re not running up and being indiscrete — they’re being very careful. There’s a sunny smile and a wave of a hand.”

After witnessing this social distancing behavior around him, and after carefully reading over the mandates from Michigan’s Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Whittaker decided to go forward with planning the event.

State mandates in hand, Whittaker highlighted the need to practice caution.

“Even if it appears contradictory, she continues to put in a religion exemption for religious observance,” Whittaker said of Whitmer’s mandates.

Whittaker acknowledged that his church has always encouraged those who are sick to stay home, especially during flu seasons.

“We want everybody to be alright,” Whittaker said. “We love our state, and we pray for our governor every day, so we shut stuff down. We said we’re not going to have public services anymore.”

Wednesday and Sunday services were moved to Facebook Live to stream to Michiana Christian Embassy’s congregation. The Easter drive-in service, however, took a little more thought.

After purchasing a small FM transmitter, and deciding the location off the church’s back door entries with the car port, Whittaker realized there was a way to safely make his vision a reality.

“We’re going to have some musicians, I’ll be one of them on piano or guitar, and we’re going to stay away from each other [as we perform],” Whittaker said. “We’re not sneaking hugs. We’re really trying to do this and be good.”

The Easter service will take place with church members driving in and parking a space apart in the parking lot and back lawn of the church. Attendants will be able to tune in on their car radio to hear the message from Whittaker and the music performed to celebrate the important day.

The church has sent out letters to members outlining the way the event will be hosted, and the measures that are being put in place to keep everyone safe.

“We don’t want everybody showing up, and then jumping out of their cars, and the kids playing,” Whittaker said. “Stay in your cars. Stay as long as you can. Use your car horns. Make eye contact with people and wave at them if you haven’t seen them.”

Whittaker hopes the event will celebrate Easter and create a sense of community for the day, while also observing the spirit and letter of the mandates from the state.

“We’re also encouraging people to make the service their last stop at 11 a.m., or their first top on their way to do the necessary things,” he said.

After moving the church’s services to Facebook, Whittaker said the church has reconnected with many more people across the world.

“You might have a couple hundred people in attendance, but you may get a thousand views [online],” he said. “What’s been really sweet has been the emails and Facebook messages from college students in Vietnam.”

Whittaker explained that his church spends time in Hanoi, Vietnam, teaching and performing concerts. He has also heard from people in Scotland, Australia and Mexico.

“It’s just kind of cool,” Whittaker said. “There’s an awful lot of people who feel more of an urgent need to connect and get their perspective back.”

The Easter Drive-In service will be hosted on Sunday, April 12, at 11 a.m. at the Michiana Christian Embassy in Niles.