Corby church's car park communion as congregation joins in drive-in service

The worshippers were able to receive their communion wafer through their car windows
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A Corby church has restarted its Sunday service with a difference with a drive-in Holy Communion for parishioners outside their beloved building.

On Sunday, St John’s Church in Corby Old Village met virtually for the first part of their weekly service broadcast on YouTube.

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The Rector, Revd Paul Frost, then invited members of the congregation to join him in real life, in the church car park, for Holy Communion.

He said: "I call it car park communion. We could open for a service but we would only be able to have a maximum of 30 people. We have an average congregation of 80 to 90 people.

"Our grounds and buildings can be used for the re-opening of public worship, that includes the car park."

For the first time since Sunday, March 15, Mr Frost said the Eucharistic prayer to the approximately 30 occupants of the eight cars and walk-in members who had brought camping chairs.

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Mr Frost said: "Somebody played a hymn on their car stereo with the windows down. I stood on the top of the steps to say the prayer.

Rev Paul Frost leads the 'car park Communion'Rev Paul Frost leads the 'car park Communion'
Rev Paul Frost leads the 'car park Communion'

"It was lovely to be able to see everyone after all this time. Holy Communion takes us to the heart of the Christian faith as we remember the sacrifice that Jesus made for us.

"Unfortunately we haven’t been able to do this properly for over three months so I wanted to give people the opportunity to come together now that we’re allowed."

Paul dropped the communion wafers into worshippers’ hands through the car windows.

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He had kept them covered during the prayer of consecration to avoid contamination and sanitised his hands before sharing them.

Drive-in worshipDrive-in worship
Drive-in worship

“It was amazing to see one another again - worship on YouTube and Zoom has been a lifeline for churches but nothing quite beats talking face-to-face.

”We had worshippers from the age of two to 90. I didn't want it to feel gimmicky and seeing them was precious."

St John’s will be re-opening the building next Sunday evening for a more traditional service but space will be limited to approximately 30 people.

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Mr Frost added: “Car park communion is here to stay for a while."

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