Aurora church does 'Carpool Congregating'

An Aurora church is among United Methodist churches nationwide using an alternative to supplement online worship services - carpool congregating.

Flowing Forth United Methodist Church will hold drive-in worship services at 10 a.m. Sunday, July 12, at Aurora Christian School's main parking lot, 2255 Sullivan Road in Aurora. Rev. Derek Rogers, Flowing Forth lead pastor, said the public is invited.

He will preach on "Now What? What to Do When You Don't Know What To Do," his June -July sermon series.

Services have been prerecorded and posted on the church's website, flowingforth.org and on YouTube since March.

Congregants will gather in the parking lot and stay in their vehicles while tuning to 1660 AM on car radios to listen to music, prayers and the sermon. Attendees are required to remain in their vehicles at all times. No lawn chairs or sitting outside vehicles is allowed. The building and restrooms are not open.

A greeter will welcome drivers as they pull into the parking lot and direct them where to park, socially distanced at least six feet apart.

The church's worship band will provide prerecorded music. During group singing, congregants' car windows are required to be rolled up. Song lyrics are posted on the church website and emailed in advance to members by email. Prayer requests can be submitted prior to the service through the church website or by texting the pastor during the service. Communion will be celebrated in vehicles. To participate, attendees bring bread and juice for blessing by the pastor from a distance.

As motorists leave the parking lot, Erion will collect monetary donations to the church and canned food to benefit Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry in Aurora.

Flowing Forth UMC held its first drive-in services June 14 and 28 and July 5.

Flowing Forth was born in a 2018 merger of Flowing Grace and Fourth Street United Methodist churches in Aurora. Call (630) 239-2321 or visit flowingforthumc.org for more information.