Dream Cruise Inspires Drive-in Salvation

Not one for large crowds, Loranell Breyley was a little overwhelmed by the "craziness" of her first Woodward Dream Cruise.

Four years ago, she became the pastor of in Berkley, leaving her home in Ohio. Since then, she has decided to embrace the celebration she was once puzzled by, holding a special drive-in service at the church the day after the cruise, which will be held Aug. 20 this year.

Worshippers will be able to park their park their cars in the adjacent lot at 10 a.m. Aug. 21 and enjoy a car-themed service preformed from the church's rented band-shell.

"They love it," Breyley said of church-goers. "It is one of their favorite things."

So much so, that last year, when the church decided it couldn't afford to rent a band-shell for the event, church members came up with the money themselves. They did so again this year.

The service will be car-themed, meaning for example, that the Hymn I’m so Glad Jesus Lifted Me has been changed to I’m So Glad Jesus Drives With Me. Breyley said finding parallels to cars written in the Bible, which predates the internal combustion engine by nearly two millennia is the most challenging aspect of preparation.

"There is not too much about cars in scripture," she said, laughing. "But God really has a sense of humor and enjoys life."

In all seriousness, Breyley said that celebrating God and the Woodward Dream Cruise simultaneously is not contradictory or inappropriate to the message of the church. Rather, she said, the church is taking advantage of something unique to the area, then celebrating God’s presence in it.

Heather Underwood, secretary of the CANA church and guitar player in last year's celebration, said the event will have much more music than a traditional service.

The church will also feature Christian musicians outside, which Underwood said gives the church’s music a richer sound. She said the fuller sound translates to excitement for those performing and watching.

"There is just an electricity in the air," she said.

Breyley said everyone is invited to the event, not just members of her church. In her 4 years at CANA, Breyley said she has seen the celebration vary in attendance, with last year's lightly attended event attracting approximately 60 people. The event is not just for those who want to show off their classic cars, as she said many of the attendees sat on lawn chairs in church lawn.

Even though it is a special occasion, and church-goers will honk instead of clap, the structure of the event is very similar to a traditional Lutheran service.

"It is just kind of a little bit crazy compared to what normally people would consider sermon," Breyley said. "But Lutherans can't get too far away from worship."