Church at the Ball Park

Once a year in the summer, our church has a non-traditional service where friends, neighbors, and family members are invited to worship with us in a setting where they'd be more apt to come.  Today was that day.  Families have begun attending our church through this type of outreach.

The place was Jimmy John's baseball field in Utica, MI, home to four teams that play in the United Shore Professional Baseball League - an independent baseball league.  

We were blessed with another beautiful, sunny, summer day.

~ Our Greeters ~

~ Ushers ~

The man who coordinated the event on left, and Jerry on right.

Sharon [our daughter-in-law] and Brooke had the children in their own play area.

Pastor Steve chatting with one of our members before church began.

The Worship Team rehearsing.

Pastor Steve and Worship Team praying before service began.

Service began at 10:00 a.m.

Charlene [in worship team below] sang the National Anthem when the baseball game began at 1:00 o'clock.

~ Mom, Son/Pastor, and Dad ~

When the service was over we had tickets for a yummy buffet lunch at the ballpark.  Madison, one of our little girls, got to be a bat girl during the game.

Steve with two of the baseball players.

It was a complete surprise to Steve when they asked him to throw out the first ceremonial pitch.  I took a pic of him warming up his pitching arm.  He loves baseball, so this was a wonderful memory for him.

Picture of him throwing the pitch as it appeared on the electronic board.

It was a great morning and afternoon for Orchard Ridge, and I'm so glad God isn't confined to the four walls of a church building [or in our case a school] where we meet to worship.