Hemingway churches offer drive through prayer stations in Johnsonville

JOHNSONVILLE, SC (WBTW) – Two Pee Dee area churches are offering a unique prayer service for those short on time, but in need of a spiritual moment.

Reverend Tenny Rupnick from Ebenezer United Methodist Church and Reverend Ernest Frierson from Jeremiah and Mt. Seal United Methodist Churches and their members held a drive through-prayer station in the parking lot of the Old Don Fenters Chevrolet lot across from Wellman Golf Course in Johnsonville, SC on Saturday.

The drive-thru prayer station is a modern twist for an older tradition.

Reverend Ernest Frierson hope the drive-through station will show the community the power of prayer.

“A lot of people are quote on quote “unchurched” and they feel kind of uncomfortable going into a normal church setting,” explained Frierson.

Wearing bright smiles and holding up neon colored signs by the busy street, a dozen members of the local churches offered a novel service to Johnsonville residents.

“We feel like if one person comes through and we pray for them we we’ve done a good thing here,” said Reverend Tenney Rupnick.

“It’s very personal. I say that because everyone even starting with me needs prayer,” added Frierson.

The group is there to show those passing by that someone is there for them. Frierson says he and his volunteers have no agenda and their motivation is just to be there for the community.

“We like to think of it in a bit more detail, it’s about bringing communities together,” said Frierson

The pastors say they wasn’t sure if anyone would make prayer part of their afternoon commute, but in an hour more people rolled through for prayer than they ever expected.

“We had one person come up who’s family was going through a health struggle and that person just let us know right off the back what she needed prayer for, in fact she was going one direction turned around and came through because she really needed that,” explained Rupnick.

Both pastors say the reception they receive from motorists is overwhelmingly positive, as was evidenced by the steady stream of honking horns and waving hands

The group will have another series of drive thru-prayer in parking lot of the old Don Fenters Chevrolet lot across from Wellman Golf Course in Johnsonville on Saturday March 12^th from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Individuals or families in need of prayer may drive through and stay in their cars as they are being ministered to.