Drive-In theatre style church services turned out great Easter Sunday so Reverend Robert Wilson will continue to host Sunday services each week at 10:45 at the First Baptist Church in Yancey.
Sunrise services were hosted on Easter Sunday, the first drive-in style they hosted, at 7:00 am.
“The sun rose Easter Sunday behind the church as we hosted Easter Sunday services,” said Reverend Wilson.
“We had about 20 cars, and estimated 40 people, enjoy the services from the comfort of their own vehicles. It turned out very nice so we decided to continue the drive-in style Sunday services while we are in quarantine. People from all different denominations joined us. It was great to see them.”
Wilson missed not having a service the first Sunday that the COVID-19 quarantine started. “I really missed not having a service and it just didn’t feel right, I felt guilty. So the board and I decided to try the drive-in style on Easter Sunday and I was very happy to do so. It went well so we will continue the drive-in style every Sunday at 10:45”.
In talking with Reverend Wilson, 77, I learned he has been leading the Yancey First Baptist Church for 3 years, but has experienced a lot of changes over the years and in fact was a circuit riding preacher back in the day. “I used to ride a horse during the circuit riding days based out of Axtell, east of Waco. I loved it.”
It made me smile and think back upon my own family history, as my great-grandfather William Lafayette DuBose was also a circuit riding Baptist preacher but he used a horse and buggy, based out of First Baptist Church in Devine. And as the story goes, he eventually traded his brand new buggy and horse for The Devine News, to a man who went around starting newspapers throughout the country. The Devine News was only 6 months old at the time, established April 17, 1897. My grandpa Charlie Paine DuBose used to tell me stories about how he had to ride with father to the various churches every Sunday on the horse and buggy circuit riding, so therefore in his 80s he didn’t have to go to church any more as he had been to plenty but he still tithed. (In all honesty he couldn’t hear anyways due to running presses most of his life and his time on a ship in the Navy.) He did continue to support the churches and would say, “I send the Baptist and the Methodist money every Sunday, as Grandma (Kathleen) is a Methodist and we raised our children in the Methodist Church.” Grandma and Grandpa lived next door to both churches in Devine, in the big beautiful home now owned by the Walls. Great-Grandpa W.L. DuBose married many many people in office at the newspaper during his lifetime.
Every Sunday in Yancey you will be able to find Reverend Wilson out on the lawn of the First Baptist Church at 10:45 for services with prayers, sermon, and music. A loud speaker is used so everyone can hear from the comfort of their vehicles. Those attending must stay in their cars in observance of the social distancing rules.
The church is located off of FM 462 on Church Street in Yancey Texas, 78886. Just turn at the Post Office (only one way to turn), and you will see all the churches down the road, less than a mile.
By Kathleen Calame
Publisher, The Devine News