While in the Peace Corps in the Philippines, several volunteers and I were traveling in a remote area. We all happened to be Catholic. We met a young american priest who was serving the area. We went to the local volunteer’s house that evening and the priest joined us to say mass. We set up a table, he sat on one side with a loaf of bread and his chalice for wine. He said mass, consecrated the bread and wine, and served communion with it. It was probably as close to how the original christian communities celebrated their services as we could ever get. It was a very special experience.
During Peace Corps training, we were in the mountains in California. We attended a lovely little church in the Sierra’s that could seat maybe 50 and had a gorgeous mountain view in every direction. The priest covered several parishes in the area, saying mass at 3 or 4 different churches each Sunday (can’t remember exact numbers, it was 1967). Each church was 40 to 50 miles from the other. The priest mentioned the wear and tear on his poor tires. The volunteers stood at the door after mass and collected enough money to replace at least a couple of them.

And I’m with you in feeling that outdoor services can draw us closer to our Creator.

Pat – what a wonderful way to honor the memories of friends and loved ones who have passed on. It sounds like a verry special place.

What an interesting blog! I’d never heard of chapel cars. I can see what a vital role they would’ve played since a lot of the early towns didn’t have a church until much later. I’m sure the women really appreciated having a place of any sort in which to worship. And people in need of a minister’s services would’ve certainly welcomed them.

The place that was most memorable to me was a tent revival that used to be quite common. I remember the open air and the low lighting of those. Made me feel closer to God in some ways. It was more intimate somehow.