NEWS FEATURE: It’s Summertime _ Let’s Go Down to the Water to Pray

c. 2004 Religion News Service BIRMINGHAM, Ala. _ The old hymn “Shall We Gather at the River” has fresh meaning on a gorgeous Sunday morning at Alabama’s waterfront churches and chapels. Across the state, the popular boat-accessible places of worship attract sheep who might otherwise choose all-day recreation. The Church in the Pines on Lake […]

c. 2004 Religion News Service

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. _ The old hymn “Shall We Gather at the River” has fresh meaning on a gorgeous Sunday morning at Alabama’s waterfront churches and chapels.

Across the state, the popular boat-accessible places of worship attract sheep who might otherwise choose all-day recreation.


The Church in the Pines on Lake Martin draws 500 to 600 people most Sundays and has crowds that swell above 1,000 on the Memorial Day, Labor Day and Fourth of July holidays. Chapel in the Pines on Lake Logan Martin drew 240 on a recent Sunday morning.

The Rev. Sherri Reynolds, associate pastor of the First United Methodist Church of Pell City, which oversees Chapel in the Pines, says the reason for its being is simple: “We think the church draws a lot of people that might otherwise choose a day on the lake over church.”

Church in the Pines is operated by Children’s Harbor, a nonprofit organization that offers services to the parents of ill children and also has a facility across the street from Birmingham’s Children’s Hospital. Offerings from the church are donated to that organization.

“Lakeside living has become a way of life in Alabama,” said Jim Ray, the director of Children’s Harbor. “I am always surprised by the number of people who are visiting Lake Martin for just one weekend who take the time to worship. One of the things they build into their plans is to go to church.”

Alabama’s lakeside churches are by no means a fad. Church in the Pines has been in existence for 51 years. Chapel in the Pines will celebrate its 40th anniversary next spring. Others also have been around for decades.

The lakeside churches scattered across the state are similar in makeup and operation, with most being outside facilities on the banks of lakes. All have boat docks or beaches to accommodate those who come by boat as well as parking lots for lakeside homeowners who come by car.

Almost all are nondenominational and are typically open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. All are served by visiting pastors and musicians. All also feature casual dress.


On a recent Sunday, those attending the Chapel in the Pines in the shadow of Pine Harbor Marina arrived via ski boats, pontoon boats and even a Jet Ski. Sometimes attendees arrive in golf carts with their clubs in tow.

“We get people who have 9:30 tee times,” laughed Myrt Pfannkuche, who owns a home on Lake Logan Martin and has attended services at Chapel in the Pines for two decades. “We get a lot of people out of Birmingham who have homes on Lake Logan Martin who want to go to church but don’t want to drive back home to Birmingham to go to church.”

Chapel in the Pines is nondenominational. “We have pastors from Methodist, Baptist, Catholic and Episcopal churches,” she said. “I think we have every church in Pell City represented.”

Allen Montgomery, chaplain of HealthSouth Medical Center in Birmingham, attended the first service at the lakeside church in 1965 and is a regular attendee now that he owns a home on Lake Logan Martin.

“It’s a beautiful service on the banks of the lake like this,” he said. “I think the church draws a number of people who might not go to church if this weren’t here.”

Chapel in the Pines is just a few hundred feet off the bank of Lake Logan Martin and is nestled in a pine thicket. The pews are made of weathered treated lumber, and each attendee is offered a square of carpet to sit on to keep his clothes clean. Many attend wearing shorts, T-shirts and sneakers.


Reynolds said that when the boating and chapel season ends, a third of the parishioners go to First United Methodist Church in Pell City, a third go to other churches in the area and about a third will return to their home churches where they live.

Church offerings are donated to charities in the Pell City area.

“We keep out enough to pay a small power bill and to keep the grass cut,” Reynolds said.

DEA/PH END BOLTON

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