Vehicles of all sizes receive blessing
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/06/2018 (2890 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Whether it was a car, truck, bike or scooter, all received a blessing from above on Sunday outside St. George’s Anglican Church for the annual Blessing of the Wheels with the Road Rebels Car Club.
The collaborative event is the fifth one hosted by the church and club, where anyone is invited to bring their vehicle in to receive a blessing with holy water.
“I think it’s great,” said Lindsay Rystephanuk, a member of the Road Rebels who had his 1973 Dodge Charger blessed on Sunday.
Rystephanuk has owned the car for nearly 15 years, spending about nine of those years building his dream car and another six driving it on the road.
A mechanic by trade, he said he knows all sorts of things can go wrong when you’re on the highway.
“We do need an outside guidance and sometimes that is missing,” he said. “But for an opportunity as this, to have someone give us the very best in our driving, of course,” that’s reassuring.
Started in 2014, the blessing is meant to give drivers some peace of mind this summer as car shows get underway and families spend more time on the road visiting friends and relatives or simply travelling.
A few car enthusiasts brought their vintage vehicles with them to Sunday’s blessing, which was held in the parking lot across from St. George’s on Fifth Street, while the Brandon Fire and Emergency Services came by with one of its trucks.
A few children were also around with their bikes and scooters, ready to receive their share of the holy water.
The Road Rebels Car Club was started in 2003 and is known for hosting events to fundraise for various community groups.
Dave Burba, president of the Road Rebels, said the idea to host a blessing came about as a way to bring the church and club together.
He said the blessing gives club members a bit of comfort while driving.
“We do quite a bit of miles at times,” he said. “Just that feeling of security … by having our cars blessed.”
Rev. Jonathan Hoskin got involved with the blessing last year when he first arrived in Brandon to serve at St. George’s Church.
Originally from Swift Current, Sask., Hoskin had been exposed to similar events before, including one called a Blessing of Animals, where parishioners have their pets blessed.
“The idea is asking the Lord’s blessing for their travels,” he said.
But even growing up, Hoskin said as a kid, whenever he and his family would travel anywhere by car, if the trip was expected to take longer than an hour his father would pray for them and the vehicle.
“To minister a bit of God’s grace is a real privilege for me.”
» mlee@brandonsun.com
» Twitter: @mtaylorlee