Saints-mania is climbing all the way to the steeples. It's not uncommon for area churches to have annual Super Bowl parties, but with the New Orleans Saints playing in this year's big game, some local congregations are changing plans tonight.
Live Oak Community Church on Heyman Lane, which doesn't have a Sunday evening service, is using that time to instead throw a Super Bowl party.
Traditionally, church members got together on Super Bowl Sunday. However, two years ago, the NFL put the crunch on churches whose members gather together to watch the big game on a big screen.
This year, though, the NFL relaxed its rules, as long as churches don't charge an admission fee to their parties.
Laurel Sanders, secretary at Live Oak, said the church's party is back after a two-year absence, and because the Saints are in the Super Bowl, Sanders expects many more people to show up, around 100 or more.
The partygoers, whom she said mostly are Live Oak members, will watch the game on a 12-foot by 12-foot screen in the church's fellowship hall. They're encouraged to bring their own food and drinks and, at halftime, there will be games and prizes.
Saintsmania doesn't begin with tonight's Super Bowl party at the church, however. Sanders expects a congregation full of black and gold at the church's 10:45 a.m. service.
"Everybody's going to wear their Saints clothes and jerseys on Sunday morning," Sanders said.
Alexandria's two biggest Catholic churches are taking different approaches tonight.
The Rev. José A. Robles Sánchez, pastor of St. Frances Cabrini Church, said the church's 6:15 p.m. Mass has been cancelled due to expected low attendance because of the Super Bowl. The church's 4:30 p.m. Saturday Vigil and Sunday Masses at 9 and 11 a.m. still are scheduled.
"Basically, what will happen is Saturday will be a full house and probably Sunday at 11 o'clock will be a full house," Robles Sánchez said.
And while Cabrini isn't planning any Super Bowl celebration, church members prayed for the Saints last weekend and will again this weekend.
"I always tell my people that we don't pray to win," Robles Sánchez said. "We pray that any of our team members not get hurt."
Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church, meanwhile, is pressing on with its 5:30 p.m. Mass.
Friar Daniel O'Connor, the church's pastor, said Mass -- which coincides with the Super Bowl's 5:25 p.m. kickoff -- will continue as scheduled, and afterward the game will be available at the Lifehouse, which is where the church's youths gather.
The game will be shown in its entirety, with youth members who went to other services coming to watch the game from the beginning.
Even though Prompt Succor didn't cancel tonight's service, O'Connor expects a decreased turnout. "I think it'll be quite a bit less (than normal), to be honest with you," he said.
In Pineville, First Baptist Church cancelled its night service for what it's calling its "Super Bowl Outreach" -- where Sunday school classes have small get-togethers outside of the church.
Martha Clement, FBC's music and publications ministry assistant, said the small parties are an annual tradition at the church because they "give people a chance to invite our visitors to be in a more informal setting."
Meanwhile, Kingsville Baptist Church in Ball has bumped its revival service up from 5:30 p.m. to 4 to accommodate the Super Bowl.
Kenneth D. Keathley, a theology professor and dean of graduate studies at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., will begin a four-day revival at the church on Sunday.
Jason Kees, the church's student intern, said the Super Bowl will be shown for youths in the "Big House" after the revival service. Food and drinks will be provided for the students. "We weren't going to do it unless the Saints were in it, so it worked out for us," Kees said.
SOURCE: The Town Talk
Bret H. McCormick | BMCCORMICK@THETOWNTALK.COM
Leave a comment