A Valuable Icebreaker

Valter Andrade, pastor of Chesapeake Conference’s South Carroll church in Westminster, Md., has utilized his love of cars to attract new visitors. The church organized a series of engine-building workshops over three consecutive Sundays in April, using the pastor’s 1987 Chevy C10 as the focal point. With each session dedicated to a specific phase of engine construction, the event attracted both car enthusiasts and curious neighbors.

Each session saw an average of 20–30 participants, with approximately 15 visitors from the community over the three weekends.

Andrade believes that events like this provide a valuable ice-breaker for people who may not typically engage with the church. “If I have these other interests, then other people probably do as well, and I can use it to connect with them and build a relationship,” he says.