Vinewood Community Church hosts bikers at unusual service

Ralph Wetmore, left, Ron Spencer, center, and Rich Hardesty admire some of the 17 motorcycles parked at Vinewood Community Church during the second annual Biker Sunday. Bikers came to Vinewood to attend Sunday's service and then bike into the Delta for lunch with Associater Pastor Kevin Suess. (Ross Farrow/News-Sentinel)

Vinewood Community Church hosts bikers at unusual service

By Ross Farrow
News-Sentinel Staff Writer

Monday, June 29, 2009 6:43 AM PDT

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Vinewood Community Church turned into a biker heaven, with 17 motorcycles adorning the courtyard and rough-and-tumble-looking bikers dropping by for Sunday's service.

And the man giving the sermon, Associate Pastor Kevin Suess, was dressed in rather unusual church garb. He wore a short-sleeved denim outfit over a red T-shirt, mainly because he joined the bikers for a ride to the Delta after church.

Suess, chaplain of the Lodi chapter of the Christian Motorcycle Association, invited his comrades to the second annual Biker Sunday at the church at Vine Street and Mills Avenue.

The church's courtyard was filled with motorcycles and their owners until they went inside for the 9:30 a.m. service.

"Last year, I was shocked," said Charlotte Seibel, of Lodi, who has attended Vinewood her entire life. "I just didn't expect this at church — our church."

But this year, Seibel got used to the idea of seeing bearded, tattooed bikers at Vinewood.

Kevin Woods, who heads the Christian Motorcycle Association's Lodi chapter, said his group preaches the Lord at places ranging from nursing homes to Hell's Angels rallies.

Christian Motorcycle Association at a glance

The worldwide ministry group combines its love for riding their favorite vehicles and Jesus Christ. They're dedicated to preaching Christianity to motorcyclists whose interest may be limited to their bikes.

Members are required to model a Christ-like attitude and behavior, follow biblical standards in their actions and complete a ministry team training program.

CMA has several kinds of ministry teams, including prisons, music and secular and CMA events and working with children, teens or women.

For more information, call (870) 389-6196 or visit www.cmausa.org.

Source: Christian Motorcycle Association

"What would Jesus do?" Woods said before the service. "He would go to a Hell's Angels rally."

During the service, Suess asked Woods to tell worshippers about the Redwood Run that Woods attended last week.

The event was held on private property in the Redwoods, where people not affiliated with the motorcycle association did some admittedly illegal and immoral things.

"It's pretty much like Sodom and Gomorrah there," Woods said.

But Woods sets up a booth to preach Jesus at the annual event. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't, he said.

Suess tailored his sermon to how clean-cut non-bikers aren't all that different from bikers.

Christian bikers put their heart and soul into an inspirational song during Sunday's service at Vinewood Community Church in Lodi. (Ross Farrow/News-Sentinel)

"We know that motorcycling is dangerous," Suess said. "The reality is so is life. Life is full of hazards and dangers."

Take Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett, for example.

"He had everything money can buy, and he drops dead — just like that," Suess said of Jackson.

And while a biker can be in danger dealing with larger vehicles on the road, one can face cancer like Fawcett did, or lose their savings due to the economy, Suess said.

"Well, it's an unusual gathering at this location," Lodi resident Ralph Wetmore said while gazing at the motorcycles before the service. "It's good. Probably some of them might not go to church."

Contact reporter Ross Farrow at rossf@lodinews.com.