Story Tools

Email this story | Print this story

Indexes

Today's Stories

Last 7 Days

Top Blogs

• Jose Hernandez scheduled to go on his first space mission in August

• Vinewood Community Church hosts bikers at unusual service

• I-5 closed after car crashes into big rig

• Diagnosed with cancer, Lodi man eventually discovers blessings he never imagined

• Man reportedlyassaulted, kidnapped

• Regional Roundup

• Public Meetings

November 19th, 2009

• Logbook

• Water surges in Mokelumne River yield more salmon

• Suspect arrested after hiding in fridge

• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22

• Operation: Christmas

• Corrections

• Sales tax hike yields dividends: 5 new officers join Galt Police

• Chase ends in crash

• Lodi Unified School District board votes to cancel summer school for 2010

• Lodi City Council will consider redevelopment next June

• Galt Joint Union High School Distric hires new superintendent

November 18th, 2009

• Congress allocates money for local water projects

• Lodi man finds wife's ashes during police display of stolen property

• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react

• Regional Roundup

• Galt City Council rejects study on rent stabilization

• Paranormal group conducts second investigation of building

November 17th, 2009

• Lodi Budget and Finance Committee to look into ways to save money on employee benefits

• Redevelopment to be discussed by Lodi City Council again

• Paying tribute to a Lodian

• Regional Roundup

• Court reinstates death penalty for killer of Lodi grad

• Clements gets free water rescue boat

• Clarification

• Decision on summer school expected at tonight's Lodi Unified School District meeting

November 16th, 2009

• Sierra Adventure store to close after four years in Downtown Lodi

• Regional Roundup

• Correction

• Lodi's First Sip event showcases area wineries' latest vintages

• City Council 'triple-dog dared' to ditch cars, use Lodi buses

• Three members of Lodi-area family fall ill after eating poisonous mushrooms they reportedly found at Lodi Lake

• Public Meetings

November 14th, 2009

• Regional Roundup

• Despite an increase in homeless students, school districts look to bolster enrollment, raise revenue

• A first look at 2009 vintages at Lodi's First Sip wine-tasting event

• Watchful neighbor in Lodi helped bust suspected burglars

• New Galt city manager juggles job, family

• Galt school district narrows superintendent search to one

• Despite budget cuts, some Lodi Unified School District salaries continue to rise

November 13th, 2009

• What to expect with new homebuyer tax credit

• Lodi Muslim: Local mosque not involved

• Regional Roundup

• Burglary suspects are under arrest

• Lodi veteran recounts close calls in Vietnam

• Mayor Larry Hansen points out Lodi's economic progress

• First phase of Lockeford park by 2011?

November 12th, 2009

• Logbook

• Correction

• Robotics team at Jim Elliot invited to compete in Israel

• City of Lodi begins annual leaf removal program Monday

• Liberty Ranch construction at standstill as state pulls funds

• Will Lodi adopt a program that will allow volunteers to work at parks?

• With song and speech, veterans are recognized in Lodi

• 20 years later, Acampo man remembers the fall of the Berlin Wall

The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.

• The country's mess is our fault (130)
• Obama is not a moderate (129)
• Lodi Muslim: Local mosque not involved (94)
• Sarah Palin's book hits the shelves: Locals react (60)
• Despite budget cuts, some Lodi Unified School District salaries continue to rise (49)
• Lodi City Council plans to cap number of taco trucks at 22 (45)
• Lodi Flames slim playoff chances vanish in setback to Tracy Bulldogs (25)
• Tokay in, traveling to unbeaten No. 3 Grant for football playoffs (25)
• The haves should help the have-nots (25)
• Tokay Tigers blow late 27-point lead in loss to Wolf Pack (22)

ADVERTISEMENT

Vinewood Community Church hosts bikers at unusual service

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.

"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.