EVANSVILLE, Ind. (BP) — Northwoods Church joined others Monday in opening its doors for those wanting to see the last total eclipse to cross the U.S. for another 20 years.
More than 100 people and multiple guests from the community took advantage of the view from the church’s property, said Pastor Bobby Pell.
Northwoods used its association’s trailer with block party supplies to set up snack options like cotton candy, popcorn and snow cones to go with inflatables. Visitors took the opportunity to fish in an adjacent lake while waiting for the eclipse. The church opened its restroom facilities and made 75 pairs of eclipse-watching glasses available.
Pell and the other 150,000 residents of Evansville were told to prepare for around 80,000 visitors due to the eclipse. Northwoods welcomed visitors in church yesterday from Japan and Salt Lake City, Pell said.
About 1 to 4 million Americans were predicted to travel to the path of totality, according to GreatAmericanEclipse.com, with Indiana having the largest number of people living in the path.
“The hotels were all full and so were the campgrounds,” Pell said. “I saw a lot of our people making conversation with others, and that was a win. They were grateful for a family-friendly location to see [the eclipse].”
Nashua Baptist Church in southern New Hampshire was a few hours from totality, but still served as an impromptu gathering spot for those wanting to see the eclipse without fighting the traffic.
“We ended up with about 17-18 people there, with half of them being church members,” said Pastor Stephen Woodard. “Our church is located on a hill and is a good place to view things.”
Some church members brought friends. Two couples who live nearby also showed up. Woodard chatted with them and plans on a follow-up visit soon.
“I’m certain many in our state connect this to areas like pagan worship,” he said of the eclipse. “Our conversation centered our God’s handiwork, though, and the rhythms of our solar system.”
Those at Northwoods Church were certainly impressed by the spectacle, said Pell. While others have described it as a religious or spiritual experience, though, as a pastor he connects it to something deeper.
“It’s an opportunity for me to connect that moment to the fact there is a Creator, and I can point them to Jesus,” he said.
“If they see it as just an experience, that’s a problem. The hope for eternity is not found in the creation. We have that hope in Jesus and what He did for us on the cross, the fact that there is an empty tomb. That changes everything.”
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