Jack Hartley, 87, is a retired naval officer who is married to the love of his life, Jean Ann. The couple lives in Charleston, W. Va., near Calvary Baptist Church, where they were married 62 years ago. Problem is, health issues often keep the Hartleys from attending church on Sundays.
So Calvary Baptist Interim Pastor Archie Snedegar, 76, rolled up to the Hartleys’ home recently in a 1924 Ford Model T with longtime churchgoer and car owner John Cox at his side, the Hartleys say they were thrilled to welcome the duo.
“It was a real nice gesture; I appreciated the visit,” Jack Hartley says, adding that taking a gander at the antique vehicle was an added bonus. “You don’t see those every day, and most of the young people have never seen anything quite like that. It got the whole town talking.”
Snedegar says the Model T ministry is “simply sharing the gospel.”
Launched in the summer, Snedegar says he plans to take the car out as often as possible to visit the sick or elderly, remind folks the 131-year-old church (which averages 65 people on Sundays) is alive and active, and bring smiles to people’s faces.
“They see the Model T Ford pull up, and it’s amazing how their eyes light up and how excited they get,” he says. “It’s a way of reminiscing with some of the older people, sharing their memories.”
