Motorcycle riders flock to Little Brown Church for bike blessing service

Members of ABATE start fun run in Nashua

By Kelly Terpstra, sports@nhtrib.com

Motorcycle riders from near and far parked across the highway from one of the most well known landmarks in Chickasaw County – there to attend a special Sunday worship service at the Little Brown Church.

They came with an important message – and heard one, as well.

“The main goal is everybody being safe, of course,” said Dustin Swagel of Charles City, District 17 coordinator of ABATE (A Brotherhood Aimed Toward Education). “It brings awareness to share the road with the bikers. People don’t notice bikes because they’re so much smaller than a car.”

April in Iowa often signals the start to the riding season, and May is Motorcycle Awareness Month.

So it seemed appropriate that Little Brown Church Pastor Drew McHolm, himself a decades-long lover of motorcycles, would bless the bikes before they headed off on the start of a “fun run” journey to Gunder in Clayton County.

McHolm was sporting a biker vest with various patches stitched on to the well-worn denim, and he called the event the first annual “Biker Sunday” at the LBC.

The blessing came after the congregation sang, then listened to McHolm’s sermon.

“It’s not about how fast you’re going – it’s the direction you’re taking, the road you’re following,” McHolm said to a standing-room only group of congregation members and visitors.

The Scottish minister said he’s considering setting up tents next year with music being played and stories being shared, akin to the popular and long-standing Marriage Reunion the church holds every summer where couples renew their vows.

Motorcycle blessings have been held in other places before. The Nashua event got started after ABATE members Kenton and Zenda Vikturek and other motorcycling members of the church ran it past McHolm.

The pastor didn’t hesitate.

“I really appreciate the groups coming. I was blessed to hear them and share what they stand for,” said McHolm, who along with his wife, Jesse, moved to Nashua from Austin, Texas, in August 2018.

Dustun Swagel’s wife, Amy Swagel, the events coordinator for ABATE, said members of the non-profit organization come from all walks of life.

“We are an organization made up of a million different kinds of people,” she said.

Shortly before the Swagles and Rod Silber, District 17’s assistant coordinator, entered the church, they looked back across the road at the long row of parked motorcycles and three-wheel motorcycles.

“I’m almost in tears. This is awesome, guys,” said Amy.

ABATE was formed in 1987 and helps educate drivers about sharing the road with motorcycles, provides motorcycle rider education and lobbies for motorcyclists’ interests.

Dustin Swagle said he had just attended a class called “Two Wheel Trauma” on Saturday.

Silber, who lives in Nashua, said, “The blessing of the bikes is very important to a lot of riders because they’re geared up for the season of riding. So they want their bikes blessed and themselves blessed so they can have a safe riding season to enjoy fellowship.”

Another motorcycle group also attended McHolm’s sermon on Sunday and members said they were bikers against child abuse, from Minnesota. The small group received a standing ovation from the congregation.

McMolm tried to fire up his own motorcycle before Sunday’s service got underway, but to no avail. It didn’t help matters that the pastor is recovering from knee surgery.

“It’s broke,” said McHolm of his motorcycle.

Regardless of what you’re driving, you’ve got to keep on the right road, McHolm said.

“There’s a big wide one and there’s a narrow one,” said McHolm, who is a member of the Christian Motorcyclist Association.

“It doesn’t matter if you drive 190 miles-an-hour,” he said. “You’re never going to get there if you’re on the wrong road.”