If you’re heading to Barren River Lake for Memorial Day weekend but hate to miss church while you’re gone, don’t worry. The Lakeside Experience Church brings the service right to the lake each Sunday during the summer, beginning this weekend.

“We have music, and we have preaching, and we have a pretty good time,” said Steve Ayers, pastor of Hillvue Heights Church and one of those who share the preaching duties.

Ayers explained that the idea of having church on the lake began about four years ago when some people who went to the lake on a regular basis got together and talked about having a service there.

“My kids grew up on the lake,” said Ayers, who has a boat and enjoys spending time there himself. “And a lot of people live at the lake during the weekends in the summer.”

The Lakeside Experience Church actually meets right on the lake at Barren River Lake State Resort Park in Lucas. The preacher and musicians are on the shore and a sound system is set up on a houseboat. People come from the lodge and campground to enjoy service on the shore, while many just bring their boats up close and take part in the service from the water.

“It’s really evolved to be a whole lot of fun,” said Andy Barker, who helps organize the lake church meetings. Barker said they’ve had as many as 250 people at a service, and at times there are 20 to 30 boats at the service.

“We’re lake lovers and obviously we’re lovers of Christ,” Barker said. “We were looking for another way to introduce people to Christ.”

The church meets at 9:45 a.m. each Sunday right behind the lodge from Memorial Day through Labor Day. It has a Facebook page under The Lakeside Experience Church.

Ayers said he usually preaches on the holiday weekends and other local pastors share the preaching duties on the other weeks.

Barker said the atmosphere at the services is friendly and welcoming, and the baptisms, which take place in the lake, are a neat experience.

“It’s been really cool,” Barker said.

“When churches come together, a lot of wonderful things can happen,” Ayers said.