I get really excited about anything you can drive through– movie theatres, restaurants, car washes, trees– it just feels very old school Americana, when the country’s love affair with the automobile was in full swing. Today I found these photographs of a drive-in church in St. Petersburg, Florida circa 1947 for a feature in LIFE magazine that never got published. They’re definitely lacking some popcorn, maybe a few roller-skating preachers delivering the altar bread, but all in all, I think the idea gives some spice to a Sunday service. I believe St. Petersburg still has a drive-in church today, but without the impressive line-up of classic cars, I can imagine it doesn’t quite have the same charm…

Full photo story by Sam Shere found in the Life Archives