Plano church car show draws hundreds, sparks gospel conversations

Hundreds of gleaming cars filled the parking lot at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints meetinghouse at 6545 West Plano Parkway, where a monthly gathering has turned a suburban church campus into a social hub as much as a worship site.

Cars and Christ began two years ago with a couple dozen vehicles. It now draws 200 to 300 cars on the first Saturday of each month, usually from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., giving Plano drivers, visitors and church members a reason to linger, talk and compare builds in Collin County.

The show has also become a food drive. Participants are asked to bring two canned food items for Metrocrest Services, and church reporting says some events have collected as much as 500 pounds of food. That mix of car culture and direct aid has helped broaden the event’s appeal beyond members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Church leaders say the goal is not only to fill a parking lot but to support missionary efforts and help the community better know the church. The event is promoted on ParkUpFront and through social media, and it has drawn people who come for the cars first and stay for conversation. Missionaries and volunteers move through the rows, talking with visitors about engines, restorations and, often, Jesus Christ.

The setting has mattered. Held at the Carrollton Texas Stake building in Plano, the event gives people a familiar, low-pressure space to talk with church members without the formality that can come with a Sunday service or a scheduled meeting. Organizers say some attendees prefer it to other car meets because it feels welcoming.

Names tied to the gathering include President Jonathan Ord, Charlie Riska, Bryce Ardis and Kandyce McCracken, part of the network of members and volunteers who have helped the monthly show grow from a small local meetup into a recurring community event. In Plano, a hobby that starts with polished chrome and engine bays has become a place where neighbors trade stories, share canned goods and leave with a better sense of who lives next door.