TERRE HAUTE —
Inside Maryland Community Church Sunday evening, it seemed downright un-patriotic to pray for anyone but the Giants.
The church served as one of many sites for Super Bowl parties throughout the Wabash Valley, hosting football fans who opted against traveling to Indianapolis for the show. Throughout the day, officials estimated more than 1 million people had gone through the state’s capital for its first Super Bowl experience. Meanwhile, the television audience was expected to exceed 100 million.
And Nate Brown said he was happy to be among the latter.
“It’s much better than being in Indy,” Brown said inside the church, where about 50 members gathered for meatballs, crackers and dip.
Brown’s wife, Rachel, is a second-cousin to New York Giants kicker Steve Weatherford. With their 17-month old daughter, Abilene, perched at a table, the couple said they’re regulars at the church’s annual Super Bowl parties, avoiding the crowds and chaos.
Dan Gisel, director of connections for the church, said this marked the first year for the group to have a Super Bowl party unattached to a regular service. Typically the church goes straight from Sunday evening worship to football party, but this year the emphasis is on connections within its own community.
“Community is one of our core principles,” he said, explaining the church is a community of Christians, and as such its members wanted to spend time socializing, learning about one another. With 1,250 members, events such as the one Sunday night give the body’s individuals a chance to meet each other more closely, he said.
Colts fan Mark Matson said he was siding with the Giants against the New England Patriots, long-time American Football Conference rivals of the Indianapolis team.
“Rooting for Peyton’s little brother. Gotta support the Giants,” he said, referencing New York’s quarterback, Eli Manning.
While a formal prayer was not invoked, all involved deemed it appropriate to pray about football.
“People pray for lots of things,” Gisel said. “If they want to pray for the Super Bowl, it’s OK with me.”
Brown agreed, pointing out the Bible is filled with prayers about wars and battle. Seeking help from God on behalf of his wife’s cousin couldn’t be too far off-sides.
“It’s always appropriate to pray for teams and people,” he said.
Meanwhile, Cindy Hutchinson and her daughter stayed home Sunday evening. Choosing to watch the game on their own television set. After 30 years of hosting large-scale Super Bowl parties, Hutchinson said she decided to take her son, Ben, up to Indianapolis Saturday to check out the action live.
“It was awesome. It was a great experience,” she said of the citywide festivities surrounding the game. From seeing the Super Bowl trophy on display, to attending concerts, Hutchinson said the mother-son day was one well spent. Sunday would be for her daughter.
But her enthusiasm wasn’t negated by staying home that evening, and the Colts fan said she’d made some quick alterations to her Indianapolis jersey to honor Giants quarterback Eli Manning.
“Giants all the way,” she said.
Brian Boyce can be reached at 812-231-4253 or brian.boyce@tribstar.com.
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