As rector of St. James, Ormond Beach, The Rev. Roy Allison shares his faith on a regular basis. But his second identity as “the Jeep Priest” allows him to have fun while carrying the love of Christ to those he might never otherwise encounter.
“I get to engage with a whole new group of friends,” he said. “The conversations I have will usually lead to prayer if they stay at my Jeep long enough.”
“E-Manual,” the Jeep that started it all
“This all started when my wife and I bought our stock 2018 Jeep Wrangler Sahara JK,” Allison explained. “I found one with a manual transmission, and thus my Jeep’s name is ‘E-Manual.’ I have the words ‘Jeep Priest’ in large letters across my windshield, with the Christian fish symbols on either side.”
Allison found additional ways to accessorize his purchase, adding a three-foot lift kit, new 35-inch wheels and tires, halo headlights and fog lights that can change colors and dance to music, gravel lights underneath that do the same, a new bumper and winch, LED taillights and spare tire lights, and a new air induction system.
“My latest addition is a genuine train horn,” Allison said.
He and his wife, The Rev. Marcia Allison, who serves as a deacon at St. James, enjoy being part of the “jamily.” They are members of both the Waves Jeep Club and the Daytona Beach Jeep Club and travel with their fellow Jeep-lovers at least twice a month.
“We take trail rides, do charity runs, attend events and always look for ways to raise money for charity,” Allison said. He tries to meet as many people as possible at these gatherings.
“People meet me at events, see me all over town and say, ‘Hey, you’re the Jeep Priest,'” he said. “I meet people from all walks of life, different denominations and faiths, the lapsed and lost, the spiritual but not religious, and those of no specific faith or religious belief. It is a fun and unique opportunity to witness to my faith in Jesus Christ as the Jeep Priest.”
Among his Jeep Priest duties, Allison prays with people, blesses Jeeps and participates in official invocations. “I meet people where they are, and sometimes it’s a tough spot in life where I help pray them through it,” he explained. “Sometimes they’re stuck in sand or mud, and I use my winch to pull them out of it.”
Allison delivers the invocation to kick off Jeep Beach 2022.
One of his favorite charity events is Jeep Beach, an annual gathering in April at the Daytona International Speedway. One of the largest Jeep-only events in the country, it draws Jeep owners from all 50 states and 26 countries. Jeep enthusiasts come to check out the industry’s newest products from over 200 vendors and attend other local events that Jeep Beach hosts throughout the week. Proceeds from these events go to over 30 charities in Central Florida.
“I delivered the invocation at the Jeep Beach Charity Softball Game at Jackie Robinson Stadium to kick off Jeep Beach 2022,” Allison said.
It’s always fun to watch people’s faces as he exits his Jeep and they realize he is a priest, he added. “It’s a great conversation starter and allows a casual yet intentional way for me to engage the world around me with my faith and my calling to make disciples both inside and outside the church walls.”