American Christianity is very different from the German Landeskirche model: no church tax, thousands of independent denominations competing for members, churches as social clubs, and religion openly part of public life. The route happens to pass three very different faces of it.
1. Megachurch — Central Church, Henderson (first morning)
Evangelical megachurch on the edge of Las Vegas, thousands of people every weekend: rock band, stage lighting, big screens, coffee bar, a sermon that feels like a TED talk. This is the closest thing to the “American church” stereotype on our route.
- Land on a Saturday, church Sunday morning before driving to Route 66 — jet lag means we’ll be up early anyway.
- Megachurches often have a Saturday evening service too — check.
- Most stream services online; watch one beforehand to know what to expect.
2. Small-town Sunday — Chapel of the Transfiguration (Grand Teton)
If a Sunday lands in Grand Teton: this little 1925 log chapel near Moose is an Episcopal church holding Sunday services in summer; the altar window frames the Grand Teton. Very different from a megachurch: twenty people, hymn books, coffee afterwards.
Services are seasonal — likely none in late autumn/winter. Fallback: any small-town church in Jackson — visitors are always welcomed, often personally.
3. Salt Lake City — the Latter-day Saints (last day)
Salt Lake City was founded by Mormon pioneers in 1847 and is still the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — a uniquely American faith that grew out of 1830s New York revivalism.
- Temple Square — gardens, the Tabernacle (famous acoustics, the organ), the Assembly Hall, visitor centers. The temple itself is only open to church members in good standing; check whether its long renovation is finished.
- Volunteers (often young missionaries, many from abroad) give free tours — they’re friendly and expect questions, happy to answer even skeptical ones.
- Tabernacle Choir — free Thursday evening rehearsals and the Sunday morning live broadcast are open to the public. Worth timing the SLC stop around one of them once dates are set.
- Family history library next door — the world’s largest genealogy archive, free to use. Could look up emigrant ancestors.
Plan: 1–2 h on the afternoon before the flight home.
Other ideas (not on the route)
- Chapel of the Holy Cross, Sedona — Catholic chapel built into red rock cliffs (1956). ~2 h detour from Grand Canyon via Flagstaff; Sedona itself is worth a night, if we ever have a spare day.
- Las Vegas wedding chapels — the Elvis-officiated drive-through kind. Religion-adjacent Americana; fun to look at.
- Christian radio — just tune the car radio anywhere in Utah or Arizona. Preaching, Christian rock and country gospel, for hours.
- Navajo Nation — churches and missions alongside traditional Navajo religion and the Native American Church; a guide in Monument Valley may talk about it if asked respectfully.
Etiquette
- Visitors are welcome at any service. Dress: neat casual is fine almost everywhere; a bit smarter at Temple Square.
- No one expects you to take communion or put money in the plate.
- Expect to be greeted, asked where you’re from — and possibly invited to lunch.