James Emig of Wrightsville has been riding motorcycles since he was 16 years old. Emig, callsign "Uncle Jimmy," began hosting Wednesday night dinner rides in April of this year to create an environment for riders to make connections with each other. Each Wednesday night at 6 p.m., Emig and his wife, Mindi, meet at the Rutter's in Mountville, with an open invitation to anyone who wishes to join them. The group rides for 45 minutes to a destination where participants share dinner together.

"My wife and I were thinking about how we're strong believers in creating good surroundings," said Emig. "Some people like to do it to have a date night once a week and others to be surrounded by friends or just to have a regular faith-based outing. The response we've received has been awesome and it's become important to a lot of people." James and Mindi are members of Victory Church in Lancaster and were inspired by the monthly meeting of the Victory Riders, but wanted to host something more frequent. The dinner rides average eight to 15 riders each week, and the Emigs plan to continue the tradition next year.

The ride is affiliated with Bikers For Christ, a motorcycle ministry that James joined seven years ago and that Mindi joined three years later. James now serves as the elder for the tri-state chapter, which covers eastern Pennsylvania, northern Delaware and New Jersey. The organization focuses on Christian ministry through motorcycle riding and events and has chapters in every state as well as 21 other countries. "I was first introduced to the ministry 12 years ago, and I felt like my calling was secured," James said. "We attend motorcycle rallies and events. Our mission is to serve the culture and be a vessel for Christ, and I've seen so many lives changed through the ministry for the better." As the tri-state chapter elder, James communicates with his chapter on a weekly basis and organizes events such as the dinner ride. "Anyone is invited to join the ride. It doesn't matter what you ride; it's that you ride," added James.

Bikers For Christ was founded in California over 30 years ago to provide a Christian ministry for motorcyclists. The group has grown in size and ambition over the years, now including thousands of members across several chapters. It is considered one of the largest motorcycle ministries in the world. Bikers For Christ sponsors events to raise money for underprivileged communities, those with disabilities and veterans.

For more information on Bikers For Christ and the tri-state chapter, search for "BFC Tri-State Chapter" on Facebook.