A man on vacation wakes up Sunday morning and wants an omelette and a beer. The Flora-Bama is just down the street — why not?

He makes his way to the world-famous bar and orders his omelette. He hears music. Live music on a Sunday morning? Beer in hand, he wanders over to the tent out back to check it out.

A woman wraps him in a big hug and ushers him in — suddenly, he's at church for the first time since he was a kid.

This is the kind of scenario the leaders of Worship at the Water, an outreach ministry of Perdido Bay United Methodist Church, get excited about.

Worship at the Water began July 4, 2011, and it consistently draws almost 500 people every Sunday. On Easter, more than 2,400 people attended the service. People from all over the world have visited, from as far as Mozambique, Australia and the Netherlands.

“It is an open service. It's a judgment-free zone, and there are no walls. That's the way church should be,” said John McInnis, owner of the Flora-Bama and supporter of Worship at the Water. “It was a much needed thing in this community. What has truly touched all of us is seeing a majority of the people in this service being in church for the first time or the first time in a long time.”

The service is an hour long and features honky-tonk music and a short sermon given by pastor and former military chaplain Jeremy Mount.

Worship at the Water has received national publicity, and the hot topic is that alcohol is allowed in the service.

But Donna Mason-Smith, a leader of the ministry, said allowing alcohol is not the focus, nor is it common for people to drink during the service. The Flora-Bama serves alcohol and the church is located in the bar — no one is trying to change the nature of the location, Mason-Smith said.

“Part of what the service is all about is that we are welcoming to everybody, and if some people feel comfortable here because they can drink, that's fine,” said Cameron Price, general manager of the Flora-Bama. “The bar was there in the beginning, and this came into the bar.”

Worship at the Water also hosts Sunday school before the 11 a.m. service, a Bible study on Wednesday nights from 6 to 7 p.m. under the tent and encourages people to get involved in ministry opportunities like the “Grace Room,” which serves Flora-Bama employees during the grueling Mullet Toss weekend. Worship at the Water volunteers provide water, sandwiches, fruit and other supplies to employees working long hours.

“A lot of our employees are joining this service because they're seeing selfless people caring for them, and they want to feel that same joy they see in these servants and volunteers,” McInnis said.

The goal of the ministry is to give people an opportunity to meet God in a place where they feel comfortable — and many people have done just that.

“It's the most special thing I've ever been a part of in my life,” McInnis said. “It's a wonderful thing, and it's a real deal. It's brought down a lot of barriers. We believe you can change the world — one person at a time.”