So I want to tell you the first couple of chapters of a story. This story is still being written but there is the opportunity for other characters and plot lines that could involve you or someone you know. So read on!
The story starts with Vaughn. Vaughn has been a Christ follower for forty years and attends Whitby Free Methodist Church. Vaughn is a handy man by gifting. Over the years he has put his gifting to good use by helping churches and other Christian organizations including Durham Outlook for the Needy, Gate 3:16 in Oshawa, ON and Teen Challenge in Aurora, ON. This has involved working alone or as part of a team to do general fix up type things. This is part of the story.
For some of Vaughn’s Christian journey, he has felt alone. He can point to specific times where it would have been helpful to have another guy to talk to about stuff. Times where it would have been good to be affirmed in who God created him to be. There are a number of reasons as to why that has been missing at certain points in Vaughn’s life. And the point here isn’t to lay blame. But the idea of men doing ministry together in order to serve and build relationships is an idea that moves Vaughn. So this is part of the story.
Vaughn is recently retired and he wants to keep busy doing something for the Kingdom. He’s not an “up front” type guy but he enjoys working behind the scenes to help ministry happen. And he doesn’t think retirement means that he is done being busy. He has seen a few too many people opt out of church involvement after a certain age, and he doesn’t think that’s right. You got it – the third part of the story.
Vaughn learned about Tool Belt United in Jackson Florida. This group of guys (mostly retired) who would make themselves and their skills available to help churches with building and maintenance projects. Vaughn knows from experience that things don’t get done because there aren’t enough people to do it and not enough money to pay for it. That’s where a team of handyman type guys who could partner with a church to get a project done. Now, they don’t want to be contractors or anything like that. And ideally they would work alongside people already in the church. But Vaughn’s hope is that a ministry like this would provide space for men to encourage each other and a space for retired guys to serve in a way that makes a difference.
For Vaughn this is still in the idea phase. He still has to figure out how much and how far he wants to travel. He has a couple of other guys interested. This is the part of the story where you come in. Vaughn wants to get the word out to see if anyone else would be interested in joining a group like this and to see if there is a need for this type of ministry.
Now you may ask – why tell a story that isn’t really a full story? Well for one, to help Vaughn out. If you want to know more about this idea or you want to see if he can help you click here to send Vaughn an email.
It will also be cool to see what else this story stirs up. As you think about Vaughn’s story, prayerfully ask yourself, “What is God calling me to do? What idea would God stir in me for service for His Kingdom sake?”
This story could have multiple amazing endings. Want to help write one?
Marc McAlister
Director of Church Health, FMCIC
