Summer 2008, No. 3 - United Methodist Men

CARY, N.C.––100 Men of InfluenceIn 2002, Deven Spear asked the Rev. William H.Green, associate pastor of First UMC, how hecould make a difference in the church. “What Isaw next was truly of God,” said Green. Spearassumed a leadership role in the church, madea $10,000 contribution to the church, and engagedin the daily discipline of prayer and Biblestudy. “What if we had a 100 men like Devenat our church?” Green asked himself. He beganan effort to recruit men who wanted to make adifference for Christ. “I didn’t get 100 men, butI did get 85,” said Green. These men were thenorganized into 13 small groups. The groupssponsored a “No Man Left behind” conferenceand several “Man in the Mirror” seminars.Asked what he will do when he gets 100 men,Green said, “Go get another 100.”paused for a Super Bowl tailgate party, andin mid-March they met with Larry Malone, astaff executive with the General Commissionon UM Men, for “Flight Quest.” Malone, aformer Navy pilot in Viet Nam, led the men ona three-day retreat at Camp Sumatanga. Hewas joined by Ed Bruce, singer and composer of“Mama, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to beCowboys.”GRAND RAPIDS, Minn. —Boy Scouts raise $200 forKatrina reliefBoy Scout Troop 41 of Grand Rapids UMCraised $200 to help Boy Scout troops that lostDOUGLASVILL, Ga.––Men pull pigs and replace floorsMen of New Covenant UMC hold a fall “Pig-pull”for some 200 people at a local farm. Participantsenjoy barbecue pork, hayrides and music. Themen also hold a pumpkin sale each fall to supportcommunity outreach programs and they smokeThanksgiving turkeys for needy families. NewCovenant men replaced trusses and flooring fora family whose sink had fallen through a rottedkitchen floor. The men’s organization began whenmen on a mission trip in central Mexico drew up alist of men who might be interesting in forming aUM Men organization.BURGOON, Ohio ––A football field of quarters for thehungryThe Rev. Chuck Albright, pastor of BurgoonUMC, scotched taped a yard of quarters togetherand hung it from his pulpit. He said the 36quarters would be used to feed the hungry, andhe challenged the 71-member congregation tobring in 99 more yards to score “a touchdownto feed God’s hungry.” Burgoon membersresponded, and $900 was split between theSociety of St. Andrew’s Meals for Millions andthe Hunger Network in Ohio.Yard lines on a football field replica marked theprogress of Burgoon UMC members as theycollected quarters for the hungry.DECATUR, Ga.––200 hams serve 5,000For 46 years UM Men of Oak Grove UMC haveheld an October barbecue where volunteerscook over 200 hams and 400 gallons of stew.Last fall, the men served 5,378 meals andraised over $23,000 for community outreachprograms.Two hundred North Carolina men gather inCary for an introduction to Letters from Dad.ANNAPOLIS, Md.––Sixty men deliver 50 pound bagsof potatoesIn December, 60 UM men of the AnnapolisDistrict secured 30 trucks to deliver 50 poundbags of potatoes to 4,000 families. Each bag ofpotatoes included a note, saying: “Our hearts,our minds, and our doors are always open.––The people of the United Methodist Church.”ATHENS, Ala.––Men take flightBeginning in January, two groups of men ofFriendship UMC gathered to study I Peter. Theyequipment and camps during Hurricane Katrina.The troop sold chili and popcorn and presentedthe check on Scout Sunday last year.NORMAN, Okla.—Strength for Service books givenin 1943 and 2008On Aug. 11, 1943, a unit of the Salvation ArmyUSO presented Marine Sergeant Loren Sanderswith a copy of Strength for Service to God andCountry as he boarded a ship leaving San Francisco.Sixty-five years later Loren’s brother, Joe,helped McFarlin UM Men in Norman raise $250to give the books to reservist who were aboutto deployed. He also gave the book to his wife’sgrandniece, an Air Force surgeon about to bedeployed to Afghanistan with a Navy Seal team.MORAVIA, N.Y.—The 61 st gathering of menFor 61 years, men in North Central New Yorkhave gathered for retreats at the CosawascoUM Camp. Last September, Joe Kelley gave the28 l Summer 2008 l UM MENUM MEN l Summer 2008 l 29