Faith and filters at ‘Iffy Lube’
LONG BEACH, CALIF. — “Iffy Lube” doesn’t take cash or checks. All services are free.About 10 men at the Los Altos church meet regularly for breakfast and then go to single, divorced and widowed members’ homes to offer automotive help.“It has been … a wonderful opportunity for the ‘grease monkeys’ in our congregation to bond and use their automotive talents for the glory of God,” elder Jene D. Spivey said.The “Iffy Lube” volunteers change the oil and filters, check the fluids and tire pressure and wash the inside and outside of the vehicles.“While the men are working on the car, the ‘customers’ enjoy coffee and fellowship with the other ladies inside,” Spivey said.“This has truly been a blessing for these women, who are often on more limited incomes and are sometimes cheated by commercial service venues.”
ALABAMA
BAILEYTON — About 120 people filled the Grandiflora church recently to mark its 70th anniversary.
Attendees included 18 relatives of Russell and Mattie Baker, the late original founders of the rural congregation.
“My grandfather and grandmother were of simple means, but always welcomed traveling preachers, and even strangers in need, into their home,” said Melissa Baker Vinson, administrative assistant at the Timberlane, Fla., church.
MAINE
CARIBOU — The Caribou church will start a satellite school using video material from Sunset International Bible Institute in Lubbock, Texas.
The Caribou Bible Institute will offer classes to church members and the public, preacher Jay Repecko said.
“I truly believe this effort will be successful as long as we let God lead the way,” Repecko said.
MARYLAND
BEL AIR — The Conowingo Road church, which started with 10 members in January, has tripled in size, preacher Rick McComas said.
Also, the congregation drew 158 people to a recent “Big Splash!” outreach event featuring water slides, back-to-school supplies and other giveaways.
“We are taking the Great Commission to heart and to our communities,” McComas said. “Would you pray for us?”
NEW MEXICO
PORTALES — It might be all Greek to some, but for Clinton Hill, the study of the ancient language is opening up the Bible in a new way, the Portales News-Tribune reported.
Hill, youth minister at the Southside church, earned the Zondervan Greek Award at Eastern New Mexico University.
“He’s sort of the star Greek student,” Shirley Rollinson, the university’s religion department chairwoman, told the newspaper. “He’s excited, does his homework and comes to class prepared. He goes the extra mile.”
OHIO
ASHLAND — The Ashland church — formerly known as the Steele Avenue congregation — recently moved into a new, $2.4 million facility.
About 350 people attended the dedication ceremony, preaching minister Jeff Slater said. The 27,000-square-foot facility is about three times as large as the congregation’s old building.
SOUTH DAKOTA
ABERDEEN — The Aberdeen church welcomed guest preacher James Waggoner, a deacon at the Sanger, Texas, church, on a recent Sunday.
Eighteen people, including Waggoner and his wife, Susan, attended the service.
“They have not had a full-time preacher for about five years, but they are trying to do something about that,” Waggoner said. “They have done some work on their building, such as painting. They have quite a good attitude and are optimistic about the congregation.”
TENNESSEE
NASHVILLE — The Jackson Park church celebrated its 75th anniversary on Oct. 7 by performing more than 750 acts of service. The congregation’s Missions 101 ministry organized the outreach effort.
“These 750 acts of service are not to take credit in front of people, but if people ask, tell them you are doing it because God loves you and them,” said a guide on the church’s Web site.
WATERTOWN — Arson investigators are looking into a fire that destroyed a century-old Church of Christ, The Tennessean reported.
The tiny, wood-frame Commerce church burned to the ground Oct. 1. The church, built in the late 1800s, has 25 members.
“Two brick posts, that’s the only thing left,” member Don Simpson told the newspaper.
TEXAS
ABILENE — A company with ties to the Magic Kingdom plans to help the Southern Hills church do the work of God’s kingdom, the Abilene Reporter-News reported.
The 1,800-member church has forged a partnership with Visioneering Studios to construct a new community and youth center in its effort to become “God’s community front porch,” minister Phil Ware said. The $6 million Transforming Community campaign is to be completed over three to six years.
TAYLOR — ConnectingVolunteers.org — a new Web site sponsored by the Town West church — aims to make it easier to find volunteer opportunities within Churches of Christ.
The site features national and international missions, disaster response teams and one-time projects such as building construction, volunteer Patty Johnson said.
Churches with a project or program that could use volunteers can check here.
Nov. 1, 2007
ALABAMA
BAILEYTON — About 120 people filled the Grandiflora church recently to mark its 70th anniversary.
Attendees included 18 relatives of Russell and Mattie Baker, the late original founders of the rural congregation.
“My grandfather and grandmother were of simple means, but always welcomed traveling preachers, and even strangers in need, into their home,” said Melissa Baker Vinson, administrative assistant at the Timberlane, Fla., church.
MAINE
CARIBOU — The Caribou church will start a satellite school using video material from Sunset International Bible Institute in Lubbock, Texas.
The Caribou Bible Institute will offer classes to church members and the public, preacher Jay Repecko said.
“I truly believe this effort will be successful as long as we let God lead the way,” Repecko said.
MARYLAND
BEL AIR — The Conowingo Road church, which started with 10 members in January, has tripled in size, preacher Rick McComas said.
Also, the congregation drew 158 people to a recent “Big Splash!” outreach event featuring water slides, back-to-school supplies and other giveaways.
“We are taking the Great Commission to heart and to our communities,” McComas said. “Would you pray for us?”
NEW MEXICO
PORTALES — It might be all Greek to some, but for Clinton Hill, the study of the ancient language is opening up the Bible in a new way, the Portales News-Tribune reported.
Hill, youth minister at the Southside church, earned the Zondervan Greek Award at Eastern New Mexico University.
“He’s sort of the star Greek student,” Shirley Rollinson, the university’s religion department chairwoman, told the newspaper. “He’s excited, does his homework and comes to class prepared. He goes the extra mile.”
OHIO
ASHLAND — The Ashland church — formerly known as the Steele Avenue congregation — recently moved into a new, $2.4 million facility.
About 350 people attended the dedication ceremony, preaching minister Jeff Slater said. The 27,000-square-foot facility is about three times as large as the congregation’s old building.
SOUTH DAKOTA
ABERDEEN — The Aberdeen church welcomed guest preacher James Waggoner, a deacon at the Sanger, Texas, church, on a recent Sunday.
Eighteen people, including Waggoner and his wife, Susan, attended the service.
“They have not had a full-time preacher for about five years, but they are trying to do something about that,” Waggoner said. “They have done some work on their building, such as painting. They have quite a good attitude and are optimistic about the congregation.”
TENNESSEE
NASHVILLE — The Jackson Park church celebrated its 75th anniversary on Oct. 7 by performing more than 750 acts of service. The congregation’s Missions 101 ministry organized the outreach effort.
“These 750 acts of service are not to take credit in front of people, but if people ask, tell them you are doing it because God loves you and them,” said a guide on the church’s Web site.
WATERTOWN — Arson investigators are looking into a fire that destroyed a century-old Church of Christ, The Tennessean reported.
The tiny, wood-frame Commerce church burned to the ground Oct. 1. The church, built in the late 1800s, has 25 members.
“Two brick posts, that’s the only thing left,” member Don Simpson told the newspaper.
TEXAS
ABILENE — A company with ties to the Magic Kingdom plans to help the Southern Hills church do the work of God’s kingdom, the Abilene Reporter-News reported.
The 1,800-member church has forged a partnership with Visioneering Studios to construct a new community and youth center in its effort to become “God’s community front porch,” minister Phil Ware said. The $6 million Transforming Community campaign is to be completed over three to six years.
TAYLOR — ConnectingVolunteers.org — a new Web site sponsored by the Town West church — aims to make it easier to find volunteer opportunities within Churches of Christ.
The site features national and international missions, disaster response teams and one-time projects such as building construction, volunteer Patty Johnson said.
Churches with a project or program that could use volunteers can check here.
Nov. 1, 2007
View Comments
