Video: Minister receives handicap-accessible van

Last August, we reported on efforts by Christians in California to raise $60,000 to buy a handicap-accessible van for Tim Kelley, senior minister of the Chico Church of Christ.

Tim Kelley, minister of the Chico Church of Christ in California, rolls into his new wheelchair-accessible van. (Photo provided by Carolyn Tyler)

Carolyn Tyler, a member of the Caramillo Church of Christ involved in that fund-raising effort, provides this update:

We appreciate The Christian Chronicle’s mention of the plan to provide a wheelchair-accessible minivan as a.gif?Action=thumbnail&Width=460&algorithm=proportionalt of appreciation for Tim Kelley. By letting your readers know that Tim was being honored for his outstanding 45-year ministry, many people who would not have otherwise known about this.gif?Action=thumbnail&Width=460&algorithm=proportionalt chose to join in the effort.
It has taken several weeks for all the necessary work to be completed on the van, but recently the finishing touches were applied. The van is now paid for and fully equipped to meet Tim’s every driving need. Tim is more mobile than he has been in almost 20 years.
Churches and individuals who have known Tim worked together to achieve a $60,000 goal that would have been impossible for most of us to achieve as individuals. This endeavor has made me realize that if this task could  be completed by many determined people working together, we should be able to achieve any task we choose.
Tim and Roxanne will be at the Pepperdine Bible Lectures the first week of May, where they hope to personally thank many of those who helped provide this.gif?Action=thumbnail&Width=460&algorithm=proportionalt.

The YouTube video above shows shows Tim Kelley with his old van — and then the improvements with his new one.

• Feedback
  Amazing effort on the part of many Christians. Tim spent the night in our home in Sunnyvale as a college student, while on tour with the chorus back in the day. He had amazing determination then that has kept him going these many years.

  JoAnn Burton Glock

  April, 12 2011

  I too am handicapped and I too have a Braun handicapped equipped van. I would not be working and mobile if it was not for that van. I have had two of them and they are absolutely wonderful. I thank you for your years and years of dedicated self-less service to the Lord. I praise your wife for all of her service, dedication and love to help and assist you in your work. My wife has had to make many of the same movements and adjustments to help me. Thank you everyone who has helped in this monumental fund raising effort. There are stars in your crowns. I believe it is worth it in the eyes of the Lord.

  Rick Deuel

  April, 15 2011

  I am so pleased to see you now have this wonderful gift and can still get around easier to do what you loved to do. May you have many more years
  of preaching. Love and good wishes to you and Roxanne. I regret not being able to see you since I do not make the Lectures anymore.

  Mrs Jack Bills(Dorothy)

  April, 16 2011