GREENFIELD — It’s a car show, but organizers use the word “car” loosely.
If it’s a truck, a motorcycle or even a tractor, it’s still in. As the event poster notes, if you can drive it, you can show it. This event even drew a train car entry one year.
“It doesn’t matter what it is,” said Tim Hamilton, one of the organizers of a community car show set for May 22 at Brandywine Community Church. “Bring it out and have fun.”
Men of the church are bringing back the annual car show after the event was canceled last year amid the coronavirus quarantine. In the past the event has drawn more than 100 entries, reaching about 160 in 2019 when it last took place, Hamilton said.
The community event will feature bounce houses for children. A fish and tenderloin fry is also planned. The Sweet Shack truck will be on site selling cotton candy.
Car show entries are available for a donation of any amount. As in years past, donations from the car show entries or food will support a group the men’s leadership team has prayerfully selected.
Zoey’s Place Child Advocacy Center, chosen to benefit from the 2020 event that was later canceled, is again the chosen organization to receive funds from the event. A previous car show remembered the late Brad Gray of Gray Auto, and donations went to his family and the Wellspring Center.
The car show is one of several events that have taken shape since Brandywine launched a men’s ministry leadership team a few years ago.
Brendan Fleming, one of the team members, recalls a six-week Saturday morning men’s study where people gathered over breakfast and discussed different topics such as family, marriage or work.
“We didn’t just want to do formal studies,” though, Fleming said. They felt it was important to also bring men together over fun events simply to enjoy fellowship. The car show is that type of event, he said.
“It’s also a way to show church is not just formal church,” he said. “You can have a really great time doing an event at church.”
Another team member, Josh Stamper, remembers time for fun when he convenes the weekly Community of Men group on Friday evenings. For the first hour, there’s food and basketball in the church gym. He encourages the men to bring their children. Then they come together for study and discussion.
“I wanted to reach out and impact guys in the community,” said Stamper, one of the group’s leaders. So when a several-week study concluded, a group of men continued getting together.
“Most guys have the mentality that they can fix things, that they can do things themselves,” Stamper said, but he has seen men grow more comfortable in the group when they find someone wants to hear their story and lift them up. Common themes he sees are men talking about daily life struggles, looking for direction, or learning more about prayer. He hopes men find encouragement and support in the group.
Stamper said men from as far as the west side of Indianapolis have come to the Friday meetings. Once in a while conversations and time spent praying for each other stretch later into the night.
“We’ve had guys give their life to Christ,” he said, and then go outside to be baptized. “We just did it right there out in the pond.”
Men’s groups of the church will have information available at the car show for men interested in coming. Both Stamper and Fleming help lead groups that let men join at any time through the year.
The Community of Men will volunteer at the car show, helping park cars, helping with food, and making sure show organizers have a bottle of water or whatever else they need. The men’s group Fleming co-hosts on Mondays will also be represented.
“It’s just a fun event,” Fleming said. “It’s a great opportunity for people to come out and learn about our church, our different ministries, but also to have a good time.”
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Men’s groups are planning a car show for 2 to 7 p.m. May 22 at Brandywine Community Church, 1551 E. New Road, Greenfield. It will benefit Zoey’s Place Child Advocacy Center.
Bounce houses and a fish and tenderloin fry are also planned.
Entries can be cars, motorcycles, tractors … organizers say if you can drive it, you can show it.
Preregistration is available by calling Tim Hamilton at 317-498-4594 or emailing him at [email protected].
Or register from noon to 2 p.m. the day of the show.
Cost to enter is any donation. Awards and door prizes will be given at 5 p.m. Awards include Top 40 (all makes and models), dash plaques for the first 50 registered, Pastor’s Choice, “Zoey’s Choice” and Best of Show.
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Men’s groups at Brandywine Community Church are working together on the May 22 car show. Several men’s groups at the church are open to newcomers at any time. For example:
-A men’s group meets at 6:30 p.m. Mondays. Brendan Fleming (317-443-2886) is the contact.
-Community of Men meets at 7 p.m. Fridays in Brandywine’s gym. Josh Stamper (317-727-2428) is the contact.
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