NASHVILLE, Tenn. ––Charlie Gray of Fuquay Varina and John Hall of Durham have been commission as men’s ministry specialists by the General Commission on United Methodist Men. Gray was commissioned in absentia during the March 3-6 meeting of the National Association of Conference Presidents of United Methodist Men. Hall was commissioned in 2010.
Charlie Gray –provides tractor trailers for Katrina relief
The president of the Carolina Trucking Academy, Gray donated the use of tractor-trailer trucks to deliver donated goods to the Gulf Coast area. His contribution resulted in 15 trips to the Biloxi area and he led efforts to raise over $75,000 to fund local and regional relief efforts. The men also built four 800-square-foot cabins at Camp Rockfish, a United Methodist children’s camp.
Gray also serves as president t of United Methodist Men at the Fuquay Varina and president of the Raleigh District of United Methodist Men.
He leads METS (Men Eager to Serve), a weekly accountability, Bible study and service group. He has also facilitated DISCIPLE Bible study classes and is the founder of Banded Brothers, an organization that provides social, economic, and spiritual support to disaster survivors.
John Hall – Lay leader leads DISCIPLE Bible study classes
The president of the Aldersgate United Methodist Church and the Durham District United Methodist Men, John Hall also serves as chairman of the Aldersgate Technology Committee where he provides a video of new members that is shown in worship services. He also records worship services for shut-ins and the church’s website, and he provides videos of services of remembrance and other occasions.
Hall serves his local church as the lay leader, and he is a member of the Board of Trustees, the Staff-Parish Relations Committee, the Administrative Board, and the Lay Leadership Committee. He also serves as a facilitator of DISCIPLE Bible Study and he developed a seminar for local lay leaders. A strong advocate of prayer, he formed a 20-member “Take-Five” group that asks members to pray for five minutes each Thursday at noon.
The active churchman also provides lunches for an annual conference day camp and the United Methodist Men Duke Day at the Durham campus.
Ready to serve North Carolina churches
After engaging in classroom training, interactive web-based education and after making a commitment to ongoing spiritual growth, these specialists now offer training, resources and programs to enable congregations to reach men outside their faith communities and help men within their churches to grow spiritually.
These specialists do not replace district or conference leaders; they are resource partners with and for them. Tom Starnes of Wilson, N.C., serves as conference president of United Methodist Men.