For the needy, a free oil change and a prayer

EVAN WILLIAMS/FLORIDA WEEKLY Volunteers in green T-shirts from the First Christian Church in Fort Myers do basic auto maintenance for people who are suffering financial hardship. Keeping up with the rent, let alone basic car maintenance, can be tough for single parents. For some senior citizens, too, who are already burdened with costs for medicine and face shrinking savings accounts, getting an oil change might be low on the list of priorities or long overdue.

First Christian Church of Fort Myers is targeting those two groups and anyone struggling financially with basic car maintenance that will help keep engines clean, and reinvigorate the spirit.

"The whole idea is to do this for people that can't afford to do it," said church member Rod Foster, who started the FCC car care ministry in 2006. "The majority of the cars that come in haven't had an oil change in a long, long time."

But the metaphorical possibilities of the oil change were also not lost on him.

"People are willing to go ahead and bring their dirty engines in to a mechanic, but they're not willing to bring their dirty souls into church," he said. "We want people to know we even accept people with dirty hearts and souls."

COURTESY PHOTO Volunteers change oil for the needy during a day of car care ministry at The First Christian Church on McGregor Boulevard. From 8 a.m. to noon on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14, volunteers will change oil and filters, top off fluids, check the lights, tires, CV boots and exhaust system — and honor individual prayer requests — for up to 200 car owners who sign up. Church youth will also wash each car.

Local automotive repair shops and mechanics from places like Pro Tech Auto Repair donate time and materials to provide the free service. More than 30 local businesses will contribute in all.

Merchants like Publix, Coca-Cola, Dunkin Donuts and Lion's Choice restaurant contribute food. Kaye Hamilton, who owns a Lion's Choice restaurant on Pine Island Road in North Fort Myers, is a regular sponsor of the event.

"As this grows and grows, the community effort that's put together is amazing," she said. "I think the last time I brought six trays (of sandwiches). It's a really fun networking day, one of those days where you kind of get a renewed surge of well being."

Although Ms. Hamilton is not a part of the church, she says, "I believe in what this does."

FCC Pastor Gary Cox said the car ministry is a part of others programs the church organizes called "LuvLee" (you might have seen the heart-shaped bumper sticker) to help struggling groups like inner-city children or the homeless in Lee County.

"Our goal is just to love Lee County without any ulterior motives," Pastor Cox said. "We don't want to make them sit through a sermon or feel they have to come to church. We just want them to know people who love Jesus love them."

There are a limited number of time slots for the service and registration is required by Feb. 9, by calling 567-2665 or online at www.fccfm.org/carcar. Participants are asked for the year, make and model of their vehicle, their financial or personal situation and a prayer request.

"We ask them what is burdening their heart right now," Mr. Foster said. "When we hear the prayer requests, unemployment is huge, foreclosure is huge, just putting food on the table is huge. This is just to let them know that someone cares."

Those burdens will be addressed by a prayer group while people wait for volunteers in green T-shirts to service their cars in the church parking lot at 2061 McGregor Blvd.

"While they're waiting for their car to be serviced, we have a whole team of women in the waiting room with them," he said. "We have food and the ladies talk to them about whatever their prayer request is. We see if we can do anything to help them out."

In especially needy cases, event sponsors sometimes offer other services, like a set of tires or a new windshield. The church posts flyers and advertises the event through organizations such as Goodwill, the Abuse Counseling & Treatment Center and The Salvation Army to attract people who could benefit the most.

The day of car care takes place about three times per year, and has grown, Mr. Foster said, from servicing 24 cars at the first event to 185 at the most recent one. This time, he expects 220 or more to register.

"The first thing we do that morning is pray over the volunteers and pray over the cars we're going to be helping out," Mr. Foster said. "The Holy Spirit is there, no doubt about it."