Used-Car Ministry

When First United Methodist Church in Tulsa looked for new ways to reach out to its community, members of the congregation came forward with a number of ideas-a medical clinic, singles ministry, prison ministry, helping the hungry and homeless. They also conceived of perhaps the world's first used-car ministry

"There are a lot of people in our community who could have jobs except they can't get to them because they don't have a car," says Jessica Moffatt, minister of community ministries at First United Methodist. "Or they have a car, but they can't get to work because it's chronically in need of repair. In some cases, their children are growing up illiterate because they can't get them to school. We have many thousands of poor people in our city who deserve cars."

Meeting the need is the church's used-car ministry, composed of seven volunteers who perform automotive repairs for people who can't afford to pay for them. In addition to repairing cars, the ministry sometimes ...