Guys Group In Long Lake MN
Life throws storms at all of us—but sometimes, the storm looks like a massive box elder tree. For years, Theresa in Park Rapids, MN worried about the tree in her yard. Limbs would break off now and then, but one day she heard a crack and then a thump outside. A huge piece had crashed onto her garage and house.
“I was fearful of this tree for years,” Theresa said. “Pieces were breaking off, and when that big one fell, I knew something had to be done. It was such a big and expensive task—who could possibly help with this?”
She reached out to a men’s group at Eastside Christian Church. Within hours, the Thursday morning guy’s group stepped in.
Eastside Christian Church Mens group
Dave, one of the guys, recalls the moment: “We were contacted to see if we could help a lady from church. She and her brother had already cleaned up what they could with a small chainsaw, but the trunk that remained was massive and had the potential to hit the house. After our Bible study one morning, six or seven of us headed over to see what we could do.”
Armed with a large chainsaw, a dump trailer, and a lot of grit, the group got to work. “Anything small enough to lift, we loaded into the trailer,” Dave said. “The rest we cut down or split so we could haul it away. The first trailer load went to a family who needed firewood for their outdoor furnace.”
But that wasn’t the end. A few days later, the men gathered again with a hydraulic splitter and more saws. They dropped the standing trunk, split the heavy chunks, and filled another trailer. That load also went to bless a family in need.
"It is a good feeling when a group can use our God-given skills and abilities to help someone in need."
Use our God-given abilities and skills
“It is a good feeling when a group can use our God-given skills and abilities to help someone in need,” Dave reflected. “With a good team, we were able to get the job done in just a few hours. Not bad for a bunch of old, retired guys—and a lady. Oh, and I guess we can’t count Pastor Justin as retired yet!” he laughed.
Where faith becomes action
Theresa was deeply moved—not just by the work itself, but by the care behind it. “Lonnie Rhodes came out and came up with a plan, and the Thursday morning men’s group carried it out. They even cleaned up the sawdust. And one of the guys took a piece of the wood and carved a soup spoon for me, just to remember the occasion. That meant so much.”
She admits it hasn’t always been easy to receive help. “I’m stubborn by nature,” she said. “But the Lord has helped me realize the importance of other people using their gifts to serve. I am so grateful for our church family being the Body of Christ for me.”
This is what small groups are about. They aren’t just Bible studies. They’re communities where faith becomes action, where friendships become family, and where storms—whether it’s a fallen tree, a diagnosis, or just the weight of life—are faced together.
An answer to prayer
The men’s group has been meeting for over a decade. Week after week, they encourage one another, share Scripture, and strengthen their faith. But their greatest testimony might just be what happens after the study ends.
For Theresa, the answer to her fearful prayers came through a circle of friends with chainsaws and servant hearts. And for the men of Park Rapids, it was another reminder that when we live out our faith together, God uses us to bless beyond what we could ever do alone.