It’s always been understood that a shed is a man’s domain…
But now there is the “She Shed” – to read more about this alarming phenomenon
At my church we have a group called Pass-it-On where some of our ladies demonstrate how to do particular things to other ladies.
This group has resulted in a number of ladies coming to faith; so we are now discussing how we can take this concept and apply it to men.
One difference is that we would probably call it “The Shed”.
Why do it?
Sheds are in the news at the moment – in the secular context they are about getting men together to make things, this helps friendships form and reduce the issues of loneliness.
In the church context, it is also about developing friendships, but with a higher purpose:
Rick Warren posted an article on his Facebook Page called “Why I do what I do” which was summarised as a life-long call to “Reach one more for Jesus”. He explained his approach:
“My definition of “Reaching one more for Jesus” is this: You build a bridge of love between your heart and theirs, then you let Jesus walk across. You cannot bring enemies to Jesus. They must become your friends first. Before people trust Jesus they want to know if YOU can be trusted”.
Another really good reason is that there are not enough men in church – there are ladies who would love to be able to find a Christian partner. Some of us would like our daughters to find a Christian partner!
I am also aware of the need for some of our younger men to learn some practical skills.
Many have not had a father figure to show them how to put up wallpaper, a shelf or change a plug.
Last year I saw someone take over 2 hours to light a barbecue!
Format
Essentially it is about doing “stuff” together – how to do things.Some men cannot cook a meal, so we could help them impress without resorting to a takeaway or tin opener.There is also technical stuff, for example what Barclays do with their digital eagles program.Having invited guests from inside and outside of the church to talk about their hobbies and interests, e.g. photography, music, gardening, video games…
There needs to be a fun element to it, so it should include trips out, games nights, film nights etc.
There is no shortage of things that could be “passed on”.
Getting Started
You will need a small team to start off, these need to be people who can build genuine friendships – in line with Rick Warrens approach.
I suggest beginning with an evening once a fortnight or month. This does not need to be at your church premises, but you may need to have the facilities to do stuff.
I have another suggestion – the Men’s Shed could alternate with a “She Shed” for the ladies. Those with young families can take turns with baby-sitting and the ladies will benefit from the pass-it-on concept.
I hope to be able to report before too long on how we get on with our shed group.
