Greg Vaughn
RICHARDSON, TEXAS––Last year, Greg Vaughn, president and founder of Grace Products, and producer of the nationally acclaimed "Letters from Dad” project, received great news.
A generous donor, whose life was radically changed by participating in “Letters from Dad,” gave sufficient monies to provide 100 sets of the “Leadership & Training Kit” to qualifying UM churches. Each kit is valued at over $400.
There is no cost to the church, but each participant will have to purchase material ranging in price from $69 to $105 (includes shipping).
History
The “Letters from Dad” project began seven years ago after the death of Greg Vaughn’s dad.
Vaughn was frustrated by the fact, that although he knew his dad loved him, their relationship was not all that children need and want. That frustration led him to find a way to verbally and tangibly express his love for his children. That was a big task for him; he has seven children!
To begin, he called some of his friends together. They made a pact to write four specific types of letters to their family over a four-month period. They would be letters of blessing, love and affirmation to spouses, children and parents.
The letter-writing effort dramatically changed their lives. Those 12 partners soon grew to be 75, then 200, then over 500. It was then that Vaughn knew God had something more in mind.
Starting in 2005, Letters from Dad was released to the general church population, and to date over 40,000 men have participated in the project.
“Letters from Dad gives men the tools and confidence to do what they have always wanted to do, but didn’t know how,” says Vaughn.
Eighty-four major newspapers across the nation have featured the Letters from Dad story.
Relationship with UM Men
Because a partnership with the UM Men started in the summer of 2006, a call was placed from Grace Products Corp. to Gil Hanke, general secretary of the General Commission on UM Men.
As conversations ensued, an amazing endeavor was launched. Hanke was asked to find 100 UM churches to receive the free material.
Hanke then asked the five jurisdictional presidents of UM Men to nominate 20 churches within their jurisdictions to receive this gift. There was only one condition: They had to use the material.
A news article about the give-away resulted in the names of additional church leaders wanting the material.
Responses from those selected to receive the material range from disbelief, to shock and extreme gratitude.
“It’s hard for some to believe that over $400 worth of ministry material is being given away for free, but it’s true, and many are very willing to take advantage of the donor’s generosity,” said Monte Strother, national director of the Letters from Dad program. While the material to the church is free, participants still pay for their own materials.
In the coming weeks and months leaders of these churches will be contacted by Strother. He will share details of the program and expectation of the churches.