Loving Neighbors One Repair at a Time
Through The Garage at Living Faith, community members can receive vehicle repairs without proving church membership or demonstrating financial need. Clients pay only for the parts; the labor is provided as a gift. Volunteers—some experienced mechanics and others trained through the ministry—donate their time and skills because they see their work as an act of service.
Article Written by Rooted Good
On The Garage at Living Faith's FAQ page, one question asks, “Why do you do what you do?” The answer is simple, but its meaning runs deep:
“Our stated purpose is our true purpose—we want to love our neighbors in practical ways and make our community better, and we'd like to see you do the same.”
In rural Fombell, Pennsylvania, Living Faith Church has found a remarkably practical way to live out that purpose.
Through The Garage at Living Faith, community members can receive vehicle repairs without proving church membership or demonstrating financial need. Clients pay only for the parts; the labor is provided as a gift. Volunteers—some experienced mechanics and others trained through the ministry—donate their time and skills because they see their work as an act of service.
At first glance, repairing a car may seem like an ordinary task. For many families, however, a reliable vehicle is far more than transportation. It is a lifeline to employment, healthcare, education, groceries, and community.
The financial realities facing many Americans make ministries like The Garage especially significant. According to Kelley Blue Book, the average vehicle repair cost in 2025 was $838. At the same time, Federal Reserve data showed that only 63% of adults could cover a $400 emergency expense using cash or its equivalent. Among people living in non-metro communities, that number fell to 59%.
The challenge goes even deeper. A 2026 U.S. News financial wellness survey found that 32% of Americans have less than one month of living expenses saved. An unexpected repair bill can quickly become a crisis, especially in rural areas where getting to work often depends on having a dependable vehicle.
That is what makes The Garage such a powerful example of community ministry. By replacing brakes, repairing engines, and changing tires, volunteers are doing much more than fixing cars. They are helping neighbors maintain stability, dignity, and hope.
At RootedGood, we develop resources to help congregations of every faith tradition, denomination, and theological perspective discover how they are called to serve their communities. Sometimes that calling looks like restoring a park, hosting a community meal, or creating space for connection. Sometimes it looks like picking up a wrench and helping a neighbor get back on the road.
Across the world's major faith traditions—from the Baha'i Faith, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Sikhism, and Unitarian Universalism—the call to care for others is a common thread. While practices and beliefs may differ, the commitment to loving one's neighbor remains remarkably consistent.
As Mark Sentell, Executive Director of The Garage at Living Faith, explains:
“All we are trying to do is help people love God genuinely and love others practically.”
The Garage at Living Faith embodies that vision. Every repaired engine, every replaced tire, and every grease-stained volunteer shirt tells the same story: faith expressed through practical love.
Special thanks to The Congregations Project for sharing this inspiring story.
Angela Johnson, Director of Sharing
Rooted Good
If your congregation is wondering how to reimagine its building and land for greater mission impact—and sustainable revenue—RootedGood’s Good Futures Accelerator can help.
