l-r: Ingram Howard, (President, United Methodist Men of the Tennessee Conference), Rev. Stephen E. Handy, Sr. (Pastor McKendree UMC - Nashville, TN), 

article submitted by Ingram Howard

Nashville Pastor Receives Freeman Award in Tennessee

The United Methodist Men of the Tennessee Conference and Southeast Jurisdiction have recognized a Nashville District pastor with an award for his outstanding contributions to ministry to men.  The Rev. Stephen E. Handy, Sr. was presented the G. Ross Freeman Leadership Award at the Tennessee Annual Conference on June 15, 2010 at Brentwood UMC.  “Brother Steve has been instrumental in promoting and supporting men’s ministry in all of the churches he has served and is most deserving of this honor”, said Ingram Howard, Conference President, who made the presentation.

Rev. Handy is the sixth pastor from the Tennessee Conference to receive this award.  For his outstanding work and leadership, Rev. Handy was also given a Life Membership in United Methodist Men and a $200 donation was made to the UMM Foundation in his honor.        

Rev. Handy has been instrumental in rebuilding and reorganizing the men's ministry at McKendree United Methodist Church of Nashville. Under his leadership the men are participating in a weekly noon-day lunch for the homeless in downtown Nashville. They recently participated in a project to build personal energy transports for the disabled in Africa, and he leads his men in a weekly Bible study in a local barbershop. They have also launched a wellness center, a charter school, and groups which gather after the Sunday services to discuss the sermon message.

Prior to his appointment at McKendree UMC last year, he had served as Senior Pastor at Pickett-Rucker UMC in Lebanon for eight years where he had an outstanding ministry.  He also worked at the United Methodist Publishing House during those years.