"Bachelor party" has taken on a whole new meaning as Houston’s First member and groom-to-be John Ricca combined service, fun and fellowship for a most memorable and unconventional pre-wedding bachelor party weekend event.

John, a member at The Loop Campus, is marrying Emily Polenz on November 21 this year, and as most young men on the brink of marriage almost certainly never do, he invited four of his closest friends — his groomsmen — to join him on Saturday morning at Men: Serve, a Houston’s First ministry to widows.

"I was thinking of something we would all enjoy doing that would be a memory we might always cherish," said John. "Men: Serve is a beautiful reflection of the church becoming the hands and feet of Jesus."

Before the mowing, gutter cleaning and power washing began, Nancy Chance, the widow they were serving that day, threw a party for the crew, with cupcakes, a special toast and a decorative nametag identifying the groom-to-be.

"A little birdie told me that the men coming to my home were doing this service project as part of John’s bachelor party,” said Nancy. "I thought it would be fun to surprise him." Nancy and the groomsmen toasted John with white sparkling grape juice, passing along a blessing and godly wisdom based on 41 years of marriage with her late husband Mike.

"I’m so very grateful for the ministry and the men who give of their time to serve," said Nancy. "I have no family here and although I can do some things around the house, it takes a very long time to get it done."

Nancy is a case in point that ministry begets ministry. Because the volunteers with Men: Serve have helped at her home several times, Nancy began giving life away herself by serving with young children two Sundays a month at The Loop.