This year, it's the guys' turn.

After the success of last summer's program geared to women and girls, Mechanic Grove Church of the Brethren will hold Next Man Up on Saturday, Sept. 6, from 3 to 6 p.m. rain or shine outside the church, 1392 Robert Fulton Highway, Quarryville.

"Our goal with this event is just to create an engaging intergenerational discipleship activity for all of God's guys," said Janae McMichael, the church's director of family ministries. The event is free; preregistration is encouraged. Text "Next Man Up" to 844-564-6146 for more information and to register.

Next Man Up is for boys and men beginning in first grade with no age limit. Boys in first through sixth grades must be accompanied by an adult for the entirety of the program.

The event will begin with all participants hearing a presentation from Devin Smith, a pastor of Freedom Life Church in Rising Sun, Md. Then the adults and kids will be split into two groups. Smith will lead the group of men, and Dustin Metzler, student ministry director at New Providence Church of God, will lead the younger group. "The focus will be on how we apply what we learn from David in the Bible, who was a man after God's own heart, into life as men today," McMichael said.

During the remainder of the afternoon and evening together, there will be target practice activities because of the story of David, and there will be pumpkin tossing and smashing and games such as cornhole and horseshoes. A meal will be cooked on a grill.

"It's just going to be a really casual outdoor time to fellowship and hang out together, but also learn from a man in the Bible about how to be a man after God today," said McMichael.

Next Man Up is part of Mechanic Grove Church of the Brethren's mission. "One of our goals for the next three years in our strategic vision is to seek opportunities to specifically help men grow in their role as the spiritual leaders of their home, as well as spiritual leaders in our church," said McMichael. "It was inspired by an event we held last year for mothers and daughters called Bible Belles, and that was a really successful discipleship event."

"We wanted to kind of follow that trajectory from what happened in that event, but obviously we get specific to men and boys," added McMichael. "It's not necessarily for fathers and sons, but maybe it's uncles and nephews or neighbors and friends. We just feel really called right now in this season of our church to equip the men. This is one of the ways that we're responding to that call. Eight men from our church makes up the lead team, and they've just been really passionately working at bringing this together. We're excited about it."

Starting on Wednesday, Oct. 1, Mechanic Grove Church of the Brethren will host Roots Nights through May 2026. On the first and third Wednesdays of the month, there will be a free community meal at 5:45 p.m. followed by discipleship at 6:30 p.m.

"You just come," said McMichael. "You don't need to pre-register. We're just happy to have you here."

Go to http://www.mgcb.org for additional information about Mechanic Grove Church of the Brethren events.