Show tables hold items such as hand carvings by young men from the Cameron Boys Camp, pound cakes produced by church ladies’ clubs and mementos from missionaries.
Several couples stand beside a table holding a poster displaying these hand-painted words: “Carpenters 4 Christ.”
“We have three couples and some single people working in the group,” says Leta Nunnery, who works weekdays at the Aberdeen Carpet and Textiles store on N.C. 5 in Aberdeen. She and her husband Chuck belong to Emmanuel Baptist Church of Carthage, the Carpenters 4 Christ sponsor. The Rev. Eugene Ussery serves as the pastor there.
The group, which helps those who can’t afford to pay for labor, averages six to eight and “as many as 20” workers per project. Participants donate time to repair houses on Saturdays as an act of Christian ministry. The Department of Aging offers some supplies.
“And the church gives us a budget to work from,” Leta Nunnery says. “We have two books of pictures of projects we’ve done.”
“We cut wood last Saturday for some people,” says Chuck Nunnery, who works for Magmeti-Marelli, a carburetor-fuel systems plant in Sanford. “Hurricane Floyd got us started in 1999.”
“We went to Burgaw (to help with cleanup and carpentry needed as a result of Hurricane Floyd) on three weekends,” says Christopher (Chris) Knight of Sanford, a self-employed builder who uses his professional carpenter skills on many Carpenters 4 Christ projects. He and his wife Tracy attend Emmanuel Baptist.
“I just enjoy helping others,” Tracy Knight says.
“Our Web site has pictures of jobs we’ve done lately,” Chris Knight says. “Sometimes we give out Bibles when we go.”
“I look forward to going,” Chuck Nunnery says. “I go out and look at the jobs to preview them. Chris does some, too. We worked on the Chapter 83 Disabled American Veterans Building in Carthage — gutted and redid it.”
“The veterans furnished all the materials,” Leta Nunnery says.
Chuck Nunnery, a level two diabetic, served in the U.S. Navy (1967-69) during the Vietnam era. Last April, he underwent heart surgery.
“I had five bypasses,” he says. “I’m back active. I enjoy helping people, witnessing and showing elderly people and people who can’t afford this type of work that there are some caring-and-giving people.”
“When you help people, God gives you blessings in more ways than you can imagine,” Leta Nunnery says. “And it shows Christians can have fun.”
“It is fun,” says Tracy Knight.
Peggy and Lavern Marsh of Carthage also work with Carpenters 4 Christ. They stand nearby, listening to the conversation.
“And it shows we’re a ‘church in action,’” Lavern Marsh says.
The group has received several awards, including the Governor’s Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service and a Moore County Certificate of Appreciation, for work contributed to projects such as the following: installing a handicap ramp, roofing, wiring, plumbing; repairing windows, building a new porch, painting, installing a new well house roof, putting handrails on steps, bracing a carport; repairing a dormer and felling trees.
Chris Knight takes a Carpenters 4 Christ business card from his wallet. The card displays a drawing of a cross, the group’s name, the church’s name and these words: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (verse from 1 Corinthians 15:58).
For anyone wanting to work with Carpenters 4 Christ, there are no fees, dues or other charges. Member privacy is protected. The group promises to provide no member’s name or contact information to third parties without that member’s consent.
Those interested in helping or being helped may phone Emmanuel Baptist Church at 910-947-4736 or e-mail info@carpenters4christ.org. The Web site is www.carpenters4christ.org.
The Sandhills Baptist Association (Southern Baptist) 2005 Missions Fair and Exhibition included the following sponsoring churches: Beaver Creek, Bethlehem, Cameron, Eagle Springs, Emmanuel, Ephesus, Faith, Hope Community, Open Arms, Pleasant Hill, Red Branch, Robbins, and Vass.
The exhibition included these auxiliary organizations: Cameron Boys Camp, Sandhills Baptist Association, WMU and WorldCrafts.
Steve Crain may be reached at crain207@earthlink.net.
