A church just east of Chunky is getting a new home.
Builders for Christ, an independent Christian organization based in Lauderdale County, spent nearly nine days over the past two weeks completely framing a new church building for the New Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church.
Friday was the last day for the organization’s building team on the new church site just off Hwy. 80 between Chunky and Meehan. Paul Harris, who led the building team for Builders for Christ from May 30 to June 7, said they arrived with just a concrete slab and over a week later is leaving with a fully-framed building.
However, the process was challenging and put their faith to the test.
“It seemed like everything that could go wrong did, but God was able to work it out,” Harris said. “Right before we got here, we had to get a new plumber. The company that was going to pour the slab for the church hadn’t done it yet but was able to get it done just before we got here. The frames for the church weren’t even done by the company we asked to do it, but within two days we had them. That’s a miracle to get it that fast when it hadn’t even been started on.
“It’s just seems like it’s been one thing after another, but God has seen us through each problem. God has been good to us.”
Harris said they have had as many as 118 workers out there on any given day. Most of the volunteers were helping construct the building, but they have also had a number of other workers preparing food for the team.
Chunky Baptist Church provided team members, especially those who came from out of town or out state, with a place to put their cots and to sleep throughout the building period. A shower trailer was set up outside the church as well for workers.
While the area had gone nearly three weeks without rain, precipitation moved in during the week. But that didn’t cause any major problems for the group.
“Literally, the rain didn’t hit until the final nail was driven in on the roof, and the guy climbed down the ladder and came inside,” Harris said. “Once he got inside, the bottom fell out.”
Greg Walker, pastor of New Fellowship MB, said he thanked everyone who participated in the project, fulfilling the dream the church had 15 years ago when it purchased the new property. He believes that they will be able to finish the church building in about eight weeks and possibly move into the building by Labor Day.
