SILSBEE, Texas — Members of a Southeast Texas church said a little more than week ago all their building was was a foundation, but a labor of love is changing that.
After Hurricane Harvey, members of the Union Baptist Church in Silsbee began to wonder if it was time to build a new church. The church was beginning to crumble due to water damage.
They knew something had to be done, and it took one phone call to the right people to get the ball rolling. Thanks to a group of volunteers, that building is beginning to take shape.
Volunteer Christian Builders is a non-profit organization working on rebuilding the church. They are calling the job a labor of love.
"Been a calling from God, I would suppose, and so, we just travel the country building churches, church camps," Woody Carter, Volunteer Christian Builders member, said.
Church members said they did not have the money to pay for labor and materials. That was not a problem for the non-profit, because Carter said they don't charge for labor.
"All our funds are donated,” Carter said. “There's no paid employees."
Carter said churches like Union Baptist just have to provide materials, and the volunteers work until the materials run out.
Union Baptist church member Donita Banks said most of the volunteer builders are in their 70s and 80s. She said they have been a blessing.
"They've come from everywhere under the sun to cut costs for us, and they've even gone in their own pockets to help get some of the machinery that was needed,” Banks said.
Silsbee football players also volunteer on Saturday on their day off.
"Some of them worked eight hours," Banks said. "Some worked two hours. Some worked four hours, whatever was working for their schedule."
Carter admitted the work he and other volunteers do does come with the occasional aches and pains. However, he said the work, which has taken them as far as Alaska and Hawaii, is nothing but rewarding.
"My wife and I have been really blessed,” Carter said. “As well as all the other team members we have been blessed beyond our imagination."
Banks said the new church is expected to hold more than double the capacity of the old church.
Church members said they still need to raise close to $100,000 to complete the work. However, they know the building would not be where it is now without the work of the volunteers.
"It's amazing, just absolutely amazing, unbelievably amazing," Banks said
Banks hopes the community will continue to rally behind Union Baptist Church, so they can finish the work and move into the new church soon.
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