Highland Park United Methodist
Church
Carpenters
for Christ
CFC History & Goals
Little did the founders know when Carpenters for Christ
completed its first home, for the Villa Family, in1996 that their small group
would grow to become one of the major construction partners with Habitat for
Humanity in the world. With determination, purpose and encouragement by Highland Park’s Senior Minister, Mark Craig, Carpenters
for Christ formally organized and before long set out on a plan to build 100
homes in partnership with Habitat for Humanity. By the end of 2005 Carpenters
was knocking on the door, so to speak, of its 40th completed home.
Going back, Habitat for Humanity was founded in1976 by
Millard and Linda Fuller. The world organization, now known as Habitat for
Humanity International, has built over 200,000 homes world-wide of which more
than 100,000 are in the U.S.
The Dallas affiliate, Dallas Area Habitat for
Humanity, was begun in 1985 and has built over 400 homes in Dallas and its immediate environs.
On September
24, 1995 Mark Craig
preached on “God’s Call to Greatness” in which he challenged the members
of Highland
Park United Methodist Church
to make a significant outreach commitment to the people of southern Dallas. This was much in
the way that previous Highland Park ministers had challenged the congregation
to lend their assistance to people in the east, north and west parts of Dallas
at various times in their past. Church members, Doug and Jeanne Reinelt, Kent and Susan Roberts, Phil Wise and Stephen
White, had been involved with Habitat for Humanity earlier, and they proposed to Rev. Craig the formation of
Carpenters for Christ Committee to sponsor a movement within the Church that
would partner with Habitat, as a significant part in meeting Mark’s “southern
challenge” to the congregation. Mark was favorably enthused, and so Carpenters
for Christ began.
Carpenters for Christ completed and dedicated its first home
in December 1996 for the Villa Family on Keeler Street in the Bon Ton area of South Dallas. Carpenters built four more homes in 1997 in
South Dallas, and the building “bug” caught on
in earnest with the congregation. In the year 2000, much with the encouragement
and commitment by Rev. Craig, Carpenters agreed with Dallas Area Habitat for
Humanity to embark on the plan to build a total of 100 homes with Habitat over
the ensuing 10 years, giving credit in the commitment for the homes previously
completed. In 2000 members of Carpenters for Christ contributed in a very large
way to the construction and funding of the T.R. Hoover Community Center in the
same South Dallas area and received ‘credit’ for four homes upon completion of
the Center.
Although there was a level of enthusiasm for Carpenters for
Christ in the Church that exceeded the level of enthusiasm for any other
Outreach project, it became clear that there was a limit on the Church’s member
participation and volunteer resources that would not allow it to continue to
build at the rate of 10 homes per year. Habitat was mindful that other past
major donor-partners had reached further than their grasp and had elected to
suspend participation under their prior commitments. Both Highland
Park and Dallas Area Habitat wanted their plan to succeed, and they
collaborated on a plan that was a more comfortable delivery. In short, they
agreed that the Church would assess the timing of its human and financial
resources and the annual pace would be adjusted accordingly. It became clear
that for the Church to build much more than five homes in a twelve-month span
would exceed its normal delivery capacity. Since 2003 Carpenters has built at a
five-per-year pace, and Highland
Park Church
remains the largest faith based sponsor-partner with Habitat world-wide.
In 2003 another significant event occurred with Carpenters
for Christ building its first annual “Home on the Lawn.” This event was
partnered with SMU and was Carpenters’ 25th home and Dallas Area’s
300th home. It was made special by the fact that it was built near
Moody Coliseum on the SMU Campus, and members of the Church and the
University’s students, faculty and administration contributed their volunteer
labor to the project. The Harry W. Bass, Jr. Foundation donated the full
$55,000 cost of the home. Upon completion and dedication the home was moved to East Dallas, where the Jones Family became its owners. In
the two past winters Carpenters and SMU have continued the annual tradition of
the “Home on the Lawn.,” building near the campus and moving the structures to
their permanent locations upon completion. The Harry W. Bass, Jr. Foundation
has donated the full cost of those homes, as well. The winter of 2006 marks the
completion of the fourth annual Home on the Lawn.
By the end of calendar 2005 Carpenters and the Church have
closed in on their 40th home, and the pace is set to build five to
six more homes in 2006. So far, the Church has expended over $2,000,000 for
this worthwhile effort, and one day its total financial contribution for
re-building Dallas
will likely exceed $5,500,000. But Carpenters for Christ’s future with Dallas and with Habitat
for Humanity is much more than a set amount of dollars or one hundred homes.
Carpenters’ real goal is to do all that they can humanly do
to see that poor housing is eradicated in Dallas
and those persons’ lives are improved for generations to come. To that end
there is no 100 house limit or dollar limit placed on their efforts. Carpenters
will remain involved until that lofty goal is met, in this world or the next.
For More Information
Contact
Volunteer Coordinator: Jane Parker at jhp01@aol.com
or 214-522-0204
Donations/Information:
Joe B. Fortson at fortsonj@hpumc.org or
214-523-2297
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