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Highland
Park United Methodist Church
Carpenters for Christ
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No
Hands But Yours Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat
for Humanity International Tower Article |
“No Hands but Yours” is the call to action of Habitat for Humanity International CEO Jonathan Reckford in his new book, Creating a Habitat for Humanity. In his book, Reckford says that affordable housing is “a matter of mercy, justice, and humility…”
With a unique combination of professional experience - from
Wall Street, to corporate suite, to church ministry – Reckford
brings a passion for serving those in need and the business skills required to lead an effective,
efficient, international non-profit. His
bio includes Goldmann Sachs, the 1988 Olympic
Organizing Committee, Stanford MBA, Marriott, Walt Disney, Musicland,
and Christ Presbyterian Church in
Reckford was named CEO just one
month before Katrina struck and he was immediately immersed in a full-scale
natural disaster,
leading Habitat for Humanity in its role as primary builder in the most
devastated regions of the
Hear from the top of Habitat’s grass roots structure about how Highland Park UMC is a part of an international mission to transform poverty to hope through affordable homes.
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A
Build For Willie Article by Kristiana Heap,
“Park Cities People,” May 25, 2007 |
Annette Montgomery and her three young grandchildren will get
the keys to a home of their own on May 26. For many of the more than 150 people
who are building the
The house is one of two projects under construction as a
part of WillieBuild, a joint effort of
But the WillieBuild home is more
than just a Habitat project; it is named for Willie Tichenor,
a Park cities resident who would have turned 21 years old this month. Willie
died of bone cancer last year, and the memorial fund set up in his honor is
funding the build. The volunteers are also working to improve the
“We’re proud of the project, and we miss Willie,” said Karen
O’Hare, WillieBuild project co-leader. “He loved
mission work [and] always wanted to help other people. It was really Willie’s
love and passion for volunteer work....That’s how it came about.” “They are an
amazing family,” (in speaking of the Tichenors) said
Willie was diagnosed with osteosarcoma
at 16 but was dedicated to helping others above all else. In March of 2005
Willie put off chemotherapy for a week so he could lead a team of HPUMC youth
as they built houses in
(Lisa Tichenor, Willie’s mom, said) “We got to work with Mrs. Montgomery on the first day of the build and she is amazing. After she worked all day on her home with us, she went to her regular job for another 8 hours. I admire her so much for taking charge of her grandchildren in their time of need.”
“Our goal is to build a house. [Our] mission is to supply
this
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Yes,
You’re Seeing Double! Tower Article – February 9, 2007 |
Besides Groundhog Day and Valentine’s February is famous for the Church’s annual Home on the Lawn project. For the fifth time in as many years Carpenters for Christ will partner with SMU and Habitat for Humanity to build homes for the working poor, and this year will be special as they build not one, but two homes simultaneously, across the street from each other and complete them in a two-week “blitz build.” Walls first rise on Saturday, February 17th, and work will continue each Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday thereafter through March 4th, Dedication Sunday.
It takes a great congregation, with many volunteers, to pull off such a project, and volunteers are encouraged to sign up at your earliest convenience. The best part of it is that no experience or special knowledge is necessary to participate in this great work. Marc and Jane Sparks have done their part already in sponsoring the cost of both homes in honor of their daughter Lauren, who is graduating from SMU this spring.
Persons who volunteer can work either a full day, half-day
shift or something in between. Work begins at
The homes are located at
Child care is available
We’ll be there each workday. See you there!
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Why We Do It Tower Article – December 15, 2006 |
“
Debra Humphrey and her husband, Roney,
empty-nesters, middle-agers, had their lives change dramatically four years ago
in November. It came as a soft tapping on their door around
A lot has happened since that fateful night when Debra and Roney became parents to young children again, and the five of them have been inseparable ever since. It was clear they needed more living space than was afforded by their small South Dallas apartment, but Roney didn’t make enough money at his job and Debra was too busy with three children under four years to hold a full time job, to provide better during the next several years.
At last, to the rescue came a donor for $40,000, HPUMC’s
Carpenters for Christ ministry and Habitat for Humanity. The Humphreys received
the keys to their brand new, 4-bedroom, 2-bath home on
Saturday, December 9th. Everyone who attended the dedication
ceremony at
And that’s why we do it!
We still have Christmas gift cards for donations to the Carpenters for Christ ministry. Contact Joe B. Fortson at fortsonj@hpumc.org or 214-523-2297.
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Carpenters for Christ Tower Article – October 13, 2006 |
As the writer says in Ecclesiastes, “There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven…” In the case for Carpenters for Christ, there is a time to complete a new home for a deserving family and a time to commence building a home for yet another deserving family, both in need of simple, decent places to live. With an extremely busy fall building season these “times” are coming close together as Carpenters completes and dedicates the home of Michael and Vebra Sextion at 2624 Rogers Road on Saturday, October 14th and begins its work anew two weeks later on Saturday, October 28th with a home at 2518 Exeter Avenue.
Everyone is invited to the dedication, always a moving
moment, at
This event is part of Carpenters for Christ’s 10th anniversary celebration, which will conclude when the home on Exeter is dedicated on December 9th.
The home on
As it goes on to say in Ecclesiastes 3: 9-11, “What does the worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Come, see the work of Carpenters and receive a hint of what God indeed has done.
For directions to the dedication and other information see
our website at www.hpumc-cfc.org. Also,
contact
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Carpenters for Christ Enters Second Decade of By Bill Reeves, Chairman of Carpenters for Christ |
In 1996 a small group of Church members, with the support of
Rev. Mark Craig, began the Carpenters for Christ ministry in partnership with
Dallas Area Habitat for Humanity, with the goal of building “a simple decent
place to live” for deserving families.
That first year we built one home in the Bon Ton neighborhood in
The mission of Carpenters for Christ is not about being one of the largest sponsors of Habitat for Humanity in the world, which we are, but about making a significant impact in the lives of our partner families and receiving the blessings from what James described as “faith with action.” Our homes provide deserving people the ability to nourish and raise families in an environment of opportunity and hope. It allows our volunteers to share talents and gifts as we build each home side-by-side with our partner family. Ask people who have participated with Carpenters and they will tell you that we receive so much more than we give.
Our mission calls for much more than folks who wield hammers and paintbrushes on build days. It also requires significant financial generosity from our church members to sponsor the typical $55,000 cost of each home. Each build day wonderful church members and Sunday school classes also provide our workers with nourishing lunches, a hallmark for which HPUMC is known in the Habitat volunteer community. The Carpenters for Christ Committee provides lay leadership and overall planning for our mission.
In 2016
This fall we’ll be constructing two houses on Saturdays
only. Our first home begins August 26 at
Printed in the August 25, 2006 Edition of THE TOWER