Baldwin County Lutherans and Friends
Dedicate New Habitat Home
Saturday, April 9, 2011

     Twelve Baldwin County Lutheran Churches with lots of help from Lutherans and friends completed the "2011 Lutheran Build" on time. The Tchenaryl Green household took possession of the house as the keys were turned over to Tchenaryl for 7799 Twin Beech Road in Fairhope on Saturday, April 9, with the dedication of the home.

The Habitat Home is tiled throughout. The kitchen and dining area get their "first meal" as friends and family begin laying out the food for the celebration after dedication of the home.

Jack Stieber, the "Lutheran Coordinator" for Habitat's "Lutheran Build," insisted on coming to the dedication. He had emergency appendectomy in the final days of the project and was quite ill. "It's that wifely support that carries you through," you know, but she was glad to give up her seat for fragile hubby.

Folks began to gather. Light conversation wafts on the gentle breezes. Pastors check their notes. Thrivent reps talk project. This is all before festivities commence.

     The build was complicated only by the Japan earthquake! Yes, the Japanese earthquake affected 7799 Twin Beech Road. Parts for the home's new air conditioner were unavailable and held up installation of the heating/cooling unit for the house Those parts were held up because of the devastation of Japan in that March earthquake and tsunami. In fact, production for a broad variety of goods sold in this country was held up as a result.

The closer to the beginning of the dedication, the more the people gather. They gathered on the south lawn.

And they gathered on the east lawn, especially new owner Tchenaryl Green's extended family.

Habitat for Humanity of Baldwin County Alabama's Cliff Barros, Executive Director, looks on as Alex Cary, Construction Manager for the project (c), introduces the dedication festivities.

     Lutherans, friends, and family gathered to commit the home to our Lord Jesus Christ and its family to His tender care and keeping. The formal dedication was followed by food and fellowship.

Text of the Dedication Liturgy:

DEDICATION OF
HABITAT’S 2011 LUTHERAN BUILD
HOME AT
7799 TWIN BEECH RD.
FAIRHOPE, AL.

The home was built by Baldwin’s Habitat in cooperation with the
Lutheran and Thrivent support.

It was dedicated at
4:00 PM, Saturday, April 9.

Dedication was followed by a pot luck.

The home was built for Tchenaryl Green and her two young boys.

The build was coordinated by a wonderful Lutheran Coordinator,
Jack Steiber, who worked tirelessly on this home.

Dedication of Home

WHATEVER WE DO, WE ARE TO BE GROUNDED IN GOD’S WORD.

     Pastor: We recognize that all things belong to the Lord. Therefore we desire God’s leading in all that takes place in this home. Let us share God’s guiding Word from Psalm 37: Do not fret because of evildoers, Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

     Home Builder Friends: Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

     Pastor: Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.

     Home Builder Friends: He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday.

     Pastor: Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.

     Home Builder Friends: Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret, it only causes harm.

     Pastor: A little that a righteous man has Is better than the riches of many wicked.

     Home Builder Friends: The LORD knows the days of the upright, And their inheritance shall be forever.

     Pastor: They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

     Home Builder Friends: For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth, But those cursed by Him shall be cut off. The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way.

     Pastor: I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread.

     Home Builder Friends: He is ever merciful, and lends; And his descendants are blessed.

     Pastor: Depart from evil, and do good; And dwell forevermore. For the LORD loves justice, And does not forsake His saints; They are preserved forever.

     Home Builder Friends: The righteous shall inherit the land, And dwell in it forever. But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their strength in the time of trouble.

     Pastor: And the LORD shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, And save them, Because they trust in Him.

Local Thrivent Representative Darrell Butler (L) and Thrivent Chapter Representative for Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana Jim Willoughby posed with recognition posters revealing the work of twelve Lutheran Churches from four Lutheran church bodies which partnered together on this Lutheran Build project.

Long-term Lutheran Build advocate Ned Owens presented Tchenaryl Green with a family Bible as Green's home church's Mrs. Salter looks on.

Pastors Ryan Cramer (St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Foley), Ross Johnson (Redeemer Lutheran Church, Fairhope) (c), and David Johnson (Zion Lutheran Church, Silverhill) (not pictured because he was taking these photos) gathered for the dedication.

OUR LAND AND OUR HOMES ARE TO BE DEDICATED.

     Pastor: Having a home and caring for it, require God’s involvement. Deuteronomy 20: 5 says: "Then the officers shall speak to the people, saying:

     Home Builder Friends: “What man is there who has built a new house and has not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle and another man dedicate it.”

DEDICATION DOES NOT ALLOW ONE TO FORGET GOD'S HOUSE.

     Pastor: We have built a house on this site and we have a home. God’s Word in Haggai 1 gives direction for life and remembering where a building lot and a home come from. That is why we are called to God’s House of Worship, to build and maintain it as well.

     Home Builder Friends: Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your ways! Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified," says the LORD.

     Pastor: "You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?" says the LORD of hosts.

     Home Builder Friends: "Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house.

Plenty of food! The line moves quickly.

Dedication over! Food and fellowship begins.

Diners congregate in a variety of eating groups. This one is right by the new driveway.

HOUSE DEDICATION PRAYER LIST.

     Pastor: Yes, we dedicate this site, this home, and each of its rooms to You, Heavenly Father, and we commit ourselves as friends of this family to building Your spiritual house in our very hearts.

     Home Builder Friends 1: Heavenly Father, we commit ourselves to being obedient to Your Word as we claim this lot and building for a home dedicated to You. May our labors reveal Your love and compassion to our friends and neighbors. Amen.

     Home Builder Friends 2: Lord God, we ask for Your help in blessing all family activities on this site. May all that we do, honor You, the Holy Spirit, and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

     Home Builder Friends 3: We ask You, Lord Jesus, enable us to lift up Your Name in this place. May we build Your Body the church by all that happens on this holy ground. Amen.

     Home Builder Friends 4: Holy Spirit, foster Your fellowship in all that occurs in this home that all family members and friends may honor You and the Father and the Son. Amen.

     Home Builder Friends 5: God, activities may bring injury. We ask that You would protect all who will live here. May all who enter here say, “Protect all who live and visit here seek the Lord's protection and peace coming in, being here, and going out. Amen”

     Home Builder Friends 6: Lord we pray for blessings on the future home-owners of this place and on the Habitat volunteers and Lutherans who have witnessed in Your Name on this home project. May all people around this building site know that You, our Lord, reside here with us. Amen.

     Home Builder Friends 7: Give all who have labored here and all who shall live here, Your wisdom and holiness in their lives because of the holiness of this place. Amen.

BENEDICTION.

     Pastor: Lord God, we have dedicated this land, this home, and this household to You. Thank You for bringing this project about. Amen. Receive the Lord’s Benediction on this Site: The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you. The Lord lift His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

     Home Builder Friends: Amen.

Zion Assembles Lunches for
"Lutheran Build" Project in Fairhope
Thursday, March 10, 2011

     Each Lutheran Church in Baldwin County has been working with Habitat for Humanity's fourth "Lutheran Build," this one located in Fairhope. Feeding hungry workers last Thursday was an enterprise. Zion Lutheran Church volunteers gathered in the morning to assemble box lunches for the work crew. Work crews vary from day to day and week to week. The task is always to provide enough nourishment to energize volunteers. These past two weeks have witnessed several colleges participating in the building project, and "yes," college students can have an appetite! And did anyone mention weather? We were rained out on Saturday when this lunch was originally scheduled. And then there was the tornado in Silverhill the day before this specific lunch project. People scrambled to get to church to get the lunch assembly job done despite the hurdles.

Click each photo to enlarge.

Charlie and Martha Canning had prepared "pulled pork" for sandwiches. Buns, chips, cookies, plastic bags, and styrofoam take-out boxes, etc. were laid out on a long table at Zion Lutheran Church in Silverhill. Pete Midgarden, Betty Pitcher, Martha Canning, Shirley Stephens, Vera Avera, Mary Kinsey, Pastor Dave Johnson, and Ed Kinsey (l to r) each took part of assemblyline responsibility to complete boxed lunch.

Everyone had a task, one assemblyline person waiting for the next as luncheons were assembled one at a time. Vera Avera Shirley Stephens, Martha Canning, Betty Pitcher (l to r, front row), Mary Kinsey, Pastor Dave Johnson, and Ed Kinsey (l to r, back row) made a good team.

     As for the actual "build," the walls have been up for a number of weeks and will withstand 170 mph winds. The interior is being painted; the exterior is being landscaped, and molding is being applied to exterior walls where concrete meets eves. The Lutherans, headed by Fairhope's Jack Stieber, plan to finish the "2011 Lutheran Build" home by April 1. The project continues on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays as Work Days in March. The plan is to complete the project with a Home Blessing on April 1.

When there is a lot of work to do, to get smiles you have to snap the pictures before boxed lunches are assembled. Vera Avera, Martha Canning, Mary Kinsey, Pastor Dave Johnson, Betty Pitcher, Ed Kinsey, and Pete Midgarden (l to r) were guided in the process by "Food Chief" Charles Canning.

Things looked pretty neat before assembly of box lunches commenced. Styrofoam boxes, "pulled pork," buns, chips, cookies, etc. were neatly laid out on the assembly table. Betty Pitcher, Shirley Stephens, Martha Canning, Vera Avera, and Mary Kinsey (l to r) each assessed the job before assembly messed up a pretty organized table!

     Baldwin County friends and neighbors are invited to follow construction on the building site at Twin Beech Road (County Road 44), one block west of Greeno Road (Highway 98) in Fairhope. Build progress can also be followed at this website.

     Volunteers with or without construction skills are always welcome to work on this project. For information concerning Habitat, the interested may e-mail jackstieber@gmail.com or contact him by telephone at 251-689-8340. Habitat for Humanity may be contacted directly for information concerning this or other projects underway at 251-943-7268. Habitat's "Habitat ReStore," a materials handling facility, can also use volunteers, information at 251-989-6422.

Lake Forest College Students
Join "Lutheran Build" Project
on Spring Break
Thursday, March 10, 2011

     Lutheran churches in Baldwin County have been working with Habitat for Humanity's fourth "Lutheran Build," this one located in Fairhope. Work crews vary from day to day and week to week and include "snow birds" but also college students from a variety of campuses. These past two weeks have witnessed several colleges participating in the Habitat building project, located at Twin Beech Road (County Road 44), one block west of Greeno Road (Highway 98) in Fairhope. This particular home is concrete and rated for 170 MPH winds!

Click each photo to enlarge.

In the foreground, members of Zion Lutheran Church's "lunch crew" prepare to set up a box lunch distribution point for volunteers.

Those are boxes of ceramic tiles in the trailer in the foreground, awaiting installation in this new home.

     On this particular day, Silverhill's Zion Lutheran Church provided box lunches for the work crew. Lunches were assembled in Silverhill and "trucked" to the building site. Between 30 and 40 lunches were served.

Lake Forest College students found a place to have lunch. Tara Busse (top, right) is the student volunteer coordinator for this Illinois group.

This particular day, the focus included getting the painting done on the interior of the project.

     Volunteers with or without construction skills are always welcome to work on this project. Students and other volunteers were pursuing painting, tiling, molding application, landscaping, and other related building activities this day.

Shirley Stephens from Zion Lutheran Church arranged the food distribution site while Jack Stieber (l to r, foreground), Lutheran Build Coordinator, waits for the cue to assemble the hungry.

Lunch break is so important, not only to recharge the body, but to build friendships and develop new relationships! Sometimes there are just enough places to sit, but it is great to be able to talk without sitting down. A group of students found a friendly sidewalk seat across the road from the project.

     For information concerning Habitat, the interested may e-mail Lutheran Build Coordinator Jack Stieber jackstieber@gmail.com or contact him by telephone at 251-689-8340. Habitat for Humanity may be contacted directly for information concerning this or other projects underway at 251-943-7268. Habitat's "Habitat ReStore," a materials handling facility, can also use volunteers, information at 251-989-6422.

     For those interested in Lake Forest College, its website is located at Lake Forest College.

2011 Lutheran Build
Coordinator Stieber Lays Out
Basic Plan and Schedule

     "We've gotten off to a good start. We had about ten of us at the shed-building project this past week," Jack Stieber reported. He was talking to the "Men's 710" Breakfast and Speaker Fellowship which meets most months on the second Tuesday of the month in Silverhill.

     Visitors and friends greeted John ("Jack") Stieber at the January "Men's 710" meeting at Zion Lutheran Church of Silverhill. Stieber (center) is the Coordinator for the "2011 Lutheran Build" with Baldwin's Habitat for Humanity. He outlined the landmarks for the current home building project. (Click photo to enlarge.)

     His topic was the new home construction project in Fairhope of a concrete home with conventional interior to be built with Habitat for Humanity. "That home should withstand 170 mph winds!" Stieber said. In terms of building a "Habitat home," that shed-building is an early step in overall construction, because tools and materials rely on the shed on the construction site. Stieber laid out recent milestones in 2011 and the remaining game plan for completing this new home blessing for a special family in Baldwin County by April:

January 06 08:00am Shed-Build at Habitat For Humanity Office
January 08 10:00am Meeting at Redeemer Lutheran Church
January 15 08:00am Ground Blessing and Placement of Shed
January 22 08:00am Frame Day On-Site in Fairhope
January 25 08:00am Tuesday Work Day
January 27 08:00am Thursday Work Day
January 29 08:00am Saturday Work Day

     The project will continue on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays as Work Days in February and March. The plan is to complete the project with a Home Blessing on April 01.

     Churches and individual volunteers will supply the noon meals for the project.

     Baldwin County friends and neighbors are invited to the "Ground Blessing" event on Saturday morning at 8 AM at Twin Beech Rd. (Co Rd 44), one block west of Greeno Rd. (Hwy 98). "Come for coffee and learn about one way to help our neighbors."

     On another note, volunteers with or without construction skills are always welcome. For information concerning the 2011 Lutheran Build with Habitat, the interested may e-mail jackstieber@gmail.com or contact him by telephone at 251-689-8340. Habitat for Humanity may be contacted for information concerning this or other projects underway at 251-943-7268. Habitat's "Habitat Restore," a materials handling facility, can also use volunteers, information at 251-989-6422.