SHAWNEETOWN, IL (WSIL) - Carpenters For Christ is an organization that helps churches build, so when one Gallatin County church needed help building a new sanctuary, they knew exactly who to call.
"Let people know that you want to help and you'll find your life much richer,� said the lead pastor at Shawneetown Church of God, Randy Vaughn.
When it comes to the riches of helping your fellow man, Vaughn says he's a wealthy man, and he’s hoping a new sanctuary will be an important part of his church to better serve the people of Shawneetown.
"We just felt like it was time to do something that we could get those people back and get some of the community outreach and get some things going on that,� Vaughn explained. “And these guys have been fantastic"
He's talking about Carpenters for Christ. They're a group of more than 100 men who spend their vacation time from work to help churches build.
"We come to normally small churches like this one here,� said Carpenters For Christ Treasurer David Furst. “They have a very old sanctuary that we're replacing and we just provide them the manpower."
Furst says it can be difficult for small churches to raise money for not only the materials to build but the labor as well. So Carpenters for Christ provides the manpower, free of charge.
"A lot of times they work hard, they save and put money aside, and the way the expenses on materials keep going up, they think they've got enough to put the building together, and they come up short,� said Furst.
The current sanctuary was dedicated in 1949 and according to Vaughn, the building has simply outgrown their vision of what they can do to better serve God in the area.
“Look at the span of time and the span of ministers that have been here and been and the people hold it together,� Vaughn explained. “It's an honor, let me just say it that way. It's an honor to be a part of this community.�
And helping them achieve their goal of better serving God in their community is what Carpenters for Christ is all about.
“To be able to come in and really help this community that continues to glorify God in everything that they're doing, it’s a blessing to be able to come in,� said Furst.
