The finished 2007 Thrivent Builds house. Student volunteers from Cardinal Gibbons High School planted shrubs. Friends of the family from Pullen Memorial Baptist Church and the family planted the flowers.
Thrivent Builds 2007
Habitat Wake was selected to join a national home-building alliance that is partnering with 355 American families in 2007. Locally, a coalition of Lutheran churches that enjoyed its first build with Habitat Wake in early 2007, joined the efforts with the Capital Area Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans to raise money and recruit construction volunteers.
With a four-year $105 million commitment to sponsor homes, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is Habitat for Humanity International’s largest financial ally to help increase the non-profit housing ministry’s home building production. 2007 marks the second year of the Thrivent Builds project and the first year that Habitat for Humanity of Wake County is participating.
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Nearly 140 volunteers and friends dedicated the home on Saturday, December 1. (Pictures will be posted soon.)
Said Mike Wendt, the Southeast Region’s Lutheran Community Services Specialist for Thrivent Builds: “Together, Habitat and Thrivent Financial have built more than 500 homes, raised more than $25 million and contributed more than 1.4 million volunteer hours during a successful fourteen-year relationship. This relationship brings both financial support and volunteers to help Habitat expedite and increase its homebuilding capacity and serve even more families.”
In 2006, the first year of the alliance, 313 families in 43 states achieved the dream of home ownership--a projected six percent increase in Habitat's U.S. home production. In its second year, the alliance is again increasing Habitat's home construction by working with 256 Habitat affiliates to build the 355 homes. One of these homes will be built in Raleigh with Habitat Wake. Other Habitat affiliates and Thrivent Financial members across North Carolina will build houses in 2007 in Buncombe County, Cabarrus County, Catawba County, Gaston County, Rowan County, Mecklenburg County, and Moore County.
Said Jon Persson, president of the Capital Area Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and member of Resurrection Lutheran Church: "Our first build showed us that in the course of building a house, we also build lasting friendships amongst fellow Lutherans, the homeowner family and Habitat staff. We’ve crawled in roof trusses, cut vinyl siding, built porch steps and painted. We’ve learned how to raise a house from the ground up, and it’s been both fun and meaningful.”
To learn more, visit www.thriventbuilds.com.Habitat Wake's December 20, 2006 press release announces the partnership.
Habitat Wake's May 24, 2007 press release announces the groundbreaking.
Groundbreaking
Local members of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans broke ground on Saturday, May 12, 2007, alongside a family that will build and purchase the Habitat home sponsored by the fraternal organization. The home in Raleigh will be one of 355 built in 43 states as part of the nationwide Thrivent Builds project in 2007.
Clergy and lay leaders from local Lutheran churches led the groundbreaking ceremony. About 125 people attended. A youth choir sang. Participants toured a neighboring Habitat Wake home built separately by members of seven local Lutheran churches. The tour highlighted the spirit of volunteerism and the construction criteria for local Habitat homes.
Said Jim McDonald, member of Christ the King Lutheran Church: "The Thrivent Builds project in 2007 will continue the enthusiastic hands-on approach to help a neighbor --it's our second experience working alongside a homeowner who otherwise would not be able to afford a decent place to raise a family. This Thrivent Builds project is an exciting opportunity for all area Lutheran churches to come together in fellowship and stewardship so that we contribute to our community’s wellbeing.”
Construction on the Thrivent Builds home will culminate in a dedication ceremony by the end of the year. All who are Thrivent Financial members (and who are at least 16 years old) are welcome and encouraged to volunteer on a Saturday construction day.
Construction Photos
The Thrivent Builds house as of Saturday, July 28. Many thanks to Wayne Cornelius for providing weekly updates and photos.
Site-Ready . . .In March, the site was graded for construction. After the foundation was put in place in May, construction was ready to begin.
Project Day #1: June 9 . . .Members from Good Shepherd & Christ the King leveled the crawl space, waterproofed the foundation and put in floor trusses.
Project Day #2: June 16. . .Members from Grace & Hope sheathed the floor and framed walls.
Project Day #3: June 23. . .Members from Holy Trinity & Abiding Precense framed and sheathed walls.
Project Day #4: June 30. . .Members from Resurrection & St. Philip framed and sheathed walls.
Project Day #5: July 7. . .Members from Christ the King & Grace attached roof trusses, sheathed the roof and framed interior walls.
Project Day #6: July 14. . .Holy Trinity volunteers spent most of the day on the southwest roof and Lord of Life volunteers worked on the northeast roof while Thrivent Financial agent Barry Conover and Susan Haig extracted nails from boards. The crew framed doors and windows and put in deack headers. They worked on the interior wall framing punchlist. They framed the vaulted ceiling and locked roof trusses to the walls.
Project Day #7: July 21. . .Members from St. Philip & Good Shepherd sheathed the roof, applied tar paper to the roof and framed windows and doors. Many of the crew shingled the roof.
Project Day #8: July 28. . .Members from Grace & Resurrection attached shingles, installed the soffits and fascia and installed siding. Some folks continued on the windows and doors.
Project Day #9:
Project Day #10: Aug. 11. . .Members from Good Shepherd & St. Philip continued attaching shingles, installing the soffits and fascia and installing siding.
Project Day #11: Aug. 18. . .Members from Resurrection & Hope continued with siding and working on the roof. They also began the decks
Project Day #12: Aug. 25. . .Members from Good Shepherd & Abiding Presence will constructed the handrails for the decks and installed the soffits and fascia on the porch.
Project Day #13: Sept. 8. . .Members from Pullen Memorial Baptist Church & Christ the King will built the deck handrail, attached the porch soffit and installed siding. Pullen Memorial Baptist Church is assisting the family settle in Raleigh as refugees.
Project Day #14: Sept. 15. . .Members from Holy Trinity & Lord of Life completed the exterior.
Project Day #15: Sept. 22. . .Members from Christ the King & St. Philip trimmed the interior doors and set in the landscaping.
Project Day #16: Sept. 29. . .Members from Grace & Holy Trinity primed the interior trim, doors and walls. )
Project Day #17: Oct. 6. . .Members from Hope & Resurrection painted the interior trim, cabinets and walls.
Project Day #18: Oct. 13. . .Members from St. Philip & Christ the King continued painting and installed closet shelves.
Project Day #19: Oct. 20. . Members from Holy Trinity & Good Shepard painted and caulked.
Project Day #20: Oct. 27. . Members from St. Philip & Grace worked on the interior and exterior painting and install door hardware.
Project Day #21: Nov. 3. . Members from & .
Project Day #22 (final work day: Nov. 10. . Members from Good Shepard & Christ the King worked on punch list items.
Join the Thrivent Builds 2008 Project
The national Thrivent Builds project is an exciting opportunity for all area Lutheran churches to come together in fellowship and stewardship to provide housing for a local family in need. All who are affiliated with one of the Lutheran churches or who are Thrivent members (and who are at least 16 years old) are welcome and encouraged to volunteer on a Saturday construction day. No experience is necessary. Habitat Wake provides the training and tools.
Please contact your church's Congregational Habitat Coordinator (via your church's social outreach ministry program) to learn about plans for 2008.
Congregations with members participating in the Thrivent Builds 2007 and the Thrivent Builds 2008 projects:
- Abiding Presence Lutheran Church (Fuquay-Varina)
- Christ the King Lutheran Church (Cary)
- Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (Raleigh)
- Grace Lutheran Church (Raleigh)
- Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church (Raleigh)
- Hope Lutheran Church (Wake Forest)
- Lord of Life Lutheran Church (Garner)
- Resurrection Lutheran Church (Cary)
- St. Philip Lutheran Church (Raleigh)
