"\v IT'S GOING TO BE A PORCH when Boyd Adcock, Steve Poovey, Haywood Hamilton and Dacote XVhftaker are done. .-jam - w TROUBLE-SHOOTER Wayne Honeycutt listens intently as construction volunteer Dacote Whitaker seeks advice. Volunteers BY SUSAN USHER They were everywhere, swarm ing. 150-plus volunteers with sweat rolling down their faces and tools gripped in their fists. And they were smiling. A church was going up, and hun dreds of Baptist men, women and teen-agers from across North Carolina and from South Carolina and Georgia were helping to make it happen. They came alone or with groups of 12 to 15 people from the same church. A self-employed elcctrical contractor who closed his business for two weeks, a lawyer and a doctor who took time out from their prac tices. Employees who used vacation time to go on mission. Pull Together U&+1,1 I And A New Church Goes Up In all, pastors and/or members representing 30 to 40 congregations were helping to raise Brunswick County's youngest Baptist church, the 160-nieniher strong South Brunswick Islands. Some came for several days, others for several weeks to share whatever skill or tal ent they had. They spent their own lime, their own money, and left work of their own undone. "Nobody can put into words how the Lord blesses you for doing something like this," said Arnold Flowers, who with his sons Scott, 13, and Jeremy, 12. was part of a 15 member work team from Love Memorial in Goldsboro. Flowers traveled to Brazil last year with a church-building team from Love Memorial, but this was their first mission project as a family. Joe Padgett, a printer from Charlotte, couldn't agree more. "I don't do this for a living," he said, taking a break from cutting strips of insulation batting. "I just love to do it." The target date for general com pletion is June 27, when the church expects to baptize new affiliates in the baptismal pool. The first of its kind in the state, the project reflects the inspiration, experiences, and year-long planning of three men: South Brunswick Islands pastor Jack Hancox of Oak Island, a retired missionary; Wayne Honcycutt of Dallas. N.C., church A simple, gentle way to keep your pool clear. New non-chlorine SoftSwim? from BioGuard* lets you keep your pool clear the easy way. It's a convenient liquid program that requires fewer applications and fewer water tests. Plus, SoftSwim is easy on eyes, skin and hair. And you can only get it at your BioGuard Autho rized Poo! Care Center. Relax. Bring your pool to BioGuard*. PROFESSIONAL POOL MAINTENANCE Island Village Specialty Shops Hwy. 179, Ocean Isle Beach (Behind IGA Btdg) Open Mon-Sat m 579-8828 SS Daily Maintenance Chemicals, Accessories & Equipment m* 1 r -? r*'T^ i 1' am STAFF PHOTOS BY SUSAN USHEK SCOTT FLOWERS drives a nail under the watchful eye of his dad, Arnold. builder for the North Carolina people." said Honcycutt. Baptist Men; and Cameron Norris of All three men have been involved Ricgclwood, a lay renewal coordina- in church-building efforts stateside tor who led a workshop here and and abroad. But nothing on the scale "fell in love" with the congregation. of this 50- by ISO-foot steel-framed "Cameron's an organizer and I'm structure. a builder. We've worked together While other denominations have before and we both know a lot of experience in mass production tech ==feb IN-HOME Therapeutic, professional massage given in the privacy of your own home or mine, for your convenience. Please call and make your appointment today. 754-7705 John A. Azzato, M.D. Walter F. Weis, M.D. Jimmy R. Whaley, R.N. F.N.P. Orthopaedic Urgent Care Monday thru Friday Medical/Legal Evaluations Non-Surgical Treatment of Spine Arthroscopic Surgery (919) 457-4789 902 N. Howe St. ? Southport, NC niqucs, this is a first for the North Carolina Baptist Men. As the Baptist State Convention's church builder, Honeyeutt typically spends six to eight months finishing a single church with the help of several work teams, not three weeks. 'The State (Baptist Convention) is watching us," said Norris. "It's their dream to be able to do it." Planning for the project began ap proximately a year ago, with plenty of both prayer and coordinating to bring the right people on site at the right time, with materials waiting. 'The stuff is here and the people arc here. It's just a matter of bring ing it together." said Hancox. "It's an cxciting thing." Norris recitcd a litany of activity: "Monday a week ago we had a team that wanted to come in early, so we put in the steel structure and the floor." Then came the plywood and studs for the exterior walls. By Friday morning, workers were setting insu lation. shcctrock. electrical conduit and ductwork into place. But that was just a part of the pic ture. The teams concentrated here these few weeks have been building a church in more ways than one. Teams of tccn-agcrs and iheir adult leaders held Backyard Bible Clubs, witnessed through music and pup petry in campgrounds and on the beach. Teams of adults from the host church and from Georgia and South Carolina churches canvassed door to-door, Irving to identify house holds where members do not attend church. This week Three Forks Baptist Church in Taylorsville has rented six beach houses for a group of 45, in cluding teams of brick masons whose goal is to get their work done by Wednesday so they play a round or two of golf before heading home. The teams reconnect to share meals served three times a day under a huge blue and gold striped tent with sawdust floor. The food is pre pared and served by still more vol unteers. working out of the same North Carolina Baptist Men's disas ter van that served Hurricane Andrew victims in Florida and Hurricane Hugo victims in South Carolina. Suppers are special, typi cally provided by a church from a neighboring county, and one night, by the new church's sponsor, Antioch Baptist of Bolivia. ' We're excited about what we're doing," said Norris. "We want local pastors and people to know we re not after their members. We're try ing to reach the unchurched. We un derstand there are approximately 5,(XK) people between these two rivers (Lockwood Folly and Shallotte) who fit that description." The mission-oriented congrega tion has outgrown its temporary quarters on Holden Beach Road and is anxiously awaiting the dedication of its new home on Mt. Pisgah Church Road. "It's not going to be anything lux urious; it will be spartan, to be used for many different things," said Hancox. "For example, we built this with steel with the intent of it be coming a designated hurricane shel ter. We know it will qualify." Next summer, when Norris and Honeycutt team again to build a church for a growing Chinese Bap tist congregation in Charlotte, you can count on this: South Brunswick Islands Baptist will be sending a BOATS Affordable! 1-800-545-2293 919-457-9080 SALE HURRY! DON'T MISS OUT! Conditioner Salt Sale 80 lb. Solar Salt $5.48 while they last! June Special *3/4 cu. ft. (24,000 Grain) $/| ^Q69 Conditioner w/bypass f *1 cu. ft. 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