SPECIAL STATEMENT – Our Future

As you read this, concrete will be curing at Fulton Bridge Baptist Church in Hamilton AL. Plans have been finalized, materials lists have been compiled, and ordering has begun. Lodging is being snapped up and long-range weather forecasts are being analyzed. The volunteer pool has begun to fill. It’s going to be a special 50th build! Without further fluff though …

I mentioned in February that WE NEED YOU. WE NEED YOU to register and let us know that you’re coming: via website or snail mail. Numbers are always “best guess” and the earlier we have an idea, the better for all. WE NEED YOU to come help during “Pre-week”: getting all materials and advance component construction prepared for the masses. Typically, several of us arrive the Wednesday before build week to get things staged and ready. Leaders are already strategizing, having worked out plans many times in their heads, so we can hit the ground running. Maybe the build week doesn’t work perfectly with your schedule. Come labor during the lower-speed preparation days.

WE NEED YOU to pray for this year’s build. Safety is always a concern and thankfully, God has blessed us richly. Weather can play havoc with the “best laid plans”, and stress rises when we can’t meet our self-imposed goals. Coordinating, feeding, and caring for a mass of volunteers is always a challenge, and we’ve got some great folks who work many hours in advance and behind the scenes to try and anticipate as many pitfalls as possible. Talk about a labor of love.

Finally, WE NEED YOU to help shape our future. Bluntly stated, we’re going to lose some significant leadership after this year and Builders cannot realistically continue the same model without them. We’ve enjoyed so many years of this format, and there are a good number of folks who’ve given their all for most of them. There is a season for everything however (Solomon), and at some point we’ll all have to step back. Plainly said, going forward we will need:

• A Project Coordinator: One who can do advance work with the church and architects to plan and then help direct the build.
• A Construction Lead: One who will work side by side with the Project Coordinator as well as direct a subset of volunteer leaders as an expert.
• A Kitchen Coordinator: One who will plan menus, head food purchases, and direct the kitchen team’s meal prep and cleanup during the week of the build.
• “Board” Members (3-4): Individuals who are willing to meet a couple of times a year (remotely) to plan and make decisions about build opportunities and organizational direction.

If that seems to you like a monumental task, you’re absolutely correct. In human terms, probably impossible. Yet, as noted, without these folks Builders cannot be what it always has been. We’re earnestly seeking God’s will and hope to continue with what we’ve always known. However, we also know that His plan is Supreme and that whatever He has in mind for us next will be just as productive … for HIS glory. We need you: your prayers, your labor, and your help finding the next generation of leadership. Maybe it’s YOU! Pray and contact us ASAP with your ideas.

Looking forward to our 50th reunion in Hamilton AL. Wake the kids and call the neighbors. It’s going to be great!