It was a joint effort, according to Tom Stacey, one that couldn’t have taken place without the existing structure, contacts, relationships and fundraising capabilities of an Alabama Baptist association.
Stacey, director of missions for Selma Baptist Association, said the recent roofing job completed at Safford Baptist Church “really shows the value of an association. We cannot do things like this without the associations already in place.”
Selma Association volunteers along with Bethel Baptist Association volunteers, a couple of volunteers from Oklahoma and members of Safford Baptist finished re-decking the roof of the church building and then placing a new shingle roof on it and on the church’s parsonage.
About 25 volunteers were on site every day Oct. 19–23 to complete the project, Stacey said.
The church reached out to Selma Association and requested help since the small congregation could not afford the $23,000 bids they were given by several roofing companies, he noted.
When the church asked for the association’s help, Stacey answered, “Absolutely.”
He then asked the association’s churches to volunteer and called for help from Bethel Association, a natural request since Selma and Bethel associations have worked on several construction projects together in the past and the disaster relief teams of both associations deploy together when called upon, he said.
Churches and individuals gave about $3,000 to help Safford Baptist pay for the project, which totaled around $9,000 to complete, Stacey said.
“It’s been a blessing to help a church that really needed it and we just had a blast,” Stacey said.
Lee Jones, deacon at Safford Baptist, said it was “a wonderful thing” to see people come from the community and even other states to help the church.
Working together
“Everyone worked hard and had a great time working together and fellowshipping,” Jones said. “We appreciate all that was done by the associations.”
He and his sons, Jeff and Lee Jr., worked on the site nearly every day along with about five other Safford Baptist members who helped serve water to the crew members and prepared and served lunch every day.
Bon McQueen is interim pastor.
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