Mississippi group helps Glenrock First Southern Baptist Church

Chase Vialpando photo
Atten Walters (right) lugs a 10-foot board towards Marvin Taylor so that it may be added to an incomplete wall frame at First Southern Baptist Church. Walters is a member and Taylor is the president of Campus Building Ministries, the Mississippi group helping with church renovations. 

By: 
Chase Vialpando chase@glenrockind.com

Sweat dripped from nearly everybody’s face. The occasional buzz of a powertool shortly broke the friendly chatter and laughs. A 12-foot wooden wall frame slowly rose as two dozen volunteers hoisted it erect. Then, they went back to joking and giggling.
Glenrock’s First Southern Baptist Church is receiving help with their congregation’s renovations from Church Building Ministries – a volunteer missions group from Summit, Mississippi. All the 23 churchgoing members of CBM are either retired, or took vacation time from work to help out with the church construction.
Marvin Taylor, president of the group, explained that they pay all of their own expenses, such as meals and gas, for the trips. Also, the nearly two dozen members have slept in bedrolls inside of the FSBC since they arrived.
When Jim Ritter, pastor of Glenrock’s FSBC realized his church’s renovations were more than they could handle alone, he prayed, and reached out to the Statewide Convention of Churches. Once word had gotten out about Ritter’s needs, Taylor was contacted by Marty Roark, pastor of Glendo’s Circle G Cowboy Church, who asked Taylor if his group could help with renovations at Glenrock’s FSBC. The Mississippi group was eager to help.
Roark was already familiar with CBM, as they have helped with renovations on his church in the past.
“Most of what we do comes from word of mouth,” Taylor said on CBM volunteer trips.
The FSBC renovation process is still relatively early, but some wall frames have been built and stood. Ritter explained that, after the renovation is complete, the church will be much more spacious. The plans include three new classrooms, expanding the community hall, and opening up the entry-way. The kitchen is also set to be remodeled and relocated.
The renovations will take longer than CBM can afford to stick around Glenrock, as they are leaving at the end of the week. Taylor said the group hopes to be able to finish the roof in that time.
Ritter’s contact with the Statewide Convention of Churches will continue to help with his building’s remodeling, though. He said that they have helped him find volunteer groups to aid in the future phases of the church’s construction. In about two weeks, a mission group from Missouri will come to Glenrock and help lay brick.
“We’re just so amazed and blessed to have these guys come do this.” Ritter said.

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