wfn.org | Vision Builders combines hands-on mission and new church

["Wilma Shuffitt"<wshuffit@oc.disciples.org>]

establishment
Date: July 15, 1998
Disciples News Service
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Contact: Clifford L. Willis
Email: CWillis@oc.disciples.org
on the Web: http://www.disciples.org

98b-42

	INDIANAPOLIS (DNS) -- How does one combine passions for establishing 
new congregations and giving people hands-on volunteer mission 
experience while traveling the country?  

	The Rev. Charles M. (Chuck) Babcock succeeded in putting his two 
passions together, June 1,  when he became part-time volunteer and 
construction coordinator of Vision Builders Construction. He recently 
retired as the Bluebonnet area minister for the Christian Church 
(Disciples of Christ) in the Southwest.

	For the next 18 months Babcock will oversee arrangements, coordinate 
volunteers, and provide site management for the denomination's first 
"church raising."  This volunteer project is the first 
denomination-wide effort by Disciples to erect a "new-church" 
facility in more than 50 years.

 	"Chuck has spent years organizing the church to act out its faith 
through mission projects and to support new congregation 
establishment," said the Rev. James L. Powell, president of Board of 
Church Extension.  "Now he gets to combine those two passions and his 
considerable expertise to coordinate volunteers who will construct 
first units for congregations that would not otherwise be able to 
build.  And he is doing all this basically as a volunteer."

	Vision Builders is the promotional and development arm of New 
Congregation Establishment and includes the volunteer construction 
program.  Vision Builders and the New Congregation Establishment 
program are churchwide ministries with administrative oversight 
provided by Board of Church Extension, the Disciples' building and 
financing unit.

   	The plan is to construct the first unit for a newly established 
congregation during a two-month period in mid 1999. The church site 
will be selected late this summer. The volunteer construction program 
is expected to expand in succeeding years. 

	"We all learn so much from each other and by being part of 
work/study experiences," Babcock explained.  "Vision Builders 
Construction will make it possible for Disciples with construction 
skills to experience first-hand the sense of mission and giving by 
helping build that new worship space for a new congregation."  

	"My hope," said Babcock, "is that we will develop a cadre of people 
with construction skills to be building missionaries. Our hope is to 
tap into a whole gamut of building skills that will be needed but 
that the church doesn't usually ask to use."

	Babcock's first task is to recruit Disciples members with 
construction skills to become volunteer church builders.  "We are 
looking for people who will be available for at least one week during 
the spring or summer of 1999. But we need their names for future 
projects also, even if the 1999 dates are not possible," he said. 

	In the meantime, Babcock and his wife, Burnell, are adjusting to 
life in their new home, a fifth-wheeler recreational vehicle. The 
Babcocks plan to travel, visit churches and families while preparing 
for the building of the new church unit next spring. 

	Burnell Babcock will be food coordinator during the building phase 
of the new church construction project.

	The greatest need at the moment is developing a database of 
prospective volunteers to help with future projects.  The 1999 pilot 
project will take at least 200 volunteers over the two-month period 
to do framing, excavating, cement pouring, plumbing, electrical and 
heating work, plastering, finishing, and painting. Volunteers will 
also be needed for food preparation and other support services. 

	Vision Builders Construction volunteers will pay a registration fee 
of $100 to help defray the cost of meals, supplementary insurance and 
other incidentals while working on the project. 

	To become a Vision Builders Construction volunteer contact the 
Vision Builders office, PO Box 7030, Indianapolis, IN 46207, phone 
(317) 635-6500. The E-mail address is vb@bce.disciples.org. Babcock 
may be reached via E-mail at cbabcock@bce.disciples.org.

	Requests for information may also be sent to Volunteers in Mission 
(VIM), 620 Coleraine Rd., Baltimore, MD 21229, phone (410) 788-6309. 
The VBC volunteer database is being maintained by Homeland 
Ministries' Volunteers in Mission program directed by the Rev. Jayna 
Powell. She may be reached via E-mail at jpowell@dhm.disciples.org.

	-- end --

Editor's note: A photograph of Mr. Babcock will be included in the 
next Disciples News Service mailing.

Disciples News Service releases 
are available at http://www.disciples.org/dns/index.htm