For 150 years, the people of First Baptist Church have lived, loved and served in the Name of Christ, and for the last 32 of those years, we have often lived, loved and served through Greenwood Area Habitat for Humanity. Growing up at First Baptist, I learned that we show ourselves to be disciples of Christ by showing love for our neighbors. Now as the Executive Director of Greenwood Area Habitat, I have come to believe that mission work is the most authentic way of proclaiming God’s Word. I am thrilled that we at First Baptist have chosen to help a local family build a house alongside Greenwood Area Habitat as our way of showing love for our neighbors, proclaiming God’s Word, and celebrating our 150-year anniversary!
Greenwood Area Habitat provides the land, materials and expertise to help families build their own homes alongside volunteers. We then arrange an affordable mortgage so that the families can achieve financial stability and independence, and we can, in turn, serve more families. No profit is sought; the homebuyer repays only the cost of building without interest. Homebuyers are required to help build their own home and those of others in our Homeownership program. We like to say that we don’t build for our partner families; we build with our partner families.
Beginning in August, FBC will help a Habitat partner family build a house on the grounds of our church for everyone walking and driving along Grace Street to see. We want all of Greenwood to see the men and women of First Baptist putting their faith in God and love for the people of this community into action! Eventually, Greenwood Area Habitat will move the house to Mineral Avenue, where we are currently building 18 single-family homes on the former site of the Mineral Court Apartments as our contribution to the redevelopment of the Westside neighborhood of the City.
Typically, we have several financial sponsors of a home build, but because of your generosity to this point, we are very close to being able to say that this build will be fully funded by First Baptist and its members. What a testament that would make to 150 years of sharing God’s love and grace within our community and around the world!
I write today to ask for your support. Please remember that our First Baptist Church Foundation will match your individual contributions, and those contributions are to be made through the church office.
We’ll need your help at the job site, too! I’ll send another message closer to our groundbreaking in August with more information about the work itself and how you can register to volunteer.
Jesus taught us to let our light shine before others, that they may praise God in Heaven. Through your generous support and joyful labor, travelers along Grace Street will soon see our light shining brightly as we build a place for a family to call home.
As has been true for 150 years, the people of Greenwood will see God at work through First Baptist Church.
Stephen Baggett, Jr.
Director, Greenwood Area Habitat for Humanity
