It was another early morning for Randy and Max but they then canceled their 4:30 alarms for tomorrow morning. YEA!! The Constructors work week actually ends after Thursday night dinner but at times Ray asks some people to work part of Friday to get things ready for the next week. Today was an extra work day for the guys and about 20 other team members. They worked until noon completing the large truss beam, beginning the decking for the balcony, framing the back wall of the sanctuary and then cleaning up the job site and putting tools away.
The crew fastening the last section of the truss beam into place.
Ray fastening one of the four metal plates that will strengthen the sandwiched truss beam that supports the balcony.
Decking started on the balcony
Framing at the end of week one
Debra and Anne took the truck to Lowe’s in Trussville to pick up a new storm door for Granny’s house which we installed this afternoon. After she returned from Trussville Anne had another NOMADS Board meeting online at noon today. We then grilled some hotdogs and burgers and had a leisurely dinner and a relaxed visit. Another good day.
Today was a long hot day for Max and Randy. They again were up at 4:30 and on the job at 6:00 where they continued to work on framing all day.
Randy and Max framing the ceiling of a closet
We used long boards to push the truss beams into position
Fastening the truss beams in their final position
By the end of today we had the balcony floor joists in place and 4 of the 5 truss beams sandwiched together.
Framing at the end of Thursday
Anne and Debra didn’t have to be there until shortly before lunch to start preparing for tonight’s dinner – spaghetti was tonight’s entree. However, since they were both awake at 4:30 they decided to do laundry and other mundane items around Aunt Helen’s house. They got another closet cleaned up before leaving for the church.
In the sanctuary, most of our volunteers wrote a note of scripture and signed the studs, headers etc. since it was the last full workday this week and some were leaving for home tonight. The messages will all be covered after a few more days of work but God will know it is there. Who knows when a repair will be done or a wall will be opened for some other reason and they will find an encouraging word from scripture. It was another good day! Hope yours was too.
Lillian, one of our younger team members, drawing a picture on a door header.
Our scripture on the framing where the water fountain will be
Today was an early day for all of us. Up at 4:30, depart home 5:30 and begin work at 6:00. Debra and Anne had to be at church at 6:00 this morning because it was their day to prepare breakfast for everyone. The other days they have been able leave home 8:00 or 8:30. It’s the early wakeups and long days that make Constructors so much harder than NOMADS. But, most people work Constructors for only one week so we can work those hours for one week. Don’t think we could do it for five consecutive weeks like a few people do each year.
The project is really moving forward. Today the fire-break drywall installation and mudding was completed. Both bathrooms in the vestibule framing was completed and some of the headers installed. The major accomplishment of the day was the moving of the truss beams that will support the balcony in the rear of the sanctuary inside the building and carefully placing them upon the walls. It took careful orchestration of people and lifts to accomplish the task. The work on installing the fire blocks in the walls is continuing as well.
Max and Keith, a volunteer from the church in Lebanon, MO where we did our first Constructors for Christ project, installed and mudded the last of the firewall drywall. 36′ high is the highest Max can remember installing drywall
20′ walls take lots of fire blocks
This is how we carried the truss beam sections across the parking lot to the building. Five of these sections will be sandwiched together to form a beam to support the balcony area at the back of the sanctuary.
Preparing a truss beam section for lifting
We used a forklift to lift the truss beam sections onto the walls where they were placed in a temporary holding position.
Many of the door headers were installed today
Using a laser level to make sure the walls are plumb
Framing at the end of Wednesday
After Anne and Debra cooked and served breakfast and cleaned the kitchen, they returned home and painted the hall and master bath at our house. We are pleased with the results and it checked two more items off our to-do list. Slowly making progress.
A work day for Constructors for Christ begins at 6:00 am. Breakfast is around 7:30, lunch around 12:30 and we stop work at 6:00 pm. All three meals are provided each day. They are prepared by team members who choose to work in the kitchen instead of on the construction site. Those members are divided into three teams and each team prepares one meal a day. Today Anne and Debra’s team prepared lunch. Every meal is always delicious. Usually the team members prepare desserts but the members of the congregation at Pine Grove are providing those this year
Out on the constructions site today was much like yesterday. Some worked on installing fire blocks in the walls, some worked hanging and mudding drywall and some built corner posts and t-posts for the interior walls. Today we started building and erecting the interior walls. Another productive day in God’s service.
Some spent most of the day installing fire stop blocks in the tall walls
At times today three lifts were being used to hang and mud drywall
This afternoon we started building the interior walls.
The crew raised all the first floor walls on the ladies restroom side of the building.
One of our young volunteers learning to drive nails. He wanted to build something for his mother, so one of the ladies on the team helped him get started with this necklace holder.
RVing With a Purpose 