Building History

HOME: #37 The Curry Family

Location: Eveleth

Date Started: January 1, 1970

Date Complete: October 27, 2009

This home was a Thrivent Builds project with partner family Angela Curry. The excavation was completed by Bill Gruska, and the Curry Construction crew set the forms. All was ready on Tuesday, June 16th for our big Build with the Bishop Day!

Bishop Tom Aitken traveled north to raise Angela’s walls with local Lutheran pastors and congregations. 66 people were on site that day! Bishop Aitken wrote, “The importance of becoming part of ‘Build with the Bishop Day’ is that it puts ‘skin’ on what otherwise could easily just become ‘principle’ or ‘things we really probably should do’ but never really get around to doing them.  The gospel is not merely a message.  It’s a person. The gospel is enfleshed.  Jesus really came and lived among us—in the flesh.  He not only spoke about the Kingdom, he ‘did’ the Kingdom everywhere he went:  children were picked up in his arms, lepers were touched and healed, warring kin were brought together because he was there ‘in the flesh’, not merely offering some kind of theoretical ‘class’ on reconciliation.  Jesus came to reconcile the world – and the New Testament describes Christians as fellow workers with Jesus, and as people who have been given the ‘ministry of reconciliation.’  When we roll up sleeves, put a hammer in our hand and connect together wood on wood to form a frame, then a wall, then a ceiling and roof, our whole being has been involved.  This includes the muscles that ache the next day, the conversation that took place while serving on a team, the feelings deep down in our souls that arise as a result of the interplay between intentions, will, hands and feet, sweat and prayer, thoughts and feelings. It is a holistic experience.  This kind of love incarnated in us, helps not only those we are building a house for – but our own total spirituality as well.”

We were also overjoyed to host volunteer crews from Wells Fargo, the Care-a-vanners, and volunteers from Hope Community Presbyterian Church, Resurrection Catholic Church, local LCMS congregations at the Build with the President, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Hibbing, and Faith United Lutheran Church in Iron. Check out our blog for photos of these exciting volunteer days.

Local volunteers have worked hard this July to finish the insulation and sheetrock. Local LCMS pastors and congregations joined President Fondow for a Build with the President day to finish the exterior and sheetrocking.