Celebrating Community and Partnership: First Baptist Church and Habitat Catawba Valley Dedicate a New Home
Hickory, NC (June 15, 2024)-
At Habitat Catawba Valley, we are driven by our mission to put God’s love into action and bring people together to build homes, communities, and hope. Recently, this mission was realized and celebrated through our partnership with First Baptist Church of Hickory, home sponsor of the “Frances Hilton Home”. We held a dedication at the newly finished home for two deserving soon to be homeowners—Edgar and John. This event underscored the power of community partnership and collective effort, as well as honored the long-standing support of Frances Hilton.
The partnership between First Baptist Church, Hickory, and Habitat Catawba Valley is founded on shared values of service, compassion, community building, and the love of Jesus Christ. First Baptist Church has consistently demonstrated its dedication to uplifting those in need, making this collaboration a natural extension of their ongoing commitment to the community. Pastors Joshua Barrett and Larry Phillips played a significant role in the dedication ceremony, exemplifying the church’s spirit of unity and purpose.
The home build was sponsored by First Baptist Church in honor of Frances Hilton, a longtime supporter of Habitat Catawba Valley. Frances Hilton’s dedication to our cause has been unwavering, and her presence at the dedication ceremony added a special significance to the event. Her legacy of support continues to inspire our community and drives our mission forward.
“We look forward to moving into this house to have the room for my girls to grow. They’re getting older and that’s going to be huge – somewhere we can call home ”
Edgar, the soon-to-be homeowner of the First Baptist Church Sponsor Build, embodies the values of hard work and family dedication. Working 40-45 hours a week at for a local fire safety company, Edgar is a devoted father to three daughters, ages 8, 7, and 5. Despite the challenges of balancing work and family life, Edgar has always ensured his daughters have the most fulfilling and loving life possible. Due to financial constraints, Edgar has lived with his mother for the past couple of years to afford rent while receiving help with his girls. His new home represents a significant step towards independence and stability for his family.
John, a retired former diesel mechanic who is now disabled, has been in the Habitat homeownership program since 2022. His journey in the program has been one of selfless devotion to help those around him, all while embodying a spirit of hard work and devotion. John has two sons, one of which lives in Conover, and the other in Salt Lake City, Utah. John has four sisters, one who is since deceased. John was originally scheduled to move into the Frances Hilton – First Baptist Church home, however, an opportunity to relocate closer to his sister came like a sign from God. John is now scheduled to close on his forever home in the July of 2024. His home, which was an early 2000’s Habitat build and was offered for sale by the owner, was acquired by us and will be renovated and refreshed for his needs.
The home dedication ceremony was a beautiful testament to what can be achieved when a community comes together with a common purpose. Members of First Baptist Church, Habitat Catawba Valley volunteers, and supporters gathered to celebrate this milestone. The atmosphere was filled with warmth, camaraderie, and a shared sense of accomplishment. At the ceremony, John and Edgar were presented with gifts of a hammer and a Bible. The hammer is a symbol of the hard work our homebuyers have put in, and all the hands and hearts the have joined along way. The gift of a Bible is a symbol of the love that joins us, the grace that carries us, and the room that is prepared for us, so that God may bless and keep our new homeowners for all of their days.
Watch The Full Dedication Video Here
We at Habitat Catawba Valley would like to thank First Baptist Church of Hickory for their partnership, all of their members who attended and assisted in this amazing event, and Frances Hilton for her ongoing support of Habitat.
If you or your organization would like to support our mission to provide hardworking individuals homeownership opportunities, please contact Walter Cantwell at 828-328-4663 ext 108 or [email protected].
