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God's Work. Our Hands. Together in Shellsburg

Julie is a single mother from Shellsburg. Almost fifteen years ago she lost her home in a fire. She was able to purchase a modest home with the insurance proceeds. Recently, she put herself through nursing school and began working as a nurse. Then she suffered a major health emergency that resulted in not being able to work for an extended period or time, mounting medical bills, and hours of rehabilitation. Julie’s mother stepped in to help her financially until she herself was unable to work due to workforce cutbacks that forced her out of her job. Julie was slowly returning to work on a part-time basis when the roof of her home began to leak. With no money for repairs and the roof quickly deteriorating, Julie’s mother called Pastor Mark Urlaub, Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Vinton, for help.

Pastor Mark called CrossRoads Mission in Cedar Rapids for assistance in helping Julie and her family with the roof. After Pastor Mark and CrossRoads Mission volunteers met in Shellsburg to inspect the roof, it was discovered that there was a complete roof system failure. Pastor Mark agreed to begin fundraising, including a grant from Thrivent Financial Services for Lutherans; and CrossRoads Mission agreed to help find volunteers with roofing experience. When it all came together, Julie was called and a date established to re-roof her house. What was held in prayer became a reality; Julie would get her new roof.

On September 29th work began on the roof with seventeen volunteers from St. Mark’s in Marion, Our Savior’s in Cedar Rapids, St. Stephen’s in Cedar Rapids, CrossRoads Mission, St. Mathew’s in Monticello, and Bethlehem in Vinton. Individuals from all walks of life worked side by side on Julie’s home for two days. And when they left, a new roof was in place. In the end, there were over 165 volunteer work hours donated to this project.

We know how grateful Julie and her family are. What most people do not understand is how we as Christians feel to help a child of God that could not help herself in a time of need. Throughout construction, we all felt grateful and blessed in knowing that God had called each of us to this place to help Julie and her family. The Christian love and fellowship was reminiscent of an old-time barn raising where neighbors truly came together to reach out to a neighbor in need. Together, with many congregations combining their efforts in the small Iowa town of Shellsburg, we had a modern-day version of a barn raising and did God’s work with our hands.

God's Work. Our Hands. Together in Shellsburg, Iowa from Southeastern Iowa Synod, ELCA on Vimeo.