1670 Harper, Rantoul . See images on Flickr.

The Joneses

The Immanuel Lutheran Church of Flatville, Illinois, is a perfect example of how one group can make a big difference.

Immanuel Lutheran has been a committed supporter of Habitat for Humanity for the past four years. Immanuel first became involved with Habitat in the fall of 2000, when this group of dedicated volunteer builders began construction on a Habitat home in Urbana. 

In 2002, Habitat secured funds to build a second home in Rantoul. They approached Norm Uken from Immanuel Lutheran to see if the group would be willing to provide the expertise and manpower and complete the project by April of 2003. Norm met with the members of the Men in Mission group at the church, made a presentation about the proposed Rantoul build, and in October of 2003, the group agreed to take on the project.

Less than a month later on November 1, footings for Joyce Jones’ home were dug. The Jones home’s Groundbreaking was held the next day on November 2. A mild winter permitted work on the Jones’ house to progress well – so mild, in fact, that concrete for the driveway and sidewalks was poured in mid-December. In all, 84 members of the Immanuel Lutheran Church worked most Saturdays and some evenings, along with the homeowner and her family – until the home was dedicated to the family April 6, 2003.

All labor involved was provided by the congregation of Immanuel Lutheran, which is fortunate to have many skilled craftsmen such as Norm Uken, Delbert Johnson, and Gene Schmidt within their ranks. A conservative estimate of all the volunteered labor amounts to approximately $20,000 of in-kind time. It is volunteers like those at Immanual Lutheran that keep the costs of Habitat’s homes affordable to our homeowners. A big thanks to Immanuel Lutheran Church of Flatville! Your faith and belief in Habitat for Humanity’s mission of eliminating poverty housing is truly a blessing.