Plant City UMC Housed Volunteers during Fuller Center Housing Blitz

Fuller Center for Housing held a housing built blitz in August and early September. Hundreds of volunteers traveled to Lanett, Alabama to build six houses and renovate another eight homes. Lanett, Alabama became the epicenter for 100 home worldwide legacy build event.

Plant City United Methodist Church participated in this effort by housing volunteers. Rev. Milton Newton, pastor of Plant City UMC writes, “Does God bless a step of obedience? Oh yes! As it worked out it was such a big hit that we housed about 120 people over three weeks as people kept coming. We met many interesting people from 26 different states.” According to Rev. Newton, all this began in 2007 when the church stepped out in faith and took the visionary step of repairing and improving the huge unused basement. They covered that vision in prayer and yielded to God’s direction.

The church received letters from Fuller Center for Housing telling them of plans to build homes in the Lanett area during the days and weeks leading up to Labor Day. Newton states, “As our body continued to pray, compassion, desire, excitement began to build toward hosting volunteers that would be coming for the build. So we prayed in that direction. We began to see cots, furniture, TV, wireless internet, a real nice continental breakfast.”

Newton continues, “We came together believing that this was our purpose. Feeling it was definitely from God, we proceeded to allow God to bring the vision to fruition. When almost complete we invited the Fuller Center representatives over and presented Gods plan to them.The plan had been a success, they were delighted. Their plan had been for a gymnasium setting. Again God had used our elderly church body to do something that they could do.”

Mark Benjamin of the Fuller Center Bicycle Adventure wrote “We crossed over into Alabama just a few hundred yards from the restaurant . . . A mile or two later we arrived at Plant City UMC in Lanett. The folks at Plant City UMC have amazed us with their kindness and hospitality. Pastor Milton Newton shared with us that several months ago the Lord moved on their hearts to renovate a rather large basement space in their church, believing that the Lord was leading them into new ministries. He said they believe the opportunity to host us, and future volunteers during the Legacy Build later this month, are a large part of why God moved them in this direction. It was a true blessing to hear their story, and the way God is moving on this little fellowship to reach out in greater ways. We are so thankful. We have cots to sleep on, loads of space, and enough food and snacks to keep us satisfied for many days. We will spend two nights here and rest."

Milton concludes, “And it’s just like God to bless us back. Letters and cards are coming in each week and many with monetary gifts to support what God has planned for us. Do you think you are too old today, just take one step as a unified body and watch God do something BIG.”