Dick Moen retired recently, but he has worked two to three days a week the past several months to help build a $1.5 million fellowship hall and classroom building for his Bellingham church, Trinity Lutheran.
“There was always something to do,” said Moen, who retired from a career in electronics engineering. “I looked forward to going.”
Moen was able to lend a hand, and to save some labor expenses for Trinity, through an innovative program at Pearson Construction, the Bellingham contractor on the project.
For nearly 25 years, Pearson has given congregation members the option to contribute volunteer labor when Pearson wins a bid to build or remodel a house of faith.
Steve Reynolds, an owner of Pearson, came up with the idea in 1984 for a project at Word of Life World Outreach Center in Lynden, said Andy McElroy, superintendent of the Trinity job.
Pearson’s paperwork for a project includes detailed figures on how much labor will be needed for each construction task. Then, working with a volunteer coordinator chosen by the church, Pearson crew leaders plug volunteers into various job slots, depending on their skills and schedules.
At Trinity, the 44 volunteers have ranged from teens to retirees, teachers to engineers, people skilled at electrical work to people willing to get dirty for a good cause.
“We will let the volunteers do what they’re capable of,” McElroy said. “I have a 10-year-old kid who comes and cleans with his dad.”
When the project is done, Pearson tabulates the final cost, then subtracts that figure from the initial bid. The difference — the result of the volunteers’ labor — is credited to the church, and can total tens of thousands of dollars.
“It creates a tremendous savings for them,” McElroy said.
Trinity volunteers have logged more than 1,000 hours since construction began last October, and Moen, 69, contributed more than his fair share.
He began early, flagging traffic and sweeping Cornwall Avenue when dump trucks were busy excavating the site behind the main church at Texas Street and Dean Avenue. Moen’s other chores included helping with the foundation and electrical work, putting up scaffolding, and installing flooring.
He praised McElroy and the other Pearson workers for their patience and their friendliness.
“Anytime you had a question, they would stop,” he said. “They would take their time.”
The 11,000-square-foot building, called Grace Center, provides needed space, and gave church members a focus for the future once they celebrated Trinity’s centennial two years ago.
The basement has a music practice room, game room and conference room. The main level has a kitchen and a large fellowship hall for wedding receptions, dinners and other church gatherings. The top floor has two large rooms for youth groups.
Pastor Doug Iben said a goal of the church is to provide tutoring and other after-school programs for young people, and not just those who attend Trinity.
“We really want this building to serve the community,” he said.