Carpenter’s Helpers gladly bear crosses

WIMBERLEY—It may be wood, paint and rebar to some, but to the Carpenter’s Helpers of Wimberley, the crosses they make are statements of faith.

The Carpenter’s Helpers, primarily comprised of men from First Baptist Church in Wimberley but including a few Lutheran, Methodist and Church of Christ men as well, first heard of a church in Michigan that built crosses for members to place in their yards.

Ron Modawell brought the idea to the group. They made seven crosses that day.

“We prayed over those crosses and asked God’s blessing to be upon them, wherever they might end up,” Modawell said.

They have constructed more than 1,000 crosses that now stretch far beyond the confines of Wimberley.

Their crosses can be seen throughout the Hill Country, as well as in Dallas, Corpus Christi, Victoria and even in Georgia and Missouri.

The men meet most Monday mornings for prayer and then work four or five hours to make about 100 crosses.

Larry Edwards from First Baptist Church in Wimberley uses a router on a cross. (PHOTOS/George Henson)

 “No sooner do we get them built than we have requests from people who would like to have them,” Modawell said.

Builders make the crosses from 8-foot untreated pine 2 x 4s that are trimmed for length and routered on the edges.

After notching the boards, they assemble the two pieces. Two screws secure the arms to the upright. A hole is drilled in the bottom for a rebar base and a hole in the side for the installation of an American flag. Then they sand and paint the crosses.

A few larger crosses have been made for people whose properties line highways, and a few varnished crosses have been made for businesses to place indoors.

Eagle Mountain Flag of Wimberley has donated all the flags for the project. Ace Hardware donated many gallons of paint and brushes, and McCoy’s Lumber has given the men a discounted price on lumber that the store has not donated to the project outright, said Maurice Armstrong, one of the group’s volunteers.

The Carpenter’s Helpers from First Baptist Church in Wimberley have built more than 1,000 crosses that can be spotted throughout the Texas Hill Country and beyond. (PHOTOS/George Henson)

While not everyone attends each week, about 35 people participate at least part of the time in making the crosses, said Jack Burkland, on whose property the crosses are constructed. Women from the church help with some of the painting.

The group also constructed a website, www.makeacross.com, to help others. The website not only lists step-by-step instructions, but also provides tips gained from the group’s experience.

“It’s really been a blessing for all us men to be able to be a part of this,” Modawell said.

“This is a ministry that God is blessing, and we just want to keep on as long as he’ll use us to bring honor and glory to his name.”