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NAILS—Student Laborers For Christ
Nailing It Down. Raising Him Up.
By enrolling in NAILS, college, university, and seminary students have the opportunity to help fund their education by working for Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) congregations and organizations constructing their own facilities.
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NAILS is a simple idea. Students sign up to work for an LCMS congregation or organization constructing its own facilities. NAILS helps arrange living accommodations with the participating congregation.
Students are paid minimum wage as an employee of the congregation or organization constructing its facilities, and work under the supervision of experienced construction workers and managers, who also willingly work for minimum wage as a ministry service to the congregation/organization.
As part of the NAILS team, students will:
- Travel to other parts of the country
- Work as a team with other students
- Help churches save money
- Gain valuable experience
- Grow and be renewed spiritually and
- Put their God-given skills to work.
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Two Congregations Celebrate Construction Projects with Graffiti
When Laborers For Christ crews go to work for congregations, the churches’ memberships benefit from Laborers joining in activities such as worship services, Bible studies, even Vacation Bible School. A project highlight for many congregations, that always seems to draw an excited crowd, is the signing of the building studs, sometimes called “Holy Graffiti” parties. Conducted after Sunday services typically, Laborers invite members to sign their names and a favorite Bible verse on the new structure’s interior framework.
This summer, members of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Haven, Kan., and Hanover Lutheran Church, in Cape Girardeau, Mo., signed their new buildings. |
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New Wings for Minnesota Church Beckon New Members
Trinity Lutheran Church, Sauk Rapids, Minn., is adding more than 7,700 square feet of space. But Ron Eickhoff stresses that the two new wings are meant to beckon people beyond the current membership as the fast-growing congregation is adding about 75 members a year. The Trinity congregation has enlisted the help of Laborers For Christ to construct the new structures. Eickhoff said they are “outstanding examples of Christian workers. We love having them here.” |
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Called Workers, Laborers For Christ Work Together on Kansas Retreat Center
When Laborers for Christ works on building a church, they count on the volunteers from that church to help in the building process. When Laborers for Christ (LFC) began work on the Kansas District Retreat Center in Herington, Kan., they had no congregational base from which to draw volunteers. But Garry Niehoff, planned giving counselor for the Kansas district and retreat committee chairperson, came up with a solution: ask the people for whom it is primarily intended to volunteer.
Area churches have also provided support to the project. |
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See Who We're Helping
View a list of current and future projects. Are you interested in signing up for a project? |
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Laborers Looking for Getaway Hosts
Laborers For Christ members often get together during the winter months at events called Getaways. These social gatherings offer an opportunity for Laborers, friends, and potential Laborers to share in fellowship in a casual setting. The 2009 Getaway events will be in January and February.
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Providing Architectural Advice to LCMS Organizations
Don Amt likes figuring out the "puzzles" LCMS organizations face when repairing or constructing a building. He sees potential where others do not. Amt is a member of the Architectural Advisory Committee, a unique ministry of Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) that brings together volunteer Lutheran architects and liturgical advisors.
The most common puzzle to be solved: finding a balance between functionality and costs. That's where the members of the Advisory Committee can make the most impact. |
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