Blitz Build--Building Together in Faith The Butte Minister's Association has completed the house they have sponsored at the corner of Nevada and Front Streets. Through their substantial fundraising through their congregations and many volunteer hours working alongside the new homeowners building in faith, they have helped to build a home where there was only hope, love, and an empty lot before. To see a daily journal of the first two weeks of the Butte Minister's Association blitz build, Building Together in Faith, click here.

SPECIAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND "FIRSTS"
Answers to our Prayers with the Butte Ministerial Association Sponsored Project at 940 S. Nevada in Partnership with the Suraco Family

• Home dedicated 20 weeks from start, a new record for this affiliate
• Excellent assistance with sponsorship funding by participating churches
• Fastest two-week start of the first 10 homes
• House is a home to largest family -- eight persons
• Project endured the Sept. 11 blues and volunteers' shock
• More than 150 persons volunteered at the site, working more than 3,000 volunteer hours
• Best Mid-day Snacks during blitz period
• Most prayers said before and during the project
• Most on-site prayers and services during blitz
• Most Expansive Liturgy at Home Dedication, with most loving ending to a home dedication (rounds of hugs among all the dedication participants)
• First website coverage on a daily basis during blitz weeks.
• Most Faith-filled Theme and T-Shirt to Date
• Part of the first Habitat project in the nation to generate power that is sent into the power grid through a "net meter" from rooftop photovoltaic panels, granted by MPC in the Universal System Benefit program.
• Most loving volunteers, with top volunteer teams from more than 18 churches, including First Presbyterian, St. Ann's, Gloria Dei Lutheran, St. Marks Lutheran, Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox, Gold Hill Lutheran, Aldersgate Methodist, Church on the Rock, St. Johns Episcopal, Assembly of God, United Congregational, Park St. Baptist, Holy Spirit Catholic, Shadle Park Presbyterian (Spokane), Pentecostal, Foursquare, Evangelical Free, Mountain View Trinity.

TOP VOLUNTEERS: Rev. Lanny Rounds of First Presbyterian participating in the home blessing liturgy (right), had the congregation with the largest participation of volunteers, including Mike Nutter (left) and Chuck Stillwell (below left, hard at work).

Other top volunteers were Linda Nutter, Robin Stillwell, Curt and Jeannette Quist, Mark Stearns, Tubie Johnson, Pat and Mary Penberthy, Bob and Lois Bennie, Chuck Arbaugh, Carl Campbell, Frank Hastava, Amy Wilkins, John Leland, Bob Krueger and a special nod to Jack Bartholomew for all of his help.

Habitat President Randy Nicholls, (right) and Bob Corbett (in beret), designer of the High Performance homes, take part in the home dedication.

With Candelight: The Suraco family, with six children, ages 15 to four, includes seven members of a Native American tribe. The family put in well over 500 sweat equity hours. The whole family helped out. John Suraco, a talented carpenter, was an answer to Habitat's prayers. The house, in turn, was an answer to prayer on the Suracos' part. The partnerships built were strong ones.