Volunteers help with Kingdom Hall renovations

Published 7:00 am Friday, February 28, 2014

Volunteers from across Mississippi and Louisiana are working with the congregation of Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Poplarville to renovate the building.

Located on Mississippi Highway 26, Kingdom Hall was built by members of the church 17 years ago after they outgrew their former building, which became the Poplarville Police Station, said Lee Percy, assistant project coordinator and local member of the congregation.

Percy said some of the work involves replacing sheet rock, replacing the leaking roof, adding insulation, installing new carpet, new ceiling tiles and new flooring.

Sign up for our daily email newsletter

Get the latest news sent to your inbox

The group started on Feb. 19 and expects to be finished by March 9, Percy said.

The Poplarville congregation has also helped congregations in New Orleans, La., Prentiss, Columbia and Fayette make much need renovations to their buildings. The volunteers will also travel across the country to help build new Kingdom Halls where needed, renovate existing Kingdom Halls and repair those buildings damaged during natural disasters, Percy said.

Percy said the renovations have been completely funded through donations and the work completed by volunteers.

Calvin Holder, a volunteer and member of the Poplarville congregation, said he is not surprised by the more than 100 volunteers that show up each day to help, typically it is the work members of the church have always done.

“We help all over the country and if we have to, we go overseas (to help),” Holder said.

Volunteers and congregation members help in more ways than just repairing and constructing buildings. Workers are provided three meals a day, which are cooked on site by volunteers.

The building currently being renovated was built in three days by the local congregation and volunteers, Percy said.

He said Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Poplarville currently has 41 members and if anyone is interested in joining Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, they can visit www.jw.org.