ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, August 22, 1996 TAG: 9608220039
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: SUFFOLK (AP)
SOURCE: KATRICE FRANKLIN THE (NORFOLK) VIRGINIAN-PILOT
TONY AND KATHY PEAKS will probably still be pleasantly surprised by what their congregation has done in just six days.
While the Revs. Tony and Kathy Peaks have been away, their congregation has been at play - with tools, wallpaper and lawn equipment.
Members of the Open Door Church on Kings Fork Road have swapped shifts, taken off work, lined up baby sitters and donned work clothes to give their ministers' home a new look inside and out.
They're only doing what the hard-working pastors won't, they say: Taking time out to do for themselves.
The couple is on a preaching mission.
The six-day trip offered just enough time to renovate the home, the church volunteers said. After all, the Bible says that's all it took to create the world.
``If God can do that, we should be able to do this,'' said Cathy Ralston, a church member who was wallpapering on Monday. ``This is a labor of love.''
The young ministers, who have three boys between the ages of 5 and 13, had asked two church members to make a few repairs and renovations. That escalated, and many in the 300-member, nondenominational church joined in.
Tasks include ceiling repairs, wallpapering three upstairs rooms, installing carpet on the stairs, hallway and upstairs bedrooms, and buying a new bedroom suite.
The volunteers also are buying and installing a chandelier in the dining room and a new kitchen counter and cabinet with a built-in dishwasher. And they are manicuring the lawn.
To get the job done, church members have been in the house close to 18 hours a day.
``We're planning on holding an open house for the congregation Thursday evening,'' said Mark Howell.
On Monday afternoon, all the furniture in the house was covered, and volunteer workers were everywhere.
Gail Wilkins came straight from work to help. Laura Wright donated a whole week. Several kids were painting. Other members gave money, offered baby-sitting services and cooked food for the laborers.
Wright, a member of the church for a year, said, ``This is just our way to look after our ministers. They've poured out to us and helped us all.''
Howell recalled that the ministers bought his family food the day after they moved into their home three years ago, and Ralston said the pastors helped them paint their house several years ago.
Cheri Mabe declared, ``We have a unique situation here. Our pastors are our ministers but also our personal friends. They manage to do it all, always giving their services. We're just doing something to give back.''
LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: AP. David Mabe paints a door in preparation for theby CNBreturn of the church's pastors from a mission trip. color.