RALEIGH, N.C. – A Wake County church celebrated a significant milestone for one of its ministries that has been serving the community for 15 years. 

Bay Leaf Baptist Church’s ramp building ministry – Bay Leaf Builders – completed its 600th ramp at the beginning of this year. The church recognized the team for their service to the community during worship services on March 24. 

The Bay Leaf Builders haven’t stopped there. Every week a team of 12-15 men, with an average age of 75, continue to use their skills in construction and engineering to build ramps or complete other projects. Over the years, the team has built over 610 ramps in Wake, Granville and other counties in the state. 

The ministry started in April 2008 when a team of six men from Bay Leaf gathered to build a ramp not far from their church. Prior to that first project,, a team from Bay Leaf had been volunteering with Samaritan’s Purse disaster relief ministry, but saw there were needs within their own community that could be met with their skill set, said Dick Wilkinson, leader of Bay Leaf Builders. 

“When we build a ramp there is no doubt that it is a blessing to the families because you actually get to see the need of it when you hear words from those families like ‘This is the first time I’ve seen the sun in three months’ and you see the emotion on the faces,” Wilkinson said. 

The Bay Leaf Builders also often work with the Wake County Resources for Seniors, a not-for-profit, non-government agency that provides a variety of services for aging and disabled Wake County residents. When Wake County Resources for Seniors gets a call about a resident in need of a ramp, they contact the Bay Leaf Builders to do the labor. According to Wilkinson, 95% of the ramps the Bay Leaf Builders construct are through the agency. 

The team at Bay Leaf also often helps members of their own congregation who need ramps or any other services. When church member Vickie Wilmore was preparing to have knee replacement surgery, the team installed a ramp at her home in Nash County in January 2023.

“If that ramp had not been there I would’ve been a mess because I couldn’t have gotten in and out of my own house,” Wilmore said. “It just saved me.” 

Ten men came to Wilmore’s home and built her ramp with an 8×8 porch where she is able to safely and comfortably get outside to enjoy the outdoors. Wilmore said she was impressed by the team’s efficiency, noting that everyone knew their job and did it well. She said the team completed her ramp in one day, cleaned up the worksite and hauled off the old debris.  

“They’re very professional, they’re very godly men, and it was a phenomenal experience that I’m glad to have had,” Wilmore said. 

The Bay Leaf Builders provide all the materials and do the labor at no cost to the recipient. The funds to cover these projects come from donations by congregants at Bay Leaf and others in the community who see the work the Bay Leaf Builders do and want to support their mission.

The builders have a dedicated team of volunteers who show up every week ready and willing to not only build ramps, but also to share the gospel with ramp recipients. After completing the ramp, the team always takes a moment to present the ramp recipient with a Bible, pray over them and invite them to their church.

“We are just here trying to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ and show the love that He showed us,” Wilkinson said. 

The ramp building ministry has been instrumental as members at Bay Leaf think of how they can continue to serve their community. Leaders at Bay Leaf have seen how it has mobilized their congregation to use their special giftings to go into the community to serve and share the gospel, said Aaron Wilson, pastor of missions and evangelism at Bay Leaf. 

“We really, as a church, just want to bless our community because we want to see our whole community reached for Christ,” Wilson said. “We want to see everyone here in Raleigh have a chance to respond to the gospel.” 

(EDITOR’S NOTE – The Baptist State Convention of North Carolina is sponsoring a statewide service emphasis called ServeNC from Aug. 3-10. The emphasis encourages churches to love its community in Jesus’ name through service projects. To learn more or sign up to participate, visit servenc.com.)