For Such a Time As This

The Friday Men’s Bible Study completed our study of Esther February 20, and then a dozen members made the trek to the Camp Jubilee site on Lady’s Island to raise a cross under live oaks on the bank of Factory Creek, the visual center point of upcoming construction.

An underlying theme of the book of Esther is being in the right place “for such a time as this,” and this was THE time, although this project had its beginning some 23 years ago. Preston Hipp, a founder and leader of this Bible study, felt that mariners in Charleston needed a cross overlooking the harbor after seeing similar Mariner’s Crosses in the islands. So on Good Friday 2003, three of us raised the first cross on Shute’s Folly. Several others have been placed over the decades and the Friday Men’s Bible Study has maintained or replaced them through the years.

So Why Camp Jubilee?

The Very Rev. Ken Weldon, executive director of Camp Jubilee, used to serve at St. Philip’s and was very aware of these maritime crosses––and who was responsible for their placement. He asked our Bible study if we would make a similar, though larger, cross for this spot. His hope was that the campers, mariners, and the people of Beaufort would be able to see this cross. The Bible study embraced this task, working with a limited timeline to have it placed prior to the Day of Jubilee annual celebration on March 7.

The cross was cut, assembled, and painted at BeeHive Plantation in Parker’s Ferry over several weeks, and then the group gathered to load this nearly 600-pound, 16’-tall structure onto a trailer for the trip to Lady’s Island. We were met on site by Ken Weldon and the Rev. Will Klauber, as well as a group of local volunteers. A pallet of concrete mix had been delivered and a 3’-deep hole had been dug in this mass of oak roots prior to our arrival––thank God!

After prayer, concrete forms were laid in the hole, assignments were given, and the cross was slowly raised by hand. It was then positioned in the correct alignment as braces were placed as well as constant pressure on straps 13 feet in the air as an army of men mixed and poured over 3000 pounds of concrete into this hole. There was a huge collective sigh of relief when the straps were loosed, the level was checked (again), and the cross was firmly in place! We celebrated with a Communion service and lunch prior to our trip back to Charleston. 

Bruce Burris, Thomas Hagerty, Bill Thompson, Bobby Pearce, Belk Daughtridge, Malcolm Rhodes, Ken Weldon, Lawton Grimball, Tommy Dew (with a Beaufort helper standing behind him), and Will Harker.

Not pictured: Billy Barnwell, Matt Miller, and Al Phillips.

It was a blessing to be asked to participate in this project, a blessing to see God’s provision in obtaining supplies, a blessing to be part of this community of men willing to step out of our areas of comfort, and, most importantly, a blessing to be God’s hands for such a time as this!