08/25/2026
What blessing to support the hard work of the Volunteer Christian Builders!
While we don't travel and do the construction, we're honored our woodworking provides a physical reminder of God's work and provision.
From Plaques to Purpose: Why Every Volunteer Role Matters
The Volunteer Christian Builders (VCB) are known for their hands-on work—building churches and facilities across the country. Jody Carter shows, you don’t need a hammer and nails to be a part of the team.
Jody’s path to VCB started with his parents, Kay and Wayne Carter, who have been volunteering and traveling with the organization since January 2018. Jody’s chance to step in came when the person who usually made the VCB’s special presentation plaques was no longer able to continue. "Mom asked if I could," Jody says. He saw it as a perfect fit: his woodworking business, JWCarter Woodworking, includes a laser burner. "It's pretty easy AND it even helped me find new and better ways to use my laser burner. So, while I'm helping them, I'm also helping myself! And that's one of the really cool parts about volunteering—we get to help others but also often get personal returns from it as well."
Jody's role is creating the presentation plaques for new buildings VCB completes. These plaques are made of plywood, often using leftover cabinet materials. Engraved with the VCB logo and Bible verses, it's a way to recognize the workers who volunteered on the job. Once a project is finished, all the volunteers on that job sign it, and it is presented to the new facility.
While Jody is a third-generation woodworker who focuses on higher-end custom goods, he is proud to use his specific skillset for VCB. "While my dad is good at carpentry and construction, that isn't my skillset," Jody says. "But we can use our talents, abilities, gifts, and interests to help programs like this."
This unique contribution is exactly the point VCB wants to share with everyone: you don't have to be a builder to be a vital volunteer.
"And I make those plaques," Jody says. "So, while I'm not doing construction, I'm still volunteering and investing my time and skills and specialty to the VCB program." This work is a continuation of a lifetime of volunteering for Jody, who has served in various volunteer roles since high school.
The most important message Jody wants to share is that you don't need to be a physical builder to support VCB. "Even if you can't or don't want to do direct construction, there are ways to support volunteer organizations from a distance." He remembers a Pastor talking about "holding the rope" for the people doing the work. "While we may not be 'on the end of the rope' doing the work, the people 'holding that rope' are just as important, even if not directly seen."
When he's not in his woodshop, Jody has a full-time career in Healthcare Emergency Management, preparing one of Arkansas' biggest health systems for crises. He finds that woodworking is a "great escape from the stresses and constant go-go-go of work." He also kept bees for 10 years and has recently started keeping chickens with his family in the community of East End, south of Little Rock, Arkansas.
