ELIZABETHTOWN — Jim and Kitty Cole are recognized by many folks in Bladen County for their involvement with Habitat for Humanity, with Jim Cole recently receiving the Caring Person Award from the Elizabethtown-White Lake Chamber of Commerce for his efforts with Habitat. Many folks don’t know that he and his wife are also very involved with their church, Trinity United Methodist Church in Elizabethtown.

Kitty Cole was originally from Bladen County. After many years of moving from place to place, she and Jim Cole moved back to Bladen County about 12 years ago. They attended services at the Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church until her sister encouraged her to attend a service at Trinty Methodist Church. After attending several more services at Trinity, the couple decided to stay at Trinity and eventually became members.

Jim Cole has served on the trustees for the church including holding the position of chairman a couple of times. He still serves as a trustee, but does not currently hold the chairman’s title.

Kitty Cole has been involved with the church’s choir and celebration chorus while Jim Cole has also been involved in the Methodist Men’s group helping with the fish fry and oyster roast fundraisers.

“Through really good people in the church, we’ve gotten a lot of things done,” said Jim Cole.

Both were involved in assisting with the Wednesday night suppers at the church until health problems forced them to give that up.

They both serve on a group within the church that prepares meals for families during periods of bereavement.

Jim Cole recounted his five-year-old grandson’s impression of coming into Trinity’s sanctuary when he visited with them.

“Our little grandson went into the sanctuary and said ‘hush everybody sit down this is God’s castle,’” said Jim Cole with a smile.

“I think it tells a little about Trinity as a church. It’s what I like to call a foundation church,” adds Jim Cole.

The Coles say they credit the church through various missions during the tenure of the Rev. Bob Bergland got them involved with Habitat for Humanity.

“Rev. Bob Bergland got us to go to the organizational meetings,” said Jim Cole.

Kitty Cole’s circle group sponsors a child in Nepal.

While living in Winston-Salem, they attended Centenary Church in downtown Winston-Salem. According to the couple, the church was much larger than Trinity, but had the same homey feeling.

“It was lot like Trinity in that it was involved in a lot of different things,” said Jim Cole. “Trinity is like a lot of small town churches is more effective with the number of people we have,” said Jim Cole.

Kitty Cole was involved in helping to bring the Parish Nurse program to Bladen County and the hiring of Mary McKeithan.

The church has also added a second worhsip service of which the Coles’ are proud.

The service begins at 8:30 a.m. on Sundays.

“It took a lot of courage on the minister’s part to do that,” said Jim Cole.

He and Kitty Cole say about 70 people are attending the early service.

“Time will tell how successful that will be,” said Jim Cole.

He added the people in Elizabethtown are special in that they accept you well and along with that acceptance comes high expectations.