NATCHEZ — Some do God’s work by helping the needy or praying for others.

Larry DeLaughter does God’s work with a broom, mop and a toolbox.

When The Dart landed near The First Presbyterian Church on State and Pearl streets, DeLaughter was cutting handmade ornaments out of foam board to hang on the church’s Christmas tree.

DeLaughter has served as the church’s sexton for the past five and a half years. And as the man behind the scenes, the 64-year-old who is also a retired forester who sold lumber to International Paper, takes care of whatever needs fixing or cleaning.

“My job is everything,” DeLaughter said.

He said he is responsible for the church’s lighting, sound, electrical work and all maintenance.

A lifetime of hard work has prepared DeLaughter to be an eclectic handy man.

“I born and raised on a 200-acre cattle farm, and I have been working my whole life since I was 6 years old.

He also takes care of other needs that occasionally pop up, such as helping complete the ornaments decorated across the street by the children at the First Presbyterian Church Playschool.

The school children made ornaments with glitter and beads on white foam board. When DeLaughter noticed the pastor the Rev. Noelle Read was struggling to use scissors to cut out the shapes, he decided to take over the project.

“(Read) doesn’t even know I’m doing this,” he said.

“I wanted to make sure the children saw their ornaments on the tree Sunday after all of their hard work,” DeLaughter said.

DeLaughter also changes the seasonal banners that hang on either side of the church.

“If I forget to change the banners, I’ll hear about it from the church ladies.”

Working as the church’s sexton, DeLaughter has become familiar with every nook and cranny in the building and knows all of its history.

“I know every inch of this church,” he said.

DeLaughter said the panels that enclose the pews like swinging doors were placed in the church to keep church-goers warm before it was equipped with heating and electricity in the 1890s to the early 1900s.

Buckets of hot coals would be placed on the floor of each row, and the doors would keep in the heat when cool drafts blew.

Presbyterians do not kneel during church, but DeLaughter said the kneeling benches remain in each row because Catholics held their masses at the site from 1845-1847.

“There is just a lot of putting their feet on them, knocking them and making a lot of racket,” DeLaughter said.

DeLaughter said the kneelers were not removed for historical preservation purposes.

A few years after taking the job as sexton, DeLaughter converted from Baptist to Presbyterian, so he is now also a member of the church.

He said he loves his work and the rewarding feeling it gives him.

Maintaining the church is also a way to give back to God for all the blessings he has received.

“My truck dash has a sticker that says, ‘God takes care of me,’ and he does,” DeLaughter said.

Whether DeLaughter is hammering a nail, checking the sound system, setting up across the street for meals or cutting out and hanging ornaments, he makes sure to get the job done right.

“I’m a perfectionist in my work,” he said.

Especially because DeLaughter is maintaining a place of worship, he performs his duties with integrity.

“The Lord blesses me so I’m doing his work,” he said.