Clayton, N.C. — A business's delay in delivering a promised sign has tested the patience of a Clayton church pastor.

Members worked hard to raise money for a sign that the Faith Walk Church of God of Prophecy badly needs, Pastor Ruth Ray said.

“It's very important, because when people come looking for us, they don't know where we are without a sign. And many times they say ‘Where's your sign?’” Ray said, adding that she wants the answer to that question, too.

Last May, she selected a design for a sign and paid a $3,000 deposit to John Wellman and his Ohio company, Sign Source. Ray said Wellman promised the sign would be ready by the end of June.

A month later, hardware arrived – but no sign, Ray said.

“I made several calls, got no response," the pastor said. "And when he did respond, he said that he was just getting out of the hospital."

Two more months dragged by with no sign or communication coming from Wellman's company, Ray said.

“I've been frustrated ... because, like I told him, we didn't have that money to just give away. We need it,” Ray said.

At the beginning of October, Wellman sent an e-mail saying things were "slowly getting back to normal" with his business. However, two more weeks passed with no signs of activity from the sign company, Ray said.

“With Mr. Wellman being in bad health, we tried to have patience and work with him. Being a church, I even told him I'd be praying for him when he said he had bad health and all," Ray said

But "after a while, it's time to produce something. So we feel it's time now," the pastor continued.

Ray had an attorney send Wellman a letter. But by January, even that had not done any good, Ray said, so she called 5 On Your Side.

When 5 On Your Side called Wellman, he said he had to put five or six orders "on the back burner" when he got sick. Wellman promised to send Ray a $3,000 refund check within 10 business days.

Once she gets the check, Rays said the church will find someone else to build a sign. And then people can finally find the church, she hopes.