Every year, more than 1,500 church communities gather in cities worldwide to celebrate Habitat for Humanity International’s “Building on Faith” week. This year, Habitat members and volunteers will celebrate the 10th year anniversary of the faith-based initiative with special worship services and prayers that reveal faith through action on September 12-19.
“People of faith are the foundation of Habitat for Humanity’s work,” said the Rev. Rick Beech, director of U.S. Church Relations for Habitat for Humanity International. “They give their time and money to help families who wouldn’t have a decent place to live without their support. Building on Faith is Habitat’s way of getting churches involved and celebrating their work.”
According to Habitat, the 10th year anniversary will include “special creative events.” One such event would be the “Apostles Build” fellowship where 12 churches gather for a building blitz. Other events include fundraisers that ask each church member to donate a dime a day throughout the year to help pay for the houses built during the “Building on Faith” week.
In 2003, approximately 1,700 churches from 14 countries built 575 houses as part of Building on Faith celebrations.
On September 19, the last day of the Faith week, the Habitat workers and volunteers will “pause for the International day of Prayer and Action for Human Habitat,” in following the decade-long tradition of prayer and building. The International day of prayer was initiated in 1983 by Habitat “to make housing a matter of conscience in the faith community.”
Habitat released several “possibilities” to consider for those interested in taking the initiative in their community:
• Gather 10 churches to fund and build a home.
• Set a higher goal--inspire church partners to build 10 homes.
• Recruit 10 new churches to help with a special event in September.
• Organize a 10-hour prayer vigil or a10-block candlelight vigil to raise awareness of the need for adequate housing.
Habitat for Humanity is a not-for-profit organization that was created to demonstrate the love and teachings of Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, Habitat is an ecumenical ministry that is open to people of all religion and faith. For more information on Habitat or Habitat’s Building on Faith week, please visit: www.habitat.org.
