From the Heart

And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." Matthew 8:20

Dear Friends,

My wife and I were talking the other day about the increasing difficulty some people face in getting adequate housing for their families. It is a problem that has always been with us. In this difficult economy, more and more people are finding themselves on the margins.

What can the church do? What are we doing?

Some of us live in larger homes and are called to a ministry of opening our homes to those in need. Mary Lynn and I have done this through the years. We find that our family has been enriched. We have new brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, and I suppose I must admit it since I am 53—grandchildren.

Some of us have the means to buy homes providing a more reasonable rent so that those who struggle financially can afford more than they could otherwise. Some of us work and volunteer directly for housing ministries such as Habitat for Humanity and the St. Mary’s Development Corporation. Just ask Carol C. about what she does—it is more than a job; it is a ministry. The St. Mary’s Development Corporation provides affordable housing for the elderly in East Dayton. Mike H. also works for St. Mary’s Development.

An architect in our church specializes in renovating older homes and making them livable for low income and lower middle income families. He also hires people that are making their way out of poverty. He is addressing the housing situation through the very work he does.

Our church has partnered with the City of Kettering to renovate homes in our area. The church has made homes more accessible for the handicapped, renovating bathrooms and kitchens, and providing many updates that were unaffordable for families that keep up with monthly bills but find there is little left over for needed improvements. Our church also invests in Lost & Found Ministries—a home in East Dayton that provides programming and housing for those in transition who were formerly incarcerated. Our own Rod P. is the director of this ministry and several others from Church of the Cross are serving on the Board.

Several times a year our church provides food for the homeless through our St. Paul’s Meals program. We also give clothing and food and money through the East Dayton Food Pantry. This past summer a Church of the Cross adult mission team went to Gary, Indiana and worked on several homes in a blighted neighborhood. There are numerous ways to help the marginalized through our church.

Jesus said of himself that he had no place to lay his head. Jesus was essentially homeless for the three years of his ministry, relying on the hospitality of others to provide him with places to stay. Jesus also said, “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” When we give the hospitality of housing to someone in need, Jesus says we are essentially welcoming him.

Is God calling you to get involved in providing housing for those in need? As you can see, there are numerous ways to do so. There is a family in our church (parents and a child) that need affordable housing right now. If you have any ideas, please call our church office, 293-5217.
 

Blessings,