The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
in partnership with
Habitat for Humanity International
Upon the direction of the 1995 Churchwide Assembly, the Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in 1996 approved a relationship between the ELCA and Habitat for Humanity International.
Habitat for Humanity is an ecumenical, Christian housing ministry which has built over 100,000 homes worldwide since 1976. Habitat's goal is to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action.
One billion people worldwide live in substandard housing, while in the United States, 30 million people live in dangerous or dilapidated dwellings.
As the love of God compelled God's Son to become a human being in order to break the bonds of sin and death, so this same love compels people baptized into Christ to seek to break bonds of human indignity by creating decent, affordable housing.
The ELCA is a strong partner with Habitat for Humanity. Over 2,300 congregations directly support this program. They contribute thousands of hours of volunteer time and over $2.4 million in gifts. In addition, over twenty Lutheran colleges have Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapters. Various Lutheran social ministry organizations, and several state prisons, are working with Habitat affiliates.
How does Habitat for Humanity work?
Habitat builds and renovates simple, decent houses with the help of homeowner families. Homeowners invest hundreds of hours of labor into building their houses and the houses of others. The houses are sold to these partner families with no profit added and a no interest loan, made possible by donated labor and monetary contributions of churches and other organizations. On average, it costs Habitat for Humanity $45,000 to $55,000 to build a Habitat house in the United States.
How does a congregation get involved?
If you feel that God is calling your congregation to serve others in this way, call your local Habitat for Humanity affiliate for information. If you cannot locate the affiliate near your congregation, call Ruth Reko in the ELCA Division for Church in Society (800)638-3522, ext. 2689.
What is involved in a parish Habitat project?
Congregations may build a house on their own, or in partnership with other congregations. They should be prepared to provide at least partial funding, work party volunteers, and prayer. The local Habitat affiliate supplies the house lot, the partner family who will eventually own the house, mortgage processing, and construction supervision. All Habitat houses are built with volunteers. Even people with no construction experience can participate!
How does this work enable us to live our faith?
Congregations find that Habitat projects provide a tangible, meaningful way for people to live out their faith. Members are able to see what they have accomplished. They discover other children of God who, like them, desire a decent place to live. Churches frequently discover that Habitat projects help their church to come alive. Many people want to be part of a church that is living the faith in active ways.
How does this work impact a congregation financially?
Will giving to Habitat decrease giving to the congregation? The opposite comes closer to the truth. Participating in Habitat projects often helps to increase giving in the local congregation.
Are there other ways of supporting Habitat?
The third week in September is the "Building on Faith Week" in which Habitat affiliates highlight specifically church-related projects. This is a particularly good time for local parish involvement. The third Sunday in September is the International Day of Prayer and Action for Human Habitat. Bulletin inserts with a litany for the day and information about housing needs are available free of charge by calling (800)HABITAT (ask for 'Order Entry') or (800)422-5914.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity International, will:
encourage study of the problems of inadequate housing
remember Habitat for Humanity International in prayer and participate in the International Day of Prayer and Action
promote . . . opportunities for volunteer service with local affiliates and other countries . . .
help organize specific work parties to assist in construction of Habitat houses
encourage participation in local Habitat affiliates as board and/or committee members
assume that . . . projects will merit consideration for financial support by individuals, congregations, and synods
encourage consideration by synods, congregations, and the Division for Global Mission for participating in Global Village Work Camps, where they have a companion synod or partner relationship
encourage consideration of special projects such as blitz-building a house(s) alone or with ecumenical partners at synod or churchwide assemblies . . .
designate the Division for Church in Society as the lead unit for this partnership relationship with Habitat for Humanity International.
ELCA Church Council, April 1996
Posted 01/30/2004