No. I is to love God -- with all your heart, mind and soul.
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The second-greatest Commandment, Jesus told the Pharisee "testing" Christ's knowledge of the Law, is "Love your neighbor as yourself.

The very mission of Habitat for Humanity is to respond to Christ's "challenge" to love our neighbors by helping the less fortunate to move into quality, affordable housing.

It is logical, then, that Rochester Area Habitat for Humanity should reach out to local church communities to build partnerships.

Churches can help RAHH with donations of volunteer time and financial contribution -- it's an opportunity for Christians to put their faith in action.  RAHH gives churches an opportunity to answer God's call.

Entering into a church partnership with RAHH is easy. Here are a few tips to get started:

Contact the RAHH office; tell them you want to build a partnership.

Identify a "pointperson" or very small group (one to three people) to act as a liaison between the church and RAHH.

Hold a meeting, or series of meetings, to talk about Habitat for Humanity, its Christian principles and how your church can be involved -- representatives from Habitat are happy to lead the discussion.

Build your team and publicize what your church is doing, inform members of volunteer needs and opportunities.

"RAHH gives churches an opportunity to answer God's call."

Habitat Homes are Signs
to God's Kingdom

Why do Christians do good? Why does Habitat for Humanity, with its deep roots in Christianity, build houses for the working poor?

I would like to share with you my own journey in thinking theologically about the church's social outreach.

In 1985 I did some remedial learning on liberation theology, via a study tour of Central America (I had graduated from seminary twelve years before that and had missed the 1970's emphasis on liberation theology!).  There were a couple of aspects of liberation theology which bothered me.  Oftentimes, in its intent to build the Kingdom of God on earth, it seemed to ignore the realities of the brokenness of our human nature ("The doctrine of original sin," Reinhold Niebuhr was fond of saying, "is the only empirically verifiable doctrine of the Christian faith.").

But liberation theology's emphasis upon "God's preferential option for the poor" (which you especially hear in the Beatitudes and Mary's Magnificat) was right on!  Why does God have a preferential option for the poor?  Because they know they can not do it themselves, they know their trust must be in God.

I do not lift a hammer for Habitat thinking that the world will eradicate substandard housing sometime in the future; that ignores the brokenness of the world in which I myself participate.  Nor do I think that by helping to pour a foundation I am ushering in the Kingdom of God.  That's in God's hands, not mine.

But I am a sign pointing to that Kingdom!  When I feed the hungry, I point to that day when all God's children will gather around the banquet table in God's Kingdom.  When doctors perform their healing arts, they are signs pointing to that day in God's Kingdom when the lame will walk and the blind will see.

The Mercury begins its long slide south in November in Southern Minnesota.  Not so in Mexico, where late fall temperatures hover in the 70s, and the shorts, tank tops and sandals of summer refuse to be replaced for even a few months by goose down and long underwear.

A contingent from RAHH intends to be there in November, 2000, and they'd like you to join them.  To celebrate Rochester Area Habitat for Humanity's resoundingly successful first 10 years, RAHH will send eight to 12 people to northern Mexico to hand-deliver the organization's annual tithe to its sister affiliation in Mexico -- and build some houses while they're there.

"In joyful response to all we've accomplished here in our first 10 years, we thought a proper celebration would be to conduct a work camp in Mexico," said Trent Fluegel, RAHH executive director.  "Many affiliates have reported increased support following such a trip.

At least one highly-skilled construction person is needed, along with a small army of volunteers willing to spend a week or 10 days in service to the needy people of Mexico. Spanish-speaking people - one for each five or six team members -- are also needed.

Cost of the trip would run $35 per day, which includes lodging, meals and transportation in Mexico -- a valid passport or original birth certificate is required for entry into Mexico.  Airfare is roughly $330 per person.  The group will stay in a small hotel or a large retreat center; fresh water will be provided.

If you're interested, please contact our  office at 507-252-0849.

And what sign are we erecting when we build houses for Habitat?  We, too, are pointing to the Kingdom of God where Jesus is preparing a place for us (John 14:1-4).  It is a Kingdom Gospel we are proclaiming not a social gospel which hopes "to change prodigal mankind by improving the quality of the husks served in the pigsty" (that form Reinhold’s brother, H. Richard).

The very best to all of you as you continue to erect these signs pointing to God's Kingdom!

Pastor Tom Renquist, former pastor of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Rochester and founding board member of RAHH, is currently pastor of Lord of the Hills church near Denver, Colo.

A part of the Rochester Area Habitat for Humanity that people may not be aware of is the Ministry of Repair committee.

Low-income homeowners needing repairs find this committee's work a great help.  While any necessary repairs can qualify, most of the requests have come from newly disabled people who can't get into their homes.  A number of Habitat wheelchair ramps now lead to the front doors of houses and trailer homes around Rochester.

Applicants go through a small version of the application process used to screen potential Habitat homeowners.  Those selected must have a limited income, and a demonstrated ability to repay the zero-interest loan.

Most repair applicants are on fixed incomes below $1,000 per month, sometimes as low as $600.  There is no way they could afford the cost of hiring a contractor to install a new roof or a ramp.  Applicants are also asked to provide sweat equity by helping out however they can.

Besides getting a zero interest loan, huge savings is realized by using volunteer labor. Habitat gets building permits when required, and hires professionals to do electrical, plumbing and heating repairs.  We always seem to be able to find a volunteer who has the skills to complete whatever else needs to be done.

This summer one project will provide a new roof, windows, doors and siding to a house for less than $4,000. The results will brighten the neighborhood and provide a family with a dry, warm house for many years to come.

Volunteers feel great about their work on ministry of repair projects.  Wheelchair ramps can go up in as little as one evening and a Saturday.

Because the houses we work on are small, tasks like re-roofing can take only a weekend.  Work crews can be a part of the project from start to finish, with only a limited time commitment.

The smiles and gratitude of the homeowners cap these repair projects.

You can help our ministry of repair in a number of ways.  If you are aware of a homeowner with a limited income whose house needs repairs, encourage them to apply.

If you are interested in working on the committee or the job sites, contact the Habitat office at 252-0849.

We are also happy to find groups who are interested in sponsoring repair projects through their financial support or labor.
 

Ministry of Repair needs: Limited-income applicants Volunteers to work on project homes Sponsored repair projects Ministry committee members If you can help, call the RAHH office, at 252-0849