I hope that everyone had a blessed Christmas, that you were surrounded by family and friends and took the time to remeber what Christmas is all about. "Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift!" 2 Corinithians 9:15.
We have taken off this week, we're not working on the houses. We'll resume our construction schedule on Tuesday, January 5. The New Year will be an exciting one for us, and a busy one! I hope that you will again take time this year to help us lend a hand to families in need. Because our construction schedule is picking up, we are in need of another standing crew of volunteers - much like the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Crews who are already in place. We will be putting together a Friday Crew. The first date for the crew to work is on Friday, January 8.
Perhaps you have the time to devote to helping others and will choose to do so with us and on Fridays! Please contact me if you're interested by emailing tori@hfhkp.org or calling 304-720-0141.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Merry Christmas!
Have you read the Christmas story? If you have not, I encourage you to do so - and make it a practice! It seems as we grow up, we no longer "have" to read the Christmas story, because we no longer "have" to be in church pagents and memorize one or two verses found in Luke. But, as we age our opinions should change - we now "get" to read the Christmas story for pure enjoyment and to remind us that while we were unworthy, God himself became man in the form of a babe and came to this earth.
We all know the Christmas story - a young man and woman make their way to Bethlehem where they have to pay their taxes. There was no place for them to rest for the night, except in a barn - basically. It was in that barn that the baby was born. God could have waited 2,000 years before he sent his son; Mary could have given birth in the best hospital in town with the best doctors surrounding her and with the most sterile equipment. But He chose to come into the world in a dirty barn.
Jesus was sent to the earth for all people, not just a select few.
Everyone at Habitat wishes you a safe and Merry Christmas!
We all know the Christmas story - a young man and woman make their way to Bethlehem where they have to pay their taxes. There was no place for them to rest for the night, except in a barn - basically. It was in that barn that the baby was born. God could have waited 2,000 years before he sent his son; Mary could have given birth in the best hospital in town with the best doctors surrounding her and with the most sterile equipment. But He chose to come into the world in a dirty barn.
Jesus was sent to the earth for all people, not just a select few.
Everyone at Habitat wishes you a safe and Merry Christmas!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon
This past Monday we were able to thank our faithful volunteers with a luncheon at Blessed Sacrament. The folks at the United Disciples of Christ Church did an outstanding job with the food!! We were also excited to have David Rubel with us. David recently wrote a book called "If I Had A Hammer" that focuses on Habitat for Humanity. David spoke of the book, gave a brief history of Habitat and also told about his time on a Jimmy Carter project in Thailand.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service
“Make a career of humanity – and you will make a greater person of yourself, a greater nation of your country, and a finer world to live in.” These words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. echo the mission and vision of Habitat for Humanity to develop communities with people in need by building and renovating houses so that there are decent houses in decent communities in which every person can experience God’s love and can live and grow into all that God intends.”
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. embodied the ideals of Habitat for Humanity, and was connected with Habitat for Humanity in its very beginning. Koinonia Farm, located in Americus Georgia, is the international community that is the birthplace of Habitat. In the 1950s, the farm faced continual harassment for its commitment to integration and equality. In 1957, a Ku Klux Klan rally made its way to the farm in an attempt to force its sale. The community stood its ground and refused to sell.
In the next two decades, Koinonia would continue on in brotherhood, surviving and thriving in South Georgia. Out of Koinonia’s unwavering dedication to ideals of love, compassion and equality in the face of resistance, Habitat for Humanity was born. King recognized and encouraged Koinonia to continue then, and we continue today. The Day of Service is a valuable opportunity to recognize both King and Habitat for Humanity’s past as we move forward.
We will honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his ideals of equality and freedom and justice for all on the third Monday in January - January 18. You can join us by signing up to volunteer on that date and being part of the incredible journey of Habitat.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. embodied the ideals of Habitat for Humanity, and was connected with Habitat for Humanity in its very beginning. Koinonia Farm, located in Americus Georgia, is the international community that is the birthplace of Habitat. In the 1950s, the farm faced continual harassment for its commitment to integration and equality. In 1957, a Ku Klux Klan rally made its way to the farm in an attempt to force its sale. The community stood its ground and refused to sell.
In the next two decades, Koinonia would continue on in brotherhood, surviving and thriving in South Georgia. Out of Koinonia’s unwavering dedication to ideals of love, compassion and equality in the face of resistance, Habitat for Humanity was born. King recognized and encouraged Koinonia to continue then, and we continue today. The Day of Service is a valuable opportunity to recognize both King and Habitat for Humanity’s past as we move forward.
We will honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his ideals of equality and freedom and justice for all on the third Monday in January - January 18. You can join us by signing up to volunteer on that date and being part of the incredible journey of Habitat.
Monday, December 07, 2009
Christmas Time's a Comin'
I, for one, am excited that Christmas is close! Christmas is my favorite time of the year, because I love the scents of Christmas. A freshly cut frazier fur, Christmas cookies in the oven, and even the old popcorn that we use to decorate our tree completes the Christmas experience.
At Habitat, our schedule changes a bit this time of year. Our regular crews will be working until Wenesday, December 23. We will resume our construction schedule on Tuesday, January 5.
In the new year, we've some exciting things planned that you'll need to be a part of. We have an All Womn's Crew who volunteers one Saturday per month. This is a great group of ladies who want to learn some construction skills.
There will also be a Saturday Shift. Many times individual volunteers are reluctant to come out on a Saturday because they're normally filled with businesses, church groups, etc. This year we're giving individuals a chance to volunteer as a team, and the first shift is on Saturday, January 9. Be sure to sign up!
We're also starting a Friday Crew. Our construction schedule is picking up, and we need a Friday Crew to keep up with the pace. If you're interested in joining a Friday Crew - please let me know!
At Habitat, our schedule changes a bit this time of year. Our regular crews will be working until Wenesday, December 23. We will resume our construction schedule on Tuesday, January 5.
In the new year, we've some exciting things planned that you'll need to be a part of. We have an All Womn's Crew who volunteers one Saturday per month. This is a great group of ladies who want to learn some construction skills.
There will also be a Saturday Shift. Many times individual volunteers are reluctant to come out on a Saturday because they're normally filled with businesses, church groups, etc. This year we're giving individuals a chance to volunteer as a team, and the first shift is on Saturday, January 9. Be sure to sign up!
We're also starting a Friday Crew. Our construction schedule is picking up, and we need a Friday Crew to keep up with the pace. If you're interested in joining a Friday Crew - please let me know!
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Thanksgiving Thoughts
I trust that each one of you had a blessed Thanksgiving. At Habitat, we have so much to be thankful for - a wonderful staff who truly believes in the mission of the organization, many volunteers who also believe in the mission and work hard week after week to ensure that we accomplish that mission of providing safe and decent shelter for God's people in need.
I read an interesting blog from the Pastor at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in Charleston. He wrote in his blog that "Compassion means to have the same feelings - to bear one another's burdens, to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep - to do what Jesus would be doing if He were here."
I was reminded that Habitat for Humanity began as Christian organization, rooted in the idea of "koinonia" - a Greek word that appears a few times in the New Testament and refers to fellowship and partnership. In the book of Acts, we find koinonia referred to in the 2nd chapter, verse 42. "And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers."
I am thankful for this organization - Habitat for Humanity - who is not afraid to stand up and say that we are a Christian organization. We do believe in Jesus Christ. We are thankful for his teachings, and our mission is to demonstrate his love and his teachings by advocating and building decent homes for God's people in need.
I read an interesting blog from the Pastor at Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in Charleston. He wrote in his blog that "Compassion means to have the same feelings - to bear one another's burdens, to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep - to do what Jesus would be doing if He were here."
I was reminded that Habitat for Humanity began as Christian organization, rooted in the idea of "koinonia" - a Greek word that appears a few times in the New Testament and refers to fellowship and partnership. In the book of Acts, we find koinonia referred to in the 2nd chapter, verse 42. "And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers."
I am thankful for this organization - Habitat for Humanity - who is not afraid to stand up and say that we are a Christian organization. We do believe in Jesus Christ. We are thankful for his teachings, and our mission is to demonstrate his love and his teachings by advocating and building decent homes for God's people in need.
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