Pastor's Message - May/June 2010
Habitat for Humanity build in Seaforth
Did you know that 27% of the families of St. Peters live in Huron county while West Perth has 73% of our families. (Note 1) Note 1: Excluding all the families that live more than 45 minutes away from St. Peter’s.
This
means that we need to keep in mind the outreach and evangelism needs of
the people of Huron county maybe 27% of the time. I certainly
fear that I have not spent that much time looking at opportunities in
Huron and I have tended to focus my work in and around Mitchell.
So
acknowledging the gravitation pull of West Perth and Mitchell, St.
Peter’s council have decided to support the Habitat for Humanity build
in Seaforth rather than getting engaged with the build in Mitchell as
mentioned in the March/April Peter’s Net.
Items presented for Bless the Build Ceremony
The Seaforth
Habitat for Humanity build is expected to start on April 26th and St.
Peter’s has been invited to participate. I was fortunate to be
able to represent St. Peter’s at the “Bless the Build Ceremony” on
Saturday, April 24th at the build site in Seaforth. Many items
were presented from a coffee pot for the workers, to 2x4’s as part of
the house, to a saw & tape measure with the message: “Take this saw
& tape measure and remember to measure twice and cut once”. I
presented an evergreen sprig and delivered the message “Take this
evergreen and remember the beauty and wonder of the world around us and
let this be a reminder of our everlasting care.”
St.
Peter’s will be joining many of the other congregations in Seaforth to
help with this build. Habitat for Humanity works to provide a
family with a modest home that they would not otherwise be able to
afford. The receiving family still needs to buy the home and they
must also input 500 hours or sweat equity. I met the Ward family
and their young 2 year-old son Rory. This is an amazing break for
them to be able to own their own home.
St. Peter’s is being asked to help out in three ways:
1.
Provide labour on site – this is general handiwork probably for the
interior construction. No special skills are required and they
need a team of 3 to 7 people for several days in July.
2. Provide lunch for the workers for one week Monday to Friday.
3.
Provide monetary support – we will be having a “Sponsor a 2x4 event” –
Each 2x4 will be $20 and you can write on it a message of support.
To
volunteer for providing labour or a lunch for the work crew – please
contact Don or Pauline Beuermann at 345-2746 to schedule what days you
can help.
The schedule of days that St. Peter’s will
be needed will be posted shortly in our worship guides and also on our
website. Please give this prayerful thought to see how you might be
able to help, even if you can prepare a meal and have some one else
from the community bring it to Seaforth.
At the “Bless the
Build” ceremony Rev. Steve Hildebrand of Egmondville United Church led
us in an opening prayer – which I thought says it all:
Pastor Steve joins in pulling the plough with a team of volunteers to turn over the first soil in the build
“Heavenly
Father, this is a blessed day. We are here at 152 Sparling Street in
Seaforth to bless this site for the building of a new home for the Ward
family. By breaking ground today we demonstrate that this is a caring
community ready to lend a helping hand to our neighbour. We are blessed
to be here to make this public commitment, to help make the future
brighter for Murray, Kristen and Rory.
We know that we can turn this empty lot into a home with sweat
equity, our volunteerism, our helping hands and our caring hearts. We
pray that you will guide our hands so that the Ward family will have a
new home in a few short months. Lord, we know that with your love and
guidance, this community can make a difference here in Seaforth.
We
give thanks to you, Lord, and ask for your blessing on our work so that
another amazing Habitat for Humanity home may rise on this site. Amen”
Peace
Pastor Steve Johnston
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