Habitat for Humanity is celebrating its 25th year of providing decent, affordable housing for partnership families in theMetro Jackson area.
As a part of that celebration, four Central Convocation parishes are joining together for an Episcopal Habitat build.
St. Andrew’s Cathedral, St.Philip’s, and St. James’ in Jackson along with St. Columb’s in Ridgeland have organized volunteer workers to build the first of 27 houses in the new Englewood Gardens subdivision in West Jackson .
The build is scheduled began on October 29th and will end sometime in December. About the only requirement is that volunteers must be at least 16 years of age. Crew chiefs will be on site to
manage and coordinate all volunteer workers. The volunteer coordinators from each church are: Lee Simthson, St. Philip’s; Arrington Widemire, St. Columb’s; Thorne Butler, St. Andrew’s; Hank Aiken and
Mark Eppes, St. James’. The coordinators have communicated with each other on a regular basis to encourage and ensure strong work crew participation by communicants.
“The unique nature of the subdivision, for Habitat anyway, involves the provision for a carport attached to each home, construction on a slab rather than a conventional foundation, the absence of steps (thus handicap accessible) and additional insulation for energy efficiency. Also, there is money to provide for sodding the yard during our planned December landscaping project, which is a nice added touch,” said the Very Rev. Edward O’Connor, dean of St. Andrew’s.
O’Connor says that The Episcopal Church partner churches share fundraising responsibilities through a variety of means. “St. Andrew’s Cathedral hosts a monthly men’s group known as the
Dean’s List of which proceeds go toward the Habitat build as well as an annual softball fundraiser event versus St. James’,” O’Connor stated.
St. James’ sponsors a run every October with the assistance of the Mississippi Track Club and was assisted in fundraising by Upton Tire Pros. Also, the St. Philips’ Goat Roast provided some funding to the project. As this build was completely funded, St. Columb’s has committed financially on a 2012
build as well as placing volunteer workers on the 1st Englewood Gardens home.
Habitat for Humanity Metro Jackson Executive Director, Cindy Griffin, notes that “more than 55,000 volunteers have donated their time and talents to their neighbors in need “over the last 25 years and have constructed over 500 houses.
At the Oct. 29th pre-build blessing held on the site of the new subdivision, O’Connor spoke to those gathered for the event: “There is a wonderful, restorative image in Revelation of the New Israel coming down to earth. It is a vision of Jesus Christ coming again to heal this broken, battle-scarred world. I think Habitat for Humanity is, perhaps, one of the best earthy images of this New Jerusalem. All of us gathered together as children of God, working together, hand in hand with a single and clear purpose. And with each nail driven and board put up, as walls enclose and a roof protects, we create authentic homes and real neighborhoods; and in all of this we participate in the renewal of the world so that every single child of God might know the sure and certain comfort of a safe and happy dwelling.”
