Pastor blesses Habitat for Humanity house, future homeowners
The Rev. Grace Imathiu, pastor at Community United Methodist Church in Naperville, prayed over wheat seeds during a blessing of Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity's Faith Build house by 30 suburban faith communities last month.
Community UMC is the lead building community for the home at 1555 Solfisburg Ave. in Aurora , set for completion in November .
Rev. Imathiu said, "The United Methodist Book of Worship has resources for a House Blessing which says 'Unless the Lord builds a house, their labor is in vain who build it' Psalms 127. As an African Christian, God's presence is best manifested in community and Faith Build has been a powerful Christian witness.
"Luke 8 was the lectionary text the morning of our Faith Build house blessing. Taking the cue from the extravagant sower, we gathered in a circle with each person holding a fistful of wheat," Rev. Imathiu continued. "Going around the circle, each person including the future homeowner Aurora resident Rubi Mata, her mom and her children, offered a one-word prayer transforming the house into a home as we flung the wheat into the air. Prayers included unconditional love, peace, fun, joy and understanding."
Rev. Imathiu concluded the event with the United Methodist prayer: "Bless this house, O God, and transform it into a home for those who live here. Guide, comfort and strengthen them."
Visitors were invited to write a blessing or prayer on the studs of the home. The event concluded with refreshments and self-guided tours.
The groundbreaking was May 19. Faith Build 2017 has mobilized hundreds of volunteers from about 30 congregations in Kane, DuPage and Will counties to partner with the Mata family to build their Habitat home.
The project was Fox Valley Habitat's second Faith Build since its founding in Aurora in 1989.
Faith Build partnering congregations represent Aurora, Batavia, Geneva, Naperville, Oswego, Montgomery, Sugar Grove and Yorkville churches. Church teams work Saturdays to complete the four-bedroom, 1.5 bathroom house by November.
Among volunteers pounding nails is Mata, and her two daughters, who were selected for the house by Fox Valley Habitat.
Chris Schindler, Fox Valley Habitat executive coordinator and Al Green, construction supervisor, lead volunteers at the Solfisburg site.
Donations include lumber, shingles, siding, windows, garage door, garage door opener, electrical work, landscaping, air conditioning, insulation, drywall and plumbing products.
Faith Build 2017 churches are:
• Aurora: Advent Christian, First Baptist, Fourth Street United Methodist, Iglesia Bautista Misonera Shalom, Our Lady of Mercy Catholic, Progressive Baptist, St. John United Church of Christ, St. Peter's Catholic.
• Batavia: Bethany Lutheran, Immanuel Lutheran, Sanctuary.
• Geneva: Rejoice Lutheran.
• Montgomery: Genesis Community.
• Naperville: Community Christian Yellow Box, Community UMC, Good Shepherd Lutheran, Bethany Lutheran, Grace UMC, Trinity Church of the Nazarene and Wesley UMC.
• Oswego: Church of the Good Shepherd Methodist, Oswego Presbyterian.
• Yorkville: AuSable Grove Presbyterian, Community Christian, Cross Lutheran, Trinity United Methodist.
Founded in 1989, Fox Valley Habitat, 250 S. Highland Ave. in Aurora, is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International. To date, Fox Valley Habitat volunteers have built or rehabbed 57 homes in Aurora, North Aurora and Montgomery.
Volunteers and donations are needed to continue the affordable-housing ministry. Call (630) 859-3333 for more information.