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ATLANTA--In an ecumenical endeavor, Immaculate Heart of Mary Church joined
with other Christian churches to build their first Habitat for Humanity house,
and those who contributed hope that the experience will become a tradition.
Construction began on the house, located on John Wesley Dobbs Street in
Atlanta, in late July and was completed Sept. 18.
The idea to build a Habitat for Humanity house came from members of the IHM
social justice and ecumenical concerns committee, who began discussion with the
Christian Council of Metropolitan Atlanta. Through the CCMA, IHM joined with
four other churches, including Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Atlanta, to
build the house. The other churches were Central Congregational Church, Emory
Presbyterian Church and First Christian Church of Atlanta.
The churches pledged to raise a total of $22,300. Because the group was
religiously and ethnically diverse, a grant was available for the remainder of
the $45,000 needed to construct the house.
In two Sunday second collections, IHM, led by the pastor, Father Fred
Wendel, raised $16,000, which was $5,000 more than the parish had originally
pledged. The $5,000 will go toward building another Habitat house.
Large numbers of volunteers turned out on each of seven Saturdays to work on
the house. Workdays were divided into two shifts so all those who wanted to
work could volunteer.
Bob Zimmer, a member of a Habitat for Humanity group at IHM, cites several
factors that contributed to the parish response.
“It was the first time we’d done it and our pastor was behind
it,” he said. “Plus, you had a core (Habitat) group that was excited
about it.”
The Saturday work schedule also fit more easily into people’s lives.
“I think a lot of people wanted a short-term volunteer commitment and this
gave them an outlet,” he continued.
Zimmer said working with other churches gave parishioners a chance to meet
other people and experience a unique spirit.
“I think the dedication really epitomized us coming together in an
ecumenical spirit,” he said. “Because we had the Habitat House
project, it just naturally brought us together.”
Zimmer said three of the four churches, in addition to IHM, have committed
to building another house in May 2000.
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