Practical Hope for the Homeless

                                      Homeless Jesus Sculpture -- Timothy Schmalz 

Faith without Works Is Dead 

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Surely that faith cannot save, can it?  If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?  So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.

James 2: 14-17 NRSVue

A week ago Prime Minister Carney announced a commitment of $11 billion over four years as the first phase of ending homelessness in Canada in ten years. 

Yesterday the CBC Radio program The Current interviewed several people who are involved in addressing homelessness in their jurisdictions to ask whether the federal commitment is doable. One was Joe Preston. the mayor of St. Thomas, Ontario, population 47,000. The community has taken a proactive and determined approach to homelessness, beginning with enumerating the homeless population and figuring out who they are, by name and contact, never an easy task with those who have no fixed address. While there are shelter beds in St Thomas the bigger goal is to house this group of people, which they are doing with great success. hey are several years into a ten-year plan. 

 I was greatly encouraged by the whole segment so here is the link  https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/budget-homelessness-canada-decade-9.7411226

Mayor Preston described well what they are doing although he didn't mention the faith-based program called Indwell. This group has been very involved in creating affordable housing in St Thomas, including there-purposing of a former school. A blog reader, Judy, suggested that many communities have redundant school properties which could become housing, so this is an example. 

The Station at 16 Queen Street in St. Thomas is a 45-unit highly supportive housing building constructed by charity developers Indwell. The city's mayor says two more similar projects will be completed by early next year to house more individuals (Indwell)

The name Indwell suggests providing dwelling space for those who are marginalized and unhoused. It also brings to mind the biblical notion of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, of being imbued and enlivened by the Spirit of the Living God. 

Here is the statement of faith for Indwell, grounded in scripture and one of the great creeds of our Christian faith. All of the biblical references are thought-provoking and convicting. The one from the New Testament book of James is one I find particularly meaningful: 

We affirm the faith expressed in the Apostles’ Creed and build on the following core convictions as the theological foundation for our work:

1. Honouring Human Dignity

We believe that every person is created in the image of God and carries inherent dignity and worth regardless of housing status, wealth, gender, ability, ethnicity, or belief. From the earliest days of the church, followers of Jesus have affirmed that all people are equal before God (Genesis 1:27; Galatians 3:28).

2. Modeling the Love of God

Jesus’ life and mission brought good news to the poor and marginalized. He called his followers to care for “the least of these,” and he taught us to pray that God’s reign of justice, peace, and love would come on earth as it is in heaven. Through his words and actions, Jesus showed that love and compassion for our neighbors are essential signs of God’s kingdom. Justice and mercy are fundamental to who God is, and they are central to who we are called to be. The Scriptures urge us to “act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God” and to stand up for the poor and vulnerable. Living this out means responding to injustice with compassion and courage (Luke 4:18–19; Matthew 25:35–40; Matthew 6:9–13; Matthew 22:37–40; Luke 10:25–37; Micah 6:8; Jeremiah 22:16; Psalm 11:7; 145:8).

3. Embodying Hope

We hold to the hope of the Gospel that God is at work, healing lives, renewing communities, and bringing justice to the oppressed. We seek to live out this mission in practical, faithful ways: welcoming those who have been marginalized, restoring community, and nurturing spaces of joy, belonging, and healing. We would insist that faith without works is dead (Isaiah 58:6–12; Revelation 21:3–5; James 2:17).