News & Updates
Page 1 of 2 pages 1 2 >
Thanks to everyone involved with Habitat’s Building on Faith Week! (April 30 - May 4, 2008)
Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia’s Building on Faith Week 2008 was a huge success! Over 500 people in many congregations from ten diverse Faith Traditions came together to celebrate the Faith Community’s ongoing support of affordable housing and Habitat for Humanity. Just a few of the activities during the week of April 30 to May 4 included: Prayer Services for Affordable Housing; Blessed Boards prepared for new homes; Faith Based Workdays landscaping a Habitat community and volunteering at the ReStore; and the Building on Faith Interfaith Concert.
The Interfaith Concert was hosted by Annandale United Methodist Church, and featured performances by six outstanding musical groups from Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Unitarian Universalist faiths: the Rockledge bluegrass band, Polymnia Bells from the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, Kol NoVa – The Jewish Youth Choir of Northern Virginia, The Raef Band, Connections Praise Band from Centreville United Methodist Church, and the Olam Tikvah Chorale from Congregation Olam Tikvah.
“The interfaith concert was about bringing together members of the faith community who help build Habitat homes to celebrate what we do and what we share,” says Karen Cleveland, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia, “It united us in a unique and meaningful way. Each of the groups performed songs about the power of people helping their neighbors. ”
Mark Bradley, Annandale United Methodist Church Mission Ministry Volunteer, reflecting on the amazing performances, said after the concert, “I am so impressed that groups from these diverse religious backgrounds came together to share their talent and each of them sang about peace and our place in defining peace.”
Building on Faith Week gave people the chance to explore the question: What are you called to do to support decent and affordable housing for all of our neighbors?
Photos taken by Matthew Borchelt
Polymnia Bells from the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington at the Building on Faith Concert on Sunday, May 4th
Building on Faith participants blessing the boards at the reception following the Building on Faith concert
Student performing at Building on Faith Concert
