April 23, 2026

Thank you to the over twenty people who helped fill the welcome totes last Saturday. The first nine are in the Fireside Room waiting for the homeowners to move in. The others are in the Little Library waiting to find out who will be moving into the other houses. Where did I say they were? The Little Library? Yes, this is the room across from the main office and restrooms next to the utility closet. Over the years, this room has had several purposes, and it is becoming the Little Library.

You may be familiar with this room as the place to have your blood pressure checked on the first Sunday of the month. Folks on the Care Team also use this space for sending cards to people on our prayer list. Climbing the stairs at church is prohibitive for some to reach the library. In time, we will be moving books from the upstairs library down to the Little Library. For now, it is the storage space for the other fourteen welcome totes. It is a work in progress.

Wednesday, I had lunch with nearly 1,000 people in the Oregon Convention Center for Habitat for Humanity Hope Builders luncheon. The theme was Let’s Open the Door. We heard stories from a young adult who had the stability of growing up in a Habitat Home and an elderly woman from Denmark who loves the home she moved into 56 years ago and benefited from Habitat’s Home Repair program. The luncheon affirmed what we have heard about our new neighbors at South Lake Grove. “At Habitat for Humanity, we believe that everyone deserves a stable and affordable place to call home – especially those historically excluded from homeownership.” Seventy-two percent of the people served in the Portland region identify as people of color; thirty-four percent are single parents and thirty percent have a family member with a disability or long-term illness. These are more than statistics when they are barriers to home ownership.

Habitat’s theme of Let’s Open the Door resonates with our Gospel this week. The fourth Sunday of Easter is Good Shepherd Sunday and each year we hear verses from the tenth chapter of John. This year, Jesus will say, “I am the gate.” Gates can let things in and keep things out. During my recent visit with a friend in California, we commented on the gated community being built near her home. The company paid extra money to circumvent the city code mandating a portion of the homes being built would be designated as affordable housing. This is an example of how one corporation went out of their way to prevent “certain people” from being their neighbor. Restricting access is one way the systems and structures of our society limit and constrict. The way of Jesus swings wide the gate allowing those who yearn for justice, mercy, and abundant life to come in and find shelter.
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On Saturday, the Fireside Room will be filled with women enjoying a meal together and learning more about the Marshallese congregation. This annual event is a gift offered by a dedicated cadre of women who express their love for one another through beautiful decorations, delicious food, and enjoyable conversation. Inviting the Marshallese women to join us is one example of how we are opening our doors to others. Thank you in advance to the women who are hosting this event and to the male volunteers who are helping wash the dishes and clean up. Together we are a stronger community.