What is a household?
Close your eyes and consider the word “household.” What comes to mind?
Caring people? A table with food, shared with family and friends? Shelter? Warmth? Friendly voices? Love?
I imagine we all think of many of these same things when we think about a household.
Yet there are many in this world who don’t enjoy those comforts that we may automatically think of when we hear that word. Household.
People like Mimita whose home and life in Puerto Rico were literally torn apart by Hurricane Maria.
Or like Abdi who lost her husband and had to trek for days with her small children through a war-torn region of Somalia to bring the family to a place where they could find food and shelter, all while pregnant.
And Monica, whose day-to-day peace of mind was threatened by a predatory landlord who brought false charges against her time after time as he tried to evict her in order to rent her New Jersey apartment for more money.
What do you think these three women think when they hear the word “household?” Not comfort, but perhaps discomfort. Not a hot meal, but wondering where the next meal is coming from. Not shelter and warmth, but sky above where once a roof had been.
There is hope
But this is not the end of these stories, for where there is life, there is hope. Where God is, there is hope. Together, we become the household of God. Through One Great Hour of Sharing, we extend shelter to those who have no place to stay, offer compassion to those who have pain—be it physical, emotional or spiritual—and we set a feast, with God, for those who lack access to enough food to eat. May we be called, as Isaiah said, to be “repairers of the breach.” To be the church in the world and active followers of our faith.
Through One Great Hour of Sharing, we are building a household with the suffering and the vulnerable—God’s household filled with love where everyone is welcome. Please give generously, for when we all do a little, it adds up to a lot.
Let us pray
Bless our hands and our gifts, O God. Let them find the hands and gifts of those in need of a place to call home. May we be builders with and not builders for. May we be your people among, and not people above. May we be welcomed into your household, together with all people, not as strangers or as guests, but like your children, finally at home. Amen.
Join us
For more information and resources related to the One Great Hour of Sharing offering, visit pcusa.org/oghs.
This post is based on the minute for mission script which can be found on our website as a script.
Please give generously to the Offering:
- Through your congregation
- Text OGHS to 20222 to give $25
- Online