Building on Faith

September 14–21, 2008

Planning a Special Event to Celebrate Church Partnerships
Building on Faith is an annual celebration intended to celebrate church partnerships and to serve as a worldwide sermon of God’s love. Building on Faith events are intended to help Habitat organizations and the faith community focus on their ministry together and ultimately build houses so that more people can have a simple, decent place in which to live.

Traditionally, Building on Faith has been connected with the Day of Prayer and has been celebrated during the week preceding the third weekend in September. Because of this tradition, many Habitat for Humanity groups prefer to plan building events and celebrations with churches in the fall.

However, Building on Faith events may be organized for any time during the year. Some groups may prefer a spring project or a project to coincide with a special time in the life of the church.

Projects can be grand: Beginning in 2006, local and international church partners built 16 houses in El Salvador as part of a campaign to build 500 houses in five years. In other areas, a leap of faith may be a smaller step. An affiliate may develop its first relationships with churches in the community.

Great Building on Faith campaigns focus on mobilizing the faith community to build houses as an expression of God’s love.

Though Habitat for Humanity builds on faith every day, a specific Building on Faith event has become a way for affiliates to get churches excited and involved in Habitat's work. Over and over, affiliate organizers have said that Building on Faith was a turning point or the boost they needed to stir the faith community into action.

Highlights and history of past Building on Faith events.