Churches and the Homeless Issue

 Good morning, and welcome.

 This fall, the City of Wichita has been struggling to provide adequate emergency winter shelter for the homeless.  In partnership with HumanKind Ministries, a new, temporary shelter is being set up for use.  The old shelter which was used in prior years is no longer available.

There is a lot of conversation in the non-profit and faith sectors regarding how the city has handled the issue of finding a place to operate an emergency shelter, as well as a lot of conversation on the part of local policy-makers.  Everyone, it seems, has an opinion regarding the city’s movement, or lack of movement in creating a new space for shelter this winter.

One of the comments I often hear, not only with this issue, but the issue of homelessness in general is the question of whether or not churches offer shelter in their buildings.  I can’t say with certainty, but I usually understand the person asking the question to have a prior belief that the churches, who we all know are wealthy, don’t pay taxes, and are feeding at the public trough, are watching what is happening and not offering to help in any way.  Now, this may indeed NOT be the thought of all of those who ask the question, but I know it’s on the minds of at least some.  I’d like to respond to that.

Yes, churches are exempt from paying property taxes on property that is used exclusively for faith-based purposes.  And most churches also are sales tax exempt in Kansas for purchases likewise used for faith-based purposes.  The rationale for that is that churches serve the public good by offering benevolent goods and services such as food pantries, help with rent or utilities, etc., social services, professional counseling, and other goods and services at no charge to the public.

I don’t know what other churches do regarding benevolence or housing the homeless, but I know what we do and why.  Yes, we have a large building in the downtown area.  However, housing codes prevent us from offering our building for any kind of shelter.  We conceivably could remodel the building to meet code, but that cost is prohibitive for us.  We are an independent congregation.  We have no oversight boards or organizations.  All of the money that we have comes from the contributions that congregants place into the offering plates each Sunday.  The cost to remodel to meet code would be in the multiple hundreds of thousands of dollars…something we just don’t have, nor could we get from our congregation of about 175.

Additionally, overnight shelter requires people to operate it and security to protect everyone.  It requires policies, procedures, expertise, administrative functions, food service, laundry service, janitorial services, and experience that we just don’t have within our congregation.  It’s not a matter of throwing a few mattresses down on a floor, ordering in pizza, and opening the doors to whoever comes in.

We know what we aren’t equipped to do.  But we aren’t passive regarding homelessness.  Although we operate a food pantry and have some clothing, toiletries, etc., available, and we have a Paxton’s Blessing Box on our property, we have chosen our main thrust and our limited resources on the near-homeless or those at risk for homelessness.  There are several ways one can receive assistance with rent; however, help with utilities and transportation, the lack of which are two huge drivers of homelessness, is something we can help with from time to time, depending on our budget.

Something as simple as a tank of gas in a vehicle so someone can job-search or get to a job can keep that person or family off of the street.  Helping someone stay on a utility payment plan can keep a family’s electric or gas service turned on so they won’t be evicted from the place they rent because of a shut-off utility.  And once an eviction goes on their record, finding another place to live becomes almost impossible.  Providing a bicycle for someone who has no driver’s license so they can get to and from work can keep that person off of the street.  And there are other simple, cost-effective, and relatively easy ways we can work with someone to maintain them in their home.

Our benevolence is limited and is designed to help, but not enable.  We don’t do it perfectly, and we sometimes look back on a decision we made and think that we maybe could have made a better decision.  But we are by no means sitting back and letting the world go by while families are living in cars and in tents along the Arkansas River.  We are doing what we can with what we have.

And that, I believe, is the key.  Do what you can with what you have.  Find ways to help given your abilities and resources.  You may not be able to shelter two hundred and fifty homeless each night this winter.  That’s OK.  One of my friends who works in the social services sector has often said this borrowed sentence regarding the seeming overwhelming great need of many in our society today:  I can’t do everything, but I can do something.

We as a church family can do something.  God can, and does bless that something that we do in His name and for His glory.

 Thanks for listening, and blessings.