Fifty Days of Gratitude: Days 12 & 13

Five years ago today, Compass Broadview, a community of permanent, supportive, affordable housing opened on land that had once been the parking lot of Luther Memorial Lutheran Church. On that day, 59 families found a safe place to call home.

I often think that this might be the high point of my vocational life, shepherding this project. Meeting with architects and community leaders and angry neighbors and supportive neighbors and future residents and construction people (y'all....they gave me my very own hard hat) and attending city meetings and standing behind the mayor on the news when the City of Seattle announced their financial support of the project. Taking late night phone calls about eleventh hour lawsuits. Watching the heavy equipment arrive. Watching a portion of the church building (the KITCHEN and fellowship hall) being torn down to make way for the necessary access to the building. It was....a lot.

I cannot say enough about the amazing people who made this happen:

The congregation of Luther Memorial who HEARD the Gospel in their bones and knew that they needed to respond,

The employees of Compass Housing Alliance, Bellwether Housing, and Walsh Construction who knew how to do this,

The city of Seattle, the state of Washington, and the Obama administration who supplied much needed financial support,

My spouse and kids who cheered and cheered and cheered,

The congregation of Luther Memorial....I know, I'm repeating myself, but....oh my. They sacrificed so much and endured so much chaos and did so with grace and good humor. They proved that a relative few people acting with holy imagination could change the world, or at least our corner of it.

To be sure this is A high point of my vocation. But it's one of many. I mean, the 13 year old boy who was STOKED about being baptized at the Easter Vigil....high point. The 95 year old parishioner who is organizing the resistance to women's rights being taken away at her care home....high point. My grand girl catching my eye during the reading of the Easter Gospel....high point.

But for this day, I am eternally grateful for the families who are living at Compass Broadview. For the children who are growing up there. And for the beloved people of God, saints all, at Luther Memorial Lutheran Church in Seattle. Never underestimate the Holy Spirit when she lights the fire of possibility in a faithful congregation. You never know what might happen.

Learn more about Compass Broadview here:

https://www.compasshousingalliance.org/affordable-housing/compass-broadview/