Yesterday I attended the groundbreaking for the new Tedford Housing Shelter in Brunswick. Under a cloudless blue sky, and wrapped by a cold wind, we gathered where carpenters,  plumbers, electricians, and others will soon turn ordinary materials into a warm place for our neighbors to lay their heads and re-build their lives. 

The words of two speakers from this celebration echo in my heart. 

Andrew Lardie, Tedford’s Executive Director, after thanking donors, board members, staff, local officials, state and federal legislators, advocates, and fundraisers, said: “each of these people needed to speak the language of their expertise in order to make this vision real.” 

Kevin Bunker, the Founder of Developers Collaborative and a Tedford Board Member said: “We are just a group of people here doing what we are supposed to do, taking care of our community, and our neighbors.”

As the winter chill begins to settle in, I needed this reminder of what can be achieved through the common devotion and shared commitment of community. 

As we look at the challenges that still lie ahead of us, I invite you to prayerfully consider two questions:

What are the things that we know we are supposed to do? And, what gift do you hold—what language do you speak—that will help us make those visions real?