EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) – Bethlehem United Church of Christ on Oak Hill Road hosted a fundraiser Sunday evening for Habitat for Humanity of Evansville, with a goal of raising $25,000 toward affordable home construction in the community.
The event ran from 4 to 7 p.m. and featured a BBQ dinner, car show with more than 62 vehicles, silent auction, 27 flavors of ice cream, and live music from singer Gina Moore.
A partnership rooted in Evansville history
Funds raised go toward the UCC/Disciples of Christ build — a coalition of area United Church of Christ and Disciples of Christ congregations working together to fund at least one new Habitat home per year in the community.
The partnership between UCC congregations and Habitat for Humanity of Evansville dates to the organization’s founding. Billy Thompson, Faith Relations Manager for Habitat for Humanity of Evansville, said the very first home built by the local affiliate in 1984 was constructed by a United Church of Christ church.
“For Habitat for Humanity, we’ve built 648 homes in Vanderburgh and Posey County,” Thompson said. “That doesn’t happen because of anything other than the tremendous support from the community.”
Thompson said the coalition of churches has committed to addressing the local housing crisis by pooling resources and fundraising efforts each year — sometimes funding more than one home annually.
“A lot of the churches in the area from that denomination have joined together, stacked hands, and said we’re going to do everything we can to address the housing crisis that we have in our community,” Thompson said.
‘Stepping into a legacy’
Emily Slade, Senior Pastor of Bethlehem UCC, said the event represents a multigenerational commitment to the work.
“For me, this is an event where we are stepping into a legacy,” Slade said. “The United Church of Christ and the Disciples of Christ churches have worked together for literally generations of people — people that I have done their funerals who were invested in this work. And now we’re seeing their children and grandchildren being invested in this work.”
Slade, who has served at Bethlehem UCC for 12 years, said the effort is driven by the congregation’s volunteers, not its leadership.
“I’m just the person who gets to say yes,” Slade said. “It’s the volunteers. It’s the people in our pews who are saying, this is something we’re going to continue being part of. But they’re the ‘we.’”
Slade said the mission is grounded in the congregation’s faith commitments and a belief that housing stability creates lasting generational change.
“It is not a handout, it’s a handoff,” Slade said. “No matter what you think about how we should go about helping people who need help, you can get on board with an organization that says we’re going to give you a hand up — we’re going to invest in you, make sure that you have the skills you need, not only to get in the house, but to stay in the house.”
Slade said the congregation’s involvement with Habitat is rooted in its faith.
“Our work with Habitat comes from our faith commitments that Jesus has called us to care for the least of these,” Slade said. “And it is because of that understanding of what the gospel means that we want to be part of getting people in homes. Everybody should have safe, affordable housing.”
Slade added that the work extends beyond the event itself.
“What’s really special about this is this outlasts us both ways,” Slade said. “It was here before we got here. It will be here after we’re gone. And we get to be part of it right now.”
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