THE BLOG
We love having the opportunity to highlight our Covenant Partners and their work! Meet Olivia, a Covenant Partner and professional tattooer here in Fayetteville. In this podcast episode, Olivia shares how she came to know the Lord, how she entered the tattooing profession, and how her work gives her a unique opportunity to evangelize to people who may not yet know Him. She also recounts a moving story about a former client with whom she discussed the Christian faith.
LOCAL PARTNERS EXISTS TO BUILD A COLLECTIVE OF INDIVIDUALS, CHURCHES, AND ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE CITY.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS/OPPORTUNITIES:
Hand of Hope Bible Study; Wednesday Evenings starting Wednesday, November 5
Community Christmas Market; Dec 4, 9a-12p at Veritas Church
Hand of Hope Update
At Veritas, we have Local Partners, which are organizations we support around the city; one of those Local Partners is Hand of Hope, a ministry that runs Your Choice Pregnancy Support Center on Yadkin Road. This ministry is a beautiful example of loving families, particularly women and children, in vulnerable situations.
They have just finished up a season of Bible Study, and celebrated with a beautiful tea party and maternity photo session. See the photos here. Hand of Hope will begin another Bible Study starting Wednesday, November 5, and are seeking participants and volunteer Bible Study leaders. Along with this, there are opportunities to serve as Sidewalk Volunteer or Volunteer Mentor. If you’re interested in supporting Hand of Hope, please reach out to the Site Director, Michele Dove at michele@handofhope.net
Community Christmas Market
Another exciting opportunity for Veritas is the Community Christmas Market we will organize and host for Saturday, December 6, 9a-12p. This Christmas Market will allow us to reach out and connect with the local neighborhood and schools. And this offers an opportunity for families to feel empowered by getting their Christmas gifts at an affordable price. This model of charitable giving comes from True Charity, see the Model Action Plan here.
We are asking everyone to donate newly-purchased items and gently used toys from Sunday, November 30 to Thursday, Dec 4 at Veritas. We will organize and repackage these items to be sold for modestly priced Christmas gifts. There will be multiple opportunities for volunteering to support this community project. That includes:
Flier distribution in the neighborhood on Saturday, November 22
Donating gift items Sunday, November 30
Gift organizing and packaging & Event Set up; Thursday, Dec 4
Making cookies for event
Event Volunteers on Saturday, Dec 6; (cashier, gift wrapping, retail volunteers)
If you’d like to support the Community Christmas Market, please reach out to Emily Ruth Perry at eruthperry@gmail.com or 412.414.9227.
We are excited to share that Reagan Fick has joined our staff team as our new Veritas Kids Director! Get to know Reagan by reading a little bit about her below.
What first brought you to Veritas?
My husband and I moved to North Carolina in February of 2024. A mutual contact invited us to join them on the first Sunday we were here, and we instantly knew this was where God was calling us to call our church home!
Tell us about your role at Veritas.
I am very excited to step into the role of Veritas Kids Director! Weekly, I will be connecting with new volunteers, preparing classrooms and resources, and continuing to train and support current volunteers. Overall, my job is to prepare Veritas Kids to be a safe place for kids to come and learn about the Gospel!
What are some of your hobbies?
My hobbies change often, but my current hobbies include baking, sewing, and playing guitar!
What’s your favorite beverage?
I primarily drink ice water (you will rarely see me without my pink cup!), but I also love lemonade!
What is your favorite dish to cook?
I love cooking almost anything, but Tex-Mex is definitely my favorite! My current obsession is flautas or fajitas!
We are excited to share that Cassie Dows has joined our staff team as our new Administrative Assistant! Get to know Cassie by reading a little bit about her below.
What first brought you to Veritas?
When we moved to NC in 2021, I was struggling to find a church home. The youth pastor from our previous church in Show Low, Arizona recommended Veritas. He had never attended here but had heard from a friend that it was a great church. By the time I left the first service we attended, I knew we had found a church home.
Tell us about your role at Veritas.
I am blessed with the opportunity to serve as the Administrative Assistant here at Veritas. I only just started here on the August 11th, so I am busy learning all things Veritas, including how to connect with 1st time guests, those interested in serving, and adding upcoming events to the church calendar.
What are some of your hobbies?
I have more hobbies than I have time to keep up with. I like to read, write, cook, bake, garden, sew/quilt, draw, paint (creative and house), craft; if it's creative, I probably enjoy it!
What’s your favorite beverage?
My favorite beverage is ice water, but I also love HOT coffee (I cannot fathom cold coffee as a choice rather than a consequence of busyness).
What is the last fiction book that you read?
It is hard to say what the last one I read was. I am usually reading at least two books at a time. I read aloud with my youngest son quite a bit, and we recently finished Ranger's Apprentice: Halt's Peril by John Flanagan. I am currently in the midst of a re-read of one of my favorite series that is 15 books long, but I also just started Dune by Frank Herbert.
https://otter.ai/u/6F5iUtQZHRMk4bOSIf9Nw7VwN9Y?view=summary
The podcast discusses Habitat for Humanity's mission in Fayetteville, focusing on affordable housing. Since 1988, Habitat has built homes with families contributing 300 sweat equity hours and receiving zero to very low-interest rates. They also offer critical home repairs, veteran repairs, and aging in place modifications. The Habitat ReStore sells donated items, with all proceeds funding affordable housing. Trade Days teach high school students carpentry skills. Habitat aims to serve families making 30-80% AMI, ensuring they pay no more than 30% of their income on housing. The organization emphasizes community impact, stability, and empowerment through volunteering and donations.
[ ] Encourage Veritas members to support Habitat or other local organizations they are passionate about, even if Habitat is not the perfect fit for them.
[ ] Invite Habitat to do a local partner highlight at Veritas on July 20th.
[ ] Pray for Habitat to have the right people join their team to continue serving the community effectively.
Introduction of Samantha Metheny, Emily Ruth Perry, and Brandon Price, who are present in the Habitat for Humanity office.
Brandon Price introduces himself as the CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Fayetteville.
Emily Ruth Perry, the deacon of local partners, expresses excitement about sharing information about Habitat and its mission.
Brandon Price explains that Habitat for Humanity has been in Fayetteville since 1988, focusing on building affordable housing.
The organization has four main programs: new construction, critical home repairs, veteran repairs, and aging in place.
In the new construction program, families partner with Habitat, completing sweat equity hours to build their homes and receive zero to very low-interest rates.
The critical home repairs program includes veteran repairs, storm-related repairs, and aging in place modifications for older adults.
Habitat ReStore sells donated furniture and household items, with all proceeds going towards affordable housing.
Brandon discusses the Trade Days program, where Habitat partners with local schools to teach carpentry skills to students.
Students learn to build toolboxes, stools, and other projects, gaining valuable skills for home repairs and potential careers.
Emily Ruth highlights the importance of these skills for both practical use and character building.
Brandon shares the success of a construction camp, where students learned various household maintenance and repair skills.
The camp helped students like one who turned his academics around and is now enrolled in a carpentry program at Fayetteville Tech.
Brandon defines affordable housing as homes for families making between 30% and 80% of the area median income (AMI).
Habitat families pay no interest on their mortgages, which is a significant cost savings compared to traditional mortgages.
The average newly constructed home in Fayetteville costs over $300,000, making it unaffordable for many essential workers.
Emily Ruth emphasizes the stability and security that owning a home provides, especially for children who don't have to switch schools frequently.
Brandon explains that stable housing leads to fewer missed workdays for adults and fewer emergency room visits for children.
Emily Ruth asks how Habitat's faith-based mission fits into its daily operations.
Brandon explains that while not everyone at Habitat is a believer, the organization is founded on Christian principles of community and service.
Habitat serves families regardless of their beliefs, but the organization's core values are rooted in Christian teachings.
Emily Ruth discusses the importance of serving the city and how supporting organizations like Habitat aligns with Veritas' mission.
Brandon emphasizes that serving others is a directive from Christ, and Habitat aims to empower people to do extraordinary things.
Brandon shares stories of how Habitat homes have transformed lives, providing stability and reducing stress for families.
Children benefit from consistent schooling and community relationships, which are crucial for their development.
Adults miss fewer workdays and spend less money on rent when they own their homes.
Habitat homes lead to a decrease in crime in neighborhoods, as families look out for each other and create a sense of community.
Emily Ruth highlights the importance of homeowners in stabilizing neighborhoods and creating a network of support.
Brandon encourages people to support Habitat through time, talent, and treasure.
Volunteering at the Habitat ReStore or on construction sites is a valuable way to contribute.
Administrative support and leading builds are also needed.
Shopping and donating to the Habitat ReStore is another way to support the organization.
Brandon mentions the 100 Churches initiative, where 100 churches donate $100 a month to support Habitat's mission.
Emily Ruth brings up the Orange Street connection, where Habitat and Inasmuch have formed a partnership.
Inasmuch owns multiple lots on Orange Street, and Habitat plans to build homes there within the next 12 months.
The partnership aims to revitalize the neighborhood and provide affordable housing for Inasmuch families.
Emily Ruth discusses the broader neighborhood development plan and the importance of homeowners in creating a stable community.
Brandon shares that Habitat intentionally builds clusters of homes to create a sense of community and reduce crime.
Brandon provides contact information for Habitat, including the website and phone number.
He encourages people to reach out for more information, donate furniture, or volunteer.
Emily Ruth and Brandon discuss the upcoming local partner highlight event at Veritas on July 20.
Brandon asks for prayers for the right people to join the Habitat team and for continued support and growth for the organization.
Emily Ruth concludes with a prayer, thanking God for the work of Habitat and asking for continued inspiration and support for the organization and its mission.
