On November 4^th my dad and I visited Tom Lister of the Portland Rescue Mission to visit their three main facilities, and discuss how I could help with their ministry through architecture. The main facility is a late 1800’s four story building in downtown Portland referred to as the Burnside Center. This is their primary outreach center for those off the streets, where 600 to 700 are fed daily; chapel services, beds, recovery programs are all initiated from this 1^st step stopping ground for the homeless. This century old building has had some upgrades, but is in need of many more as funds are raised, project too numerous to list in this brief blog.

The mission also operates a “next step” center, which will shortly be undergoing a major remodel and upgrade (they wished they had known about HIM’s architectural services sooner!). The next step facility is a 1960’s former nursing home east of the downtown area, away from the major sources of drug and alcohol dealing and abusing. This facility is where recovery programs are really put into practice, and where career training will also takes place to help the homeless be homeless no longer. The mission hopes to one day build a rural recovery center, which, when in God's timing land or facilities become available, I will likely be able to assist as an architect for HIM.

Finally the third facility is The Shepherd’s Door, for homeless women and children, and well as a Christ based preschool for the neighborhood at large. This center is relatively new (2003), and provides a safe and secure center for women and children who frequently are at the shelter due to abuse. The Shepherd’s Door was recently gifted some money which will be used on providing soft surfacing, security fencing, and equipment for a toddler playground. This is my first opportunity to help provide architectural services through HIM, it may not seem like much, but to see the joy in the young children’s eyes, as we measured and discussed this upgraded playground area was such a pleasure. Drawings are required for the fence, and playground ground covering material installation; a project small enough that I should be able to squeeze this in during weekends and evenings, and a great opportunity to begin serving the Lord more purposefully through architecture.

I want to thank Tom Lister (pictured here with my dad, in the Burnside Center chapel). Tom spent the whole day with us, showing us their existing facilities, treating us to lunch, and sharing his own, very fascinating story leading him to leave a successful construction job for full time work at the mission.

Thanks Tom - looking forward to our future projects together.

My Architect Dad

My architectural career really began with my architect dad. I've been with my dad yesterday and today as he has some medical tests at the U of W medical center in Seattle (which have gone well), causing me to reflect some on the past.

Dad received his degree at Ohio State and graduated the year I was born. Like many men of his generation, he was able to attend college with the help of the GI Bill, having served in WW II.

As a young boy, maybe age 5, I decided I wanted to be an architect like my dad when I grew up, not unlike many a boy, I suspect. When we moved to South Bend, my dad worked for an architecture firm that only designed churches. Dad's job required him traveling around the midwest to check out various churches under construction. He would take one of his kids on as many of these trips as was pragmatic with his schedule, and our school schedules. I suppose it was during some of these early trips that my architectural path began to be solidified. Dad and I would talk about buildings, and mostly houses we would see along the way. Based on these type conversations, I drew up my 1st set of "dream" house plans on Holiday Inn memo paper while on one of these trips, while in the 4th grade.

Dad helped me in some 7th grade drafting class house plan projects. In my early high school years, our family had a series of difficult challenges - but one way dad and I would cope with these was to go on walks together and walk through various houses that were in early construction, figuring out the layouts when most would not be able to.

Eventually, I received my first architectural degree from Ohio State (like dad). Now, nearly 30 years of a career later, dad has begun to join me on my occasional travels to check out construction projects with my present job; sort of a role swap from when I was a boy. Next Friday, dad will join me when we visit the Portland Rescue Mission to see what design needs they might need help with. It seems only fitting that this transition into missionary architecture would include the company of my dad, who is the man God used to lead me down this career path to begin with. I have been very blessed to have such a special relationship with my dad.

Portland Rescue Mission

Earlier this week I had a great conversation with Tom Lister, Director of Vocational Ministry at the Portland Rescue Mission. The Director at this mission is Eric Baur, who I got to know well when we both lived in Walla Walla. We both moved to WW about the same time (97) and both ended up moving away around the same time (I think we might have left one year earlier that Eric and his family). Eric was the Executive Director at the Christian Aid Center. We first met when he strolled into our little start up branch architectural office, to see if we could check out a structural issue for a potential remodel they had in mind. Over the course of my 8 years in WW, I helped Eric a few times, maybe a handful, with some architectural or engineering input, sketches, etc... Eric is now the Executive Director at the Portland Mission, and when I shared with him about our new journey towards becoming an architectural missionary with HIM, he put me in touch with Tom.

Long story short, my dad and I plan on visiting Tom on November 4th to discuss some small projects that they might need some architectural support with. As you know, I'm not able to dedicate too much time to these sorts of things, but can at least get some work started and transfer back to our architectural staff at HIM headquarters.

I'm so excited that there are some opportunities to help, even if just a little bit, using my architectural background. The Lord knew I was second guessing the sense of calling that I thought he gave me, and Tom's e-mail inquiry was timed perfectly. I will share more about the few projects we might be involved with after our meeting.

In the meantime, check out the following youtube video put out by the Mission, it is very touching. www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysMyc_SWeCc . Check out their website as well; portlandrescuemission.org

in His grip,

Ed

Serving God as an Architect

Ed and Sally Luebben.

A good friend helped me set up this blog today to begin a conversation about being a missionary architect. Almost exactly a year ago, I began dialoging with Helps International Ministries (HIM) about serving the Lord through architecture. The idea of serving our Lord through the practice of architecture is not necessarily new, but is not an idea I had ever really given much thought to, until last October that is.

HIM’s mission is to provide helps to missionaries and Christ centered ministries throughout the world. One of these helps is providing architecture. Long story short, after a year of prayer, reading, prayer, visiting, and more prayer, it seemed time to start moving where the Lord seemed to clearly be directing.

So, what does it mean to be a missionary architect? It means being able to use the training and skills of a lifetime to help the homeless, the hungry, the sick, the destitute by designing clinics, schools, shelters, orphanages, and similar buildings. Oh yes, it means I need a team of prayer, and yes, financial supporters before I will be able to serve full time. Please do keep this in your prayers. To find out more about HIM check out their link on this blog page.
Thank you for checking out this blog, as our journey down this new path is just beginning… should be a glorious ride.

In His Grip,
Ed Luebben, AIA

P.S. FYI: I picked up the “in His grip” salutation from a good friend, Henry, who very unexpectedly went to be with our Lord a few weeks ago. Miss you Henry, will see you before too long.