The Church’s Role in Ending Housing Poverty

We Don’t Need to Reinvent the Wheel

Written by MayBell Developments – October 8, 2026

Sitting down to write this, it brought a little laugh. While pondering a title that wasn’t too cliché, trying to find another way to express the familiar idea of “reinventing the wheel”, it became obvious—we should take our own advice. Oh, the irony 😆.

Throughout history, the Church has been a powerful force for justice and compassion. But in today’s complex world, it’s easy for congregations to feel overwhelmed by the scope of poverty, especially housing insecurity. Where do you start? How do you help?

At MayBell, we believe the Church doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel, just rediscover its calling.

Too often, we assume that because we are new to a challenge, the path forward must be entirely different. Maybe a new leader arrives with fresh ideas and swings the pendulum in the opposite direction, believing past efforts were misguided. And yet, many of the most effective solutions have already been tried, tested, and refined over time. The key isn’t always innovation—often it’s listening, learning, and joining in.

Lilium Village — a place for housing, community, and belonging.

Here’s how the Church can respond to housing poverty in Regina without reinventing the wheel:

• Support MayBell’s work at Lilium Village — Help sustain safe, affordable transitional housing and the supportive community around families.
• Provide a meal for program participants — Explore the Creative Cook volunteer role and help make room for relationship-building around a shared meal.
• Participate alongside financial education training — Explore becoming an Ally, a volunteer who learns alongside participants and builds supportive relationships through programs such as Faith & Finances.
• Pray regularly for families and those walking alongside them — Stand in spiritual solidarity while respecting each family’s privacy.

The Church has always been God’s ‘plan A’ for healing a broken world. As Jesus himself declared in Luke 4:18, He came “to proclaim good news to the poor… to set the oppressed free.” As His body, the Church is called to continue that mission today.

The invitation isn’t just to donate. It’s to disciple. To serve. To stand in solidarity with our neighbors. It’s about joining what’s already working, learning from those who’ve walked the path before, and walking alongside those in need.

Don’t reinvent the wheel. Rediscover it. Follow the paths that lead to real, lasting transformation. And let your congregation become a place not just of worship, but of radical welcome.

Explore ways to get involved with MayBell.