Our Story

 

Sweetwater Reporter News Article from October 2020

 

While working with individuals on the brink of becoming homeless, God planted a dream in the heart of Loran Rule, Senior Pastor of Emmanuel Fellowship Church in Sweetwater.  That dream was a transitional living center for those living in homelessness, on the brink of becoming homeless, and those coming out of incarceration.  The center would provide housing, assistance and training to help those who are suffering become self-sufficient.  While the transitional living center may still be a few years away from becoming a reality, things are still moving in that direction. 

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Officially opening its doors September 16, 2019, the LifeHouse exists to encourage others to find hope in Christ while meeting their immediate needs and empowering them towards self-sufficiency in order to experience “life in abundance.”  Together in close working relationship with the Sweetwater Ministerial Alliance, the nonprofit community mission is working to meet the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of individuals and families in Nolan County. 

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Providing a wide array of services from benevolence assistance, to community education classes such as Celebrate Recovery, Nurturing Parenting, Faith & Finances, and Jobs For Life, the LifeHouse celebrated its one year anniversary with the opening of their emergent short-term housing suite for individuals or families facing displacement. LifeHouse Director, Natasha Daniel, reported “the LifeHouse had assisted 144 clients with $7,600 in benevolence need from September 2019 to September 2020.  That does not include the clients we see for counseling services and classes.” 

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While the mission was born out of his church, Pastor Loran stated it was never their intention for the LifeHouse to remain a direct extension of their congregation.  Instead, their hope was for it to become its own independent community supported mission.  Steps are underway to do just that.  As of October 19, the LifeHouse has a community board of directors and is currently working to establish its own 501c3 apart from the church which will open it up for eligibility for future faith-based grants. 

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Our Mission

 

The LifeHouse exists to encourage others to find hope in Christ while meeting their immediate needs and empowering them towards self-sufficiency in order to experience life in abundance.

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Our Purpose

 

The LifeHouse is a nonprofit community mission in connection with the Sweetwater Ministerial Alliance, working to meet the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of individuals and families in Nolan County.

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Our Journey

 

Through a whole lot of hard work and community support, a team of individuals transformed the old Lilian Jane's restaurant into phase one of the LifeHouse!  Click the picture below to see more.