Beyond Housing joins the community in mourning the passing of Reverend Warren Hamp, who died on February 27, 2026. Pastor Hamp served Faith Lutheran Church in Kitchener for more than three decades and played a key role in making MennoHomes’ (now Beyond Housing) first affordable housing project possible.
In the early 2000s, shortly after MennoHomes was formed, the organization began searching for land for its first building. At the same time, Faith Lutheran Church on Village Road was preparing to sell part of its property to help fund the construction of a new, accessible sanctuary.
Rather than selling the land to developers, Pastor Hamp and the church’s leadership entered into discussions with MennoHomes about using the site for affordable housing.
“We thought this was a good fit,” Pastor Hamp later recalled. “We could have sold the land to someone who would have built monster homes on the lots.”
Standing strong
The decision was not an easy one. The property was highly desirable, and the church received strong offers from developers. There was also opposition from some neighbours who were concerned about the impact of affordable housing on the area. According to MennoHomes founding President Martin Buhr, Pastor Hamp and the church leaders remained firm in their commitment.
“They had very attractive offers from developers who were keen to obtain that property,” Buhr remembered. “But Pastor Hamp and the church stood strong. If it hadn’t been for that determination to do some social justice work in the neighbourhood, Village Road would not have happened.”
A seed grows
Faith Lutheran Church waited while MennoHomes secured the funding needed to move forward, despite outside pressure to sell. Their decision allowed the Village Road project to become the organization’s first completed housing development, setting the pattern for the partnership-based model that continues to guide Beyond Housing today.
That first project created 16 homes on Village Road. The seed planted by Pastor Hamp and the congregation of Faith Lutheran has since grown into a network of housing that now provides safe, affordable homes for 258 households across Waterloo Region.
A pastor's vision and courage
Pastor Hamp served Faith Lutheran Church for 32 years and was active in Lutheran Church Canada and international mission work, including building projects in Nicaragua. He was widely known for his steady leadership, strong faith, and commitment to serving others.
Beyond Housing is grateful for Pastor Hamp’s vision and courage. His willingness to choose community over convenience helped create homes for families who needed them, and his legacy lives on in every household that has found stability through the work he helped begin.