Go to your front door. Open it. Stand on your porch. What do you see? Now, go to the back door. Open it. Stand on your back "deck." What do you see? If you live in an urban context or even a suburban context, your answer would be -- my mission field. You will see your NEIGHBORS. Neighbors who all winter have been isolated in their NW caves. NOW, they are emerging, with you, into the streets and into the community. Neighbors who you and I have the opportunity (this summer) to sow the gospel into their lives and the life of our community.
Summer IS coming to the NW. Church worship attendance will decline a bit because NW'erners will be in God's playground, enjoying the sun and the beautiful landscape of the NW. This gives you a great opportunity to extend the church to them. Here is a helpful list of activities which might assist you in connecting to those neighbors out both your front and back doors:
Summer IS coming to the NW. Church worship attendance will decline a bit because NW'erners will be in God's playground, enjoying the sun and the beautiful landscape of the NW. This gives you a great opportunity to extend the church to them. Here is a helpful list of activities which might assist you in connecting to those neighbors out both your front and back doors:
1. Help the underprivileged in your community (or those impacted by natural disasters throughout the US and World) by rallying neighborʼs unwanted belongings (clothes, toys, etc.) on a monthly basis.
2. Monitor when new neighbors move in and extend hospitality (i.e. gift bag, dinner, basic services)
3. Organize a neighborhood garage sale and include neighbors in the process
4. Serve single parents by watching their kids and/or offering to run errands for them, etc.
5. Neighborhood potluck where people bring their favorite dishes (4th of July is great for this).
6. Cultural night with a meal, a little background on that country, and cultural fun
7. Progressive dinner party
8. Salsa Smackdown social/contest.
9. Soup or Chili social during a cool summer night.
10.Exercise on a 2-3/week basis with a neighbor.
11. Camping Trip.
12. Academy Awards party with popcorn, pizza, and snacks.
13. Board Game Night.
14. Movie Nights.
15. Host a weekly watch party for a TV show
16. Saturday (or Sunday) Morning Brunch Party
17. Road trip to watch a professional or minor league sportʼs team (Go Timbers).
18. Bless neighbors by doing something special for them on their birthdayʼs and/or anniversaryʼs
19. Block Party (4th of July, just saying)
20. Rally around a project for another neighbor
21. Visit neighbors to ask if there are home projects, etc. that others within the neighborhood can help
22. Give the local school principal a gift and organize the neighborhood to help with a project to support the local school.
2. Monitor when new neighbors move in and extend hospitality (i.e. gift bag, dinner, basic services)
3. Organize a neighborhood garage sale and include neighbors in the process
4. Serve single parents by watching their kids and/or offering to run errands for them, etc.
5. Neighborhood potluck where people bring their favorite dishes (4th of July is great for this).
6. Cultural night with a meal, a little background on that country, and cultural fun
7. Progressive dinner party
8. Salsa Smackdown social/contest.
9. Soup or Chili social during a cool summer night.
10.Exercise on a 2-3/week basis with a neighbor.
11. Camping Trip.
12. Academy Awards party with popcorn, pizza, and snacks.
13. Board Game Night.
14. Movie Nights.
15. Host a weekly watch party for a TV show
16. Saturday (or Sunday) Morning Brunch Party
17. Road trip to watch a professional or minor league sportʼs team (Go Timbers).
18. Bless neighbors by doing something special for them on their birthdayʼs and/or anniversaryʼs
19. Block Party (4th of July, just saying)
20. Rally around a project for another neighbor
21. Visit neighbors to ask if there are home projects, etc. that others within the neighborhood can help
22. Give the local school principal a gift and organize the neighborhood to help with a project to support the local school.
Help me grow the list by adding to the list via the comment section. Have a great summer extending the tangible Kingdom of God through your community and neighborhood.
Did you know Portland has 95 Neighborhood Associations? Consider adopting or advocating for one of these NA! Considering a move? Come live missionally in one of these 95 NA in Portland OR. Not moving, help mobilize the sowing of the gospel by partnering with us, by praying to the Lord of the Harvest for a HARVEST! #sendportland #gcr #namb #sbc
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