| Do
you consider yourself a valued
member of your community? Would
you like to become a voice of
hope for your community? How can
you make friends in your community
and earn the right to share your
faith? Here’s 10 quick ways
to start your journey. |
 |
| 1 |
Look
After Your Patch
One of loudest messages your
church can send out to your
community is to show you care
about your environment as this
impacts everybody around you.
Could your church organise a
“litter-pick”? Could
you actively recruit some of
your neighbours to join you
on this? Perhaps you could offer
to take some of your neighbours’
unwanted items to the civic
amenities dump for recycling?
Giving people an opportunity
shows them you care and earns
their respect. |
|
| 2 |
Open
Your Mouth
When was the last time you spoke
to your immediate neighbours?
Mine was when a random guy accidentally
mounted the pavement whilst
reversing into a car space,
driving his vehicle onto the
front of my neighbour’s
flowerbeds, missing their lounge
wall by millimetres As we waited
for the police and ambulance
to arrive we all stood outside
drinking tea - the English way
- and got chatting. Since then,
we’ve been round for coffee,
talked more in the street and
exchanged Christmas presents.
Talk to your neighbours |
|
| 3 |
Fit
to Talk?
Running like a hamster on a wheel
I often see the same people down
the gym as we pound the treadmills
in a destined-to-fail attempt
to get trim. There’s not
too much time or energy to talk
above the blare of machines and
eurodisco thumping from the radio.
Nevertheless, a friendly wave
and “hello” recently
saw me start up a conversation
in the changing room with a guy
from my church who I’d never
spoken to. How strange it took
a secular building to start a
friendship that should have been
made at church. What about if
we could make friends in places
like the gym and then build on
this down at church? |
|
| 4 |
Chatting
At the Checkout
I live 100 paces from my local
Indian Restaurant. How do I know
this?...sadly I’m a regular
customer with a penchant for spicy
food. Yet, regular visits have
produced regular conversation
between me and the staff - not
only in the restaurant but in
the street, in the supermarket
and in the park! Never be afraid
to talk to those who serve you
in restaurants, cafes or shops
because you will see them outside
of their usual role and get the
chance to talk more freely with
them. |
|
| 5 |
Does
Charity Always Begin At Home?
People don’t value you unless
they get to know you, seeing you
do something worthwhile. Why not
help out at a local charity shop
and donate some time to helping
a good cause. You could actively
knock on neighbours’ doors,
asking if they have anything you
could take for them to a charity
shop. |
|
| 6 |
Invite
People to Church
When you’ve established
a few friends in the community,
taken the time to get to know
and serve them, you are then in
a good position to invite them
to church. If they say ’no
thanks,’ then so what? What
have you lost? Make sure you show
that you’re not offended
by their unwillingness to visit
your church and stay their friend
even though they’re not
interested in your faith. You
can still pray for them and if
an appropriate opportunity arises
share your faith further. |
|
| 7 |
Visit
Other Places of Worship
You don’t have to be Muslim
to visit a mosque, or Jewish to
look around a synagogue. Many
of the people in the shops, restaurants,
cafes, council groups, gyms and
clubs in your area are from other
faiths or none at all. We live
in a multi-faith country. Friendship
gives permission to share the
values and teachings of your faith,
helping to build a better community
of shared understanding and mutual
respect. If you visit their worship
centre, maybe they would be willing
to come to your Church. |
|
| 8 |
Quit
Moaning - Do Something About It
What has given you ‘beef’
in your community recently? Is
it the amount of chewing gum on
the pavement, the late-night noise
from local clubs, the amount of
graffiti on the buildings or the
horrendous car-parking situation
down your street? Do something
about it. Use the appropriate
channels of complaint - it’s
why you have local councillors
and MPs. Be a spokesperson for
the people down your street. Be
seen to be doing something about
a problem rather than just moaning
about it! |
|
| 9 |
Know
Your Coppers - The Right Way
Crime is a problem in a lot of
areas these days. One of the ways
you can build better bridges between
your community and the Police
is to be its representative to
them. Ask them to come and speak
to your neighbours about crime
prevention; support the many Community
Support Officers that are now
on our streets. Talk to them Share
your concerns. Feedback their
advice to neighbours. |
|
| 10 |
A
Friend of the Family [Business]?
I have a love-hate relationship
with supermarkets. They are great
when you need to bulk-buy, yet
it’s a shame to see many
family-run, traditional businesses
closing down on our High Streets.
Try and support both. Buy your
bread from the bakers, your meat
from your local butcher and leave
your toiletries to Tesco. Support
local trade and develop friendship
all at once. |
|
| By
Phil Sheldrake |
