Archive | May, 2009

If I was a Community Pastor I would… CREATE & ENGAGE #9

May 31, 2009 by hayleyneal 0 Comments

Create opportunities to engage and build relationships with the community. Be a hub for social activity where relationships can start, deepen and grow.
Do things that locals what to be apart of. This means knowing the community you are ministering to and trying to reach.

Does your local community love art? Are there artists in your area, lots of art schools, art community courses, theatres, galleries or are they educated people who happen to be more consumers of art? Perhaps then hold an Art Exhibition & Prize, run drama classes after school for kids, or an adult ‘acting in the everday course’ helping adults build confidence.

Does your local community have a social conscience? Do they have a social conscious? Are they a community who have money and are big consumers, can you play to that and see about engaging with them by thinking about using Fair Trade Products where they can? Maybe your church should hold a Fair Trade Market (see Tribes and Nations for more info). When you do hold the markets do it outside on the street, show people your church is alive, open the doors to the building, get some live music, play music through the church speakers and let people feel free to wander through and have a look.

Or maybe you can actually “do good” with your community.  Maybe your church could host Winter appeals, Toys & Tucker in assocaition with Anglicare – advertise, do letterbox drop and collection pick ups or drop offs.

Or be the initators of good intitiatives like Clean Up Australia day. We did this earlier in the year: Clean Up Kiribilli. It was a great success.

Does your local community have a large migrant population? Run ESL classes, teach english and use the bible to do it. Get in contact with Cathyn Threw from Anglicare – she has all the resources for you esl@anglicare.org.au

Does you local community love sport and fitnesss? Get a player from your local rugby club and get him to run a fitness session, book the local personal training team to run boot camp with a bunch of people and offer it to the community to join in for free.

Does your local community have a vibrant and rich history? Why not run a history tour. Do your research and take people around your local area, showing them interesting buildings, sights and share some facts. End up at your church and explain the history of the church… perhaps your church is designed in the shape of a cross “cause in Christianity the cross is central to faith” …. etc…

Think about what your community loves and put it on!!!

And when you do – don’t be ashamed at the gospel – you perhaps don’t have to bash the bible over peoples heads… but if you host a fitness morning with a free breakfast after why not say grace before you sit down to eat. Weave the gospel in!

Arts, Evangelism, Ideas, Jesus

If I was a Community Pastor I would… Have a 4 DOOR CAR #8

May 31, 2009 by hayleyneal 0 Comments

I had an experience where I wanted to be generous by offering a lift to a group of four elderly people. I got them in my trusty 2 door hyundai arrived at the location and one of the ladies struggled to lift herself out of the backseat. I was worried I would have to call the fire brigade or something… but then I thought all I need to do is get in cosy and hugged her and lifted her out myself.
She is a little scared and we got someone else to drive her home.

Few months later I got a loan and bought a new car. As there is no good not being able to be generous with transport if people can’t get in and out of your car.

Transport is a massive gift, espeically in connecting with the elderly and less mobile within your community. Offer lifts to help people do groceries or perhaps even offer them to come to church with you!

Community, Evangelism, Ideas

If I was a Community Pastor I would… #7 BE A FRIEND

May 21, 2009 by hayleyneal 1 Comment

Be a friend to those who are lonely… pop-in-and-say-hello ministry.

friends

friends

So many people in our society are ‘time poor’ and don’t sacrifice things to enable themselves to give time to people who are less fortunate than themselves or in need relationally. Don’t fall into this same trap as the world.

Its a sad result of our busy careerism, consumerism society that revolves around self. There are now a lot of ‘selves’ that are lonely.

The socially isolate is a huge demographic. Rich poor, young old, male female. So many face each day without any intimate or personal relational time.

Be brave and pop into the homes of people often.Kirribilli is home to housing commission and a few memebers of our congreations call it home. The more you pop over to their place the more your face gets known about the place too… But other than that goal in mind never be too busy to love people and care for the weak, vulnerable and down in society. The world may look them over but lets love them.

TIP: don’t eat before you got to elderly peoples home… they will often feed you cakes, biscuits or even a full cooked meal even if it is 2pm in the afternoon.

Community, Evangelism, Ideas, Jesus, People, Tips

If I was a Community Pastor I would… #6 PARTICIPATE

May 15, 2009 by hayleyneal 0 Comments

Be interested in the things that locals are putting on. Go to precinct meetings, pop along to the seniors lunch, the art festival, the markets, etc… Keep up to date with whats going on on Council Websites, Noticeboards.

So often Christians put on events and think they need them to do evangelism. Events are helpful for congregation memeber in their personal evangelism where by they can use the extra, fun, casual settings of these events to bring their friends under the sound of the gospel.  However, you can save yourself a lot of energy of planning if you go to events the commnunity is putting on.

Firstly, it shows your support of the community and your willingness to invest in it. (Often Key Players will be there or lonelier locals in attendance)

Secondly, you can kill so many birds with the one stone: meet locals, relational time with believers/nonbelievers alike… take people with you!

Thirdly, I think it says something that we invest in the community and turn up to their events. Why do we put up flyers around town and expect them to turn up at our things if we never turn up at there things. Relationships should be recipricol.

Community, Evangelism, Ideas, Tips

If I was a Community Pastor I would… #5 DO COFFEE

May 14, 2009 by hayleyneal 1 Comment

Have coffee with unbelieving locals, locally.
#1 Make friends with the little old lady with the dog and shout her a coffee. Firstly because she is lovely, has storys. Secondly most people in the community know the little old lady with the dog and so you happen to meet lots of people when you sit together in a café.

#2 Initiate a coffee catch up with locals from your bootcamp, art course, your neighbour…

Community, Evangelism, Ideas

If I was a Community Pastor I would… #4 HANG ABOUT

May 13, 2009 by hayleyneal 1 Comment

Ensure there is time in your week to just hang about and be open for conversations. I know it is a luxury to be able to just hang about, and there are some weeks where that just won’t happen. But can I encourage you to try!

In my observation, when you leave the church doors open people will turn up. (This is I suppose more true for churches located in high people traffic areas). I think it would be great if churches could be open around lunchtime… allowing people to wander in, prayer, sit and if they want chat. The problem is the ability to give time to do that. No point opening up the church if you can’t be around. Relationships means time.

Every time I have been tidying up the church, doing some creative decorating, folding flyers, or setting things up for church early and have had the doors open to the building, people have come in. Many are tourists in my area but there are a number of locals who say “oh I have never wandered in before”.

How to have the awkward stranger walk into the building conversation:

  • When people walk through the doors, it is always good to greet them, I usually say “Hi, come on in”.
  • They then stand there sheepish not too sure if they are allowed to be in, so I will say “Feel free to wander about to take a look”. This often the icebreaker where they share how beautiful the building is.
  • Its good to follow up the beautiful building comment with a small fact about it: At the moment I have been saying – It actually turns 125 years old this year, we are doing lots of fun things in May to celebrate. But normally I will let them know some famous people on the brass plaques or turn them to see the Queens Emblem and let them know that the church is the Queens church. Maybe your church has WWI & WWII memorial you could direct people to, a founding member of your local community could have a plaque, an amazing stainglass window….
  • I then usually say “yeah I love this place, its a great church” and this will lead into them asking why and I share why it is good to be a part of a church family.
  • Sometimes building facts won’t come up – so I ask “are you around visiting the area”…

That isn’t your clear-cut guide to conversations with strangers – but hopefully it will help you if you find that sort of things scary or just not used to doing it. And make mistakes, you always learn what is better to say in conversations by giving it a go. Often it will be the same people who begin to wander in as they know you will be around to have a chat. Two of the local larakins, who I first met at one of our community lunches, pretty much turn up when I am doing things in the church and I think I now have the start of a good friendship with them.

So hang about at some point in your week… maybe you have something you can do as just sit about… If you got brochures to fold, admin emails to sift through, do it with the doors open.
Or why not find some people within your congrgations who may have a certain days off to make this their ministry to the community?

Church, Community, Evangelism, Ideas, People, Tips

If I was a Community Pastor I would… #3 KNOW KEY PLAYERS

May 12, 2009 by hayleyneal 1 Comment

Who are the key players?
They are the people who know people…The faces everyone recognises. They are the institutions in your local area.

Where do you find these people?

  • Local neighbourhood centres?
  • PCYC?
  • A youth centre?
  • Adult Community Education Schools?

Go take up a course there, check out what they do and involve yourself in something.People who care about community, who are open to local relationships or who are lonely or are new to the area and don’t know many people congregate around these places.

Check you local council out also?
Most councils will hold Precinct Meetings – or something similar. These are areas in your local area made up of people who actually care about the community. You get to discuss local council plans, DA approvals, vibe & vision of the community and provide means for open communication between council and the people.

It is usually full of oldies who don’t have much more to do with their time, and like to catch up on local gossip. These people hold a wealth of local knowlege. They know who is moving in and out of the local precinct area. Often it can be boring but there is opportunity to get to know your area better and it is a point of contact for locals who have concerns and need help with DA’s for example. The other week when I was at my local Precinct Meeting a young dad come along to ask for our backing for his noise complaint against the local Spanish resutrant. You get an opportunity to love, help and share wisdom. It is a great way to hear the concerns, needs, issues and cries of the community. And hopefully hear the joys too!

Find out who council employ to care for your community?
Most councils employ a community worker – who cares for the socially isolated or those who need caring. I have a catch up with one of the council workers (Aged Care & Community Worker) once a month. He is responsible for caring for seniors and the social isolated. He thinks up programs to entice those people out of their homes, provide assistance and be ready to help those in need. When we catch up I get to hear about the ways they are caring for the community and also share about the ways church is trying to care for the community. From it I get to discuss, share ideas, motivations and also my faith & motivation for the work I do.

Community, Ideas

If I was a Community Pastor I would… #2 LIVE LOCALLY

May 10, 2009 by hayleyneal 2 Comments

By live I mean LIVE. (by live I mean: shop, rent, get coffee, exercise, church, post, eat…)

This means sacrifice – either living in a area that isn’t “your natural” demographic, paying more to live in the area, renting instead of buying, buying smaller but in the area rather than have an study and live 30 minutes away.

“I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some” (1 Cor. 9:22)

Personally, as a part-time pastor at my church I have to admit I don’t earn lots, enough, but not lots. At the beginning of the year I had to work out whether it was worth making the sacrifice to pay rent to live in the local community  or my church /parish boundaries or  move home with Mum and Dad and save a little cash but be 15 minute drive away?(for those who don’t know Kirribilli is up there as expensive places to live.) I went with the financial sacrifice, where 45% of my pay goes to rent. It means I live amongst those I long to be in relationship with, for the sake of loving them and for the sake of their salvation.  Is this a good stewardship of the money I receive? Good question and one I wrestle with. At the present moment I see it as a means of trusting in God’s generous and constant provision, it keeps me humble, and it provides means by which God can use me to walk through doors he is opening within Kirribilli.

Other than having your home in the community, buy from the community! Presents for mothers day, gifts for friends 30th’s, the milk, take-away dinner, stamps, newspaper (…etc) I all try to buy in my community. I even try to Have dinners out in the community with believing and non-believing friends. Have a coffee at the same cafe, at the same time every week or second week. People have routines and you can become a part of the fabric of what they see as their community.
To get or not to get a Fitness First membership has been the question I have asked myself all year… The dilemma is that there isn’t a Fitness First in walking distance to my house – it is  10 min drive up the road, its cheaper and you can use its sister gyms. However  I feel that the local gym – which does not have those sister gyms and is more expensive has a higher concentration of locals. Check out also, the outdoor group fitness sessions that personal trainers do in the area, go for a walk on the same route, same time everyday and go to the gyms/pools that are nearby and not in the neighbouring suburb – stay in your parish?!? I am starting Boot Camp in 1 week and using the same guys to run a group personal training session as an event for our church’s outreach for 125 year Celebrations.

I don’t share these thoughts to give you rules on how you ought to live, I am more than happy for you to go to fitness first but I want to share insights with you as an encouargement to get you questioning how you are making the most of the breath God has given you and using it to make his name known in your community.

Community, Ideas, Tips

If I was a Community Pastor I would… #1 Pray

May 10, 2009 by hayleyneal 0 Comments

In his book, Let the Nations be Glad, John Piper talks about prayer as a “wartime walkie talkie not a domestic intercom”. (pp. 45-49). We need guidance, strength, supplies, wisdom and strategy from headquarters. Prayer is for mission. It is designed to advance the kingdom, not for calling the butler to turn up the thermostat. Pray as Jesus teaches us: for the Fathers name to be hallowed and for his kingdom to come – for prayer is the fuel to all our efforts.

“Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God…. is that they may be saved.”
(Romans 10:1 NIV)

  • Praying for the different demographics in your community – pray for the salvation of individuals without ceasing and without growing weary. Make a list and be faithful for years.
    In Kirribilli I pray for:

o    The Lonely
o    The Too busy
o    The Wealthy
o    The Keep up with the Jones’
o    The Backpackers/ tourist
o    The Workers
o    The Business Owners
o    The Unemployed
o    The Cathollic Church
o    The Chinese Christian Church
o    Streets by name
o    Kirribilli Neighbourhood Centre
o    The Schools
o    Businesses & Organisaitons
o    My apartment block
o    The Prime Minister
o    The Governor General
o    The Theatre Goers
o    The Kirribilli Markets – stall holders, goers, organisers.
o    Greenway Housing
o    James Milson Retirement Village
o    Local people I Know

  • Topics I pray about:

o    Demographics best interests, perceived hurdles I see in locals to the gospel, relationships with them – for new ones & depth, for opportunities to love, serve, get to know and care for them.
o    “Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” Jer. 29:7
o    For people to walk into church off the street, that we would be blessed to have “too many” visitors each week sitting under the sound of the gospel
o    That my love be genuine for my community – for love sake not for duty/task sake.
o    Events happening in the community and time to invest in relationships through these events.
o    Families in the community – that God would strengthen family units and keep them together.
o    The beauty of creation and the joy of community – that it would make people stop and think about the creator.

  • Praying for leaders
    I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for local counselors, council community workers, member of parliament, Police, Harbour Bridge Security, and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. (1 Tim 2:1-2)

Online help to manage your prayer points:
ECHO PRAYER

Community, Evangelism, Ideas, prayer

If I was a Community Pastor…

May 8, 2009 by hayleyneal 6 Comments

If I was a Community Pastor I would:

  • Pray for my community.
  • Live in my community. (by live I mean: shop, rent, get coffee, exercise, church, post, eat…)
  • Get to know key players in my community.
  • Have time flexible to just to hang about and be open for conversations.
  • Have coffee with unbelieving locals, locally.
  • Be interested in the things that locals are putting on.
  • Be a friend to those who are lonely… pop-in-and-say-hello ministry.
  • Buy a four-door car to transport people in my community. (strange maybe, but it is almost a necessity)
  • Create opportunities to engage and build relationships with the community.
  • Provide opportunities for people to investigate Christianity & for faith to be put on the agenda.
  • Support local businesses and get to know them.
  • Say hello to strangers.
  • Research the area… learn to love demographics & statistics.
  • Get involved in community activities/meetings.
  • Use the marketing/design team to do good flyers/promotional material.
  • Stand out the front of church regularly with flyers.
  • Go gospeling.
Community, Evangelism, Ideas, Tips

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