Church on the move...

... means different things to different people.

How do you church in your neighbourhood?

It has been my profound conviction for some years now that the greatest need of the Christian Church is a revival of the New Testament standard of Christian living. There seems to be a very wide gulf between what we believe and how we live, a marked contrast between our position in Christ and our actual experience. Too often we claim to believe our Bible from cover to cover, but fail to live out its truths in daily conduct.

Before we can ever see a real movement of the Spirit of God in blessing to the world in our day, surely the Church must face afresh the New Testament pattern, the whole revelation of the Word of God, in its claims on holiness of life and ethical conduct. A. Redpath

A lifetime of great relationships.

Recently a local high school student was asked in his Leadership Class to comment on a significant turning point in his life, ala The TSN Turning Point in a sports game. Here's what he wrote:

I doubt I would even be taking this class if I didn’t live in my amazing neighbourhood. Moving there in December 2000 shaped me into a person who would not have otherwise existed. The April after we moved my parents registered me in learn to play soccer. It was the year before kindergarten and so I had not met many other kids my age yet. I will always remember the first day of kindergarten when I saw Josephs' name on a cubby. Somehow I made the connection to soccer and didn’t feel so alone anymore. I felt connected.

Soccer was the first medium for meeting buddies and it was on the pitch that I met three of my best friends today. I have always loved soccer and I believe that getting me into such a great program so early on played a huge part in dictating what sports I play.

My parents were committed to being a part of the neighbourhood so they enrolled me in the local elementary school. I became great friends with the kids I had met in soccer because I saw them everywhere: in the park, on the streets and in school. I not only made connections with my friends, I made connections with their parents and with my teachers and because I saw people in more than one setting, and thus my neighbourhood became my extended family to me. Even today I can walk my dog down the street and create conversation with the people I meet because our neighbourhood is more intimate than just a bunch of friendly acquaintances. This feeling of being connected has molded me more than anything. This familiar feeling of being connected is also the main reason I was attracted to my current local school, S********** High.

The friends I’ve made, the sports I’ve played and the people I have interacted with make my neighbourhood a unique community and have made me the person I am today. Moving to L****** is the most influential moment in my life.

Habakkuk 3:2
LORD, I have heard of your fame;
I stand in awe of your deeds, LORD.
Repeat them in our day,
in our time make them known.

Who are the neighbourhood pollinators in your community?

Have you joined them?

Are you inviting others into healing conversations?

Is it your passion to connect people with abilities & resources with those who might have a need?

Somewhere in your neighbourhood someone is praying.

And serving.

Someone is loving.

And caring.

Somewhere in your neighbourhood someone is going out and sharing Gods love.

Let's keep spreading it around...

Hebrews 10
Let us consider how we can stir up one another to love. Let us help one another to do good works.

Live in the world you inhabit.

Maybe try spending less time in your car & settling down for a change...

We love our neighbourhood so much we can't move.

Have you ever said that, or heard someone else say it?

It's a beautiful thing to discover the art of neighbouring.

From our friends at Building Blocks in Arvada, Colorado.

Move to your front yard.

It has been great for us as a family & our local 113.

what if jesus really meant that we should love our actual neighbours?

Oh dear, are you ready for that?