In December and January, our 9:00 am Adult Bible Education hour will be a missional conversation for the whole church as we explore who God is calling us to be!  Each week, a link to a summary of the conversation  will be posted in the missional section on our homepage and links to other weeks and articles will be available there and at the bottom of this page.

We also encourage you to continue the conversation by email throughout the week by sending your thoughts and questions to missional@hopechurchonline.org. Tom Kelly, Pastor Kirk and the elders will be copied on your email and would love to dialog with you more on what being missional means for Hope!

Continuing our discussion of 12/18. Individuals differ widely when it comes to embracing change. Some do it easily. Others are more comfortable with traditional approaches. Change agents need to be patient with those who change slowly. Traditionalists need to applaud change agents who move ahead aggressively.

I do not know how you feel about New Year's resolutions. If you have made them, may I encourage you to add one.  If you don't do them, focus on getting to know your neighbors this year. You may remember the Great Command is "to love your neighbor as yourself".

You may ask, where do we start? We start by being "who we are" "right where we are at".

You my have written down their names but how well do you know them?  If you are going to love them you need to know something about them. Below you can check out  50 suggestions that may be helpful as you get to know your immediate neighbors; 50 suggestions that may be helpful as you move from your neighborhood to your community.   Or download the suggestions in a PDF version and print it out to have easily available.

100 ways to engage your neighborhood

It is often helpful to have practical ideas to start engaging the people around me. Most of the things on this list are normal, everyday things that many of you are already doing. The hope is that we would do these things asking God to open doors to share further.

This means we do them:

• In the normal rhythms of pursuing life as we meet and engage new people
• Prayerfully watch and listen to discern where God is at work.
• Boldly, humbly, and contextually share appropriately the Good News in our relationships.

Not all of these will work for everyone, but hopefully there will be several ideas on the list that God will use to prompt you to engage your neighbors. We would love to hear stories of how you have lived some of these out or other ways you have engaged your neighbors.

Neighbors – Your Immediate Neighborhood

  1. Stay outside in the front yard longer while watering the yard

  2. Walk your dog regularly around the same time in your neighborhood

  3. Sit on the front porch and letting kids play in the front yard

  4. Pass out baked goods (fresh bread, cookies, brownies, etc.)

  5. Invite neighbors over for dinner

  6. Attend and participate in HOA functions

  7. Attend the parties invited to by neighbors

  8. Do a food drive or coat drive in winter and get neighbors involved

  9.  Host a music share party in your home (everyone brings 5 favorite songs and discusses)

10.  Offer to mow someone’s yard who needs it on your street

11.  Have a garage sale

12.  Organize a tasting tour on your street (everyone sets up food and table on front porch)

13.  Cook Out with gate open, or even in the front yard and let neighbors know they are welcome to join.

14.  Have a game night (yard games outside, or board games inside)

15.  Art swap night - bring out what you’re tired of and trade with neighbors

16.  Grow a garden and give out extra produce to neighbors

17.  Have an Easter egg hunt  on your block and invite neighbors use their front yards

18.  Start a weekly open meal night in your home

19.  Do a summer BBQ every Friday night and invite others to contribute

20.  Create a block/ street email and phone contact list for safety

21.  Invite your neighbors to serve along with you for a local cause in your community

22.  Organize a backyard movie night for kids on your block

23.  Prayer walk and talk to people you come across

24.  Jog outside instead of on the treadmill

25.  Pull their trash back in when you notice its out

26.  Cook an extra casserole and give it to a neighbor

27.  Buy an extra dozen donuts and give them to a neighbor

28.  Start a compost pile and allow neighbors to dump their compost and take

29.  Host a sports game watching party

30.  Host a coffee and dessert night

31.  Organize and host a ladies craft night

32.  Organize an effort for neighbors to help take care of elderly in neighborhood

33.  Become a regular at your neighborhood pool/park

34.  If you have a skill, let neighbors know that you can use it to help them for free 35.  Host a movie night and discussion afterwards

36.  Start a walking/running group in the neighborhood

37.  Start hosting a play date weekly for other stay at home parents

38.  Organize a carpool for your neighborhood to help save gas

39.  Collect good will store items and offer to take them to goodwill

40.  Have a front yard ice cream party in the summer

41.  Start a sowing group

42.  Go Christmas caroling in your neighborhood (invite neighbors in on it)

43.  Throw a July 4th block party

44.  Start a neighborhood Facebook/Twitter/Google + group

45.  Ask longtime residents to help you learn about the neighborhood

46.  Offer to babysit neighbors kids so they can have a date night

47.  Find out your neighbors birthdays and take them a card and baked goods on it

48.  Setup a meet your neighbors night with drinks in your driveway/front yard

49.  Ask your HOA or apartment complex if they need help with anything

50.  Host a regular Saturday morning breakfast potluck

Extended Neighborhood – The Regular Spots In Your City

51.  Frequent a local gym or recreation center

52.  Find a park that you consistently spend time with your community at

53.  Pick a few restaurants to frequent getting to know the staff and regulars there

54.  Go to the same coffee shop when you can

55.  Start a regular ultimate Frisbee game in your city

56.  Take the kids to story time at your local library

57.  Let your kids play in the city sports leagues

58.  Attend your city council meetings and get to know what’s going on in your city

59.  Attend your local school board meetings to know what is going on in the schools

60.  Participate in the local festivals, parades and celebrations of your city

61.  Invite a neighbor to a local sporting event

62.  Start a guys night at your local pub/eatery

63.  Get involved in your kids school PTA

64.  Connect with other home school kids through local coop events

65.  Be a part of your local genealogical society

66.  Tip generously at your regular restaurant spots

67.  Participate in local film viewings and discussions

68.  Attend your local High Schools sporting events

69.  Coach a local little league sports team

70.  Offer to teach free computer training sessions at your local library/public venue

71.  Start a Study Group at a local place that needs business

72.  Be a regular with your kids at the same playscape/restaurant during the day

73.  Ask your local college how you can help serve international students

74.  Get involved with your local lions or rotary club to learn about the community.

75.  Find a local tweetup group to meet with regularly

76.  Frequent a live music night at your local coffee shop or bar

77.  Make a routine of taking the family to a evening recreation spot (pool, jump zone, etc.)

78.  Find a local philosophy/theology discussion group and become a regular participant

79.  Find a baking meet up group and be a part of their activities

80.  Go to the same hair stylist/barber and get to know them

81.  Find your local bank representative and get to know them

82.  Be a regular at your local farmers market 83.  Take a regular stroll at your local park

84.  Take your dog to the dog park in your city

85.  Start a local art collective blog and organize around different themes

86.  Have gospel discussions in public places where others can listen in

 87.  Check your areas craigslist for community service needs

 88.  Ask a local restaurant owner how you could bless their employees

 89.  Frequent the same gas station and make an effort to get to know the workers there

 90.  Watch sporting events at the same local sports bar/restaurant in your city

 91.  When you can, support local businesses and get to know the people in that   business.

 92.  Visit your cities visitors center to learn about the it’s  history

 93.  Start a storytelling group at your local coffee shop

 94.   Organize a kids fun day at your city park

 95.  Offer free computer/technology help for elderly citizens in your area

 96.  Start a bike repair coop

 97.  Cook out at your local park and invite the people there to eat with you

 98.  Start a sowing class at your local community center

 99.   Organize a coworking time at your local coffee shop for people who work at home

100.   Join a city softball, soccer, football, basketball league.