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Communities First: Transforming Lives through Community Engagement

Churches and citizens collaborating to enhance community life and reflect the peace and justice of God's Kingdom. This model focuses on developing a community vision, mobilizing gifts and capacity, meeting community needs, and strengthening relationships.

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Communities First: Transforming Lives through Community Engagement

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  1. COMMUNITIES FIRST The Church As A Good Neighbor in Obedience To The Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-40) CRWRC

  2. Churches, citizens, associations, and institutions are working together to transform their communities by enhancing the quality of life to reflect the peace and justice of the Kingdom of God. COMMUNITIES FIRST

  3. The Call to Bring SHALOM • Jeremiah 29:7: “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.” • I Timothy 2:1-2: “I urge, then, first of all that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”

  4. Developing God's Eyes & Heart for the Community Walk & pray in the community Listen to the people: Community History, Needs, Gifts, Opportunities Map the assets: Churches, Associations, Businesses, Institutions

  5. Developing God's Eyes & Heart for the Community Gifts of Individuals Everyone has a gift. Gifts must be identified: ∑ Hand - ∑ Heart - ∑ Head Capacity Inventory: physical skills, civic skills, artistic & cultural skills

  6. Developing God's Eyes & Heart for the Community Focus on Gifts & Capacity, not Needs: Mobilizes volunteers Creates leadership Breaks down dependencies Builds hope and self worth Strengthens relationships

  7. Developing Ministry that Meets Community Needs • Diaconal Ministry Team • ESL • Life Skills • Financial Literacy • After School Tutoring • Family Issues

  8. Case Management: From Benevolence to Self-Sufficiency Understand the current reality of the person in need. Identify realistic dreams. Create a plan. Walk with person on the path to shalom.

  9. Developing a Community Vision • Joining Community Groups/Associations • Convening the Community for Visioning • Celebrating Community: Block Parties etc. • Listening and Dialogue

  10. Mandates & desires of God Needs & dreams of the community Calling & capacity of the local church Developing a Community Vision CHURCH-BASED COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION MODEL HOLISTIC MINISTRY Used by permission of Heidi Unruh, Evangelicals for Social Action

  11. Needs & dreams of the community Developing a Community Vision • Needs and Dreams of the Community: Community Study & Networking Become a student of a neighborhood or a population group in order to become a trusted friend and reliable advocate. Learn with and from the community to identify attributes, assets, needs and dreams. Network with community leaders. Used by permission of Heidi Unruh, Evangelicals for Social Action

  12. Calling & capacity of the local church Developing a Community Vision • Calling and capacity of the local church: Church Self-study/Ministry Inventory Take stock of your church's current involvement in external ministry and identify strengths and weaknesses for your continued ministry journey. Identify potential barriers in your church's relationship with the community, as well as natural points of connection. Used by permission of Heidi Unruh, Evangelicals for Social Action

  13. Mandates & desires of God Developing a Community Vision • Mandates and Desires of God: Vision Discernment Identify a specific direction for compassion ministry, building on your assessment of your church, your target community, and God's leading. Used by permission of Heidi Unruh, Evangelicals for Social Action

  14. Mandates & desires of God HOLISTIC MINISTRY Calling & capacity of the local church Needs & dreams of the community Developing a Community Vision • Holistic Ministry: Strategic Ministry Plan Develop a concrete proposal that fleshes out the vision and lays out the steps for putting the plan into action, along with a long-range plan for sustaining transformational ministry. Mobilize the congregation's commitment and capacity to support the ministry vision. Used by permission of Heidi Unruh, Evangelicals for Social Action

  15. Community Strengthening & Organizing • Improving Schools • Public Transportation • Parks & Recreation • Safety • Youth Development

  16. Community Strengthening & Organizing • Citizen Associations • They are the strength of the community. • Local decisions and problem solving. • Local control. • Enhance communication. • Integration of many people.

  17. Community Strengthening & Organizing • Power of Institutions • Government • Business • Schools • Parks & Recreation • Police • Library • Service Providers • Financial • Communities must influence their institutions in order to open the treasury chest of these institutions to provide resources.

  18. Creating Just Policies & Laws • Welfare Policies • Zoning • Voter Registration • Affordable Housing • Racial Exclusion

  19. The Holistic Ministry Team The mission of the Holistic Ministry Team is to educate, encourage, and equip congregations and holistic organizations to transform their communities through ministries of mercy, development, and justice. Mission Statement

  20. The Holistic Ministry Team Objectives The Holistic Ministry Team is: • An Intermediary Organizationthat is able to gather funding and resources from a wide range of sources to empower ministries toward community service and development. • A Capacity Building Organizationthat provides training, consultation, and access to resources that will develop the personnel, organizational management, and ministry skills of our partners.

  21. The Holistic Ministry Team Objectives The Holistic Ministry Team is: • A Networking Organizationthat builds relationships between churches, associations, and citizens and convenes them for collaborative efforts that address community needs.

  22. A workbook series developed by CRWRC and available through Faith Alive Resources, which addresses the topics in this presentation. The Holistic Ministry Team COMMUNITIES FIRST Training

  23. Roy Heerema (Cedar Hill CRC), Chair Sonia Estrella (Good Shepherd CRC/Apoyo Community Center), Vice-Chair Doug Boydston (Covenant CRC), Secretary Steve Bruining (Cedar Hill CRC), Treasurer Rev. Ken Vander Wall (Madison Avenue CRC & Campus Ministry) Ken Johnson (Barnabas Foundation) Rev. Albert Sideco (Filipino CRC) The Holistic Ministry Team Board of Directors

  24. Al Santino (Christian Reformed World Relief Committee), Director David Zuidema (Covenant CRC), Administrator Maria Westbrook (Greater Life Inc.), Grant Writer/Consultant The Holistic Ministry Team Staff & Consultants

  25. COMMUNITIES FIRST is: • Churches walking withtheir communities, finding a path that belongs to the people. • A focus on community gifts & assets. • Community from the minds of its’ people. We build the path by walking in it !!!

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