Practice
Practices that encourage knowing and loving your neighbors and neighborhood.
History
The place you call home has a history. The geography where you live has a story. To know your neighborhood begins with the practice of knowing the history of your neighborhood. Learning the history of the place you and your neighbors live is a spiritual practice.
Book Club
A book club is a practice that cultivates curiosity and community. Book reading is usually considered a solitary activity. A book club invites a reader into a shared activity. A neighborhood book club is a unique collective experience of hospitality, listening, and learning.
Coffee on the Corner
We must know our neighbors to love our neighbors. Only in doing life together do we make visible the heart of Jesus to our neighbors. Coffee Friday might be the practice for you to get to know your neighbors. Or, replace coffee with something else that might unite your neighbors. I bet on coffee.
City Council
What could the outcome be if people who follow the Way of Jesus made a regular practice of public encouragement of local leaders? A practical way to deepen the rootedness of your faith in your place is to practice knowing your City Council.
Sabbath
A question to consider is what could the practice of Sabbath - stopping, resting, delighting, and worshipping – rooted in your place cultivate inside you?
Freudenfreude
The practice of freudenfreude is a parallel practice to empathy. Empathy is feeling compassion about others pain. Freudenfreude is connecting and celebrating others joy.
Lemonade Stand
A lemonade stand is a nostalgic way to connect with neighbors. It is a playful summer practice to be present in your neighborhood.
Neighborhood Map
Summer is a season of consistent unplanned interactions with neighbors. It is an ideal season to practice creating a neighborhood map to learn the names, history, and hopes of your neighbors.
Street Dinners
Street Dinners is an everyday practice. It has a low entry barrier to connect with your neighbors. We’re grateful to Jocelyn for sharing this practice with us. We want to learn from your practices too. Please share them with us! We look forward to sharing them with you.
Neighborhood Associations
Neighborhood associations are organizers of celebrations. They serve as the neutral neighborhood host for block parties, park picnics, and community events.
Front yard
Practice being in the front yard. Begin the weekend with a cup of coffee, or enjoy happy hour to celebrate the end of the workday, in the front yard. Place a picnic table, or an extra chair, in the front yard as an invitation for your neighbors to join.
Celebration
Celebration is central to loving people and place. Always be looking for occasions to write notes of congratulations, give gifts in commemoration, and throw parties in celebration. Practice celebration.
Curiosity
Curiosity about your place creates a common ground of conversations. Be curious with neighbors and local leaders. The more you practice curiosity, the more you encourage it in those around you.
Seeing
Jesus lived a different way. He lived seeing life. What we see, and how we see, matters. If you don’t know where to start in loving your neighbors and neighborhood, ask Jesus to help you see.
Be a Regular
Being a regular is an ordinary, but intentional, practice to love your neighbors and neighborhood. It is arranging everyday activities with consistency. Being a regular provides a rhythm to build relationships.
Snow
Clearing a neighbor’s sidewalk this winter is remembered throughout the year. It provides a foundation when the seasons change. A summer backyard BBQ invitation arrives with gratitude when it comes with the gift of a clear sidewalk that winter.
Thank You Notes
Englewood Grand, selected by Westword as one of “The 100 Bars We Can’t Live Without”, began hosting “Thankful Thursdays”. The invitation was to write a note of encouragement. They would provide the stationery and postage, and serve a great cocktail.
