How to Build A CommunityOctober 30, 2004 Author: Rev. Kip b. Banks, Sr. "And all that believed were together and had all things in common;" (Acts 2:44)
We often lament the bad happenings in our "community" and we speak about the community like it's a monolithic place. But the reality is that very often we're not talking about community, but instead the neighborhoods and places where we live. Communities are more than spatial realities. Communities are places where people have things in common and live together in unity (Acts 2:44). Communities are a spiritual reality and it takes time to build them. But not only does it take time to build a community, it also takes hard work to maintain it. Here are some suggestions on how we can build and maintain community: Turn off your TV Leave your house Know your neighbors Greet people Look up when you're walking Sit on your stoop, plant flowers Use you local library Buy from local merchants Share what you have Take children to the park Honor Elders Support neighborhood schools Fix it even if you didn't break it Have potlucks, read stories aloud Talk to the mail carrier Listen to the birds, put up a swing Help carry something heavy Barter for your goods Start a tradition, ask a question Hire young people for odd jobs Organize a block party Bake extra and share Listen before you react to anger Mediate a conflict, seek to understand
Learn from new and uncomfortable angles Know that no one is silent though many are not heard Work to change this Peace and Blessings, Pastor Kip Banks East Washington Heights Baptist Church |