Every Thursday night in the spring, summer, and fall, Elise and I play volleyball that’s hosted through a local community organization. What started as a simple invite through some neighbors who became friends has turned into a weekly event with friends that we look forward to!
It’s not just playing volleyball on Thursday, it’s going out afterward, hosting barbecues, grabbing dinner, and sharing life with our friends and teammates. Multiple team members have lived or do live in our neighborhood and we hang out on different holidays and at our neighborhood yard sale.
What seemed to be just a random opportunity to play sports has turned into something much more: an opportunity for us to be a part of our local community and invest in relationships outside of the church.
Building and maintaining community is important for each of us, but it is also important for us to be pouring into our local community. In as much as we should seek to grow and flourish through personal relationships, as Christians we also have an obligation to engage with our communities and bless them.
We are called to be stewards of this world and all God has given us, to care for our neighbors, and to love others well. This is mutually beneficial as the benefits of community go both ways. This is essentially soul care for you and the community as this helps you to grow and flourish and does the same for your community.
My encouragement for you is that you find intentional ways to engage with your community, and I wanted to share a few ways we have done so to hopefully spark some ideas for you to build your community.
Adopt a local restaurant.
This is something we did unintentionally but we’ve seen the fruit of it. We have a local pizza shop that was our first meal when we moved to Pennsylvania. And it was a great first meal. So much so that we have continued to go there a little too frequently.
They know my name and my usual order. Sometimes they throw a free pizza my way and they even gave me one of their 50th anniversary shirts that they only gave to staff.
We love this place and we see it as a missional opportunity. We take them cookies during the holidays, bring friends to it, and seek to get to know the staff. It’s been a blast getting to know them and laugh with them as we share more of our lives together.
Invest in community organizations.
Are there local PTOs you can join? What about a neighborhood group like your local HOA? Have you considered a community enrichment group for your town or city? Is there a local pastors network or ecumenical group you could join? Each of these afford you an opportunity to invest in your community through powerful and intentional ways.
Bless your schools.
Finding ways to encourage your schools, students, and teachers is a great way to invest in your community. You could drop off donuts and coffee periodically. You could be a mentor, tutor, or after-school support for students.
Becoming a substitute teacher affords you interactions with students and staff that are a part of your community. If you have a CDL you could drive school buses or if you don’t you could become a crossing guard. All of these options allow you to intentionally connect with your community in highly relational ways.
Deliver cookies at the holidays.
This is one of my favorite things to do because it reminds me of my childhood and it taps into one of my favorite hobbies: baking.
We take cookies to our neighbors, our local pizza shop, our chiropractor, and a variety of other locations. It’s always a blast to see people get excited about homemade cookies and it starts some amazing conversations. This can easily become a tradition and one that reaps awesome benefits as you invest in the community.
Join a local sports group.
A couple years back, we were invited to join our local volleyball team and we have loved it. It’s afforded us new opportunities, new friendships, and a unique way to get to know our community better.
There’s tons of local opportunities to join sports groups whether a swim club, a pickleball group, softball teams, or even a running club. These are great opportunities for networking and community connections.
Host a bbq in your neighborhood.
A great way to invest in your community is to invite them over for a bbq or potluck. You can start small and invite a handful of neighbors over by simply getting to know them while you’re out and about.
Go beyond a simple “good morning” or “hello” when you see your neighbors and get to know them a little more. That helps remove the awkwardness of a cold ask and it builds relational connection.
When you invite people over you could ask them to bring something or you could provide the essentials if you’re able. You could even host a dessert and game night which is more appealing for people of different generations.
