God has laid this simple teaching on my heart for this fall: Love thy neighbour. Somehow, the “thy” just feels right there. So short, so simple, yet not always so easy to apply! I hope you will put those “ReNeighbouring Charts” to good use. (If you don’t know what I’m talking about, check out last Sunday’s sermon on YouTube.) I’m sure some of you felt a bit attacked and overwhelmed by the task. And no wonder! It’s been tough enough to be around family let alone neighbours. But I see an incredible opportunity here. Imagine, if all 150-or-so of us lovingly engaged with five neighbours…that’s at least 750 people that God has for us to minister to! Hey, I grew up in a town about that size!
Last Sunday, I asked you to participate in this sermon series in three ways. Here they are:
1. Put that ReNeighbouring Chart on the fridge and fill it in. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, watch last Sunday’s sermon and pick up a chart at the church this upcoming Sunday. They’ll be at the registration desk. This chart is meant to be a tool for you, to remind yourself of your neighbours’ names and their needs. Knowing someone’s name is so key to building any kind of friendship. If anyone knows how to have a relationship with someone without knowing their name…I won’t believe you!
2. Join a community group. We need each other! It’s not just our neighbours who feel isolated, lonely, and unloved–it’s us too! And a great way to connect with community as we grow in Christ is to join a Community Group. We are considering beginning a brand new group, so everyone would be on the same footing together. Let us know that you’d like to join a group here!
3. Share a neighbouring story. Click here to submit a story of a time that God used you to pray with a neighbour, help a neighbour, or build a strong and lasting friendship with a neighbour. Or perhaps, a neighbour did that with you! It would be great to share some of these stories to encourage one another on how we can make an impact through neighbouring.
May God’s love flow out of us as we love Him and love neighbour.
Blessings!
Tyler S.