Weekend Thoughts 2: Being Church Locally

One of the joys of the weekend, and especially the Sabbath Rest hours, is the option of an afternoon nap. This is especially delicious if it's wintery weather, as it was this past Sabbath.

I just had to take advantage of it, but once lying snuggled under the covers, my mind would not disengage. Instead of a 3-hour sleep, I had a 3-hour conversation with my brain!

It all started with thoughts of community, especially the local squatter-camp community down the road (actually there are 3 or more of them down the road!). I've blogged before on thoughts of an action group across denominational & community lines who every week would go out and clean up a part of our environment. Well, thoughts of doing a bit more have been growing too... All along the lines of a community garden for the squatter camps.

Cleaning up no longer seems enough. Sure, it's nice to have a clean, litter-free place to live, but that will not help solve the many problems associated with living there. Unemployment, poverty, shortages of good nutritious foods, hopelessness... It's all right there, all a potential "missionary" could wish for! :)

With my love of growing things organically and my desire to help teach others, developing a community garden seems a really good idea. Then I got thinking on other options - container planting for individual homes, roof-fed rain-barrels and a simple watering system that will feed rainwater to gardens underground without the government water system getting involved. Using the junk we pick up to create so many different things - like twist-braided plastic bag strips for plant supports, organic waste for composting, waste paper in plant beds... Teaching sustainable building skills to help replace the fire-hazard corrugated zinc sheeting patchworked together into houses (without having to rely on the 10-year old unfulfilled goverment housing promises). Using building rubble and throw-outs from demolished or renovated buildings for all sorts of stuff. Discovering the talents and passions of the unemployed and helping develop those into supportable careers (art, crafting, creating, singing, cooking, whatever passions there may be in the local community). Offering the unemployed the option of maintaining the community garden and greening the entire area. Negotiations with the college where I work for short entrepreneurship courses at minimal cost to help start small businesses (they might be able to see it as THEIR Christian community service!). Ideas for sponsorship, donations and the necessary resources to get things moving and keep the momentum. Thoughts on who would get involved and why.

The ideas kept coming and coming - and I got absolutely nothing of the planned afternoon nap.

What I did get though was inspiration to be, to become, to do, to make, to grow and to put faith into action - practically. A possible future to fill the blank spots leaving organized religion may leave, and a way to connect with my community as never before. I can't do it alone, but there are others I want to speak to who will get involved.

I tend to dream big, to see the end and then have to back-space to the beginning. My task this week is to find a starting point, make enquiries, create contacts and take it from there, without jumping the gun.