​CONNECT WITH YOUR NEIGHBOURS THIS SPRING!

​CONNECT WITH YOUR NEIGHBOURS THIS SPRING!

Despite initial appearances, there are strong indications that spring will actually arrive this year. That means that we can look forward to everything from walks in the park to gardening to golf.
It is also a great time to connect with neighbours. I have been talking with the people in my cul-du-sac about having a late spring barbeque. In fact, I applied for a grant from Strathcona County so we can go a little bigger this year than the last time we had a barbeque. I’m hoping that a block party with music will coax some of our more reluctant neighbours to come out .
I always look at spring as a unique window of opportunity for this kind of connection. This is because people are emerging from their hibernation, after a long, cold winter, and are willing to socialize. At the same time, the summer months have not hit when people’s vacation plans will make it hard to coordinate schedules.
I have really enjoyed the process involved in planning this get together. Since we needed a minimum of three signatories to get funding for the event, it meant that I had to interact with my neighbours to get them to sign on. This led to some fun and unexpected conversations. For example, Janet and I talked at length with our heavy metal, lead vocalist next-door neighbour and learned that he has fans around the world. (I am happy that he has fans somewhere in the world, because he doesn’t have fans of his music next door.)
Most of these neighbours have happy memories of the last barbeque we had and are looking forward to spending time together. This year I hope to arrange to block off the cul-du-sac to traffic so we can hold the barbeque in the middle of the street, set out some games, and create a festive atmosphere within close range of all.
​ Our time together will be good for our neighbourhood. I hope it will also open doors for relationship, since relationship is the best context for caring for others and, possibly, sharing the Good News of Jesus with them. --Pastor Tom

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