200

This past weekend I had the privilege to hang out with more than 200 people from all over North America, who are staying home more to live out the reality of 'loving your neighbour.'  One of them was author Michael Frost who said, "I believe Christians should be the most rooted people in their community; their loyalty and devotion to a particular geographical area and everyone who lives there should be legendary."  When you encounter 200 people who are scattered in different neighbourhoods doing just that, it makes the vision of our Lord's prayer, "thy Kingdom come" very real.

Axiom

"Axiom"

Purpose of aXiom:

To help people understand that what we believe about God shapes how we live.  If God is on mission, then we must live as missionaries!  We live as missionaries by learning to love God with all of our heart, mind and strength and by loving our neighbours as ourselves.  All of these activities witness to the God we follow.

Where:  Balmoral bible Chapel, Red Deer
When:  May 9-10, 2014
Register at: http://www.forgecanada.ca/events/

Excellent training opportunity

Axiom exists "to help people understand that what we believe about God shapes how we live.  If God is on mission, then we must live as missionaries!  We live as missionaries by learning to love God with all our heart, mind and strength and by loving our neighbours as oursleves.  All of these activities witness to the god we follow.

Easter

Easter is one of the most highlighted times of the year for hope.  Everyone has or will be affected by death, and it is the reality of death that is overcome by the Son of God.  Some neighbourhoods will enjoy an Easter egg hunt or perhaps the sunrise.  We will all be enjoying the warmth after this cold winter...17 degrees Celsius?  That sign of spring is another story of God's faithfulness that we see in the seasons.  But the greatest part of this all is the hope we have in the Resurrection story!  Pray and listen for conversations or activities that may come up this Easter in your neighbourhood, so that you can engage with your neighbours.

Keeping it simple

Today I will be talking to a group of seniors.  Perhaps they will not be reading this blog, but they are the inspiration for this particular blog entry.  In fact, many people who were born before the 1950's may tell you all kinds of neighbouring stories just because of the circumstances they lived through.  Once a senior told me a story about the house they built but it was when they retired (late 90's); it had a place for coffee and tea in the front yard so they could meet and talk with the neighbours as they walked by.  She was still intentional about neighbouring after all those years. I was amazed! She taught how to simply make neighbouring part of her life.  This front yard led to many conversations with neighburs and many life connections.  Thanks Mom!

Opportunities

Neighbourhood Life in Central Alberta is moving forward.  Our original 8 neighbourhoods are looking to add to the mix.  And we are inviting you to join us beginning in May.  Here are a few ways to do this:

1. Invite someone from Neighbourhood Life over to discuss the ways in which we have effectively connected neighbours together and sought out what God has already been doing in our neighbourhoods.

2. Register for "Axiom" in Red Deer (May 9&10).  This training is provided free of charge as a donor has covered the cost for those involved with Neighbourhood Life.  Contact Neighbourhood Life for more info or look for "Axiom" on the web: www.forgecanada.ca/events

3. Host a block party.  Ideas for block parties have been placed on the Red Deer, Blackfalds and Lacombe websites.  Red Deer has block party month in May, otherwise "June is block party month" in central Alberta.  Build bird houses together, host a garage sale together, use Neighbourhood Life's free BBQ to eat together, practice hospitality.

Reply to this post more more info, more idea's or to get started.