If you’ve paid any attention to everything happening in the world right now, you’ll quickly see that we’re in one of the most divisive times in this nation’s history, and the strife and tension of this world is bleeding into our communities and our homes. You’ve seen peaceful protests turn violent, social media feeds are full of negativity and violent content, and even gatherings with family and friends turn into verbal battles over everything from vaccinations to women’s rights.
These times are indeed troubling, but involvement of church leaders and the church community across the world is needed now more than ever. The expectation isn’t to heal all the wounds of your community but your involvement in your community can lead to meaningful changes. Just think about the Book of Matthew 25. Jesus talks about how important it is to help those in need. As Christians, doing the work of God entails sharing with those around us, and one of the best ways we can do that is through church community service.
As church leaders, we know and understand the feeling of joy and satisfaction when we serve others. So, why not take the love you have for Christ and extend it beyond the walls of your church and pour it into your community on a regular basis? Whether you want to create new outreach programs within your church or join forces with other organizations making a difference in your community already, there is no act too big or too small in the eyes of Christ. Take a look at 10 ways your church can get involved with your community.
1. Initiate a Community Clean-Up
When starting a community clean-up, the most common task is to literally clean it up! You can do this by picking up trash. In the fall, when leaves have fallen, rake up the leaves in the yards of your neighbors. In the winter, shovel snow in the driveways and sidewalks of your neighbors. With a helping mindset and the right tools and resources, cleaning up your community can be done in no time. Just be sure your congregation is equipped with smiles and flyers to encourage visitors within the community to your church!
2. Help the Homeless
If you see that there is a homeless population in your community, see if your congregation can team up with a rescue mission and sponsor a weekly meal. This can be hosted at your church if you have the space for it, or you can volunteer and bring supplies to your local soup kitchen.
3. Provide Ministry at Nursing Homes
Reach out to the activities directors at nursing homes in your community and see what kind of activities they have on their calendar and if they have a need for a church group to host a service once or twice a month. Even if their calendar is full, your church community can likely still do room-to-room visits and offer bedside prayer for the residents there.
4. Host a Community Cookout
Use the church parking lot to host a community cookout. Organize a committee with members stating what they can bring, which will include everything from grills and grilling supplies to food/drinks and plates/silverware. This event will definitely be an “all hands on deck” event where everyone’s help is needed for the event to be successful. Be sure the event is properly promoted and advertised for a great turnout.
5. Volunteer at a Women’s Shelter
Your community likely has a women’s shelter for women and their children who are neglected, beaten, abused, exploited, or poverty-stricken. Donating food, clothes, and hygiene supplies will help meet the basic needs of daily life. Simply donating your time will make a world of difference.
6. Host Vacation Bible School
Hosting Vacation Bible School (VBS) is a great way to get the children of your community engaged in Biblical education that’s fun for them. On top of that, summer is a difficult time for a lot of families; often, they don’t have many summer childcare options they can afford, and VBS is a great resource for these families in the aspect of free childcare, all while learning and engaging more with Christ.
7. Host a Community Clothing Closet
While donating to your local Goodwill is very helpful, consider asking all members of your congregation to go through their clothes that they feel they’ll no longer wear, to donate them towards the community clothing closet. Think of it as a yard sale but everything is free to the community. This will help families provide clothing for their children for school and clothing for people for interviews, and many more added benefits!
8. Visit Prisons
This is an area of outreach that some members may not feel comfortable doing, but for those who do feel comfortable, visiting the prison in your community on a weekly basis and providing study and encouragement is one way to serve. You can also prepare survival bags for inmates who will be released soon. These bags will have housing information as well as a list of job opportunities for when they are released.
9. Provide a Respite Night
This is a two-hour break for the parents of children with special needs. Parents can drop off their children and have a little time for themselves to relax or run errands while their child is provided with care and engaging activities at the church.
10. Host an Employment Fair
There are many people in your community who are looking for jobs but don’t have access to job opportunities, whether it be internet access or help with resumes. Look into teaming up with your local library to host an employment fair where attendees can get help with resumes and help to apply to various jobs. One of the first steps to helping your community is uplifting it.
The opportunity to make a difference in your community are endless when the goal is to share God’s grace with members of your community, whether you know them or not. This doesn’t have to be a difficult or daunting task, either. With a little bit of thought and creativity, small, intentional steps can make a significant impact on the world around you. All it takes is you to make the first move.
