Meeting Your Neighbor Northwest Association Wisconsin Conference UCC David Schoen Congregational Vitality and Discipleship United Church of Christ

Reclaiming the Biblical focus on NEIGHBORS Hebraic Scripture focuses on neighbors Hebraic Scripture focuses on neighbors Ten Commandments and Torah Ten Commandments and Torah Leviticus 19:18 Leviticus 19:18 You shall love your neighbor as yourself You shall love your neighbor as yourself Jesus commandment -You shall love your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind and your neighbor as yourself. Luke 10:27 Jesus commandment -You shall love your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind and your neighbor as yourself. Luke 10:27 Love of God and love of neighbor combined Love of God and love of neighbor combined Jesus, Paul and James Jesus, Paul and James extend neighbor to all humankind (with some surprises) extend neighbor to all humankind (with some surprises)

No Matter Who You Are, or Where You Are on Lifes Journey, You Are Welcome Here!

Who are they, and where do they come from? (Revelation 7:14) MissionInsite Demographics MissionInsite Demographics flexible web based information system comprehensive socioeconomic and lifestyle data interactive mapping platform strategic information resource for ministry

Meeting Your Neighbors

Who are your Neighbors

Rural Villages and Farms 18.9%

Family Convenience 8.2 %

Family Convenience

Ministry Applications for Mosaic Lifestyle Portraits

Meeting your Neighbor In Politics

Liberal or Conservative

Meeting your Neighbor In Religious Practice

Since 1991 adult population in the US grew by 15%. During that same period the unchurched population grew by 92%! 75 million US adults do not attend church 'Unchurched' Americans say church is 'full of hypocrites' consider Christianity to be more about organized religion than about loving God and people, …unchristian. Unchurched USA

Generations and Religion

Religious Practice

Where is your Neighbor in religious belief

Meeting your Neighbors concerning LGBT Concerns

Meeting your Neighbor In Community Service

Meeting Your Neighbor The urgency of our times should not be driven by our decline in the United Church of Christ. The urgency of our times should not be driven by our decline in the United Church of Christ. The urgency of our times should be a new generation and population attuned to the values of our message and witness. The urgency of our times should be a new generation and population attuned to the values of our message and witness. See Millenials report Pew Research See Millenials report Pew Research

Todays Challenge (Opportunity) Meeting your neighbors Meeting your neighbors Reclaiming a focus on neighbors Reclaiming a focus on neighbors Missional in purpose Missional in purpose Get the church outside of itself Get the church outside of itself Relational in outreach Relational in outreach Its all about relationships Its all about relationships Conversational in witness Conversational in witness Talking about faith and life Talking about faith and life

Missional in Purpose Relational in Outreach Ministry in 21 st Century is Relational Ministry in 21 st Century is Relational Build community with those outside the church Build community with those outside the church Get to know your neighbors and neighborhood Get to know your neighbors and neighborhood This means Get out of the church! This means Get out of the church!

Relational in Outreach The days of waiting for people to come to church to welcome them are over. The days of waiting for people to come to church to welcome them are over. Instead of waiting inside, we go outside Instead of waiting inside, we go outside Bridge the gap by building relationships Bridge the gap by building relationships

Meeting your Neighbors Walk or Drive your neighborhood Walk or Drive your neighborhood Watch for where God is at work Watch for where God is at work Take notes, make a map, collect contact data Take notes, make a map, collect contact data Who lives where Who lives where What are community needs What are community needs Who are allies and good neighbors Who are allies and good neighbors Do this again and again Do this again and again Talk to your neighbors Talk to your neighbors What are the hopes and challenges of neighbors What are the hopes and challenges of neighbors How can the church be a good neighbor? How can the church be a good neighbor?

Meeting your Neighbors Hang out with your neighbors Hang out with your neighbors Meet neighbors where they gather Meet neighbors where they gather Spend Sunday morning with your neighbors Spend Sunday morning with your neighbors Soccer matches, Lowes, Coffee Shop, Exercise Soccer matches, Lowes, Coffee Shop, Exercise Pastors office in a coffee shop, fast food, bookstore. Pastors office in a coffee shop, fast food, bookstore. Have meetings outside the church. Have meetings outside the church. Bible/book studies in coffee shop, book store Bible/book studies in coffee shop, book store Council meetings in neighborhood context Council meetings in neighborhood context Engage in conversation, build relationships, Engage in conversation, build relationships, Collect data of names/addresses/ s Collect data of names/addresses/ s

Relational in Outreach Conversational in Witness Conversational ministry is central to the future of the church in 21 st Century Conversational ministry is central to the future of the church in 21 st Century Count conversations, not conversions Count conversations, not conversions Brian McLaren, More Ready than You Think Brian McLaren, More Ready than You Think

Conversational Ministry The postmodern world calls for disciples who reach out to a world that is hungering for good conversation about faith, values, hope, meaning, purpose, goodness, beauty, truth, life after death, life before death and God. Engaging in everyday faith conversations will not only help others become disciples, it will help us become disciples, who know and love the stillspeaking God more than ever. The postmodern world calls for disciples who reach out to a world that is hungering for good conversation about faith, values, hope, meaning, purpose, goodness, beauty, truth, life after death, life before death and God. Engaging in everyday faith conversations will not only help others become disciples, it will help us become disciples, who know and love the stillspeaking God more than ever.

If God is still speaking, Shouldnt we be?

Are You Ready to Talk? Why do you love your church? What impact has believing in God and following Jesus made in your life? What spiritual experience has made a difference in your life?

Still Speaking Conversation and Invitation with Neighbors Informal moments at work, shopping or…. Informal moments at work, shopping or…. Be attentive for moments for a still speaking word Be attentive for moments for a still speaking word Become a Still Speaking Voice Become a Still Speaking Voice Wear your still speaking witness Wear your still speaking witness Home dinners with neighbors Home dinners with neighbors First Welcomers First Welcomers New Neighbors New Neighbors Public Worship Public Worship Ashes to Go Ashes to Go

Stillspeaking Witness!

E. Word = Elbow The e.word today is elbow. The e.word today is elbow. Jim Griffith Jim Griffith Still today the way most folks find a community of faith is when they are invited to come and brought by a friend or neighbor. Still today the way most folks find a community of faith is when they are invited to come and brought by a friend or neighbor.

Friend–Raising Weekend 315 Congregations 315 Congregations 4,200 visiting guests 4,200 visiting guests 6.2% increase in worship 6.2% increase in worship St. Stephens UCC St. Stephens UCC 35 guests from 79 invitations 35 guests from 79 invitations Journey UCC Journey UCC 33 members - 36 guests 33 members - 36 guests New Vision UCC New Vision UCC Guest still coming Guest still coming

God is still speaking, Through you and me!

Meeting your Neighbor In Technology

Meeting Your Neighbor Online

Meeting your Neighbor on-line Connecting with neighbors on-line Connecting with neighbors on-line Church Website Church Website Invitational Invitational Interactive Interactive Messaging Messaging E.newsletter E.newsletter Links Links Facebook Facebook Church fanpage Church fanpage Your own Your own Links Links Advertising Advertising

Meeting your Neighbors with new Technology Blasts Blasts Daily Devotional Daily Devotional Twitter Twitter You Tube You Tube Webinars Webinars Go To Meetings Go To Meetings Apps Apps

Meeting your neighbors Reclaiming the Biblical focus on neighbors Missional in purpose Missional in purpose Get the church outside of itself Get the church outside of itself Relational in outreach Relational in outreach Its all about relationships Its all about relationships Conversational in witness Conversational in witness Talking about faith and life Talking about faith and life Social Networking Driven Social Networking Driven

Meeting Your Neighbors Get started Get started Pray, Pray for your neighbors and congregation Pray, Pray for your neighbors and congregation This takes time, strategy and work. This takes time, strategy and work. Get a team of bright-eyed people together Get a team of bright-eyed people together Study and conversation with congregation Study and conversation with congregation Takes support of congregational leaders Takes support of congregational leaders Just get started. Just get started. Do one thing. Start with strength Do one thing. Start with strength

Meeting Your Neighbors What have you learned today? What have you learned today? Who are your neighbors? Who are your neighbors? How will you use this information? How will you use this information? What one thing will you do when you return home to start? What one thing will you do when you return home to start?

Meeting Your Neighbors Blessings as you meet your neighbors Blessings as you meet your neighbors and discover what God is up to in your neighborhood! and discover what God is up to in your neighborhood!

Thank You! Thank you for your vital leadership and stillspeaaking voice Thank you for your vital leadership and stillspeaaking voice Thank you! Your financial support is Thank you! Your financial support is Changing Lives: Thats Our Churches Wider Mission