As part of our Be Rich campaign, we practice loving our neighbors. This year the challenge is to ask the question “What does love require of us?” This question moves Be Rich from an annual campaign to a way of life. Here are 6 ways you can participate.
#1 Do something thoughtful for your neighbor.
Because we are all so busy, many of us don’t even know the people who live next to us. Take this opportunity to meet your neighbors, learn names, and find a way to do something for them. Some ideas include baking a treat, dropping off flowers, or ordering delivery from their favorite restaurant.
#2 Pray for the neighbors in your community.
Another way to love the neighbors in our community is by reaching out to them to ask them how we can pray for them. Call, text, email, or knock on their door (masked and socially distanced, of course!) to start a conversation with them leading to asking them how you can pray for them! Once you have that information, set a calendar appointment in your phone for each of the next 7 days and a reminder for 14 days later. Then pray for them those 7 days, and check back in with them after 7 or 14 days.
#3 Write thank you cards to frontline workers, public servants, or anyone needing encouragement.
Express our appreciation for those who risk their lives to protect us. With all they are facing, we probably couldn’t write or say “Thank You” enough! Please let us know if you find opportunities our church could also express appreciation.
#4 Help a local nonprofit.
Helping local nonprofits love the people they serve is a great option. If you aren’t sure where to start, we partner with 3 local nonprofits throughout the year. Just go to our Partners page to learn more about these specific local nonprofits.
#5 Take a step toward someone who is different from you.
Pastor Clay Scroggins says, “Your view of God will be as small as the size of your table.” This means how many different people we have meals with, discuss life with, and generally get to know impacts how we see God. The more diverse our tables are the more accurately we see aspects of God we would miss otherwise. On top of that one of the best ways to love other people is by listening to stories and learning from people who are different from you.
One step toward someone different from you might be reading, watching, or learning about the life experiences from people of color through our Resources on Racism page. Another step might be grabbing lunch at a park with someone different from you just to listen and ask questions.
#6 Surprise a stranger with an act of kindness.
Ask God to give you an opportunity to show love to someone who needs it. This could be paying for the person behind you in line to various other things.
If you are interested in any of these opportunities or have questions, email Pastor Chris for more information.
* As always, we would love to hear stories of how you loved your neighbor through social media, email, or use the form below!