Monday, June 29, 2009
Hope Intern Blogs through Summer 2009
Renee Barnett, one of Hope's summer interns, is keeping a blog about her experiences this summer! If you would like to find out more, check out her blog!
Observations by a Hope Intern
The following is a journal entry of observations by Hope Intern Christina Canche.
"This week I saw community development principles of ownership come out in the way the church members acted with community members. There is an apartment complex for disabled people a little ways away from one of the churches with which I am working this summer. The church is really interested in building relationships with community members of the area, and one way they are seeking to do this is through getting to know the people who live in these apartments as friends and actual people, and not as service projects. They have worked at the apartments in the past with things such as community suppers, ice cream socials and having the youth bring over groceries to the residents of the apartments, but they want to do more, and do it in ways that make the residents feel empowered. I got to sit in on a meeting about planning for another event: dinner and a movie on the lawn. This event that is getting planned for later this summer got me excited about the ways the church is interacting with the members of this community.
For one, when we showed up at the office, a woman with a disability greeted us at the desk. I was told she ran the office but also was a resident there. Seeing her handwriting, the way she formulated sentences and a few other things, I saw that although she had an impairment of sorts that perhaps slowed her down a bit, she was still really running the show, and doing a great job of it. The cool thing I noticed was that the church members didn’t come in with an attitude of “we are here to do this wonderful thing for you,” but rather they asked her to make the final decisions on things. Her ideas were actually listened to and respected, not just listened to for politeness’ sake.
In addition to this, when we went outside for her to show us where the best place for tables was, the church members continued to show respect to other residents by shaking hands and carrying on conversations with those who came to say hi. They also asked their opinion about how many tables would be needed, the kinds of tables and number of chairs. The number of chairs was reduced when some of the residents said they had chairs they would be willing to lend for the night. When one man heard we were making a meal, he said he’d like to help out by making turkey and stuffing. One of the church women said, “Wonderful! We’d never say no to food!” I think further plans were made after that for him to make the turkey. I think that if the attitude of letting the community take ownership of the project continues, the potential for good community development to take place exists in this apartment complex."
"This week I saw community development principles of ownership come out in the way the church members acted with community members. There is an apartment complex for disabled people a little ways away from one of the churches with which I am working this summer. The church is really interested in building relationships with community members of the area, and one way they are seeking to do this is through getting to know the people who live in these apartments as friends and actual people, and not as service projects. They have worked at the apartments in the past with things such as community suppers, ice cream socials and having the youth bring over groceries to the residents of the apartments, but they want to do more, and do it in ways that make the residents feel empowered. I got to sit in on a meeting about planning for another event: dinner and a movie on the lawn. This event that is getting planned for later this summer got me excited about the ways the church is interacting with the members of this community.
For one, when we showed up at the office, a woman with a disability greeted us at the desk. I was told she ran the office but also was a resident there. Seeing her handwriting, the way she formulated sentences and a few other things, I saw that although she had an impairment of sorts that perhaps slowed her down a bit, she was still really running the show, and doing a great job of it. The cool thing I noticed was that the church members didn’t come in with an attitude of “we are here to do this wonderful thing for you,” but rather they asked her to make the final decisions on things. Her ideas were actually listened to and respected, not just listened to for politeness’ sake.
In addition to this, when we went outside for her to show us where the best place for tables was, the church members continued to show respect to other residents by shaking hands and carrying on conversations with those who came to say hi. They also asked their opinion about how many tables would be needed, the kinds of tables and number of chairs. The number of chairs was reduced when some of the residents said they had chairs they would be willing to lend for the night. When one man heard we were making a meal, he said he’d like to help out by making turkey and stuffing. One of the church women said, “Wonderful! We’d never say no to food!” I think further plans were made after that for him to make the turkey. I think that if the attitude of letting the community take ownership of the project continues, the potential for good community development to take place exists in this apartment complex."
Friday, May 22, 2009
Welcome to our summer interns!
This summer, HOPE is privileged to host two Community Development Interns from the Covenant College Community Development Department. Christina Canche and Renee Barnett will be with HOPE for 12 weeks.
Christina is working with Chattanooga Valley Presbyterian Church, which is located in Flintstone Georgia. One of our HOPE partner churches, CVPC is interested in getting out into the community. As Pastor Dan Gilchrist put it, "Our goal is not to get the community into the church, but to get the church into the community."
Christina is researching the Flintstone area and plans to survey for existing assets available in this community of approximately 1,500 households. Christina is also researching businesses and organizations in the area with the hope of developing a directory of resources to help the church to better partner with the community.
Renee Barnett is working with Rock Creek Fellowship, another HOPE partner, in Rising Fawn Georgia. Renee is conducting research in the area of the church and hopes to complete a survey and directory similar to Christina's work in Flintstone. Renee is currently conducting informal interviews and doing transect "drives" through the rural mountain areas of Rising Fawn, Hinkle, West Brow and Trenton.
Hope is very excited to host these young ladies, and we are eager to see the results of all their hard work. To find out more about their methods and practices, please contact the HOPE office.
Christina is working with Chattanooga Valley Presbyterian Church, which is located in Flintstone Georgia. One of our HOPE partner churches, CVPC is interested in getting out into the community. As Pastor Dan Gilchrist put it, "Our goal is not to get the community into the church, but to get the church into the community."
Christina is researching the Flintstone area and plans to survey for existing assets available in this community of approximately 1,500 households. Christina is also researching businesses and organizations in the area with the hope of developing a directory of resources to help the church to better partner with the community.
Renee Barnett is working with Rock Creek Fellowship, another HOPE partner, in Rising Fawn Georgia. Renee is conducting research in the area of the church and hopes to complete a survey and directory similar to Christina's work in Flintstone. Renee is currently conducting informal interviews and doing transect "drives" through the rural mountain areas of Rising Fawn, Hinkle, West Brow and Trenton.
Hope is very excited to host these young ladies, and we are eager to see the results of all their hard work. To find out more about their methods and practices, please contact the HOPE office.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Highlands Mercy Ministry Training: Part II
Hope will be continuing Mercy Ministry Training at Highlands Presbyterian Church of LaFayette Georgia on May 2, 2009 from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm. Please feel free to join us! Contact Heather at the Hope offices for more information.
Spring Cleaning: How can we do better?
Hope is currently working with Highlands Presbyterian Church of LaFayette Georgia to take a look at how they can become committed to reaching the poor of their community. Within this question, thousands more seem to lie beneath the surface.
How poor is poor?
What is our "community"?
What does commitment really mean?
Where do we start?
This process can, and almost definitely will be, overwhelming. Bryant Myers, in his book Walking with the poor, approaches the matter as follows:
"When Christians say that they accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, they are also saying that they intend to to announce this fact in every facet of their lives and by every means available to them: by life, deed, word, and sign. ...The gospel is not a disembodied message; it is carried and communicated in the life of Christian people."
Our lives matter. If we are going to truly transform our community for Christ, it will take much more than added programs and projects. This is about how we treat the people we walk past every day, the grocery checker, the gas station attendant. It is about making or not making eye contact. It is about taking that sometimes very scary step of getting to know someone who is very unlike ourselves.
Here are a few questions to help you or your congregation to get started:
1. What are we already doing?
2. Where do we live?
3. Where do we work?
4. What do we consider our immediate community?
5. Who do we know?
Please feel free to contact Heather at the Hope for Northwest Georgia with any comments or questions.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Mercy Ministry Training at Highlands Presbyterian
This Saturday, March 28th, Hope will be holding a Mercy Ministry Training at Highlands Presbyterian Church in LaFayette, GA from 9 am to 12 pm. Topics of discussion will include the History of Poverty, Holistic Development, and Ways to Do Harm, among others.
If you are interested in having Hope come to your church, please contact Heather Wilson at heather.hope4nwga@gmail.com.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Jobs for Life Graduation Celebration
Congratulations to our Jobs for Life Graduates! The picture above was taken this past tuesday, when our Jobs for Life class concluded its final session. Graduates of the program have been putting the training into practice even before graduation. One graduate began new employment one month prior to the class finishing. Another participant is planning to attend nursing school, beginning preliminary requirements this summer. Even as early as this May, one participant is going back to school for higher education.
We are very excited to see our JfL participants putting their new found "soft skills" into practice. Each will receive a certificate of graduation as well as the benefit of adding this class to their resume.
Hope plans to begin a new Jobs for Life class at Chattanooga Valley Presbyterian Church in Fall of 2009.
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