Do you ever get an idea stuck in your head? Or a vision for something as yet unreached, but you can’t stop asking yourself how it could come to be? Do you ever wonder if God’s Spirit is revealing something in those moments?
A couple of months ago, a member from Hope Church was sorting through files and came across something that struck her as a window into the vision of someone else. She had run across a paper written by the Rev. Del Vander Haar, a calling pastor from their church who has now passed on to glory. She marveled at how what he had envisioned some 20 years ago was now, with strikingly similar details, being carried out by Washington School Neighbors.
Here are a few highlights of the 1995 paper Rev. Vander Haar shared with his consistory:
“….Part of this dream is to establish a working network among all the urban and suburban churches, Christian agencies, institutions, the city and other professional organizations to decide how there can be renewal in the core city…”
The paper goes on to describe the potential collaboration of many groups with neighbors. It outlines how a person in a coordinating role could organize efforts of contributing groups to foster relationships and mutual support local within one or a few block areas. This person would help to introduce neighbors to neighbors, and help residents discover resources and support when needed. The funding of this person’s office might be shared by contributing churches, businesses and organizations. (Sound familiar?)
Towards the end of the short paper, the writer reflects, “Who can fully dream what needs might arise and how they might be lovingly and creatively met!” Indeed! I think this is where Asset Based Community Development (A.B.C.D.) comes in—it is one thing to imagine needs being met; certainly a noble and Biblical view–and another to look at what strengthening dynamics are already at work or lying untapped in our community!
The creativity this thoughtful pastor wondered about is key to how we seek to build our neighborhood network, and it is playing out in all sorts of ways that we are just beginning to discover and engage. Already we too find ourselves with ideas that get stuck in our head. After all, should it surprise us that God is on the move, inviting us to join in and participate with open hearts in what God has already begun to create, shape and restore?
We are thankful for that faithful pastor and for all who have let this vision get stuck in their heads, and thus, share their gifts in Washington School Neighborhood.
~Andrew Spidahl & Janelle Lopez-Koolhaas, Neighborhood Connectors