On June 15 Destination Church in Chicago are launching a 4 week campaign titled Encouraging Community. Over the past several decades community life in America has significantly broken down. Sociologically speaking we NEED community in order to stay in good health, be economically stable, have safer neighborhoods and to foster generosity — without these things we are all in trouble!
The basic need for human connectedness is more than just sociological though — it’s spiritual. That’s right. We have an inbuilt desire for others that is so strong if we don’t get it we can go crazy! That might seem like an overstatement but it’s not. The more isolated we get, the more dangerous we get. Nobody wants that.
As a church we desire to invest into rebuilding community trust. This starts with the individuals we already have in our lives and then extends to those we don’t yet know. To help us with this cause we have recruited 8 strapping young men to work in Chicago for 4 weeks and promote the Encouraging Community Campaign. And here is what we are going to do:
5,000 Bottle Openers: We are giving away 5,000 bottle openers and encouraging people to reconnect with an old friend and share a drink with a neighbor. In our society we enjoy a drink in order to connect with other people. So, if you happen to receive one of these bottle openers then be encouraged to connect with someone. Preferably someone you wouldn’t normally socialize with.
3 Prizes of Meat Worth $100 for a Cookout: That’s right. We are giving out serious MEAT! We love meat (and sharing a drink) and we know that this is way too much meat just for you and your 2 friends. So, if you enter the competition to win some meat and happen to be one of the lucky 3 winners, go ahead and invite your neighbors and co-workers around for a serious COOK OUT! There is no obligation of course, we are just simply trying to stimulate some deeper human connectivity. Take the online survey now to enter.
A Presentation on June 27 or July 11 @ 3pm: This presentation will focus on the importance of community and the solutions we have to reconnect with one another. It will be the most worthwhile of the 3 experiences. Yes, it will be better than getting a free bottle opener and even better than winning $100 of serious meat! In fact, we will announce the winner of the competition at the presentation. If you have kids please bring them along, we’ll have childcare available for all ages. We’ll also have refreshments and either some tasty cupcakes or some delicious pastries. Ok, you can stop salivating now. This is a no-commitment one-time event. You’ll also hear a little bit about the new church and have the chance afterwards to give us some feedback. Go here for more info.
Encouraging community is something we can all do. Let’s connect …