People
6 years ago
Friday, January 30, 2009
Need Your Feedback
Does the recent bad weather change our plans for tomorrow? Currently we have scheduled a Training and Background check for Volunteers at 10:30 am - and a door knocking campaign at the apartment complex at 1:00 pm... should we postpone???
Friday, January 23, 2009
Prayer Meeting and Training Day
Hey gang. Just wanted everyone to know that I have sort of taken it upon myself to move the training day back one week. I have not heard from Chris and am not sure if we are ready to do background checks. Also, I need another week to finish preparing for the training day.
This means that training will be from 10:30 - 11:00 am on Jan. 31st. We will also door knock that day at 1:00 pm at CGA.
Prayer meeting is on at its normal hour tomorrow - Jan. 24th, from 10-11 am.
Hope to see you all tomorrow morning for perhaps the most important thing we could do for our friends and neighbors at CGA... pray.
This means that training will be from 10:30 - 11:00 am on Jan. 31st. We will also door knock that day at 1:00 pm at CGA.
Prayer meeting is on at its normal hour tomorrow - Jan. 24th, from 10-11 am.
Hope to see you all tomorrow morning for perhaps the most important thing we could do for our friends and neighbors at CGA... pray.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Moving Forward
Todays Prayer Meeting was wonderful! Thanks to all of you that came and participated - both your input and insight are valued.
I wanted to update everyone else on our plans for moving forward at Country Garden Apartments. After months of careful consideration, months of prayer, months of visiting, and months of brainstorming, we are finally going to put it all into practice again! And I couldn't be more excited. Not only are we movinig forward with prayer, planning and God's leading on our side - we also have the trial and error experiences and knowledge from our 2007 -2008 efforts at the complex! The timing is right, and its upon us!
Here is what we discussed this morning:
We will be hosting (in our apt. 103G) a reading group for the kids of Country Garden Apartments (limited to ages 4-10). It will begin Saturday, February 7th, from 10:00 - 11:00 am. We will begin our time with the kids by serving cereal as breakfast. Then we will have a time of sit down reading to the kids. After that we move to a time of craft, or activity or something. Eventually, we'd like to see a library of sorts that the kids could check out books from.
We will limit the # of children to 20, so that the time spent with the kids will be manageable, safe, and meaningful. We will have 3-4 adults inside the apartment during the hour along with 3-4 adults outside the apartment (and around the door). (Eventually we'd like to hand-select volunteers from the complex to help us.) Every volunteer will have to go through a background check. We will have a simple registration and check-in/out system in place. To register (the first time a child comes) a parent/guardian must come with the child to fill out an information sheet on the child. If the parent does not come with the child to register him/her we will go with the child back to the apartment and ask them to fill out the form. (There will be a waiting list, should more than 20 kids come one week. This way there will be equity in participation priveleges.)
We need a cleaning system in place, where the apartment is cleaned on a regular basis and therefore we need a good base of volunteers who are willing to do this on a monthly basis.
Tomorrow morning (Jan. 11) at church, there will be a sign-up sheet in every classroom for those who are willing to volunteer in any capacity.
January 31st we will be knocking doors and spreading the news of our new weekly event to the tenants. We will also give a flyer to the apartment manager (Kendra Throgmartin) to hand out to the tenants promoting it a couple of weeks in advance.
If you have any advice, input, questions, concerns, or prayers you would like to voice, then feel free to click on comments and have at it!
I want to remind all of you engaged in this of our mission and focus as we move forward -
"We are dedicated to partnering with our friends and neighbors at the Country Garden Apartment Complex in building authentic community."
I wanted to update everyone else on our plans for moving forward at Country Garden Apartments. After months of careful consideration, months of prayer, months of visiting, and months of brainstorming, we are finally going to put it all into practice again! And I couldn't be more excited. Not only are we movinig forward with prayer, planning and God's leading on our side - we also have the trial and error experiences and knowledge from our 2007 -2008 efforts at the complex! The timing is right, and its upon us!
Here is what we discussed this morning:
We will be hosting (in our apt. 103G) a reading group for the kids of Country Garden Apartments (limited to ages 4-10). It will begin Saturday, February 7th, from 10:00 - 11:00 am. We will begin our time with the kids by serving cereal as breakfast. Then we will have a time of sit down reading to the kids. After that we move to a time of craft, or activity or something. Eventually, we'd like to see a library of sorts that the kids could check out books from.
We will limit the # of children to 20, so that the time spent with the kids will be manageable, safe, and meaningful. We will have 3-4 adults inside the apartment during the hour along with 3-4 adults outside the apartment (and around the door). (Eventually we'd like to hand-select volunteers from the complex to help us.) Every volunteer will have to go through a background check. We will have a simple registration and check-in/out system in place. To register (the first time a child comes) a parent/guardian must come with the child to fill out an information sheet on the child. If the parent does not come with the child to register him/her we will go with the child back to the apartment and ask them to fill out the form. (There will be a waiting list, should more than 20 kids come one week. This way there will be equity in participation priveleges.)
We need a cleaning system in place, where the apartment is cleaned on a regular basis and therefore we need a good base of volunteers who are willing to do this on a monthly basis.
Tomorrow morning (Jan. 11) at church, there will be a sign-up sheet in every classroom for those who are willing to volunteer in any capacity.
January 31st we will be knocking doors and spreading the news of our new weekly event to the tenants. We will also give a flyer to the apartment manager (Kendra Throgmartin) to hand out to the tenants promoting it a couple of weeks in advance.
If you have any advice, input, questions, concerns, or prayers you would like to voice, then feel free to click on comments and have at it!
I want to remind all of you engaged in this of our mission and focus as we move forward -
"We are dedicated to partnering with our friends and neighbors at the Country Garden Apartment Complex in building authentic community."
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Let's Get Goin!
Hey Team -
Its officially time to get going! I have met with several people individually, and I think we have a starting point for revitalizing our presence and building authentic community at CGA! We will start this Saturday at 10:00 am, (meet in the BLC Lobby), we will walk over to the CGA Complex and knock doors. We will be meeting the tenants and asking them two questions: Is there anything we can do to serve them, and do they have any prayer requests that we can take with us and pray for them about. We will do this Jan. 10, Jan. 17, Jan. 24, and Jan. 31st. Then starting on the first Saturday in February (Feb. 7) we will start a reading group at noon each week (on everySaturday) We will have two teams that will meet there from 12 pm - 1 pm every week from then on. A "Networking Team" and an "Educational Team" - The educational team will meet with the kids during the reading hour, and Cathy Mulhollen (spelling?) will lead this effort. The Networking Team will knock doors, visit with people outside, build relationships, take prayer requests, make needs lists, ask tenants for help with projects, etc. Also, the networking team will schedule dinners once per month with a few tenants to get to know them.
Please, over the coming month, come to the prayer walks, prayer over what you might be interested in, get engaged, and engage others in our journey. If you have any questions, feel free to call me. (926-3329) Or simply reply to this post in the "comments" section. Thanks, have a blessed week and weekend, and I look forward to seeing all of you this Saturday at 10:00 am.
Peace -
Joe James
Its officially time to get going! I have met with several people individually, and I think we have a starting point for revitalizing our presence and building authentic community at CGA! We will start this Saturday at 10:00 am, (meet in the BLC Lobby), we will walk over to the CGA Complex and knock doors. We will be meeting the tenants and asking them two questions: Is there anything we can do to serve them, and do they have any prayer requests that we can take with us and pray for them about. We will do this Jan. 10, Jan. 17, Jan. 24, and Jan. 31st. Then starting on the first Saturday in February (Feb. 7) we will start a reading group at noon each week (on everySaturday) We will have two teams that will meet there from 12 pm - 1 pm every week from then on. A "Networking Team" and an "Educational Team" - The educational team will meet with the kids during the reading hour, and Cathy Mulhollen (spelling?) will lead this effort. The Networking Team will knock doors, visit with people outside, build relationships, take prayer requests, make needs lists, ask tenants for help with projects, etc. Also, the networking team will schedule dinners once per month with a few tenants to get to know them.
Please, over the coming month, come to the prayer walks, prayer over what you might be interested in, get engaged, and engage others in our journey. If you have any questions, feel free to call me. (926-3329) Or simply reply to this post in the "comments" section. Thanks, have a blessed week and weekend, and I look forward to seeing all of you this Saturday at 10:00 am.
Peace -
Joe James
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Larry James on "People Power"
Hey gang! I wanted to say thanks to everyone that showed up to help with Breakfast with Santa. I know we only had three kiddos, but we need to prepare big. We have a lot of new families at CGA now, and they need to get to know us! Please, please, pretty please, stay plugged in and stay involved! We need you every step of the way.
I have been wanting to post something here for some time now that I think is important for how we approach our freinds and neighbors up the street. It is "Part One" of a series of ten articles that Larry James posted on his blog a few years ago. The series was called "Community Development 101" and this first article is called "People Power". I hope you enjoy it, and I would love to hear your feedback in the comments section.
Community Development 101--Part One
One of the enjoyable aspects of my work is that I get to talk to people about urban issues and urban community development. I especially like the times I get to speak with students in university settings. Talking to students forces a clarity and a sharpness that otherwise would allude me.Over time I have developed a handful of ideas that I consider fundamental to nurturing community development in a social context dominated by poverty and its unique problems.This feels like an appropriate space to discuss some of these essential notions.People power.Without a doubt this concept or, better, this commitment is the most important truth I have learned in the past twelve years. People possess the power, the capacity and the desire to solve their own problems, if they are given the resources they need and the opportunity they crave.People don't need help nearly as much as they need a chance.I bump into this reality every day.Years ago, my role at Central Dallas Ministries was much different than it is today.When I first came here in 1994, I was spending five-days-a week interviewing low-income people in our Food Pantry. On Sundays, I was out in churches begging for money and volunteers.I wasn't doing very well on either ask because we were always short on both!Back then, all of our volunteers drove in from suburban or Park Cities churches and neighborhoods. Everyone who volunteered was white.All of the material resources were on one side of the equation. All of the need was on the other.Relationships with the community always felt pretty much "one down." You know, paternalistic, neo-colonial.One day my world and the world of CDM changed in a moment.I found myself facing three Hispanic mothers with their beautiful children.The three women were perfect strangers to one another and to me.Not a very "professional" way to do "social work."But then, I've never had a social work class in my life. The only time I've even been in a social work class was when I taught one at Pepperdine University last fall.But, back to the women.These three delightful people were attempting to combine their limited English to overcome my absolute stupidity when it comes to speaking Spanish.We weren't getting too far.As we sat there in growing frustration, Josefina Ortiz, an older woman who had already been interviewed and assisted, walked by.I stopped her and asked if she could help me.I learned then, and have learned many times since then, that this is a very important question for "helpers" to learn how to ask those they seek to "help."She replied that she would be very happy to help me. She sat down with us and translated the conversation. As a result, we were able to provide the assistance the three families sought.As they were leaving, I turned to Ms. Ortiz and began thanking her profusely, still not realizing what an asset I had right in front of me.She had the good sense to turn back to me when she reached the door. I will never forget what she said:"Larry, I could come back tomorrow and help you."I told her that would be great because, as she could see, I needed the help!Josefina came back "tomorrow" for nine years.That afternoon when the pantry closed, I returned to my upstairs office. As I was looking out my large window on the "crack house" next door, I received a very clear message.The message was in two parts.First, I was told that I was dead wrong about the neighborhood. Even though I thought I knew what it needed, I couldn't possibly know.Second, I had been wrong to look at the community only in terms of need, especially material need. I should look at the neighborhood in terms of its assets. And, I should realize that there are all kinds of asset besides the material variety.Immediately, Josefina's face came to mind.The lesson was so clear. The truth so obvious.Over the next forty-five days we set out to change our organizational culture and change it quickly.Every person who came through our doors was encouraged to talk not just about their needs, but also about their assets.Further, we invited every person who came to us to return and serve the community as a volunteer.Almost overnight we had more volunteers than we knew what to do with.Several things happened.We lost almost all of our suburban volunteers. We now have several hundred volunteers in our database and 99% are community people who continue to access our various resources and services.People from outside the community who were our supporters questioned our sanity."Looks like you have the lunatics running the asylum," one dedicated supporter told me with a smile."These people will steal you blind," I was told in countless ways, again and again.Finally, I had the presence of mind to form a standard reply that went something like,"You know, you are correct. In this business you're going to have some theft. But, I've noticed that it is one of two kinds. It's either canned corn or human dignity. I'm going with the canned corn cartel!" Over the years we've stayed with this model.It is the one essential, fixed, non-negotiable ingredient in our mix here at CDM.Whatever success we have enjoyed is directly related to this approach and to the principle of "people power" back of it.Our volunteers run our Resource Centers, both on Haskell and inside Roseland Homes.This amazing group of people serves as a 24-7 "think tank" of sorts.Every idea, every initiative, every response to poverty has arisen from the collective and individual wisdom expressed by these amazing people.There is no way for me to overestimate their importance or their continuing impact.Talk about wealth! Social capital and collective efficacy continue to transform everything about our efforts to re-invent and develop community in inner-city neighborhoods here in Dallas and in San Antonio where we have a sister organization.Mark it down.If you mission is to grow community then. . .. . .People cannot be treated as projects.. . .People cannot be treated as problems.. . .People cannot be treated as "opportunities for ministry.". . .People cannot be treated as if they should be disconnected or disengaged from the primary process at work.. . .People must not be seen as clients.. . .People must be trusted and valued as they are, for who they are.You see, transforming truth is quite different.The truth is, people are my neighbors and I am their neighbor.The truth is, people, all people are powerful.The truth is, people are beautiful, promising, full of wonder and great, great potential.People power--it is the only place to start, to live, to conclude.
I have been wanting to post something here for some time now that I think is important for how we approach our freinds and neighbors up the street. It is "Part One" of a series of ten articles that Larry James posted on his blog a few years ago. The series was called "Community Development 101" and this first article is called "People Power". I hope you enjoy it, and I would love to hear your feedback in the comments section.
Community Development 101--Part One
One of the enjoyable aspects of my work is that I get to talk to people about urban issues and urban community development. I especially like the times I get to speak with students in university settings. Talking to students forces a clarity and a sharpness that otherwise would allude me.Over time I have developed a handful of ideas that I consider fundamental to nurturing community development in a social context dominated by poverty and its unique problems.This feels like an appropriate space to discuss some of these essential notions.People power.Without a doubt this concept or, better, this commitment is the most important truth I have learned in the past twelve years. People possess the power, the capacity and the desire to solve their own problems, if they are given the resources they need and the opportunity they crave.People don't need help nearly as much as they need a chance.I bump into this reality every day.Years ago, my role at Central Dallas Ministries was much different than it is today.When I first came here in 1994, I was spending five-days-a week interviewing low-income people in our Food Pantry. On Sundays, I was out in churches begging for money and volunteers.I wasn't doing very well on either ask because we were always short on both!Back then, all of our volunteers drove in from suburban or Park Cities churches and neighborhoods. Everyone who volunteered was white.All of the material resources were on one side of the equation. All of the need was on the other.Relationships with the community always felt pretty much "one down." You know, paternalistic, neo-colonial.One day my world and the world of CDM changed in a moment.I found myself facing three Hispanic mothers with their beautiful children.The three women were perfect strangers to one another and to me.Not a very "professional" way to do "social work."But then, I've never had a social work class in my life. The only time I've even been in a social work class was when I taught one at Pepperdine University last fall.But, back to the women.These three delightful people were attempting to combine their limited English to overcome my absolute stupidity when it comes to speaking Spanish.We weren't getting too far.As we sat there in growing frustration, Josefina Ortiz, an older woman who had already been interviewed and assisted, walked by.I stopped her and asked if she could help me.I learned then, and have learned many times since then, that this is a very important question for "helpers" to learn how to ask those they seek to "help."She replied that she would be very happy to help me. She sat down with us and translated the conversation. As a result, we were able to provide the assistance the three families sought.As they were leaving, I turned to Ms. Ortiz and began thanking her profusely, still not realizing what an asset I had right in front of me.She had the good sense to turn back to me when she reached the door. I will never forget what she said:"Larry, I could come back tomorrow and help you."I told her that would be great because, as she could see, I needed the help!Josefina came back "tomorrow" for nine years.That afternoon when the pantry closed, I returned to my upstairs office. As I was looking out my large window on the "crack house" next door, I received a very clear message.The message was in two parts.First, I was told that I was dead wrong about the neighborhood. Even though I thought I knew what it needed, I couldn't possibly know.Second, I had been wrong to look at the community only in terms of need, especially material need. I should look at the neighborhood in terms of its assets. And, I should realize that there are all kinds of asset besides the material variety.Immediately, Josefina's face came to mind.The lesson was so clear. The truth so obvious.Over the next forty-five days we set out to change our organizational culture and change it quickly.Every person who came through our doors was encouraged to talk not just about their needs, but also about their assets.Further, we invited every person who came to us to return and serve the community as a volunteer.Almost overnight we had more volunteers than we knew what to do with.Several things happened.We lost almost all of our suburban volunteers. We now have several hundred volunteers in our database and 99% are community people who continue to access our various resources and services.People from outside the community who were our supporters questioned our sanity."Looks like you have the lunatics running the asylum," one dedicated supporter told me with a smile."These people will steal you blind," I was told in countless ways, again and again.Finally, I had the presence of mind to form a standard reply that went something like,"You know, you are correct. In this business you're going to have some theft. But, I've noticed that it is one of two kinds. It's either canned corn or human dignity. I'm going with the canned corn cartel!" Over the years we've stayed with this model.It is the one essential, fixed, non-negotiable ingredient in our mix here at CDM.Whatever success we have enjoyed is directly related to this approach and to the principle of "people power" back of it.Our volunteers run our Resource Centers, both on Haskell and inside Roseland Homes.This amazing group of people serves as a 24-7 "think tank" of sorts.Every idea, every initiative, every response to poverty has arisen from the collective and individual wisdom expressed by these amazing people.There is no way for me to overestimate their importance or their continuing impact.Talk about wealth! Social capital and collective efficacy continue to transform everything about our efforts to re-invent and develop community in inner-city neighborhoods here in Dallas and in San Antonio where we have a sister organization.Mark it down.If you mission is to grow community then. . .. . .People cannot be treated as projects.. . .People cannot be treated as problems.. . .People cannot be treated as "opportunities for ministry.". . .People cannot be treated as if they should be disconnected or disengaged from the primary process at work.. . .People must not be seen as clients.. . .People must be trusted and valued as they are, for who they are.You see, transforming truth is quite different.The truth is, people are my neighbors and I am their neighbor.The truth is, people, all people are powerful.The truth is, people are beautiful, promising, full of wonder and great, great potential.People power--it is the only place to start, to live, to conclude.
Monday, December 8, 2008
Breakfast With Santa
This upcoming Saturday morning (Dec. 13th) Southwest Church is hosting a new event called "Breakfast with Santa" where our families and children can hang with Santa Claus, singing Christmas Songs with Travis Eades, playing games, and eating a wonderful pancake breakfast.
Mrs. Joyce asked me to invite the kids from Country Garden Apartments to come join the fun, and after taking to several of you, we decided this was a great idea! Not only does it "get us going again" it also is opportunity to just spend some quality time with several new tenants.
So this last Saturday, several of us went to CGA and knocked doors to hand out invitations to the event. All in all it went well! We met several new people, had several face-to-face invites, and sensed some excitement in the voices of our neighbors!
Now we need to recruit as many willing adults as possible to be at the building from 9 - 11 am this Saturday to spend time with the kids for relationship building and supervision. Please reply to this post if you think you can serve, or if you have recruited others to serve this weekend.
We are arranging to pick up the kiddos at 8:45 am and have them at the building by 9:00 am. We will leave the building at 11:00 am and hopefully have them all back home by 11:115 am.
I hope you are as excited as I am to get some momentum going! See you Saturday!
Mrs. Joyce asked me to invite the kids from Country Garden Apartments to come join the fun, and after taking to several of you, we decided this was a great idea! Not only does it "get us going again" it also is opportunity to just spend some quality time with several new tenants.
So this last Saturday, several of us went to CGA and knocked doors to hand out invitations to the event. All in all it went well! We met several new people, had several face-to-face invites, and sensed some excitement in the voices of our neighbors!
Now we need to recruit as many willing adults as possible to be at the building from 9 - 11 am this Saturday to spend time with the kids for relationship building and supervision. Please reply to this post if you think you can serve, or if you have recruited others to serve this weekend.
We are arranging to pick up the kiddos at 8:45 am and have them at the building by 9:00 am. We will leave the building at 11:00 am and hopefully have them all back home by 11:115 am.
I hope you are as excited as I am to get some momentum going! See you Saturday!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Christmas ???
Hey Gang -
Just wanted to throw something out there and let you guys give ideas, make suggestions, etc...
Should we do something for Christmas with our neighbors at Country Garden Apartments?
Peace -
Joe James
Just wanted to throw something out there and let you guys give ideas, make suggestions, etc...
Should we do something for Christmas with our neighbors at Country Garden Apartments?
Peace -
Joe James
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