My hometown churches have partnered with local civic leaders to focus on the Art of Neighboring.Can you imagine the impact on our communities if we all loved our neighbors… for real?
Local churches encourage others to meet neighbors
May 24, 2013
Written by
Michelle GeorgeThe Eagle-Gazette Staff
LANCASTER — Five years ago, Amy Lively took a bold and life-changing step: She invited 89 of her neighbors over for coffee.
“I didn’t know any of my neighbors. I had been here seven years and I didn’t know the people (who lived) behind me or beside me,” said Lively, associate pastor of Life Church in Pleasantville.
So Lively made invitations, tied them to some bags of coffee, and distributed them throughout her Lancaster neighborhood. About 20 of her neighbors showed up and, before long, Lively and a number of the women regularly were meeting for a neighborhood Bible study.
“I’ve met amazing women and have become friends with people because I made this effort,” said Lively, who now spearheads The Neighborhood Cafe ministry. “These things weren’t happening naturally in my neighborhood. In my neighborhood, we have private, fenced-in yards and attached garages, where people pull their cars in and shut the door. I decided to create an opportunity.”
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