Loving Our Community
(Leap of Faith V)

Pastor: Liam Conley
Date: 10 April 2011
Notes by: Robert Grandin
Scripture: Jeremiah 29:4-13

Barriers to loving our community

• Ames is not ``my home''. Much of the community are college students and others not originally from here.
• Everyone here is transient due to the university.
• Attitude of ``I'm too busy to love my community''. But, as we get older we don't get less busy.

Our emotions and loving our community

• There is permission to grieve/mourn during the waiting, loss, and transition. We don't just have to ``suck it up'' and deal with it.
• If you don't call Ames your home: ask God if you should stay here longer.
• Go ``all in'' and invest in the community.
• Remember that we are a ``people-processing'' (not people-keeping) movement. Hold people with an open hand.

Hhow do we love our community?

• Food at First
• Earth Day cleanup
• Invite someone to Easter service
• Tell neighbors about Family Experience Night
• Free garage sales
• Garden

There is a promise of restoration (Jeremiah 30-33).