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Show God’s love and kindness to those who are new to your neighborhood. Create a welcome committee with neighbors who are interested in helping those who are new to the neighborhood.

Hold an interest meeting at your home or community clubhouse. Hand deliver the invitations, and explain your intent to invite neighbors to gather around and welcome those who are moving into the neighborhood. It would work best for this meeting to be held on a weekday night or weekend, so that everyone will be able to attend.

Provide light refreshments for the meeting. Have poster board or newsprint taped to a wall and a marker for brainstorming ideas.

Once all the guests have arrived, have them sit where they can all see you and the poster board. Begin by welcoming them and sharing a story about how you felt when you were new to a neighborhood. After a few volunteers have shared their own experiences, begin the brainstorming process.

Now discuss ways you can show new neighbors they are welcome in your neighborhood. What are some things newly moved people need? Write down ideas such as toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning supplies, food, and so on. Also brainstorm non-material needs, such as lawn care, help unpacking, furniture-moving, and tips and directions for the city.

After brainstorming, go back through the list and decide as a group the five most important needs of a new neighbor from each list. Once the group has decided what needs are most important, ask for volunteers to be responsible for meeting those needs. For example, the next time someone moves into your neighborhood, Matt is going to be the one to offer to mow their lawn, Angela will take over a basket of cleaning supplies, and Mary will bring them a meal.

Create a master list with names and phone numbers of the committee members. Discuss how you will let each other know when a new neighbor moves in and what needs will be covered.

Helpful hint: The committee could also be responsible to help those who are moving out of the neighborhood. They could help the family pack and clean, then throw them a neighborhood going-away party.

Instant Intentions

When getting to know your new neighbors, be sure to invite them to your church, or suggest other churches in the area that might better fit their style and preferences.

-          From the book, Field Guide to Neighborhood Outreach by Group Publishing, 2007.