The next steps
Community Engagement is a term we often discuss. Over the last year, I've been part of many conversations at Hillspring about how the church can engage our communities in deeper ways. I started those conversations as a consultant last July and ended up accepting a position to create and carry out new ways to engage our communities. The church had already determined that greater community engagement was a priority. While my position includes more than community engagement, the primary reason for my transition from Portland to the Tri-Cities was to lead the church in creating a new level of community empowerment and development.
You will hear about two general areas of community engagement as we move forward. Josie Villa leads the Hillspring Community Ministries team. A few weeks ago, she contributed an article outlining her role and the exciting ministries at Hillspring that reach into the community. In Gear, Mobile Market, Live Nativity, and Up to Code are just a few ministries designed to reach our community. We have added QuadW internships as the newest expression of our commitment to community engagement. These are ministries sponsored and led by Hillspring.
Much of my focus is beyond the church and rooted in an organization that I hope you will all come to know, Tri-Cities Community Connections, (TCCC). The TCCC was created by Hillspring leadership 15 years ago as a non-profit designed to assist needy communities. However, the team did not evolve into the organization that had been originally imagined. Recently, we reorganized the TCCC to prepare ourselves for a future that is deeply rooted in the needs of the communities in which we work. The new board is excited to tackle challenges and create opportunities to listen and respond to East Kennewick and East Pasco in particular.
TCCC will continue to support After School Matters (ASM), which has been a very successful program at Eastgate Elementary. We will be adding Ochoa Middle School in Pasco to our educational programs this fall. We are working diligently to create a Sewing Center in east Kennewick this fall and another site in east Pasco soon. I continue to pray and seek space for a community center that could facilitate a sewing center as well as art and music programs. The possibilities are endless, only limited by our imaginations.
Ultimately, community engagement falls under the umbrella of Discipleship. The three core values of our community DNA are Connect, Develop, and Change, which lead to us Becoming more like Jesus. These are the essentials of Discipleship. Community engagement, be it through Hillspring Community Ministries or the TCCC, is an expression and element of our Discipleship. In order to Live, Love, and Grow, we must Connect with others, Develop relationships in our communities, and, in turn, Change the world.
Discipleship is not simply sitting through a class. While classes can be very helpful for learning more about our faith and how to grow in it, Discipleship is also about engaging in the world around us through action. It is about being hearers and doers of the Word. Discipleship is about living the Gospel as we grow in Christ.
What are the next steps that you can take? First, please pray for all the current and future ministries that engage our communities. Pray for space to open for community-based ministries from the TCCC. Second, consider how your relationships in the Tri-Cities can assist the needs of our communities. Who should I be talking to in the area? Do you work with organizations that have a comparable mission with TCCC that may be interested in partnerships? Third, are you interested in using your gifts to teach others? Can you teach sewing, art, or music? Do you have skills that can assist entrepreneurs trying to get started?
Sharing your gifts is an expression of your faith and a reflection of a discipled Christian.
I invite you to join me on a journey that will not be easy but will be a blessing.
Steve Lewis