During the first lockdown in March last year there was an outpouring of community spirit, many streets organised themselves to care for the vulnerable, feed the hungry and distribute essential medical supplies.
The possibility of establishing this level of community connectivity as a shared ‘new normal’ has inspired many of us. So, maintaining and building upon this renewed community spirit has become the foundation of the AS-ONE initiative that has recently started in Dudley. Motivated by a the universal call for us to love for God and people, many of the church family’s in the Love Dudley Network have committed to a vision to see strong and vibrant relationships built street by street in their local neighbourhoods.
The AS-ONE initiative has potentially four stages:
1: A high profile banner campaign. Very shortly you will see large banners go up around the borough with a simply message of ‘fil your street with friendliness’.
2: Congregations will be invited to host a Community Memorial Service in order to provide a space for our neighbourhoods to collectively mourn their common sense of loss and spend time in reflection.
3: The organisation of a ‘Back Together Celebration’, with a mission to create a positive legacy of communal connectivity. Local people from each street will be invited to the an event or party put on by
their local church. With an agenda of ‘friendship, fun, belonging and offering a helping hand’, friendships are formed and the streets begins the journey of being ‘filled with friendliness’.
4: The final stage is starting a Street Association led by the host church.
In a post-modern secularised society the hope of the Gospel we all share finds its greatest traction within the context of human relationships. We are called not just to know and care for those in our own church families but also for our neighbours. Together, working collectively and collaboratively we aim to fill the streets of Dudley with friendliness!
For more information visit https://as-one.uk/dudley/