A group of us have been meeting every week to talk about what it means to be a people living justly*. It has been a bit of a journey for us, and a challenge to look outwardly into the community around us. Every week I've left with something that has impacted and made a difference to me. This week, we talked about community.
Amidst the busy week that I've had, my community reached out to me. Waiting in my car for the level crossing barrier to lift, I had switched off my engine, knowing that sometimes it can be an eternity for trains to pass through.
When the barrier finally lifted, I tried to switch on my engine.
Fail. My little car refused to show any vital signs. None of the usual healthy revving noises, just a pitiful clicking, something similar to an antique typewriter, which of course, meant that the car wouldn't start. And now I was creating a bit of a bottleneck with cars queued up behind me. I prayed the shortest prayer ever. God....... Help.
I'll admit, I felt fairly calm, having only two thoughts running through my mind. Number 1: The most serious concern was that I was wearing some ridiculous cycling shorts. Sadly, when it comes to lycra, I've never been able to pull it off, so when I wear it, it's because I don't expect to 'be seen'. The second, but by no means less important issue was the fact that my breakdown cover had expired a month earlier and, at this inconvenient point in time, had not yet been renewed. Imagine my sadness.
I stepped out of my car, accutely aware of my fashion related faux pas. And the man in the car behind already walking towards me - just happened to be - a friend. A friend with much experience of broken down cars as he has owned many in the past. And with the help of another kind neighbour, a little crew of car pushers and morale boosters, I was able to get the car started, and get home.
Today, this same group of people that have been meeting every week organised a free brunch for our community. We used the car park of the church, transforming it into an outdoor coffee lounge: sofas, newspapers, cakes stands, bacon butties. The idea was just to bless people in our neighbourhood, no strings attached. It was awesome. Such a beautiful day - meeting the people we live with, hearing their stories. Just giving away a cup of coffee and having a chat. I was really... inspired. I want to do it again tomorrow!
So, anyway, giving away stuff is good. Getting to know people is good. Blessing your community is good. It might look different in different places, but wherever you do it, it's going to bring a smile to someone's face. It might make their day.
Watch.
* Just People
Showing posts with label community. Show all posts
Showing posts with label community. Show all posts
Saturday, 4 June 2011
Friday, 19 November 2010
Home sweet
...community?
I recently discovered I have some wonderful neighbours thanks to the joys of Streetbank: an online community where you can meet the people who live just round the corner from you. AND if you covet any of their belongings, you can borrow them. Just log on, locate your geographical area and think of something quickly that you'd like to lend... like, um... a, euphonium. In return, you can ask Bob at number 74 for the loan of his Mercedes Benz. It's that simple.*
But do we really need a website to help us do this?
It's incredibly sad, but unfortunately for some of us, we just don't get to meet our own neighbours: the young mum you see every weekday struggling onto the bus every morning with her pram. The man who walks his dog along the tow path every weekend. Our paths, somehow, don't cross. Or perhaps we just don't have the time to cross the road to meet them.
I was introduced to this lovely little film made by Breathe, in partnership with Tearfund and Arocha. There's something that really triggers a reaction in me, but there's also something that holds me back from taking the next step. Perhaps not knowing how to, or perhaps not having the courage to carry it out. Giving away our possessions, as a concept, is relatively counter cultural. And yet, it's not exactly original.
When I struggle with radical life choices, one place to look for answers is the early disciples. Take Acts 2 as an example. Here's a type of lifestyle that makes me think how incredibly altruistic those early followers were, how wonderfully sacrificial, holistic and outward looking. But while it might have worked then, surely it's not for today?
I'm still in a state of pondering. But I have definitely experienced the kindness of neighbours and strangers, so I heartily endorse the community that is Streetbank. So if you're not on, why don't you take a little look around your house and think what you'd like to share with someone else. It might just help you get to know your community a little bit better.
I recently discovered I have some wonderful neighbours thanks to the joys of Streetbank: an online community where you can meet the people who live just round the corner from you. AND if you covet any of their belongings, you can borrow them. Just log on, locate your geographical area and think of something quickly that you'd like to lend... like, um... a, euphonium. In return, you can ask Bob at number 74 for the loan of his Mercedes Benz. It's that simple.*
But do we really need a website to help us do this?
It's incredibly sad, but unfortunately for some of us, we just don't get to meet our own neighbours: the young mum you see every weekday struggling onto the bus every morning with her pram. The man who walks his dog along the tow path every weekend. Our paths, somehow, don't cross. Or perhaps we just don't have the time to cross the road to meet them.
I was introduced to this lovely little film made by Breathe, in partnership with Tearfund and Arocha. There's something that really triggers a reaction in me, but there's also something that holds me back from taking the next step. Perhaps not knowing how to, or perhaps not having the courage to carry it out. Giving away our possessions, as a concept, is relatively counter cultural. And yet, it's not exactly original.
When I struggle with radical life choices, one place to look for answers is the early disciples. Take Acts 2 as an example. Here's a type of lifestyle that makes me think how incredibly altruistic those early followers were, how wonderfully sacrificial, holistic and outward looking. But while it might have worked then, surely it's not for today?
I'm still in a state of pondering. But I have definitely experienced the kindness of neighbours and strangers, so I heartily endorse the community that is Streetbank. So if you're not on, why don't you take a little look around your house and think what you'd like to share with someone else. It might just help you get to know your community a little bit better.
And whilst we're on the subject of radical living, if you really want to serve your community, it's useful to get to know who your neighbours are.
* I might have exagerated the items on offer in south west London.
Sunday, 26 September 2010
Supermarketing power to the people
There are 2 very memorable things I recall from my A-level economics class. One is that The Wizard of Oz was an allegory based on the American economic and monetary policy of the late 19th century. It sparked a rarely seen level of excitement in the classroom. Unfortunately it was short lived.
The other thing I remember talking about, in more painstaking detail was the phenomenon of Tescopoly. As a teenager in a two-trolley town I was seduced by the exotic goods on offer when the new supermercado cowboy rolled into the high street. Let me explain: this was a real novelty for Northern Ireland in the 1990s. It suddenly became more convenient to shop at midnight, buy unnecessary 2 for 1 offers and have a loyalty card.
It's still something of a thrill to have the choice of filling a trolley with anything from baked beans to surfboards. But last week I had an invite to The People's Supermarket, a lovely little shop near Holburn which just sells what you need.
This place is amazing. It's a supermarket for the community. A supermarket which sources its produce from local farmers, and volunteers contribute 4 hours a week to working in the store. Result: quality food, lower costs, and the feel-good factor for helping put something back into the community.
But more than this, it's providing honest business for local farms, where in the past the larger supermarkets have agreed to buy produce, then rejected it at the last minute. The lovely chef, Arther Potts who pioneered this ethical enterprise, cooks up a treat with food from the store. It helps reduce the amount of food thrown away. And since we in the UK bin 8.3 million tonnes of food year, (according to http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/) we could probably do with a bit of help to curb our habit.
So, ok, not everyone can trek into central London to help out at the community supermarket, I hear you. But, if you can, it's good to buy local produce to cut down on food miles. And it's also good to cut out as much waste as possible. Can you compost it? Or freeze it? You might even be able to make a little cake out of your leftovers.
Finally, a word of advice on baking with leftovers. As much as I love innovation and creative cooking, there are certain ingredients which should never be put into a cake/loaf/sponge. This includes fish, meat and vegetables. With the obvious exception of carrots. Jimeoin is the authority on this subject (3min 10s on this clip). Enjoy.
The other thing I remember talking about, in more painstaking detail was the phenomenon of Tescopoly. As a teenager in a two-trolley town I was seduced by the exotic goods on offer when the new supermercado cowboy rolled into the high street. Let me explain: this was a real novelty for Northern Ireland in the 1990s. It suddenly became more convenient to shop at midnight, buy unnecessary 2 for 1 offers and have a loyalty card.
It's still something of a thrill to have the choice of filling a trolley with anything from baked beans to surfboards. But last week I had an invite to The People's Supermarket, a lovely little shop near Holburn which just sells what you need.
This place is amazing. It's a supermarket for the community. A supermarket which sources its produce from local farmers, and volunteers contribute 4 hours a week to working in the store. Result: quality food, lower costs, and the feel-good factor for helping put something back into the community.
But more than this, it's providing honest business for local farms, where in the past the larger supermarkets have agreed to buy produce, then rejected it at the last minute. The lovely chef, Arther Potts who pioneered this ethical enterprise, cooks up a treat with food from the store. It helps reduce the amount of food thrown away. And since we in the UK bin 8.3 million tonnes of food year, (according to http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/) we could probably do with a bit of help to curb our habit.
So, ok, not everyone can trek into central London to help out at the community supermarket, I hear you. But, if you can, it's good to buy local produce to cut down on food miles. And it's also good to cut out as much waste as possible. Can you compost it? Or freeze it? You might even be able to make a little cake out of your leftovers.
Finally, a word of advice on baking with leftovers. As much as I love innovation and creative cooking, there are certain ingredients which should never be put into a cake/loaf/sponge. This includes fish, meat and vegetables. With the obvious exception of carrots. Jimeoin is the authority on this subject (3min 10s on this clip). Enjoy.
Sunday, 28 February 2010
Blog-democracy: your vote required
Verdict of sunday lunch: eating in community is definitely a plus. So, one benefit is that cooking in bulk can reduce the cost per person (and here, I'm drawing on a very sketchy/absent knowledge of a-level economics) owing to economies of scale. Basically, cost per person decreases as quantities of food increase. But there tends to be a drop off/ a point along the scale where costs start to increase again because of additional costs being factored in. (bored yet? Sorry, I'll stop.)
On the other hand, some might say that eating in community has its drawbacks. For most of us, this is nothing fancy or unusual, it simply means sitting down to dinner with family. But that can be hard - just finding time to do it. In our house everyone is out at different times, there's rarely a night when we're all in. Or it can be challenging in other ways, for example, today, I was invited to Sunday lunch. What a treat, I thought to myself. I should have known I'd get a grilling. I always do. It's just like being at home. I love Karin & Pete. They frequently feed the 5000 around their dinner table, I don't know how they do it, they are literally hospitality in living breathing form. And they're infinitely amusing as well. Which I love. But yeah, not only was quizzed and probed about my current 'thing'... I was also shamed into admitting that one week of living on 2 ethical dollars is by no means long enough.
So - - - what d'you think? Vote now.
On the other hand, some might say that eating in community has its drawbacks. For most of us, this is nothing fancy or unusual, it simply means sitting down to dinner with family. But that can be hard - just finding time to do it. In our house everyone is out at different times, there's rarely a night when we're all in. Or it can be challenging in other ways, for example, today, I was invited to Sunday lunch. What a treat, I thought to myself. I should have known I'd get a grilling. I always do. It's just like being at home. I love Karin & Pete. They frequently feed the 5000 around their dinner table, I don't know how they do it, they are literally hospitality in living breathing form. And they're infinitely amusing as well. Which I love. But yeah, not only was quizzed and probed about my current 'thing'... I was also shamed into admitting that one week of living on 2 ethical dollars is by no means long enough.
So - - - what d'you think? Vote now.
Creative community eating
Today I'm exploring a new angle on my challenge, and also trying to find a home for my new friend.
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