Are you the neighbour from heaven?

One of the aspects of Connect09 which has attracted a lot of excitement is the idea that we, as Christians, form a ‘spiritual neighbourhood watch.’ We care for our neighbourhood and our neighbours.

It’s a great thought ­­– and churches across the city are busy researching their areas to make sure everyone is covered.

For Connect09, we’ve done some research about ourselves. One standout point is that we are really optimistic!

We are busy, that’s true. But we are also positive. And as I have moved around over the last few months - speaking to rectors and congregations right across the diocese - I think I can see this optimism at work.

People understand why we need to connect in a way we have not done before. Momentum is building and people across the board are contributing to the shape of Connect09.

You see, the aim of Connect09 is to use next year as an opportunity to connect with all those around us and make Jesus known to all. There’s real strength in the fact that we are all engaged in it together. Connect09 is a great opportunity for all the churches to benefit from the large scale of the campaign.

So how do you get on board? PRAY. CONNECT. EXPECT. What does that mean? Well – we together should Pray for our whole community.

We don’t pray for Connect09 - we pray for the people around us. Pray for the people in your suburb, in your street, in your block. Talk to God about your community.

That’s where Connect comes in. Make contact in a way which can lead to connection. Genuinely share your lives so that people can connect with us and with the Lord.

We want to get out of our churches and bring the word of God to people – whether in spoken, print or video form. Those resources will be available to your church later in the year, including an Australian translation of the Gospel of Luke.

Expect – Expect God to be at work. You know, a second finding of our research is that many of us find that fear is our biggest barrier to contact and connection. We fear rejection and we fear not knowing how to handle the situation.

Of course that is true – I feel that myself. I have spoken to lots of people over the years and I still feel apprehensive and sometimes unsure what to say.

I think that we need to talk about these fears. Training in what to say will help and your minister will enable you access that.

It’s also important that we share our ideas - go to connect09.com – our internal website – and look for information and ways to be involved.

But the big thing is, trust in God. Go out with the expectation that God is going before you to open doors and hearts. Of course many people will not want to know us. That’s their privilege. But for others, your contact will be something for which God has been preparing them.

My friend Linda told me that when a husband and wife came to her door, she accepted the Bible they offered and also their phone number, but she was not all that interested. A few months later something prompted her to ring them up and they came and took her to church. She is a Christian today because that ordinary Anglican couple prayed, connected, and expected God to work. I’m sure that there will be a Linda living near you.

So, what is Connect09? - PRAY, CONNECT, EXPECT.

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