Daily as our nation struggles with division on a host of issues, do you ever wonder how the church can speak good and breathe life into the conversation? Can we live out a better way? Can we model Jesus by being “good neighbors”?
National Good Neighbor Day is Sunday, September 17, 2017. It originated in 1978 when President Jimmy Carter made a proclamation stating in part —
“As our Nation struggles to build friendship among the peoples of this world, we are mindful that the noblest human concern is concern for others.…Therefore — I call upon the people of the United States and interested groups and organizations to observe such day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.”
I’d like to invite you to join with other community and faith leaders and be a good neighbor everyday, and specifically on this day. Also would you consider encouraging your church to do the same?
Five easy and practical ways in which you can become involved:
- Communicate — Include a brief blurb in your weekly written or e-news announcements leading up to the day (see below)
- Resource — Include the website address www.good-neighbor.org in these communications which has helpful and easy resources for ideas and activities.
- Serve — Encourage your small groups, life groups, Sunday school classes etc.. to use this as a serving and connecting opportunity in September.
- Model — Personally share in a sermon as an illustration the opportunity to be good neighbors and how you are personally going to do this on NGND.
- Celebrate — Collect stories to share with the church following NGND to reinforce our living out the Great Commandment.
