At NewCity, our Community Groups exist as Community for our Communities. Community Groups that exist for themselves quickly become insular and stagnant. Community for the sake of others (mission) gives the community a vision that is greater than itself. If we aim at mission we get community. If we aim at community we’ll get neither.
In light of this, the first week of every month our whole congregation will practice our collective “sent-ness" with a Week of Co-Mission. While it is true that we are sent every Sunday with the blessing of God (i.e. benediction), we want the first week of the month to set the tone for the rest of the month by corporately practicing a Week of Co-Mission. We value mission and your time so highly that we want to free up space in everyone’s schedule to plan and practice hospitality and service. Therefore, we will be sent together to practice service and hospitality rather than gathering together in Community Groups to practice word and prayer.
We define our communities as wherever we live, work, learn, and play. In order to envision and celebrate small acts of sent-ness, consider these small suggestions as tangible ways for you to practice the Week of Co-Mission this first week of October:
Live
Wherever you reside, including the people and places you frequently interact with.
- Prayer-walk your neighborhood asking God to show you how he’s at work and how you might join him.
- Invite neighbors over for dinner (ask someone from your CG to join).
Work
Wherever you live out your vocation, including co-workers, supervisors, and customers.
- Take your lunch break with other coworkers.
- Organize a happy hour with coworkers.
Learn
Wherever you are educated, including teachers, fellow students, and administration.
- Invite your classmates over.
- Study together and get to know your classmates.
Play
Wherever you recreate, including parks, teams, restaurants, friends.
- Plan play dates with kids.
- Celebrate well together (birthdays, holidays, cultural events, etc.).
The Key to practicing the Week of Co-Mission is to do ordinary, everyday activities with gospel intentionality. Pastor Brad Watson helps us here, “We love our cities in the normal things of life: backyard grill-outs with neighbors, lunch breaks with your co-workers, concerts, films, play dates, and happy hours. The missional church is not about adding activities to an already-busy life; rather, it is a matter of being yourself in the everyday with gospel intentionality.”
Imagine what God might do this month as our whole congregation takes small, prayerful steps of sentness wherever we live, work, learn, and play. I’m looking forward to hearing the stories of God at work in us and through us. You are sent.
|