Urban Solutions: Creating Strategic Ministry Partnerships

Working with ministry partners requires a healthy infrastructure. 1. First, know how to find ministry partners, learn what they are doing and how to support them. Second, map where the resources are, be willing to share information, and cooperate with each other by lending material resources, manpower or expertise so all members are equipped for ministry. Third, recreation and leisure opportunities need to be extended to attendees of other churches and to the community. Finally, work with partners to create a seamless response to persons in neighborhood. No organization can do that without communication and cooperation.

There are many ways you can serve your neighbors within existing structures.

One way is to encourage members to serve the neighborhood association president. This role puts members in direct contact with the City, and other neighborhood association presidents which provides an instant network. Most neighborhood associations have a newsletter. Members may become a conduit of information that helps link neighbors to vital resources? Other members can serve on the Board of the neighborhood association.

Start an awareness campaign and enlist members to serve on a neighborhood watch team or become a block captain. This provides the opportunity to develop relationships with every person on the block and with the neighborhood police officer. Block captains meet with each other and this puts members in contact with someone on every block served within the neighborhood.

A third way to serve is through CERT which stands for Citizen Emergency Response Team. CERT training is offered free or at a nominal cost through some local fire departments or county emergency management offices. This allows members to become part of a network to serve your neighbors in times of disaster. Neighbors are defined as any person or organization in your neighborhood including schools, churches and care facilities. In some cities, CERT is called NET which stands for Neighborhood Emergency Team.

Churches, faith-based organizations and businesses and individuals can all play a role by setting up agreements to serve neighbors in times of need. 

CERT team sizes up the situation




Cribbing and Shoring Practice at CERT training