As a leader within the Church, Father Adam Park maintains that it is critical that churches find ways that they can interact with and serve their communities. Loving our neighbor enables church groups to put God’s teachings into practice and uplift underserved members of our local communities through effective, impactful initiatives. Father Adam Park knows that Catholic Churches are constantly looking for ways to refine their community service and outreach and, here, he provides a few insights on how to improve the process.
Volunteering with Local Organizations
In the average community, there are dozens of local organizations that are on the front lines of a wide variety of causes. Father Park finds that partnering with these organizations to help them maximize their impact and help more people is one of the most effective ways that churches can show a commitment to their communities. Organizing trips to local soup kitchens, homeless shelters, nursing homes and participating in local fundraisers are just a few ways that churches can coordinate volunteer efforts and bring more members into the fold.
Father Park finds some churches that facilitate volunteer activities may have issues getting large groups together for specific events. This is often because communicating service opportunities can be a challenge, especially when considering all of the other announcements that the typical church needs to communicate weekly. For this reason, he recommends making it as easy as possible to find out about service opportunities. An effective way to do so is by creating a portal on your church’s website that allows leaders to communicate the details of their next volunteer outings and facilitate signups online. In addition to an effective website, ensuring that you have a frequently updated volunteer bulletin and small team to organize signups are also helpful.
Prayer Services with Other Faith Groups
Coming together with other religious groups for different prayer opportunities is certainly good to help the local community. At times, there might be a current event where local community members need healing and encouragement, and so the priest can organize a prayer service with other faith leaders in the area to bring the community together. These prayer services could also occur during annual events such as Thanksgiving or Memorial Day when such a gathering can give its focus on the blessings that we have all received from God.
Organizing Community Events
Community events are an excellent way for churches to serve their communities while providing opportunities for family fun. Organizing events for holidays, parish feast days, fundraisers, BBQs, seasonal events, etc. can go a long way towards helping the church serve their local community. One of the great things about these types of events is that they do not need a lot of money or manpower to be successful, as some of the most fun events can be coordinated with a planning group and a few dedicated churchgoers. Father Park mentions that there are many ways that these events can benefit the churches as well. They can attract new members, help build relationships that may lead to community partnerships, and allow for members of the church to learn more about what is happening in the community.
Being Present
According to Father Adam Park, Catholic churches can serve their communities and give back by being present and attentive to the needs of others. Many church leaders preach the importance of keeping open arms and leaving the door open for those in need. Churches should always aspire to be places where community members can access the support they need. The most impactful, active churches make a point of being present within their communities and attuned to everything going on. By noticing the challenges members of the community may face and the different types of support people may need should it be counseling, spiritual guidance, communicating with a pastor, etc., church groups are well on their way towards refining their commitment to helping others.