Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Thinking on 'Community'

   Sometimes over a period of time and conversations, I pick up a particular word that keeps pecking away at my thinking.  Recently the concept of community has been the buzz word.  The definition of community is: 1. a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common  2. a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.
   So starting with the given that a group of people who have intentionally gathered because of a common interest or need, let's look at what makes a community maintain stability as well as enriching the lives of those involved. Here are some aspects I see in a healthy community:
   A.  Common interests - Whether it is peaked curiosity or intense knowledge of a subject, having a common interest invites dialog and exchange of thoughts. While there may some absolute truths about the subject, the opportunity to share and even challenge allows for opportunity to expand knowledge and commitment to the community.
   B.  Common needs - Actually we all have some needs in common.  The need to be loved, to be valued, to be needed.  Therefore a community provides a setting where needs can be shared, can be met and can be another demonstration of commitment to the community.
   C.  Genuine fellowship - A place where a person feels invited, included and invested in.  When this type of fellowship is presented, it allows each person to be genuine - true to self - which in turns brings out the best they have to offer back to the community.
   D.  Always growing/changing - a healthy group doesn't stay in one place not stay in one form.  It grows with the seasons of life.  It adapts to meet the needs of the people.  It addresses the present and readies for the future.
   E.  Can't force it - When a group attempts to force being involved, when stipulations are such that you either perform to x standard or aren't allowed to participate, or you don't meet approval, then you are strangling the life out of the community. The freedom for each individual to commit themselves to the community from where they are in life is just that - freedom.  Freedom to allow for those winter seasons in life, to allow for a reprieve from the storms of life, to allow time and seasoning to mature them to continue with the group.  Go back to A, B, C and D.  But remember that community starts with people.  And people are made up of more than one person.  A person, one who has a common interest, common need and desires genuine fellowship.
   F.   Invests - A healthy community invests in the welfare of each other.  This is why a community is always evolving.  The people of the group have different needs at different times.  Some of the group are more able to meet certain needs over others.  And then there is a shift to the next arising need(s) and new members step up.  There is always give and take.  It is when there are more takers over a period of time than givers, that community suffers. 
   Keeping the common interests and common needs at the forefront along with genuine fellowship, will allow a community to thrive through the seasons of life.
   Just my thinking on community while eating leftover cheese/onion enchilada and chile relleno...