Tom Sine share best practices on recession preparedness

This is response go Jonny Bakers post Tom Sine join the conversation

“tom sine has started blogging. i always enjoy tom's insights and reflections” Jonny Baker. 

Amazing…as an old guy who has reluctantly entered the bloggosphere…Jonny Baker noticed my struggling efforts and gave me a mention.  We are still asking, “do if you know of any churches who give a damn about this deepening recession?”

Since I first asked that question we hosted a recession responsiveness brainstorming session at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lynnwood near Seattle and we found a few churches that not only give a damn but are already offering some of the best practices we have come across.  I would love to hear your response to these innovative examples. 

Or better yet share your own examples of compassionate response…or if you haven’t found any then vent your frustrations at churches that haven’t found any way to reach out to those losing jobs, homes or resources.

So here’s a sampling of the best practices we found among churches here in Seattle. 

Deepening Recession Ready or Not!

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lynnwood, March 14, 2009

BEST PRACTICES

Here is a summary of these best practices with you in hopes they inspire you and your church create new ways to reach out to neighbors.  If you would like more information let us know.  Let me know.  I will start by sharing two larger examples and then a number of examples from a spectrum of other churches.

South Everett Foursquare Church

• Comprehensive Job Assistance-  This is the most comprehensive church assistance for those losing jobs we have found.  Their services include helping with:
  • Identifying job skills needed
    • Identifying existing skills
    • Identifying what is needed to polish or expand skills
    • Identifying possible educational opportunities to increase opportunities
  • Assistance with:
    • Resume writing
    • Interview practice
    • Appropriate clothing for interviews
  • Create a mutual support community of people who have similar skills looking for jobs in a similar field
  • Create a process to help people to start a small business

New Hope Lutheran in Pacific

• Skill Sharing in Tough Times-  This congregation is sharing a broad range of skills with the growing numbers in need
  • They started by inventorying resources they have available to share with those in need.  They found that many of their retirees not only have free time but skills to share with others
  • Here are some of the resources that they are sharing:
    • Budgeting assistance
    • Assistance with taxes
    • Job assistance
    • Assistance with construction repair
    • Teaching cooking, canning and quilting

Examples from: North Seattle Friends, Grace Presbyterian, Trinity Lutheran, Grace Presbyterian, Mountain View Lutheran, Edmonds Lutheran, St Albans Episcopal, Trinity Episcopal, Camano Island Lutheran, Ist Presbyterian, Everett, University Presbyterian, Seattle Mennonite, Edmonds United Methodist, Greenwood Christian Church, Memorial UCC…

• Gardening practices- Edmonds United Methodists and Edmonds Lutheran already have started gardening programs to help those in need.  North Seattle Friends is planning a garden to serve their neighbors.  Several other congregations are also moving in this direction.
• Resources-  A number of churches have created an array of ways to share resources with those impacted by the recession including:
  • Godpages.com has been created by Eastside Love Inc where people can post needs so Christians on the eastside can respond
  • Kid-Reach is a tutoring program that Mountain View Lutheran offers to churches in their community
  • Companioning those in crisis through mental health counselors, nurses or a parish psychologist
  • Job loss support group, backpack for kids taking food home are just a few of the resources available at Edmonds United Methodist
  • Sharing church facilities with Hispanic and Korean congregations
• Courses for recession readiness
  • One congregation offers mortgage modification classes
  • Family Resource Forum for Downsizing is offered by New Hope Lutheran
  • Budgeting classes were offered by several churches
  • Another church offers classes on car maintenance
• Creating communities for mutual support- Many in poorer communities are much richer in creating mutual care networks that those in the middle class.  But a few churches are trying to find ways to bring people together to create mutual care networks.  Here are a couple:
  • One Lutheran church is creating family fun nights to bring people together
  • Another church has a Thursday night Soup Supper to bring people in their community together
  • Affinity groups are a way that another congregation brings people together around areas of need or common cause
• Homeless ministries- A large number of congregations were reaching out to the homeless and needy before the recession began.  And ministries like hosting Tent City, Annie’s Kitchen, food banks and thrift shops.  These are going to become increasingly of value as the recession worsens…not only for the homeless and the poor but increasingly the middle class. 

Now it is your turn.  What is one way you and your family or your congregation can create one new way to reach out to those being impacted by this deepening recession?

What are the best practices you have seen in your church or the frustrations you are experiencing with churches that aren’t aware that we are in a global recession????  Let me hear from you.