The City is Ripe for Partnership!

I had a really exciting week.  My church is currently working on some long-term planning to learn more about our unique calling for Edmonds and the surrounding areas.  Twelve members from my church have formed the “Vision Pathway Team,” and we will be together for prayer, discussion, and planning until October.

One of our first steps was to interview strategic leaders from our city. We scheduled interviews with city officials, members of police and fire, educational administrators, and business leaders.  The team flat “got after it.”  They were motivated to hear these leaders.

We asked all leaders three questions and then let the discussions go wherever they naturally led.  We asked all the people interviewed:

1. What three words would you use to describe the city?
2. How is the city changing?
3. How do you think a church like ours could help (bless) the city?

We were flat blown away by the reception.  Overwhelmingly positive!  And so, you’ll see below the top 10 observations I made about our city and some of the problems and opportunities that exist.

1. The economic downturn has created pressures and stresses that have made people more open to work together (including help from the church). Budgets are shrinking. What worked before does not now. Help from volunteers is essential, and many leaders are eager for help. Our perception that help would not be accepted from the church is dead wrong.

2. Edmonds has an aging population and the city is struggling with ways to provide them services. Over the years, the city has largely focused on providing services for children and families, but with the population aging, they are seeking new ways to care for older adults. Needs like transportation, activities, and social issues for seniors are paramount.

3. The city is largely defined geographically by those living “in the bowl” and those “on the hill.” If you live here, this is well understood. Those “in the bowl” are perceived as long-term residents, more connected, more affluent, and whiter. I wonder how these two groups need each other?

4. The city is dominated by two groups (old guard and new guard) that are in a stalemate over their views for the future. People “know” the city must change, but many wish to hold onto the past. Issues of vision for downtown dominate. But the dinosaurs are dying which will ultimately open the door for change.

5. A growing segment of children in schools face economic hardships. There are currently seven kids at a local high school who are homeless, and the school has not had to handle these issues in the past. Many other children face ongoing hunger.  The school needs help with many economically disadvantaged children.  There is also a need for ongoing mentors and educational helpers.

6. School officials claim that increasingly people don’t just want the school to educate their children, but also to “parent them.” Some children are not receiving much parenting at home. Thus the expectation that the school will “do it all.”  With parents feeling pressures like never before, how can they be helped to gain skills, time, and motivation for the high calling of being parents?

7. Many city officials struggle to form alliances and unify to reach strategic goals. Some officials voiced the observation that government is hunkered down with less ability to join arms to solve long-term city issues.

8. Officials very rarely speak with churches and the perception is that churches don’t work much together. Many people did not know CCF even exists! Also, officials wish that churches could join together to help solve some of the larger city issues.

9. People move to Edmonds with expectations that it may be a utopia. Whoops. That land does not exist! And so disappointment sets in when the city does not provide what everyone wants or expects.

10. Partnerships are ripe for being formed. How exciting!  This is ripe time for the church if she will step forward in faith.