How does the local church rise to the community engagement challenges of the current context, as we face major socio-cultural change, accelerated by the global pandemic, amidst deeply polarized societies? Just asking the same old "church questions," such as how to fill empty pews, is no longer enough. We have to ask the "God questions," such as how God is already at work in our local neighborhoods. What does it take for local churches to engage in more mutually respectful ways with our neighbors and local organizations? This book offers theoretical and theological reflections, distils wisdom from recent research and connects this with local case studies-which tell powerful stories drawn from both the US and UK. The authors provide a vision of Christian community engagement which places God''s reconciling work at the center. Successive chapters address the full spectrum of how congregations engage their communities-from meeting felt needs, to raising awareness, to advocating for change, to organizing with multiple organizational partners and community residents. This book resources congregational and non-profit leaders, in rural, suburban, and urban settings, to listen more deeply to the people in their local context, and to unearth new treasure together.

Autorentext
David Brubaker serves as the dean of the School of Social Sciences and Professions and also as a Professor of Organizational Studies at Eastern Mennonite University. He has 35 years of experience in workplace mediation and training and in organizational and congregational consulting. David has consulted and trained with organizations throughout the U.S. and in a dozen international settings including Northern Ireland, Mozambique, Angola, Nepal, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Egypt and Jordan. David is the author of numerous articles on conflict transformation and Promise and Peril: Understanding and Managing Change and Conflict in Congregations, co-author of The Little Book of Healthy Organizations, and lead author of When the Center Does Not Hold: Leading in an Age of Polarization. Alastair McKay is the founding Director of Reconciliation Initiatives, a not-for-profit organization resourcing Anglican clergy and their churches for missional engagement with local communities.

Inhalt
US Foreword: Nancy Ammerman, USA
UK Foreword: Samuel Wells, Vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, UK
Acknowledgements

Introduction

1. Big Picture and Foundational Stories
2. Applying Reconciling Mission Insights in England
3. Collaborating to Meet Community Needs in Arizona
4. Raising Awareness and Pursuing Justice in Wisconsin
5. Neighborhood-Based Community Development in Montana
6. Applying an Asset-Based Approach in England
7. Concluding Threads
   Recommended Further Reading and Resources
   Notes