ABCs of
being part of a Community
Acceptance:
Allow people in the community to be themselves and meet them there
Be
Yourself: This gives the other members of the community the opportunity to
accept the real you
Collaborate:
You can’t do it all alone, work together
Develop:
This is two ways, helping others development and letting them help yours
Engage:
Community is not a place for distance and aloofness. Get involved
Forgive:
Someone is going to offend you, you need to be able to forgive
Give: Of
yourself, of your time, give what you can to the group
Help:
When there is a need, help within your ability
Interest:
Show interest in the lives of your community members
Justice:
Keep your eyes open, groups frequently lean away from justice, be on guard
Kindred:
Find the commonality you’re excited by
Listen:
This skill is being lost, when someone is talking, listen to what they are
saying
Make
Plans: Be intentional; community doesn’t just happen
No: Sometimes
you need to say “no;” it’s ok
Openness:
Be all in, share your thoughts and your burdens
Protect:
Guard the quieter or weaker members of the group from being run over
Question:
Make sure you get what’s going on; don’t assume, ask
Relish
diversity: There are strengths in differences
Serve:
Small ways and big, serve each other and serve together
Together:
A community needs to spend time together, community cannot be solo
Understanding:
always try to see where someone is coming from
Value:
Everybody has value, actively look for the value in others
Willing:
Even when the group decides to take an action you don’t like, give it a fair chance
Xylophone:
If you don’t understand its importance, I can’t help
whY xylophone?:
Seriously, I can’t help you
Zeal: Be
eagerly active, if you don’t have a zealous joy in your community, you may be
in the wrong place
