Community Building Activities
Creating a Sense of Community Spirit in a Church or Social Group
As church congregations or other social groups get larger, it can be difficult for members to get to know each other. Shared meals can help to build a sense of community.
An increase in numbers is one measure of success for a church congregation or social group, however it can make it difficult for individual members to get to know each other. This is particularly true for new members joining a long established group. By actively planning events and social activities, it is possible to help people meet and get to know others in the group outside of their usual social network.
Community Lunch
Over one or two dates, plan for all members of the group to either host or attend lunch at the home of another member. To facilitate this, six to eight weeks in advance ask members to complete a brief form indicating whether they would like to host or attend. Hosts need to indicate how many adults and children they can entertain and visitors need to indicate how many adults and children will be part of their group.
A senior member of the church or group should allocate visitors to the hosts, trying to pair up people/families who will have common interests but may not necessarily be well known to each other. A phone call should be made to the hosts one week prior to the event to let them know who will be attending their home.
To prevent the burden of providing the entire lunch, once groups have been allocated the host can organise for each visitor to contribute something to the meal. This may be drinks, bread rolls, salads or side-dishes or a dessert.
Picnic Lunch
Organise a date for all members of the group to meet at a local park to have a picnic or barbecue lunch together. Each individual or family should bring along their own lunch and some snacks to share. If the location is suitable, encourage people to bring along bikes for their children and soccer balls or other outdoor games.
This is a simple, low cost activity that can be held at regular intervals (every one to two months) or as an annual event.
Ladies’ Afternoon Tea
Invite all ladies in the group to an afternoon tea. This can be held at a private home (if there is a member of the group with a home of sufficient size) or in a church or community hall. Provide tea and coffee facilities, juice and water for cold drinks, and a variety of snacks. Ask some members of the group to contribute to the afternoon tea snacks, making sure to ask different people each time. Ensure that there are healthy alternatives available, such as a fresh fruit platter and/or dip with vegetable sticks.
If appropriate, one of the members of the group could be invited to give a short five-minute talk on a topic relevant to the group.
Men’s Social Event
Invite the men to a pizza night at the church or at the home of one of the members. This can be combined with a movie night, televised sporting event or guest speaker.
A barbecue breakfast at a local park with barbecue facilities is easy to organise with little preparation required. Alternatively, a regular monthly breakfast at a local take-away food chain is an inexpensive and convenient way for men to get together.
An afternoon playing tennis, ten-pin bowls or lawn bowls will also give men an opportunity to meet others in the group.
Getting to Know Others
One of the advantages of being part of a church group or social organisation is the opportunity to meet and get to know other members of the community. Church and group leaders can facilitate this by organising regular social activities.
