South Carolina Baptist churches helped provide block parties at about 75 multihousing developments statewide as part of August’s National Night Out event. NNO is an annual partnership between single-family resident neighborhoods and law-enforcement agencies.
Children enjoy sitting on the captain’s seat of a Pickens County Sheriff’s Department rescue boat during a National Night Out event at Auston Woods Apartments in Easley.Now in its 28th year, NNO uses block parties, cookouts, parades, and contests to build relationships between neighborhoods and local law enforcement.
“On a statewide level, this was the first year South Carolina Baptists engaged multihousing ministry through NNO,” said Ronnie Cox, Acts 1:8 strategist for the South Carolina Baptist Convention.
In Sumter, John Sorrells, pastor of Crosspoint Church, reported that his church witnessed a spirit of community as church members, law-enforcement officers and residents of Bracey Square Apartments mingled together at a hotdog cookout. A SWAT team provided a demonstration, and photographs were available with McGruff the Crime Dog.
“Residents continued to venture from their homes to check out the fun, the commotion and the presence of law enforcement,” said Sorrells. “It was satisfying to know that our church turned a corner in this relationship with Bracey Square residents. We are already looking to how we can serve the community in the fall.” Sorrells said he introduced a woman, Eleanor, to faith in Jesus during a conversation at the block party.
“It’s all about building community,” Cox said. “Apartment managers know that when residents get to know one other, they are more likely to renew leases and stay in the apartments. Most managers welcome this opportunity because it gets their people mixing together and knowing one another. Law enforcement benefits because of the anti-crime relationships it can build in communities. Churches benefit because of the short- and long-term kingdom benefit that comes through relationships.”
At Gleneagle Apartments in Greenville, manager Carol Campbell said NNO “is an excellent outlet for the people who are living here.” Working at Gleneagle Apartments were members of Reedy Fork Church, Greenville, where Bob Whaley is pastor.
“We brought in activities to help attract people,” said Whaley. “We had inflatables, tricycle races for children, volleyball, karaoke, and other activities that helped people mingle with one another.
“The project definitely opened doors for our church to build rapport with the community, and our church members were able to see missions beyond the walls of the church. It helped our members build relationships with people they never have traffic with, and it provided discussions about things we can do as follow-up.”
Whaley said residents expressed an interest in financial training because of the global economic recession. The church will also have a fall carnival at the complex in late October.
“We realize as a church that we must make changes to impact the community that we are in,” Whaley said. “We must go to where the people are living.”
Volunteers from Mt. Moriah and Trinity Point churches in Easley mingle with residents at Heritage Trace Apartments in Powdersville.In Gaffney, Park Hills Church participated for the first time in NNO, providing a cookout and supporting law enforcement at a community of duplex units. Advance preparation also allowed pastor Larry Sanders the opportunity to visit at a nearby mobile home park, bordering the duplex community. The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department was on site and provided children’s identification kits.
Amy Campbell is a member of Trinity Point Church, Easley, and the Upstate coordinator with Community Life Within, a multihousing service organization. For NNO, Community Life Within helped Powdersville First Church connect with Auston Woods Apartments in Easley. She also helped Palmetto Church and Trinity Point Church connect with Heritage Trace Apartments in Powdersville. With Community Life Within, Campbell is also an on-site missionary resident at Heritage Trace.
“We were able to provide inflatables, snow cones, watermelon, water, and popcorn at Auston Woods, where the sheriff’s department also brought search and rescue boats for the children to see,” Campbell said. “At Heritage Place, we had a police cruiser. A volunteer made balloon animals for children.
“This project is one that helps get our faces in front of residents so we can get to know one another and build relationships.”
Cox praised the state’s smaller-membership rural churches “who did a great job supporting this first-time effort.”
Cox said churches interested in multi-housing ministry can contact him at 803-227-6006 or by e-mail at ronniecox@scbaptist.org. – SCBC