This summer each day's Community Care challenge is focused on bringing abundance to your neighborhood. We know from the story of the Good Samaritan that Christ calls us to have active, intentional, and sacrificial compassion for those around us-- whether or not they look, think, act, or believe like we do. Look around and truly see your community with humble eyes that crave justice and love mercy, as the prophet writes in Micah 6:8. Take the community care challenges seriously and to be present in mind body and spirit as you work.

It's out with the old and in with the new! Use this day to clean out the cobwebs and make space in your neighborhood for a more abundant, vibrant community. Ideas for today might include:

• Trash pickup

• Graffiti abatement

• Park clean-up

• Helping a neighbor or friend with chores

Maybe what you need to do today is to clean up your act. Maybe you've wronged someone and you need to own up to your behavior. Maybe you need to ask for forgiveness. Is there chaos and clutter standing in the way of abundant relationships with those around you?

Let your love blossom and grow! Use this day to put down roots where you live so that you can become a blessing to those around you. Ideas for today might include:

• Lawn care for a neighbor

• Weed patrol at church

• Sharing produce from your fruit trees/garden

• Delivering flowers to a hospital/nursing home

Don't forget your relationships today. Where do you need to cultivate kindness, respect, love, and sincerity with others? Do you need to pick up the phone and call someone you've been avoiding because you simply don't know what to say? Love is worth the effort, so dig in!

Feeling inspired? Let your spirit soar and share your joy with those around you. Ideas for today might include:

• Encouragement card making

• Poetry or song writing (to share!)

• Creating a special meal for a neighbor or friend

• Hosting an art day for little ones in your life

Think about creating space today. Space for those around you to feel safe, nurtured, and accepted. A space around you where people feel the presence of God. How can you make your home feel wonderful and welcoming to the neighbors God has given you?

Today your task is to focus on becoming a better ally to people who may feel like outsiders in your neighborhood because of their physical or intellectual abilities, their race and/or culture, their gender identity or sexual orientation, their socioeconomic status, or even their religious affiliation. How can you love, support, and serve people in your neighborhood that aren't like you? Your assignment for today is to:

1. Select a topic from the list above

2. View 2-3 resources on your topic

3. Share on our Padlet what you've learned and how you can use this knowledge to be a better ally within your community

Sample resource: Who is my neighbor?