Work of Our Hands:
Building a neighborly economy
"Economy" has many faces—and one is the face of our neighbor. Here are steps taken by a rural parish that has begun connecting the gifts among its people to contribute to building a local economy AND to strengthening parish and community relationships
The issues
People were concerned about a parish spread out over several communities and about changes in rural lifestyles. Rural people are still helpful when needed, but less "neighborly" as they work at more jobs and have less time. Could the parish help relieve some of the time stress for families by developing talents at home and would this bring people together in the parish community as well?
Start with assets
Instead of focusing on the loss of neighborliness and how the parish would survive, a group came together and focused on the opportunities that might lie in the skills and talents of the parish and of its members. First, they looked at their parish. Using parish experience and assets as a base, they proposed to put together a directory of local talents and enterprises to encourage stronger relationships in a "buy locally" network. "Work of Our Hands" (WOOH) was selected as a name for the project
To find out whether people would use a directory and to find out about gifts, talents and enterprises among parishioners, WOOH decided to do a simple survey at all weekend services: one question about talents, gifts and enterprises that people wanted to share (25 did), one about whether people would "buy locally" if they knew where to go (yes!).
A simple, doable directory
• A parishioner agreed to coordinate the project
• The coordinator contacted all persons who named a talent, gift or enterprise to share and asked them to write a 2 sentence description for the directory |
• Pictures were taken by WOOH participants of people who wanted to be in the directory at all masses one weekend
• One participant formatted the directory on the computer and the daughter of another designed the logo
• The pastor wrote an introduction
• The parish provided paper, participants did the copying and collating
• The directory was distributed to each family in the parish bulletin
What is happening?
• Contributors to the directory range in age from 14 to over 70 and there are many different talents and products
• People involved in the directory are using each others products, supporting each other, sharing resources
• Parishioners are connecting faces and talents— the directory is like "talking over the fence" as neighbors
• More parishioners want to be listed in the directory
• Copies of the directory placed in the church keep disappearing!!
Widening the Circle
WOOH sees the directory as an important first step to a "buy locally" network AND better connections in the parish. Next steps:
• A festival open to anyone in the parish to showcase gifts and talents before and after a Saturday evening mass
• A new edition of the directory
• Seasonal reminders in the bulletin, ie: berries are now available from………!
• Possibly expanding to other churches and community groups in the area
• Increasing the use of local products in parish activities
• A newsletter and/or website
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