This 12-session course is a comprehensive approach to understanding the vital need your neighbors have for community and relationships and how the church is called to address it.  We will dive into these relational issues that span from mental health challenges to parents feeling isolated, the loneliness epidemic, struggling moms, the growing number of unchurched people, and much more.  In this course, you'll be guided in a step-by-step process for unearthing valuable information and data about your community and how your church is uniquely and specifically called to address the need and desire for the basic human need of belonging, purpose, and impact. The church is uniquely called and qualified to become a "relationship depot" to connect people and overcome these challenges. This extensive course incorporates the Community Conversations & Insights as well as the Congregational Gifts Assessment for a complete journey of discovery. If your congregation desires to take a fresh approach to ministry and be more in sync, relevant, and impactful to your community, this course is just what you've been looking for!

The twelve-session course includes the following topics:

• Laying the Foundation for the Need

• Laying the Foundation for the Church’s Call

• Understanding the Desire & Need for Community

• Examples of Building New Communities

• Focusing on Demographics’ Needs

• Discovering Community Needs, Gaps, Opportunities

• Discovering Congregational Gifts, Passions, Assets

• Discovering Congregational Assets

• Determining Your Congregational Call

• Determining a Pathway Forward

• Considerations on Your Journey Forward

• Assuring the Call Takes Root