Add to Our Community Asset Map
You may have noticed a new bulletin board in the narthex. This board was lovingly designed by our fabulous Lay Leader, Annette B., and now it’s ready for YOU to contribute to it! Read on to find out what it’s all about.
The bulletin board is a community asset map for our church. When we introduced the idea of asset mapping back in August, we talked about it as a tool to help communities assess their resources, skills, and expertise, but encouraged you and your family to engage with the idea on a more personal level by assessing yourselves. Now that you’ve had some time to ruminate on your own assets, we are going to come together and map ourselves as a group. This will help us approach our mission – to improve people’s lives by becoming the best of who God created us to be – in a new way: through the lens of our collective strengths.
The right side of the board features three large shapes: a head, a hand, and a heart. Take some time to consider your areas of knowledge and expertise (your “head” assets), your special skills (your “hand” assets), and your motivators/passions (your “heart” assets). For each asset you’d like to add to the map, grab an apple from the basket in the center of the board, use one of the Sharpies to write a few words or a sentence about your asset, then use one of the push pins to attach your apple to the board. You can pin it near the shape that matches the type of asset it is, or add it to the apple tree on the left side of the bulletin board. It’s your choice whether or not to include your name or initials on the apple.
As of the end of today’s service, there were already a number of apples on the tree. We can’t wait to watch both sides of the bulletin board fill up over the coming weeks and months, becoming a visual representation of the immense gifts each and every member of Desert Mission, no matter their age or occupation, has to offer. When we’re finished, we will literally be able to count our blessings.
Do you want to add to the board but are unable to do it in person? Share your assets with us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram OR contact either Jen or Annette and we’ll add an apple for you!
