With the busyness of the holiday season behind us, I want to encourage us to stop and reflect. Many of us move at light speed with our New Year’s resolutions. So, do this reflection in order to not lose sight of the implications of the Christmas story. In particular, let’s reflect on the advent of Jesus, as recorded in John’s gospel 1:14 where it says “he came to dwell among us”. Jesus intentionally enters human history and re-introduces the concept of shalom. Shalom can best be described as the idea of justice and peace. It is justice and peace which encompasses the reality of restoration and reconciliation of humanity. Underpinning this radical theory of shalom is love, which binds all these together for true transformation.

There is a growing movement across our nation to something that is both incredibly simple yet extremely difficult. Loving Your Neighbor.

It is one of the two key commands Jesus gave, but in our mobile 21st-century context we have lost the art of loving (or even knowing) our literal next door neighbors. God has uniquely created you and placed you to be His connection to a disconnected world. You are sent by God to be a light to your neighbors.

Several local churches have created resources that they want to make available to you to help make this happen!

Have you ever had a feeling that you’re being called to something? Something that might be beneficial (for you, for your community, for your family, for God’s Kingdom, etc.), but something that might be challenging, time-consuming or daunting?

About two months ago, my husband and I relocated from North Fresno into the Jackson Neighborhood. My new neighborhood is not as “desirable”, by most standards, as my previous neighborhood. If you had told me a few years ago that I’d make that move, I’d have said “Sorry, I think you have the wrong person.”

ENP’s Map is a collection of 92 neighborhoods … that families call home.

We are currently serving 45 of Fresno’s 92 neighborhoods.

The following story of was shared by Dave Standley. He and his wife Tish are Partnership Leaders in the Ericson neighborhood with Valley Dream Center.

World Impact is a national organization that plants missionaries in neighborhoods for the purpose of them being salt and light in that community. Here in Fresno ENP works with several World Impact families.

The Contreras family has been faithfully serving in the Hidalgo neighborhood for several years. They remodeled a small, older apartment and turned the first floor into a Recreation Center which is used for week long outreaches to kids and families in the neighborhood. They host after school programs, game nights, Bible Clubs, parent gatherings and summer programs.

Most recently they teamed up with Northside Church to host a very large Block Party for the community. They closed the street and had bounce houses, basketball games, carnival type activities, face painting and live music. Over 600 residents participated in the event and they all walked away with some fresh produce, prizes, a full stomach and most importantly, a knowledge that there’s a safe place in the community that they can come to when there’s a need in their family.

ENP is proud to support the Contreras family and their year round efforts. They are providing true neighborhood presence in the Hidalgo Neighborhood.

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