There are three words that help guide the ministry and work of SLF—Connect, Resource and Mobilize. This month we look at the second word in the trio: Resource. Last month, I shared some thoughts about Connection, and how it leads to a sense of belonging and being valued. We considered Jesus’s parable about the mustard seed which grows into a plant which provides a place of rest and connection for the birds of the air.
As a Christian, I am continually invited to trust in the One Who Holds All Things Together. The One who “owns the cattle on a thousand hills” (Psalm 50:10) is also described as the “Father of Lights” who provides “every good and perfect gift” (James 1:17). At SLF, when we think about Resources, we begin with acknowledging that everything belongs to God, and we are stewards with access to Resources. This is both a privilege and a responsibility.
At SLF, Resources include things like offering skill-building trainings for church and nonprofit leaders, fostering collaborative partnerships, and, of course, making financial investments in our partners. Since 1996, SLF has partnered with over 30 churches in Salem/Keizer as they pursue the vision God has given them to love and serve their neighborhood. We have helped launch several non-profits that provide critical services for children, families, people in recovery, and those in need of housing or medical care. We have also provided funding and volunteer opportunities for neighborhood initiatives like community gardens, school attendance drives, and park beautification.
We love this work! And we are so grateful for your generosity. It empowers us to provide these resources, and work with networks of neighbors, churches, and non-profits for the flourishing of everyone in our community.
Fall is a busy season, and it is safe to say many of us will feel our personal resources stretched thin in the months ahead. The impending impact of elementary school closures may heighten this feeling for you. I strongly believe the best thing to do when resources feel tight is to come together. I hope and pray that we will all steward our unique and needed resources to create greater connection in our community. May God grant us the courage to do so!
For the Shalom of the City,
Kyle Dickinson
Executive Director
Growing Together
Danielle Daly, Director of Neighborhood Partnership Teams
I look forward to berry picking every summer. It’s my favorite way to engage with the rich agricultural resources of our Willamette Valley.
Only weeks ago, I parked in the gravel lot one crisp, cool morning. The blueberry farm had just opened, and endless rows stretched before me. The branches curved down with the weight of the fruit. I walked a few paces along Row E before kneeling beside a strong, older bush.
Beneath its leaves, I discovered giant berries in fully ripe clusters! Handfuls of beautiful fruit cascaded into my bucket at the gentlest touch. I marveled that the Creator devised this remarkable bounty, and yet it came into my hands through the careful and dedicated work of a farmer—perhaps generations of farmers. They tended the soil, watered the plants, mowed the weeds… again and again… for years. Their faithfulness to little daily actions multiplied the abundance, and yet they didn’t keep it for themselves—they opened the gates so I could participate in their harvest.
All that legacy and collaboration in a single delicious bite.
That berry field displays the beautiful mystery of God’s invitation to partner with creation as cultivators—the same invitation to partner with our neighbors in cultivating the resources already knit into our Salem community.
Consider the neighbors, churches, schools and businesses of our Neighborhood Partnership Teams (NPTs), who have been faithfully tending relationships and building community for years, even generations. In my new role as Director of NPTs, I see myself kneeling down beside the fruit that is already here and adding my contribution.
Sometimes resources in the NPTs look like a funding request for a community garden or supporting an activity at our local elementary school. But our community’s wealth is more than financial—it lies in our willingness to labor, each contributing what we have, to cultivate Shalom in our city.
As we consider what is ours to do, let’s rejoice that the energy and life of the Kingdom of heaven is already in abundant supply. Our Creator provides the sun and the soil—what will we grow together?
Danielle Daly
Director of NPTs
For more information on Neighborhood Partnership Teams email danielle@salemlf.org.