a Walnut vision

Waterloo has many admirable initiatives and many committed people working tirelessly to affect positive change in people and places which are considered under-resourced. What if there was a collective vision and entire neighborhood in which restoration was happening with Jesus Christ as the central leader and motivation?

What if salvation isn't only about individuals but is communal as well? What if Christ came to save our souls but also our cities and our systems? What if because of the redemption we have experienced personally, we respond in gratitude and allow God to work through us as individuals and families in His redemptive mission for our community?

What if we became the people spoken of in Isaiah 58:12, "Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called repairer of broken walls, restorer of streets with dwellings."?

What if we concentrated on doing it together in a concentrated location?

I believe it might look like the following vision in the Walnut Neighborhood of Waterloo:

- Imagine LinK Christian Community Development Corporation birthing with the commitment of neighbors and the Body of Christ to link arms and fuse lives in order to work together for the development of people and places in order to be all that God intended for us. Linking people. Linking places. Linking with the mission of Christ.
- Imagine a mix of income and race moving into the neighborhood to live together as neighbors and friends. Imagine streets safe to play on, relocators purposely moving in to link with Christ's mission of reconciliation and transformation. Imagine people taking the risk together to join with those who have found community and solidarity in the struggles commonly found in under-resourced neighborhoods. Imagine gentrification happening with justice.
- Imagine Harvest Vineyard continuing to reach out wholistically through their church in the neighborhood. Sharing the truth and love of Christ in word and deed, discipling and empowering people, shining Christ's light as a beacon in the neighborhood.
- Imagine Harvest adding on an arm to their church with a transitional home for men in the neighborhood. Imagine linking together to rehab a house on Walnut St. that was built in 1908 and is a beautiful, historic presence in the neighborhood.
- Immanuel Lutheran School/Church, the corner and the gateway of the neighborhood, is now for sale. Imagine if Christ wanted to use it to serve and empower the neighborhood? Imagine the programs and outreach that could be headquartered there!
- There's a beautiful old, huge home that has been divided into four apartments in the neighborhood. Imagine LinK CCDC acquiring the home, rehabbing it, and having it serve as a "graduation" apt. unit for men from the transitional program.
- Imagine if new homes were built on the many vacant lots to fit the historic neighborhood look and provide housing opportunities for people of mixed incomes.
- Imagine Chuckster's, Sookies, the urban clothing store, Talk Shop Cafe, Poor Boys Soul Food, and the Candy Shop all benefitting from the life in the neighborhood. Imagine more businesses locating along that stretch of 4th Street so that the neighborhood increases its economic vitality.
- Imagine friends who are well-resourced stewarding their passions and their professional and leadership gifts for the glory of God to empower and develop leaders from the neighborhood.
- Imagine a neighborhood where the kids get several positive "touches" a day from caring adults. Where they have a network of adults who know them, encourage them, mentor them....neighbors, coaches, tutors, program leaders, friends of the neighborhood who live and/or spend time in the neighborhood. Imagine kids coming to Christ, graduating from high school, going to college, with some coming back to continue being change agents for Jesus.
-Imagine if other churches inside and outside the neighborhood join the vision of being "with" the neighborhood not just "in" the neighborhood or "for" the neighborhood. What if the Church began to reflect "Thy Kingdom come on earth" as we act in Christ to be his love, his hands and feet, his voice in the neighborhood?
-Imagine that the non-profits in the neighborhood feel supported and included in theneighborhood. House of Hope, Boys n Girls Club, LilyFergurson Daycare, Lutheran Social Services. What if they caught the whole vision and became partners and players in it? What if the Body of Christ brought the vision to them by loving and serving within those non-profits?
- Imagine people pooling together to assist home owners in the neighborhood who are aging and who have aging homes. Last Spring, a few small groups from Harvest and Orchard Hill helped two of these home owners by cleaning, painting, and doing minor repairs. What if that became the mission of a group of handymen, women, and youth? What if we even intentionally taught folks job skills in the work that's being done?
- What if it was a common sight to see small groups of people prayer walking through the neighborhood and praying for/with neighbors?
- What if it was a common sight to see the neighborhood celebrating together...whether it be at the Triangle Park or another common area? We saw this vision as reality in August at the National Neighborhood Night Out. A grand party with about 150 neighbors and friends in the neighborhood. Imagine authentic and deep community being experienced.
-Imagine Christ mutually growing people across economic, racial, cultural lines so that each person grows more fully in their identity and purpose in Christ.

What if there was a shared vision with the Gospel being the very reason for and power by which all takes place? Who knows how God might shape the vision and play it out, but I do believe we are not to re-create and multiply ourselves to maintain the systems and the economy of separation that currently exists. God wants to do something new, and I believe He's calling us into this new thing.

Isaiah 43:19 "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."