Here are some of my highlights from the last week as part of the Vine

The Farmer’s Market: It was a blast to enjoy the beautiful fall weather, hand out free cookies and cider, and chat with people. I enjoyed confusing the multiple people who kept trying to pay or donate to us for the cider and cookies, to which, (much to their consternation) we explained that this was free. I enjoyed watching Jay stop what he was doing to help an older lady carry her many bags of produce back to the car. I enjoyed serving a mother and her eight(!) children cider and cookies all at once. I enjoyed talking with another gentlemen, who told me that he was going through a rough time and needed support. It was just a wonderful day!

Our Life Group: It’s beautiful, when everything is boiled down to the essentials; conversation, prayer, scripture. We had great conversations; prayed together, and came up with a fantastic list of ways that we could be blessing the city!

The Work: I can’t tell you how many times I look at what I do: meet people, make friends, help bless lives, collaborate with ohters for the good of the city, and say “This is work?” This is just so much fun!

What does church mean to you? When you hear the world “church” what do you think of? Does it evoke good memories or painful ones? People or places?

Join in the conversation!

I have to say that I’m pretty excited about the green movement in Haverhill. It’s certainly growing! We had our first single-stream recycling pick-up this morning (I was thrilled when they decided to expand the pilot into Bradford!) and we gave them about two whole trash barrel’s worth of recycled plastics, cans, and papers. Hooray for new ways to reduce our trash!

The resurgence of the Farmer’s Market also amazes me. To think that one year ago, we had one faithful vendor with their delicious crops, and now we have so many more farmers and craftspeople offering their locally grown and made products. I love being able to go every week and have five different varieties of apples to choose from, homemade goat cheese to sample, eggplants available to purchase from three different vendors, and locally made soaps and honey.

In that same vein, in many of our conversations with people from around the city, folks are energized about what community gardens could offer Haverhill. In addition to fresh vegetables open to all people – especially those who may not have access to local produce – community gardens offer a space for people to meet and create something together, an opportunity to reclaim and take pride in a neighborhood, a chance to build a greener city and a greener world.

Even though fall has come, the new life of this green movement continues to spread, bringing a new energy and a new vitality to Haverhill that I didn’t sense, even a year ago when I first moved here.

I sense new life sprouting in other ways – not just through Haverhill becoming more environmentally conscious. Even though times are tough economically, the downtown brims with potential for revitalization and expansion of small businesses. Art and music are everywhere – the Wingate Arts district has fast become one of my favorite streets to explore and visit (and I love the shoes everywhere!). I hear lots of hope about Haverhill’s future and what Haverhill has to offer the wider region. The “green” of this new life is everywhere to be seen!

For me, this is what we as Christians are called to do: “green” the gray world around us; bring new life and hope out of broken situations. Bring color and creativity to an otherwise dull and boring backdrop. Spark dreams and touch lives and partner in the creation of a new world of justice and peace and hope. In this way, I see Haverhill going green as more than just about the environment – it’s about a new life, a new dream, a new future for the city in which I live.

It was an interesting study in human behavior, being at the Farmer’s Market in the rain on Saturday. Melissa, Matt, and I were huddled underneath the tent with the Farmer’s Market table. We were trying to give people free cider and cookies, and, if they were interested, (seriously, if they just took the cider and cookies, we were completely fine with that!), tell them about the Vine and in particular about our community gardens project.

At first, we tried calling out to people to offer them free cider and cider. No success. Just a few hard stares.

We took down anything that looked vaguely like it could be a catch: cards, sign up sheets, and people started stopping over.

Still, I’d say over half the people couldn’t believe that we were just giving something away. People would inch over, examine our table closely for signs of pamphlets or cash boxes, before cautiously taking the cookies and cider, squinting at us as if to say “so, who are you?” We said to a couple people: “Free cider and cookies”, and they’d smile, come by, break out their wallet, and say, “how much?”

Still, I wonder, why is it so hard for people to believe that anyone, especially a religious organization, could just be giving something away? In the end, I think perhaps that reputation is well earned; too often, presents from churches come with hooks; a pamphlet, a pitch, pressure, an expectation. So rarely do religious people simply bless people, make their lives better, not for any reason except just because.

I hope we get a chance to do more of this in the city; just bless people, just give something away. Because after all, in my book, that’s exactly what God wants us to do.