A Corner on Community Relations?

SO THE minister feels he has a corner on church-community relations! Just to show we house a sweet and generous spirit, we'll con­cede that he does. BUT . . . there are four corners to most things as square as the church and its community must be. Will there be hol­low, echoing sounds in the other three corners? Who fits into them?

Here is how the personnel shapes up: One corner is occupied by the women of the church, another by the men, and the last, equally im­portant corner remains for the minister's wife to fill—and it's a big one! As a matter of fact, how some of the other corners are filled depends on her.

The minister's wife in many churches has an advantage over her sisters in the church, for she usually has had more educational opportunities. This gives her a confidence, a stability, an adequacy in meeting the public that may not exist among many of her sister church members. She has a further advantage in her position as a minister's wife, which automatically opens many community doors that might tend to creak a little in opening to others.

It is therefore Mrs. Minister's responsibility to make the most of these advantages. How will she go about it? How will you go about it?

First of all, why not do a little research? Get acquainted with the outside of the town. Learn what you can about its industries, its people or peoples, its dominant religions, its weak points and strong. Much can be learned from driving around and just looking. Much more can be learned from the telephone directory. Still more can be learned from a careful study of the local newspaper.

Look for the names of clubs existing in the area—especially women's clubs. Follow the club doings that appear in your newspaper. Soon you will be able to decide how you might fit into one or more of these clubs. Ellen G. White has' told us that "it is through the social re­lations that Christianity comes in contact with the world."—Testimonies, vol. 4, p. 555.

Many women's clubs, unless specifically civic-minded, fall into the rather dull occupations of bridge playing and chit-chat. Watch for the civic minded type. You can offer them something constructive in the way of a program as an entering wedge. If the size of the club warrants it, you may be able to arrange for an Adventist doctor to speak to the group on a health topic. Or the college in your union may have a speakers' bureau from which you may be able to draw if the meeting can be scheduled at the time of a booster trip. If you have spent some time in overseas mission service, you are "sitting pretty." You have your own ready-made pro­gram to offer. The new film produced by the General Conference Bureau of Public Rela­tions, More Than Singing, is also designed especially for programs at clubs of this type. Most conference PR offices have a print of this film available.

For a straight no-program-to-offer approach, simply call the club president and introduce yourself as the minister's wife. Tell her you have heard something about the club and won­dered whether you might attend some of their meetings.

Once you have received the invitation to attend, remember that it's your business to be friendly. Never let anyone even suspect a "holier than thou" attitude, for there is none. Don't preach, but be prepared at all times to give the right answer to questions that may pop up con­cerning your religion. Without doubt they will come. Woman's curiosity may have gotten her into trouble at the early dawn of this world's history, but it has also served a lot of useful purposes.

When you have become established as a mem­ber, you have another duty to perform. You will not always live in this community. You are a worker in the great Advent Movement. When you leave, there should already be another woman representative of the Adventist Church attending the club's meetings, unless something in the club membership regulations makes this impossible. Think over carefully who of the women in your church might fit into this par­ticular group. Suggest to the club president that this person would make a good member. If it is agreeable, bring her to meetings with you. When she has become acquainted she is on her own. You can then relax a bit. Failing this, you may be able to prepare the way for the succeeding minister's wife to become a club member.

There are other organizations in which you should interest yourself: the Red Cross, the local welfare organization, the community's civil de­fense unit. A straight approach, accompanied by your church's Health and Welfare leader, is the best to make here. See the directors of these organizations. Tell them something of what the Adventist Church is doing in their fields and ask how the local church can cooperate with them. These visits can take that much of the load off the shoulders of your husband and fit in nicely with a woman's interests. They will open the way for other women—and men—to get acquainted in the community.

Are you interested in music? Your town may have a citizens' symphony or something of the sort in which you, too, can participate. This provides a wonderful opportunity for widening your circle of friends—friends who need the precious truths you hold dear.

Obviously you can't make all the social con­tacts for your church. After you have become a little more familiar with the women in your church, you should discover how well they are acquainted with others in the community. Have they failed to think in terms of meeting socially with nonchurch members? Perhaps some should not do so. Others, however, have the wisdom and stability, the personality and poise, that will make them solid representatives of the church. If there is an active Health and Wel­fare Society in the church, this is one avenue for them to become acquainted with others. Give them the needed encouragement and ar­range introductions where possible.

Avenues for new friendships may open through the holding of classes in home nursing, Red Cross first aid, or nutrition and cookery. Put an apron on your husband and let him give a few lectures too! The ladies will love it, and so will the newspapers. You can coach him beforehand if need be.

And here is something rather special that just you can do. If there is a hospital in your town —and there generally is—make it a habit to visit five or six of the women patients each week. Sometimes people can get pretty lonely on long afternoons when their own special friends and relatives are working. Just be friendly and helpful. If, after talking with the patient a few minutes, you feel she would not object, ask if you might offer just a brief prayer before you leave. Make it short. Don't try to sell your religion. The old curiosity should start nudging, and you need only be ready when the questions begin to come. Give literature only when it is asked for, but have it with you, out of sight. Some hospitals have community auxiliaries— groups of women who give their services so many hours each week. If your hospital needs help, you may be able to round up some of the church members for this rewarding work. Their efforts can go a long way toward helping the name of Seventh-day Adventists to glow in the community.

In all your efforts you must be very careful of the feelings of others. Here are some caution signals:

1. Fly your colors; don't flaunt them. Never be ashamed that you are one of God's peculiar children, but avoid like the plague making your-

self appear to be any more "peculiar" than you are.

2. Do not thrust yourself upon any one or any group. A too-forward approach may send doors shut with a bang.

3. In your activities be careful not to usurp the prerogatives of women in the church who have the responsibility delegated them through church election to office. You may consult with them. You may take them with you when mak­ing visits. You may share your ideas as if asking their advice. But never tell them.

4. Lead gently, humbly. Don't push. It's God's corner too.