Finding Friends In Your Community

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As I admitted yesterday as a christian most of my friendships started in church. I think this is true for a lot of fellow Christians. I think we forget often forget about Mark 1:17 “And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” If we as Christians make only friends with other Christians we seriously decrease our chances of ever becoming a fisher of men.

How do we make sure that we don’t cut off those who don’t believe what we do? How do we make friends if we don’t attend a church? We get involved in the community around us.

If you work outside of the home this is going to be easier for you than those of us who don’t. At the work place make sure to have a welcoming spirit. If your company holds a picnic go to it. When the picnic is over pick on or two people you felt a connection with at the picnic and invite them out to coffee or invite their whole family over for dinner.

Beyond the walls of work however there are even more places to find potential friendships. Review your talents and find groups in the community that will support them and even help you grow them.

To get you started in brain storming here is a list of 1o clubs communities often have that might match your talents

1. Do you love to garden?

Perhaps your town has a garden club or a community garden.

2. Are you a runner?

Contact the local gyms in the area and see if they know of a running club you could join. If they don’t know of any ask if they know of any upcoming 5K’s. Sign up for them if there are any and get social at the start and finish line and I am betting you will find a runner there that knows of a small group that meets regularly to run who wouldn’t mind another runner joining them.

3. Is yarn and needles your addiction?

Call up the library and see if they know of a local knitting group. You could also look for local yarn shops in your new town’s yellow page listings and if there are any chance are they will know of any local knit ins.

4. Are you a Zumba or other group fitness class lover?

Scan the yellow pages for gyms in the area. Pick up their class schedules. See which ones offer the classes that interest you most in the time slots that work for you. Show up a few minutes early so you can strike up conversations with fellow classmates an linger after class to deepen those conversations.

5. Do you have a love of singing or playing and instrument?

Many towns have group choirs or orchestras that you can audition for. If your town is too small try reaching out to larger surrounding towns. My bet is there are others traveling from your area to develop the same talent and meeting up in a far off town just might grow into a carpooling friendship that grows beyond the car.

6. Do you have desire for continuing education?

Many communities hold night classes for anything from photography, to basket weaving ,to town history. The fees for these classes are often inexpensive and they are great opportunities to meet other life long learners.

7. Are you a bookworm?

Ask your librarian if there are any book clubs in your area. Another great place to find out about these is by visiting any local independently owned bookstore in your new area.

8. Do you love pets?

Volunteer at your local animal shelter and meet other pet lovers.

9. Do you love to bike?

Visit the local bike shop and see if they host group rides.

10. Love theater?

Many towns have small theaters that produce 2 or more live shows per year that you can addition for.

If you can’t find a local group that fits one of your talents then start one. Find out if your local coffee shop has a meeting room you could use and advertise your event on their bulletin boards. Place an add in your local papers community listing with details about the meeting. Print up flyers and hand them out to businesses that would attract people with the same interests as the group you want to form. I know this would be a huge leap for many personalities as well as a huge time undertaking at first but the rewards could be enormous as you could finally meet those people that just really get you.

This post is part of the New Town to Hometown series. Use the links below to dig into the series.

Introduction: My Story

Part One: Becoming Friend Worthy