Suburbs or City???
Quickly before I get to the purpose of this entry I would like to say thanks to all those who helped out with the Soulstice Gutter Sundae. Though the rain stopped us from having the bonfire and Smores, the sundaes were a hit and the kids had a blast. I think it was a fun time for those that stuck around.
I was at my mom’s house this Friday morning over in St. Paul just off of University and Hamline and had an experience that has me thinking about some things. I grew up in the Midway area of St. Paul, which I would consider and urban neighborhood. My only real prolonged suburban experiences have been the churches and college I have and do attend. It was getting to be lunch time and we all decided that some fresh bread, deli meats and fresh veggie sandwiches were in order, and so I was tasked with picking up a few items at the store. It was a beautiful day out, and the store is only 3 blocks from my mom’s house, so I decided to walk! (Ironically, this was met with a surprised, “you’re going to walk to the store?”, from my sister in law.)
As I walked to the store, I noticed things. I noticed the work that was being done on people’s houses. I noticed the people who lived in the houses who were out working on their yards. I noticed, and said hello to at least 4 different people on the way to and from the store. I noticed the new businesses being started in the community. I guess my point is that I was acutely MORE aware of what was going on in the life/lives of this community and the people that lived there. As I waited to cross the street, I said hello to a man and woman also waiting. I had a strange sense of being MORE connected to what it means to be human in this short 15 minute experience and it started to challenge some things that 
implicitly govern my life.
When I’m in the suburbs…I NEVER WALK ANYWHERE! Not only does this have implications on my physical well being, but I realized that everywhere I go, I am isolated from the people that share this space with me by the doors, windows, radios, and walls of our automobiles. What implications does this have for community? I’m refering to a real sense of “we’re in this together”, “I know your name”, etc. I’m not trying to bash the suburbs or the people who live here. Please don’t misread my intention. I am only posing a question to those who read that I found to be worth pressing into myself. I know that one could play the devil’s advocate and probably respond to a blog like this with equally valid objections to city life and we could go back and forth.
My real question(s) is simply this: What are the values of the Kingdom life of Jesus and the church, and how do the places we live help or hinder the flourishing of those values in our own lives and the churches/communities we are a part of?
I found myself realizing that being in touch with the actual people of a community by resisting the urge to drive when I can walk was an important part of my public life as a follower of Jesus. I would argue one must be in touch the people and community they live in, in order to touch the people/community with the life/gospel of Jesus. Is this more accessible in the city or the suburbs?
Thoughts???
During my blogging days I wrote about a night in my parent’s [suburban] neighborhood…
“My family has the reputation of the mystery neighbors in our cul de sac. My parents are atleast 10 years older than the next oldest couple in our neighborhood, and while my parents biggest concern is figuring out how to send 2 kids to college, the rest of our neighborhood is financing diapers and girl scout uniforms. However. Each family in our neighborhood comes with a beautiful story. Brett and Amy across the street just went from being young foster parents of a 6-year-old little boy to adoptive parents of this little boy and his 2 siblings in order to keep them all together. 0-3 kids in literally a matter of days. The Hansens next door invite us all into their story as their 9-year-old, severely autistic, “Zach-Man” wonders around the neighborhood. We don’t hear too much from Cheryl…she’s a night-shift Minneapolis cop who has a ‘lady-friend’ living with her.
It’s a rare occurance that I partake in the neighborhood activities. Partly due to the fact that the vast majority of them include talent shows and slip and slides. However, last night we got a call around 5 from next-door saying that their grill was hot, so BYOM and come hang out. My dad and I walked over started our tastey ‘buffalo burgers’ and so began our night. I watched as the red radio flyers rolled in carrying kids, coolers, and cookies to share.
Within 10 minutes, there was probably 10 families, 50 hotdogs, and dozens of hungry little munchkins running through the sprinkler while their “hang-a-ber was on the gwill”.
The sun was settle behind the clouds creating a calm and comforting warmth, and the wind blew gently. To my right sat “Chueng” who speaks little english, and didn’t really interact with anyone, but nonetheless was grinning from ear to ear. To my left sat Amy, the new ‘mother of 3′. Who was tired. I watched and listened to her as she began to try the ropes of this whole mom thing. She insisted on vegetables before cookies, and pulled a classic as she told her daughter that she’d ‘time her to see how fast she could run home to get her swimsuit on’. (worked on me until i was like 10) In front of me sat homemade bowls of love. Strawberries, pasta salad, apple pie, watermelon…you get the picture. At which point, it occured to me. THIS IS BEAUTIFUL. From the precious sounds of gut-busting giggles of the kids running around, to the ‘veteran moms’ giving amy advice on how to handle this or that. This was how life was meant to be. Shared. Shared stories, shared food, shared responsibility, shared LIFE. So what if Jack tripped and dropped the cookies on his way up the driveway, so there was a little extra flavor! So what if one family was eating Chicken/Guta Cheese/Apple Brats (which were surprisingly tastey). It was beautiful.”
I guess I hate to think that choosing suburbs or city would limit the value of relationships in a neighborhood (and I know that’s not the purpose of this blog) but as a ‘burb girl, i have very fond memories of relationships and activities growing up…and EVEN ride my bike to Aldi once in a while, though it’s 8 blocks instead of 3…i hereby defend the suburbanites! That’s all…just my thoughts
Kaitlyn – while I appreciate your post and can see it all in my minds eye, and love it BTW, you didn’t answer the question. I know that with intentionality you can create community and the values of “neighbor” anywhere you are.
The question I’m wrestling with is this: does one culture (urban/suburban) implicitly help/hinder the life/values of Jesus more so than the other? These are subterrainian currents that flow in the midst of life lived in either place that we typically are not aware of but actually influence us a great deal. My experience the other day allowed me to see some things that were going on in my own life and right under my nose that I hadn’t seen before…just trying to get us to think about what those things are and how they impact our lives as people of faith.
Apparently, translators never saw “suburbs” or “suburban” in all those Greek words. But that doesn’t mean there weren’t people living in and out of the cities. Jesus interacted with them all. I chose to live in the suburbs, I have had lively discussions on religion at soccer games, in my back yard, in my living room, …
And I have had numerous opportunities to serve others living where I do. SO my thinking is that one culture does not implicitly help or hinder the gospel more so than another.
Having said that, there is a question about being isolated from others while driving and that is real. How about riding a bike instead, (better for the environment and better for your heart). Secondly, how committed to Richfield are you? You could move south of the river and walk or ride to work. Third, consider using your car time to learn a new language. I know a guy that has learned 4 new languages while commuting 20 minutes to work each day, (Language is the key to community in any culture).
Sorry to just ramble on. BTW, thanks for the great Soulstice service on fear. I personally think that a manuscript with the rest of Mark is hidden in a jar somewhere and we have yet to discover it.
Jim
great points and ones that I agree with. there are pros and cons to both urban/suburban areas and one could go on and on about each of them. The issue is really are we “open and awake” to those currents underneath the surface of the water so to speak.
good thoughts on the other language part and i agree with you on the Mark bit. The trajectory of Mark’s gospel just can’t stop at verse 8, but I don’t think the redactors did a very good job of keeping with the feel/flow/spirit of the rest of the gospel either. Maybe someday they’ll find it…if not, oh well.
I’m with Kaitlyn, I think there is opportunity for community all around us. There isn’t necessarily a good place or a bad place. Some places might more easily foster community, but the fact is that people need to be loved no matter where they live. You can stroll (and thousands do every night) up and down the streets of suburbia or the city. I think there is a sort of nostalgic longing for a simpler time, a wide community like a small town where everyone knows each other, but those days are often beyond us. I have found that I can at least know my kids’ friends and their families by coaching sports, and when I see my neighbors out, whether it be doing yard work or on Halloween, then I need to get out there and be present with them.
It is the same choice that we have every time we go to church. We can reach out and meet people, or we can just stick to ourselves. I don’t think the setting is the important thing…the important thing is the reaching out. Who needs to encounter us? Who needs an encouraging word from us? There are people all over searching for someone who cares, and we can be God’s ears and eyes and hands and feet to meet those needs.
I think we too often go through life thinking it is about us instead of thinking it is about the people around us.
Hi There!
The burbs/city thing..I don’t think it a matter of location, but a matter of mindset. We can be SOoo engrossed in our stuff. Good stuff or not so good. Work, ministry, play etc.. our eyes can get kind of crossed inward. We don’t SEE the people around us when we are tied up in whatever we’re tied up in.
Mindfulness of those God brings into out paths is something we need to let His Spirit cultivate. For me, it takes the realization that these I share this space called “Earth” with are my God’s creation. His so loved creation. I’ve asked at times to see these through His eyes. And I’ve asked at times to see His eyes in theirs. And some times, I’ve not asked at all, not noticed at all, because I am in my own world; eyes not clearly focused.
It is a constant struggle for me. I kind of think for lots of us. Maybe because it IS a big thing in “Kingdom life”
P.S. to Kaitlyn
You write beautifully!! That sweet picture is still glowing in my mind!
Keep it up!
It’s not like Micah is arguing that suburbia is some sort of Essenic existence. Having said that, I would like to say to Micah: I would assert that the reason you were so aware of the community (and the “subterranean currents”) at and surrounding your mother’s house was simply because you were out of you accustomed setting, at a heightened level of functioning. The potential for community exists everywhere, and besides, it’s not like Jesus never had his alone time.
Let’s compare a small neighborhood farming community in the country to a metropolis, now who has more Kingdom values? I say this to demonstrate that the issue isn’t spatial or even cultural, but human.
Does this make any sense to anyone but myself?
Wowzers! Caleb, you are so dang smart! I agree with you. I was thinking something like this as I was reading all the other comments, but couldn’t quite formulate it in my brain. I think being kingdom minded has nothing to do with our surroundings and everything to do with our actions in whatever surroundings we find ourselves in.
To say that where we live hinders our kingdom orientation is an attempt to point the blame on something else. I’d love to make excuses, believe me. Urban settings are hipper and have a greater concentration of people, while suburbs are a bit more spread out with more strip malls, but the hurts and pain of people remain in all their various strains. Wherever we find ourselves, in the fields, the burbs, the city, or anywhere between, God has placed opportunities in front of us to choose to be kingdom minded or not to be. I must choose and sadly I must admit too often choose not to be.
hmmm…”To say that where we live hinders our kingdom orientation is an attempt to point the blame on something else.”
I’m not sure I’m saying what I want to say so people understand the question I’m posing. All of the comments are right on and are essentially saying the same thing “community is not a matter of location or geography. Rather it is a posture and intention of each of us as individuals first. I completely agree.
The question I’m still asking is this: are there inherent forces and realities (though they may be “subterranean”) that exist in the suburbs that make it harder for community to happen? Equally are there forces or realities that exist in the city that make it harder for community to happen? If you or I find ourselves in one place or the other, it would do us well to pay attention to what those things are and make sure we are pushing against those things that are contrary to the communal kingdom life of Jesus. We must be aware of what those things are in order to work against them, which is why I brought up this topic in the first place…to help us think through what some of those things are.
I will refer back to my earlier response: the problem is not spatial. This is what you are referring to, is it not? The fact that suburbia is inherently less dense than the cities? I think all barriers to community boil down to 2 things. The first being fear – afraid of the vulnerability that comes along with true community. Second being the displacement of our need for community (relationships) to objects, finding fulfillment and satisfaction in material things. Human errors experienced by all, indifferent of environment.