A place for kids to be creative in the summer can influence the outcome of their life and faith. It was the unique combination of creativity and compassion that Jazmin Lopez Geminiano experienced as a child that she would extend decades later for children through Art & Jesus Camp.

I would like to suggest collage as a practice to be present to God, to yourself, and others. It’s an opportunity to bring out all your kindergarten skills: cutting, gluing, and arranging. It’s surprisingly peaceful and fun and doesn’t require any refined artistic skill. Invite a family member, a neighbor, or a group of friends to join you.

The practice began with a question. “What can we do to share the Easter story with people in our neighborhood?” Mark Grapengater had recently moved to the Hampden Heights neighborhood, but in the Spring of 2020, navigating the early days of the pandemic, a neighborhood gathering on Easter Sunday was unlikely. Mark considered the art installation, Stations in the Street, “I think this is something we can do.”

During the holiday season, sometimes the best thing you can give your friends and neighbors is…less. Not a Christmas party, not even a Christmas gathering—just a few hours to pause, wrapped in a bit of lightness and brightness. That’s how our tradition of “Christmas Cheer To-Go” began. 

Puzzles are a creative way of slowing us down. They invite us to look closely, be patient, and appreciate the process. In the season of Advent—a season marked by anticipation and the spiritual work of waiting—a puzzle can ground us in an embodied practice. A puzzle is a practice that reminds us that the process is as essential as the completed product.

“The best thing you can find at a garage sale isn’t a bargain—it’s community.”

Each spring neighbors open their garages and cover their front lawns with tables full of treasures. Garage sales are commonplace events. But for The Knolls, Cherry Knolls, and Tiffany neighborhoods, located in Centennial, an annual Neighborhood Garage Sale has become a cornerstone of community life.

I co-lead a church that meets in our home. We decided a practical and joyful way we could serve our neighborhood was to sponsor the Easter Egg Hunt. Last year, we chose to hand-deliver an invitation to the egg hunt to every house in the neighborhood. We asked the families in our church to contribute eggs, create a cookie decorating station, and hide over 800 hundred eggs!

Role-playing, commonly associated with acting and theater, can be a powerful tool for cultivating connection and understanding with our neighbors. Through the practice of creatively entering an imaginary situation, we can begin to build the necessary skills to respond to challenging interactions. 

“Halloween is a boo-tiful day to get to know your neighbors.” says Kristin Schell, founder of The Turquoise Table. There is no other day of the year when more neighbors knock on each other’s door. Halloween is a unique opportunity to show hospitality to your neighbors and neighborhood.

As I was growing up, the smell of turpentine and the whir of a sewing machine filled my senses. My mom was an artist and my husband David’s mom was a musician. His home was alive with the beautiful sound of Bach flowing from his mother’s piano. Being raised in creative homes, we learned the value of both artist and art.

Giving flowers is a way to show kindness to your neighbors in your building or on your block, at a nearby retirement center, elementary school, or food bank. It is a practice of sharing beauty and spreading joy.

Sitting in the backyard as a new mom while my first daughter played, I found to be a very isolating experience. But when I took the kiddie pool or the slide to the front yard, the chance of interacting with other adults rose exponentially.

A creative practice to love your neighbors and neighborhood is to attend a local high school musical. Supporting the arts at your local high school is an opportunity to connect with your community and communicate you care about what for many students is their annual highlight.

Gratitude for delivery drivers cultivates hospitality for all those who serve us in unseen ways.

Caroling is a wonderful way to meet new neighbors, make memories with friends, and benefit from the all the gifts of singing songs.

Christmas lights hung outside your home are a tangible way to brighten the season for your neighbors. It may be a single strand lining the roof or an elaborate visual display, hanging Christmas lights is a historic Denver tradition that brings joy and light to your neighborhood.

Our schools are often the conduit for the confluence of our neighbors and their needs. The Holiday Store is a beautiful way to begin to build relationships by engaging with your local school.

Street Dinners is an everyday practice. It has a low entry barrier to connect with your neighbors. We’re grateful to Jocelyn for sharing this practice with us. We want to learn from your practices too. Please share them with us! We look forward to sharing them with you.

Practice being in the front yard. Begin the weekend with a cup of coffee, or enjoy happy hour to celebrate the end of the workday, in the front yard. Place a picnic table, or an extra chair, in the front yard as an invitation for your neighbors to join.

Being a regular is an ordinary, but intentional, practice to love your neighbors and neighborhood. It is arranging everyday activities with consistency. Being a regular provides a rhythm to build relationships.