Weber submits that the modern urbanite can have "community without propinquity" [nearness]. One example of understanding community without nearness, in our contemporary cultural context, would be virtual relationships—available in cyberspace.
CATEGORIES
OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES
Neighborhoods
are not all the same. They are impacted by geography, threats from without and
within, size, cultural composition, and a whole host of other concerns. For
these and other reasons, communities have varying degrees of commitment to their
residents, and visa-versa. They range from extremely protective, to communities
in name only. Keller and Fischer speak of four types of communities:
1. The Defended Community – When local
residents feel threatened by external change, the community bands together in
order to defend itself. The desired outcome is for the community members to
feel protected and secure. Examples of such defensive postures are:
neighborhood watches, blocked-off streets, and gated communities.
2. The Community of Limited Liability –
The term “limited liability” calls attention to a voluntary and limited
involvement of the residents in a local community. Local organizations and
particularly local communities have a vested interest in maintaining the
identity and boundaries of the community. For example, in Greater Boston, there
are two regional newspapers. However, many of the local cities and towns have
their own newspapers. Two of the major functions of local newspapers are to
maintain the identity of, and communication with, the local communities.
3. The Expanded Community of Limited
Liability – An expanded community is larger and more spread out than the
previous model. There is also much less real cohesion. There are many examples
this phenomenon. In the Boston area one possibility would be the “Back Bay” or
the “South End.” On Manhattan it would be “The Village” or “Bedford Stuyvesant.”
4. Contrived or Conscious Communities –
Often, in expanding populations, new communities of hundreds of houses are built
by contractors who then name it. Ghettos will often have names. Condominium
associations are also conscious communities. One thing they all have in common
is that the boundaries are clear. With some exceptions, they tend to be generally
homogeneous.
Each
of these types of communities has its own identity, cultural makeup, attitudes,
and its own set of rules to live by. It is the responsibility of each
congregation to understand and find a way to minister to its community. The
long-term survival of a local church is very dependent on its ability to find
ways to minister meaningfully to its ever-changing community.
One way some churches respond
to “other” is to defend themselves from any disturbing influence from outside. Another
angle are churches that focus on programs that are designed to serve those
already in the church. Such approaches can be characterized as being insular.
What
kind of community do you live in?
What
characteristics does it have?
Where
is your church located?
Where
do your congregants come from?
Do
they have to cross community boundaries to worship?
If
so, how comfortable are they?
[i] Suzanne Keller, The Urban Neighborhood, New York:
Random House, 1968; and Claude Fischer, The Urban Experience, New York:
Harcourt, Brace and Jovanovich, 1976.
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