Let's continue to build community - by pursuing the Common Good
From a resource by Together for the Common Good
Together for the Common Good have published a free Guide to show you how to run four short group sessions locally as a basic introduction to Common Good principles and help the group develop an action plan together for your local context.
The participants could be:
-
neighbours,
-
key workers,
-
faith leaders,
-
acknowledged community leaders and volunteers,
-
local business leaders,
-
local representatives of 'agencies' e.g. Local Authority, police, NHS, schools,
-
people who have used the foodbank or other community services.
This list is not exhaustive!
The Guide:
-
includes an outline for each session, readings and questions;
-
includes tips on preparing for and running the sessions;
-
is intentionally written in non religious language to be inclusive for all faiths and none;
-
stresses that you don’t need to do it all - leadership can be shared across the group.
The four short sessions can be run online or face-to-face. They help participants explore Common Good principles and relate them to their lives: in this place, right now.
The Common Good is the shared life of a society in which everyone can flourish - as we act together in different ways that all contribute towards that goal, enabled by social conditions that mean every single person can participate. We create these conditions and pursue that goal by working together across our differences, each of us taking responsibility, according to our calling and ability.
The Common Good is something we build together - it fosters community spirit and strengthens the bonds of social trust. It transcends party political positions.
As we consider the COVID-19 crisis and its aftermath, we realise that the re-build required will need to be underpinned by a consensus, where human beings understand the relationship between virtue and social, political and economic life. The crisis is showing us in stark terms that it is only when we think of others and love our neighbours, when we show solidarity with each other, and when we work together to build the Common Good, that we flourish as human beings.
In the wake of the crisis, there is a danger we may return to the status quo. But the crisis has exposed many weaknesses in our society that were there before and that is why pursuing the Common Good is so necessary. By building on the community spirit that emerged during the crisis, we can strengthen relationships and social solidarity within our communities. We can strengthen, preserve and celebrate the unique character and humanity of our neighbourhoods.
Download the free Guide from here.
In this crisis, you have probably been liaising with many people across your community. Why not foster these relationships through running these sessions?
Retweet about this article:
From a resource by Together for the Common Good, 30/06/2020