Summer Good Neighbor Parties

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden... let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16)

Summer is such a great time, as the pace of life changes for many of us.

This is a moment to seize, as you choose to be more intentional about building relationships with your lost friends and neighbors.

A Vision for Summer Community

When it comes to mission, relationships are the soil where spiritual conversations grow best. And summer gives us the perfect conditions to plant, water, and tend those relational seeds.

But here’s the secret: You don’t have to plan big, complicated events to build meaningful community. 

In fact, some of the best relational connections happen around simple, casual gatherings - the kind where people feel relaxed, welcomed, and at ease.

When we create space for fun and connection, we're opening doors for deeper relationships... and eventually, deeper conversations about life and faith.

Your focus this summer is to love people well, be generous in sharing life with them, and build the sort of trust that opens hearts to spiritual conversations. 

Aren’t Parties All Huge?

In case all this talk of parties is stressing you out, a ‘party’ can be 2 people sharing a cup of tea, through to hundreds coming to a full-scale event. Generally we’re thinking of smaller and mid-sized gatherings in the examples we give below.

This means that hosting parties is not just for gregarious extroverts! Introverts - this is for you too!

For us, ‘parties’ is simply a catch-all term for looking outwards into our place of mission, and offering spaces where we can easily connect and build relationships with lost friends and neighbors.

How Do I Pick?

Below are a host of ideas for different ‘parties’ that you can throw.

We’d suggest that the way you select a party idea is to first think about the people you’d like to reach.

  • What would be fun and engaging in their world?

  • When would be a good time to gather?

  • Where would be an invitational and appropriate space?

  • What would be lightweight enough to run that you can be focused on the people and conversations once it actually starts?

Essentially, the filter is simple: what will work best for the folks in your place of mission?

Summer Party Ideas

  • 4th of July party. You could even have the kids decorate bikes and scooters and do a mini-parade!

  • Ice cream party

  • Pool party

  • Grill out with others

  • Graduation party

  • Friday cocktail hour on the front lawn

  • Host a jewelry (or other craft) selling thing

  • Get kids to chalk positive messages on the sidewalk or people’s driveways. Or chalk a game (e.g. hopscotch) where passing kids can join in

  • Dog party

  • Runners’ gathering

  • Block party

  • End of season event for the team

  • Grilling food for soccer (or other sport) families (where you or your kids are involved)

  • Book club

  • Board games (especially good for introverts!)

  • Coffee or tea meet up

  • Quiz night

  • Front yard parties, e.g. wheel out a TV or projector to watch a sports game or a movie together!

  • Connecting through the local ‘Nextdoor’ or Facebook groups - invite people to an event

  • Pancake breakfast, maybe even with live music/art or whatever would work in your context

  • Create your own summer tradition

  • Do events at the beach

  • Be present in the front yard - put a swing in the tree or a picnic bench for the community

  • Backyard fire pit parties. Maybe give them questions to use like, “What is the dumbest thing you’ve ever done?”, or 2 truths and a lie, or "What would you do if you weren’t afraid?"

  • Serve someone else (maybe get a group to do it together) - offer to work in a struggling neighbor’s front yard, serve at your local homeless shelter, fill backpacks for underprivileged kids etc

  • Celebrate a silly National Day like National Yard Game Day (June 21), National Freezer Pop Day (July 8), or National Hot Dog Day (July 16)

  • Labor Day party

If You Can’t Pick…

One of the easiest parties to do (which, to be honest, is one of our regular go to’s) is a front (or back, or side, or local park) yard party.

Plan this with at least one other couple/family so that you know someone else will be there! Spread the word for people to stop by and to bring a drink or a snack.

All you need to do for set up is have a few chairs, a table for drinks and snacks, and some music for the background.

This is super low key and everyone is just so appreciative that you’d take the time to facilitate some sort of get together! We do this a couple of times a year.

Next Steps Worksheet

  1. Talk through these steps - by the end, you’ll have the key ingredients in place to see a missional party take place!

  2. Pray and prayer walk

  3. Which lost friends would you like to connect with?

  4. Therefore, what sort of party/ parties are you going to do?

  5. When and where will you do it?

  6. Who can you invite to help you host?

  7. What do you need to do in advance? (Invitations, food and drink, supplies, furniture, music, etc)

  8. How will you assess if you’ve been successful?

Share Your Plan With Us

Let us know what you are planning so we can pray for, celebrate and resource you.

We have supplies to lend, and even some grant money available to help offset some of the cost of your party if this would be helpful.


Adapted from Dandelion Resourcing

https://www.dandelionresourcing.com/newsletter/summer-fun-ideas?rq=summer