Urban University

#UrbanUniversityGenSend

DOWNTOWN PHOENIX CHURCH

PHOENIX, ARIZONA

June 8, 9 and 10, 2017

URBAN UNIVERSITY  Historic Roosevelt Community, Phoenix, AZ

Your Ambassador will lead your group on a short tour.

Identify these six “S’s”.  Participants will construct potential ways they could connect with and minister to the community that are specifically authentic to the target community.   Begin your time in prayer.  Today, our goal is for you to learn the ‘art’ of seeing people and a city through the eyes of our Creator.  We teach that all Peoples are made in the image of God and we long to see individuals.  It’s important that you pray as you move throughout the day!

STRUCTURES & BUILDINGS - Take a pic of your entire group in front of what YOU consider a building-block structure of this community. Unique #UrbanUniversityGenSend

• What are the structures and buildings that you see?  Fences?   Bars on windows?
• What are the purposes being addressed by the buildings you see?  
• What chain businesses do you see? (i.e. Starbucks, McDonalds)
• Are the structures older or new, well kept or run down, rented or owned, businesses, third spaces or services?

2.  SIGNS & ART: - Take a pic of your group that includes Roosevelt Art.  #UrbanUniversityGenSend  (Examples include bumper stickers, tagging, etc, public spaces, Art on the streets and buildings).

• Is there a common theme that you see in these signs?
• How much money did it cost to ‘make’ these signs?

3.  SPATIAL DYNAMICS: (Example of Spatial dynamics:  Think about how an airport gate lounge is set up with fixed lines of seating all facing the same direction, the lack of tables or group spaces and dominance of screens) - Take a pic within a spatial statement.  #UrbanUniversityGenSend

• Are the sidewalks on both sides of the street? Are they wide or narrow?  

          Are they shaded or open?                

• Do you see spaces to play, relax and rest?  
• What, if any, public transportations do you see?
• Are the streets narrow or wide?                 Is there free parking?
• Are there alleys?  If so, are they activated?
• Do you see lanes for bicyclists? 

Your Ambassador Guide will lead you in prayer and release you now to disperse for lunch and finish out the rest of this experience.  We’ll see you all back at Civic Space Park at 11:30am for Popup Church!  If you need help, ask your Ambassador or 

call Jim at 602-799-9160.

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At this time break up into smaller groups of 3 or 4 people.  Grab some lunch and proceed with this exercise!

4.  SOCIAL INTERACTION:  (Group into 3 or 4 people each.  Take 40 minutes and sit some place in the community and grab some lunch). -Park, Restaurant, Third Space).  Take a group selfie in that place.  #UrbanUniversityGenSend

• Do you see pedestrians?  Is it a walking culture or mostly automobile culture?
• Are there people walking their dogs?
• Do you see people greeting each other or ignoring each other?
• Does it seem that downtown is a destination or merely a space in-between?
• Where do people seem to hang out?  Socioeconomic groups?  Ethnic groups?
• Are there indoor AND outdoor spaces?
• What ages and kinds of people do you see?  Children?  Are they safe?
• Go to the DTPHXCHURCH.COM web page and watch the “Urban University” intro video to discover our take on being in our community.  Does it make any sense to you?

5.  SPIRITUALITY:  (For the sake of this process, let’s use “spirituality” to refer to the ways in which humanity interacts with the unseen world, the inter life, God, spirit and the concept of life after death.  Divide up individually or in pairs).

• What formal places of worship do you see?    Where were they built?    Pray
• What activities do you see, if any, around these places?   Pray for these people.
• Do you see gatherings in the parks, coffee shops, home for rented spaces?  Pray for DTPHX CHURCH as we minister in this community.
• What kind of spiritual postings do you see on bulletin boards, light poles?  Pray for our like-minded spiritual siblings in our community.
• What spaces do you notice where people might go for rest, solace, mediation?  Would they work for DTPHX CHURCH as a ‘popup church’ location?  Pray as you are led.

6.  STORY:  The story of the community is quite important to understand.  - Engage yourself in a conversation with someone.  Ask them to please explain this community and how it’s changed. (For example:   “Hi. I'm new here. Tell me about the community. How long have you been here? What are you most proud of about the community? What would you like to change if you could?”)  Google “Roosevelt Row Community Phoenix” or “RoRo Community” to learn more.  - Ask for permission to take a selfie with you and the person you speak to.  #UrbanUniversityGenSend

*When you finish, make your way to PopUp Church at “Her Secret is Patience” . (Google it if you like).  Our outdoor worship begins at 11:30 am

Much of this exercise is from Michael Miata, professor transformational urban leadership at Azusa Pacific University in Los Angeles, InnerCHANGE.  And from To Alter Your World by Michael Frost and Christiana Rice.

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Take some time to pray, asking God to show you what He sees when He looks at the City ….

Journal some of your impressions as the Holy Spirit gives you insights …

What stories will you take home as God continues to mold you as an ambassador?

Jeremiah's Letter to the Exiles ESV

29 These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders of the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2 This was after King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the eunuchs, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metal workers had departed from Jerusalem. 3 The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. It said: 4 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.