Today was the first day of our Roselawn United Canvass. After weeks of build-up, explanation and encouragement we were finally ready to go! We had a handfull of church members show up for the training.  During the training we emphasized the importance of listening while out in the neighborhood. I reminded our canvass team, "We are not going out to bring any message, we are going out to be a message..."

"Just by our showing up and asking questions, we are trying to send the message that we care enough of find out what is happening in this neighborhood. In our next steps we will try to send the message that we care enough to do something about what we have heard." 

We had some technical challenges getting the survey information to people's phones and devices, and it was clear that some of the canvassers were nervous in the conversations that occured as people were waiting. Once we got the information loaded properly and canvassers divided into teams, people were ready to get out there. 

The teams canvassed for about an hour. Most of the doors they knocked on had no answer. Between the two teams they talked to 5 people. It was not the overwhelming start I had hoped for, but it was a start. Now that we are moving it is up to us make it stronger in the weeks to come.