The Lupton Center | FCS Training and Consulting

🎉New course! 🎉 Sign up for the basics of community engagement - even better, if you have attended our Open House, enjoy 35% off when you purchase before October 31! Get started today: https://lnkd.in/e65sHwMW ************************************ The Lupton Center is the training and consulting arm of FCS - Focused Community Strategies. To learn more about FCS, visit fcsministries.org.

Shawn Duncan is officially on sabbatical! From October 10 to December 10, Shawn will be taking time to rest, reflect, and recharge—an essential practice for sustaining long-term community work. He's looking forward to being in nature, embracing silence, and renewing his energy for the journey ahead. Join us in wishing him a peaceful and restorative time! ************************************ The Lupton Center is the training and consulting arm of FCS - Focused Community Strategies. To learn more about FCS, visit fcsministries.org.

8th Cohort of Leaders Lab has wrapped up! Participant Nate Tubbs said, "It challenged me to be locally rooted. Learning alongside fellow leaders was truly unique!" 

*NEW* Grab the Basics for Community Engagement course at the special price of $99 (regular price $150). Don't miss out on this offer—learn how to build meaningful connections and foster lasting change in your community! ⏰ Offer ends next week: https://lnkd.in/e65sHwMW ************************************ The Lupton Center is the training and consulting arm of FCS - Focused Community Strategies. To learn more about FCS, visit fcsministries.org

We recently had the chance at FCS to enjoy a “Lunch-n-Learn” with none other than Seth Kaplan, expert on fragile neighborhoods. We’re still digesting the incredible insight Seth shared. For a window into Seth’s insight, head to our episode with him on the Place Matters podcast. In the episode, Shawn Duncan and David Park sit down with Seth Kaplan, author of the soon-to-be-released Fragile Neighborhoods, to unpack relationships' crucial role in transforming communities. Spoiler alert: It’s more than just place—it’s about people. Listen now! 🎙️https://lnkd.in/evsefY2s ************************************ Place Matters is hosted by Shawn Duncan and brought to you by FCS - Focused Community Strategies. To learn more about FCS, visit fcsministries.org.

Shawn Duncan and David Park recently visited Tulsa to connect with our fellow Purpose Built Communities Network Member, Growing Together, Inc.! Anytime we get to come alongside another fantastic place-based organization, it’s a win for us. ************************************ The Lupton Center is the training and consulting arm of FCS - Focused Community Strategies. To learn more about FCS, visit fcsministries.org.

Team members David Park and Rebekah Klein had an amazing time in Portland at the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) conference! They led a workshop on congregational health assessment, diving into how churches and neighborhoods can react and engage together. With around 40 people attending, the response was fantastic! 🎧 Want to learn more about fostering community engagement in churches and neighborhoods? Tune into our podcast for deeper insights: https://lnkd.in/e-mRqK_N ************************************ Place Matters is hosted by Shawn Duncan and brought to you by FCS - Focused Community Strategies. To learn more about FCS, visit fcsministries.org.

At our Fall Open House, we dug into the idea that poverty is not just a housing, education, income, or health issue—it’s a neighborhood issue. The neighborhood is the essential unit of social change. When we shift from thinking about individuals to thinking about neighborhoods, we start to see the deeper, often invisible power structures that shape opportunity. Place is not just a container for inequity—it creates it. This is why neighborhood development is key to sustainably reversing the concentrated forces of inequity that plague our places. ************************************ The Lupton Center is the training and consulting arm of FCS - Focused Community Strategies. To learn more about FCS, visit fcsministries.org. Shawn Duncan

At the Lupton Center, we know that genuine, lasting change happens when we work WITH our neighbors. That’s why we created The Oath for Compassionate Helpers — a set of principles to guide individuals and organizations in their efforts to foster healthy, thriving communities. 📜 The Oath: ❌Do no harm – Commit to approaches that are empowering and dignifying, avoiding charity that creates dependency. 🤝Create opportunities for legitimate exchange – Move beyond handouts and find ways to build mutual relationships that recognize and value the gifts of all people. 🛑Refrain from pity – Don’t make people objects of pity, but partners in solving challenges. 🏡 Commit to proximity – Stay close to those you serve, building long-term relationships that create space for understanding and mutual transformation. ❤️Honor dignity – Recognize the inherent worth of every person, engaging in ways that build self-sufficiency and shared power. When we take this Oath, we’re not just making a promise—we’re choosing a mindset of respect, humility, and shared responsibility. We believe this is the foundation for sustainable community development that truly uplifts everyone involved. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/ePFGPYnA. ************************************ The Lupton Center is the training and consulting arm of FCS - Focused Community Strategies. To learn more about FCS, visit fcsministries.org.

We had an amazing time at the Fall Open House this week –learning and connecting around the critical work of community development. One core concept we explored is the power of ZIP Code. Right now, a person’s ZIP Code is more predictive of many life outcomes than genetic code.   Here's what that means: Place matters — where you live can shape income mobility and opportunity, especially for children. Children are most affected — their environment during childhood has lasting impacts on their futures. Neighborhoods create opportunity — a better environment for kids leads to better long-term outcomes. This is why we focus on developing neighborhoods in place rather than simply moving people to new locations. It's about maximizing impact and improving outcomes for most people by addressing the root causes of inequity. ************************************ The Lupton Center is the training and consulting arm of FCS - Focused Community Strategies.To learn more about FCS, visit fcsministries.org. David Park