National Night Out

August 6, 2024

Why National Night Out?

The National Night Out or Night to Unite began in 1984 with a celebrated focus on law enforcement and other civic organizations, bridging out to their citizens for the sake of building relationships and preventing crime. It takes place, from 6-9pm, on August the 6th.

Our Aim: To mobilize The North Church members into their own neighborhoods and the surrounding community of our church campus to proclaim the excellencies of Jesus Christ, for the joy of all peoples in God, through partnerships with law enforcement and other civic organizations. 

The possibilities include:

  • Hosting a block party in one’s own neighborhood

  • Participating in the block party hosted by a neighbor

  • Co-sponsoring a block party with one’s small group members or other TNC members

  • Participating in a Mounds View Block party hosted by MVPD at the MVMHC.

(If you are interested in participating at a location hosted by a TNC member or at the Mounds View Mobile Home Community, reach out to Pastor Jason at jason.vaden@thenorthchurch.com)

Steps to Hosting

The National Night Out or Night to Unite began in 1984 with a celebrated focus on law enforcement and other civic organizations, bridging out to their citizens for the sake of building relationships and preventing crime. It takes place, from 6-9pm, on August the 6th. The below steps include mere suggestions on how to plan for the evening:

Step #1: Find out if someone in your area has already registered for an event (e.g., contact your local police department or city hall, visit neighbors, search on Nextdoor.com or Facebook, etc.).

Step #2: If you decide to register for an event, identify the registration deadline and decide where to have it (e.g., in the frontyard, blocking off the entire street, at the local park, etc.).

Step #3: Enlist the help of others, especially fellow-believers (when possible), in planning the evening and assigning responsibilities (e.g., icebreakers for adults, activities for adults/children, food/refreshments, setup of any chairs or tables, any music, trash cleanup, etc.).

Step #4: Request the local police department, K-9 department, fire department, and/or EMTs to make an appearance.

Step #5: Publicize it beforehand (e.g., advertise through an HOA, post on Facebook, and/or download and distribute the flyers provided by the city or the police department; or create your own flyers).

Step #6: Consider providing name tags, sharpies, and signup sheets to get basic personal info.

Step #7: Enjoy God’s good gifts around the start of new relationships, and prayerfully dream about ways to pursue sustainable outcomes!

Registration Information

Registration for this event can be done online through a search for National Night Out (or Night to Unite) and the name of your city. If your search proves unsuccessful, try contacting your local police department or city hall. The links below provide direct access to registration for some areas: