Applications due: The next nationwide cohort begins in January 2024.

The Good Neighbor Experiment (GNE) is a cohort-based learning process for congregations who wish to engage their community as neighbors. GNE is rooted in the practices of Asset-Based Community Development and the Christian Faith. The material has been used in congregations since 2017 and the Neighboring Movement team has refined the material with each cohort led. The process includes a 4 week worship series, online events with other participating churches from across the country, 3 action-based “Labs” of small group materials you do with your own congregation (each 5 weeks long) and congregational coaching for churches; all occurring over a 4 month period.

The Health Fund is excited to partner with NeighboringMovement.org and the Lilly Endowment to offer Great Plains United Methodist Churches a special opportunity for current or new signup Healthy Congregations (HC) teams to participate in the The Good Neighbor Experiment (GNE) at no cost. Not a Great Plains United Methodist Church? You are still welcome participate in GNE – please visit https://neighboringmovement.org/gne to learn more.

To get started, please fill out the below interest form. There is no obligation – staff will reach out to you to guide next steps and answer questions. To learn more about GNE first, please visit the GNE website. Questions? Please email dashinika@healthfund.org or ian@neighboringmovement.org.

Good Neighbor Experiment Interest Form

Good Neighbor Experiment Healthy Congregations Special Opportunity Interest Form

Not with a Kansas or Nebraska (Great Plains Conference) United Methodist Church? You can still participate in GNE - please visit https://neighboringmovement.org/good-neighbor-experiment

First Name *

Last Name *

Email *

Phone *

Address *

Address

Address

Address

City

City

State AlabamaAlaskaArkansasArizonaCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming

State

Zip/Postal

Zip/Postal

What is your role at your church?

(pastor, staff, volunteer, outreach team leader, etc.)

My church's Healthy Congregations participation *

Currently participating in Healthy Congregations

Interested, but not sure if our church is in Healthy Congregations

Wanting to sign up as a new Healthy Congregations team

GNE is available at no cost to current and new-signup Healthy Congregations teams. Not already in Healthy Congregations? You can sign up and gain access to benefits of participation, including this and other special opportunities supporting congregational and community health ministry. We'll reach out to answer any questions and help guide you along the way.

State where HC church is located *

KS

NE

City where HC church is located *

Name of HC Church *

HC Participating Churches List Agenda UMC Alma UMC Neb Atwood UMC Augusta UMC Aurora UMC Neb Baldwin City First UMC Baldwin City Ives Chapel UMC Belle Plaine UMC Bellevue Aldersgate UMC Neb Bennington UMC Bladen UMC Neb Blair First UMC Neb Blue Hill UMC Neb Bonner Springs UMC Broken Bow UMC Neb Chapman UMC Neb Colby UMC Columbus First UMC NE Columbus UMC Concordia First UMC Corbin UMC Cozad UMC Neb Dakota City UMC Neb Davenport UMC Neb Derby Madison Avenue UMC Derby Woodlawn UMC DeWitt UMC Neb Douglass UMC Downs UMC Eddyville Grace UMC Neb Ellis UMC Elm Creek UMC Neb Elmwood St. Paul UMC Neb Emporia First UMC Emporia Grace UMC Erie Federated Church Eudora UMC FaithWestwood UMC Neb Florence UMC Fredonia UMC Fremont Calvary UMC Neb Glasco UMC Grand Island First/Faith UMC Neb Grand Island Trinity UMC Great Bend Trinity UMC Halstead UMC Harvard First UMC Neb Hastings First UMC Neb Hastings Grace UMC Hays First UMC Hiawatha First UMC Hoisington First UMC Holstein Grace UMC Neb Holton First UMC Hooper Faith UMC Neb Howard UMC Hoxie UMC Hutchinson First UMC Iola Wesley UMC Ithaca UMC Neb Jetmore UMC Juniata UMC Neb Kearney First UMC Neb Kincaid/Selma UMC Kirwin UMC LaCygne UMC Lawrence First UMC Leawood UMC Lincoln St. Luke UMC Neb Lindsborg UMC Louisburg UMC Lyona UMC Madison Trinity UMC Neb McCool Junction UMC McLouth UMC Melvern UMC Miller UMC Neb Minneapolis First UMC Mount Hope UMC Murdock Ebenezer UMC Neb Newton First UMC Nickerson UMC O'Neill First UMC Neb Ogden Friendship House Olathe Aldersgate UMC Olathe Church of the Resurrection -west campus Olathe Grace UMC Olive Crest UMC Neb Omaha Clair Memorial UMC Neb Omaha First UMC Neb Omaha St. Andrews UMC Neb Omaha St. Paul UMC Neb Ong UMC Neb Oskaloosa UMC Ottawa First UMC Overland Park Heritage UMC Overland Park Indian Heights UMC Overton UMC Neb Palmer UMC Neb Paola UMC Parsons Wesley UMC Pittsburg College Heights UMC Pretty Prairie & Murdock UMCs Reading UMC Red Cloud NE First UMC Republican City UMC Neb Richter UMC Rock UMC Russell Trinity UMC Saffordville UMC Salina Church of the Cross UMC Salina First UMC Salina University UMC Schuyler Christ UMC Neb Seward UMC Neb Shickley UMC Neb Silver Lake UMC St. Francis UMC St. Paul UMC NE Sterling UMC Tecumseh UMC Topeka First UMC Topeka Highland Park UMC Topeka New Hope UMC Tri-Parish (Admire, Allen, Miller) Vinland UMC Wahoo First UMC Neb Wamego UMC Waverly First UMC Neb Waverly UMC Westridge UMC Neb Wichita Aldersgate UMC Wichita Cedar Chapel UMC Wichita Chapel Hill Fellowship UMC Wichita East Heights UMC Wichita New Covenant UMC Wichita University UMC Wichita West Heights UMC Williamsburg UMC Wilson UMC Winfield First UMC Woodbine UMC Worden UMC

Check this list of participating Healthy Congregations and select your church if it is listed. If you don't see your church, don't worry - complete the below and we'll follow up with you.

State where your United Methodist Church is located *

City where your United Methodist church is located *

Church Name *

In which cohort is your church interested in participating?

January 2024 national cohort

I'd like to start a cohort in my area

I am not sure and would like more information

Please list name and email for any other church contacts we should know.

Comments / Notes

(Optional) add any comments, notes, or questions you'd like us to see.

How did you hear about the Good Neighbor Experiment?

(Optional)

If you are human, leave this field blank.

Submit

More about the Good Neighbor Experiment:

Who is it for?

GNE was created for local congregations of Christian churches. It is done best when 4-12 people from a church are willing to commit to the full scope of the training, including attending all the online kickoff events and personally participating in all 15 weeks of the small group curriculum.

NOT a church growth program

While some congregations do experience numerical growth, GNE is not intended to increase attendance on Sunday mornings or financial contributions. Instead, GNE is meant to create renewed vitality and to help the congregation become more deeply embedded within its community. GNE is for churches that are tired of creating programs that nobody wants to come to. Many of us have been taught that you can only engage your neighbor through evangelism or by providing a service to them; GNE offers another option. Throughout the experiment, churches are invited to move from scarcity to abundance and to see their role shift from service provider to community connector.

How do you participate?

GNE offers two ways to participate in a cohort:

• Nationwide cohort: The Neighboring Movement staff leads two cohorts a year that will usually start in April and July.
• Local facilitator/coach: If you would like to become a neighboring coach for local congregations near you as they participate in GNE and beyond, please contact ian@neighboringmovement.org.

Curriculum and Continuation

Learn more about the GNE curriculum and alumni program on their website.

Cost and Commitments

Responsibility for Churches

• Financial Costs: Great Plains Conference (UMC) church participation is covered at no cost. For other congregations, cohorts cost $1000 per church, though some local or regional conferences or organizations may provide financial support, depending on the area.
• People Power: Churches are asked to form a team with a minimum of 4 lay people and 1 church staff person who are committed to attending every workshop and doing all 15 weeks of the small group curriculum.

Responsibilities of Individuals

• Action Ready: GNE only works if the church is committed to actually engaging their neighbors. All participants should have the expectation of meeting their actual neighbors, both where they live and in the neighborhood of the church.