written by Samantha Menley, Project Coordinator for 200K More Reasons
The One More Question initiative finished another round of Regional Training events around the Conference. During the four events, 15 churches and over 100 people were equipped to be neighbors with their communities. The One More Question team is excited to hear how the mini-experiments created in the training impact local communities. Trainings were hosted by Brinkley First UMC, Russellville First UMC, Hamburg UMC, and Paragould First UMC.
One participant’s goal for the afternoon was to “learn how I can better help my community and serve my church.” Trainees participated in a variety of activities to introduce them to neighboring as a verb and left with actionable steps to meet and build relationships with their neighbors.
Trainings do not stop there! The Arkansas Conference is excited to welcome Rev. Mike Mather, a UMC pastor for 40 years and author of Having Nothing, Possessing Everything: Finding Abundant Communities in Unexpected Places, and De’Amon Harges, an international speaker, social banker, and teacher of how to listen well, identify and invest in a community’s assets, and of the mutual joy that strengthens communities from such work. Both are trained facilitators for the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) Institute. This event, The Lights of Arkansas, will be held at Conway First United Methodist Church on September 20th from 9am – 4pm. The cost is $15.
You are invited to learn from these neighboring experts. You can find more information about Rev. Mike Mather and De’Amon Harges on the One More Question website. Those attending the training will be eligible for a $750 OMQ Neighboring Grant, if they have not already received one.
Register for the September 20 event here: https://lights-of-arkansas-fall-2025.raiselysite.com/
