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One More Question

Neighboring is not a way to grow your church, it is a dare to faithfulness. – Tim Sorens, Parish Collective

September 28 is National Good Neighbor Day!

What can you do to celebrate your neighbors and neighborhood?
  1. The Hopeful Neighborhood Project has provided a few ideas that you can use to be a good neighbor. Among them are ways to beautify your neighborhood, provide your neighbors with resources, and get involved with community activities.
  2. Try a mini-experiment! This can be handing out water to people on walks in your area, inviting neighbors to chalk the church parking lot, or offering to pray for someone.
  3. Remember:  We are “free to fail!” knowing that we can try again and again, always learning how to NEIGHBOR better. However you decide to be a good neighbor, please share pictures and tag the Conference on Facebook.

One More Question is an initiative to support local churches in being better neighbors and partners in their communities. The goal is to teach, train, and resource congregations who want to design outreach ministries WITH their community. There is specific support for smaller churches (those who worship fewer than 200) so that all ARUMC congregations can step out in faith to ask One More Question.

Much of the training offered through One More Question will focus on asking churches questions about themselves, their neighborhood, neighbors, and their communities. As churches take action, relationships with their neighbors and community will strengthen, ultimately creating ministries and programs that make room for OTHERS to join with the congregation, and vice versa, in order to build stronger communities. 

HOW TO JOIN US IN ONE MORE QUESTION

Where to Start: Stronger Community Outreach Ministries

1. Start Conversations Within

  • Ask “Who are we now?”
  • Commit to being a Stronger Community Partner
  • Identify Gifts, Passions & Strengths of Members & the Church

2. Get to Know Your Neighbors

  • Participate in the Good Neighbor Experiment
  • Create opportunities to ask the community “Who are we to you?”
  • Identify Gifts, Passions & Strengths of your Neighbors

3. Bring Everyone to the Table

  • Create community discussions around neighborhood needs
  • Do Asset Mapping – identify assets in your neighborhood and community
  • Connect around common gifts, core values, passions, and strengths

4. Let the Spirit (and Partners) Be Your Guide

  • Discern the answer to “What are we called to next?” 
  • Ask the the community where it needs you to partner
  • Start small yet focused on your common mission

5. Practice Radical Hospitality

  • Believe that every neighbor you meet has gifts to give, strengths to share.
  • Commit to the relationships you have formed; it’s a journey.
  • Identify and break down barriers to being a strong community together.

Upcoming Events

Neighboring Jump Start
Sundays, November 2, 9, 16, and 23, 2:00-3:30. Registration required.
 
Discover in this 4-week Zoom cohort experience an introduction to the theology behind “neighboring” and ways to connect with neighbors around you as you grow your neighboring team. You will take a small step in connecting each week and share stories to celebrate as you learn and grow. Rev. Sarah Ellzey, a trained facilitator for The Good Neighbor Experiment and a pastor at Paragould UMC, will be your host! There is no fee. Registration is required.
Register for Neighboring Jump Start
IMPORTANT UPDATE
The Lights of Arkansas: Living as if the Gospel is True
All, thank you for your interest in participating in the Lights of Arkansas on September 20. We have decided to postpone the September 20th training in Conway. We are restructuring how we can share the knowledge and experience of Rev. Mike Mather and De’Amon Harges with you and your fellow United Methodists throughout the connection. The costs for our facilitators’ being in Arkansas is an investment of time and resources that we would like to maximize. This decision was made with the input of the Executive Committee, including Bishop Merrill, recognizing the success of hosting regional meetings with the OMQ trainings. We will be restructuring Lights of Arkansas for regional opportunities in 2026, as noted below. If you paid at registration, you will be refunded the registration fee. 
 
Don’t be disheartened, we do have a plan! Look for specific dates for these training opportunities for asking One More Question to build meaningful relationships and partnerships through outreach.
 

Neighboring Jump Start Zoom: Sundays, November 2, 9, 16, and 23, 2:00-3:30. Free but registration required. Discover in this 4-week Zoom cohort experience an introduction to the theology behind “neighboring” and ways to connect with neighbors around you as you grow your neighboring team. You will take a small step in connecting with a neighbor each week and then share stories to celebrate as you learn and grow. Rev. Sarah Ellzey, a trained facilitator for The Good Neighbor Experiment and a pastor at Paragould UMC, will be your host! Register here.

Lights of Arkansas Regional Trainings to be scheduled in 2026: 
Lights of Arkansas: Dates to be determined. Look for podcast-style Zooms with Harges and Mather throughout the year, and 4 regional trainings to be scheduled in the fall of 2026.  You are welcome at any of the trainings if the closest to you does not work with your calendar.  We will not offer the in-depth cohort experience previously advertised, instead offering the 4 regional trainings.
 
One More Question Regional Trainings with New Tools to be scheduled for Spring 2026:
The AR trained facilitators for the Good Neighbor Experiment will be scheduling 4 regional trainings around the state. We plan to offer a different agenda, one that appeals to new folks as well as those already trained in the introductory neighboring tools and the ReCycle, which is a community discernment process.  We want to welcome all who are new to neighboring and those who want to continue on with this journey of neighboring.
 
Feel free to email or call with any questions you may have.
 
Peace to you, 
Mary Lewis

One More Question is generously supported by The Methodist Foundation for Arkansas.