Celebrating Five Years of Good Faith Network
What a Celebration!
On June 14, 2026 Good Faith Network gathered for our 5th Annual Celebration and the afternoon was full of joy, gratitude, laughter, memory, and holy momentum. We looked back on five years of organizing ordinary people of faith into a powerful public voice for justice…and looked ahead to the work still calling us forward.
See more pictures of the Celebration here: https://youtu.be/zXcdNQJy4ZQ
We are especially grateful to the Islamic Center of Johnson County for hosting us so beautifully. It is always a joy to gather in that space, and this year’s Celebration reminded us again what a gift it is to be a network of Christians, Jews, and Muslims acting together for the common good.
And of course, no Celebration would be complete without awards!
The All In Award honored congregations that met their Nehemiah turnout goal, had their Best Year Ever – or both!
Congratulations to…
- Aldersgate United Methodist Church
- Congregation Beth Shalom
- Congregation Beth Torah
- Colonial Church in Prairie Village
- Grace United Methodist Church
- Islamic Center of Johnson County
- Overland Park Lutheran Church
- Redemption Church
- Resurrection, a United Methodist Church
- Salem Lutheran Church
- St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church
- Trinity Fellowship
- Unity Church of Overland Park
These congregations helped make our Biggest Nehemiah Ever possible. They invited, followed up, organized, counted, encouraged, reminded, and showed up. That is what it looks like when a congregation goes All In!
Then came the Highest Nehemiah Action Turnout Award. This year, the competition came with a traveling championship belt (yes, an actual BELT!) introduced by Pastor Zac Sturm of Atonement Lutheran Church, whose congregation had held the top turnout spot for four years in a row.
But this year, the belt changed hands! With 217 people at the Nehemiah Action, Redemption Church won the Highest Nehemiah Action Turnout Award for the first time in Good Faith Network history. Congratulations to Pastor Tim Suttle and the entire Redemption network!
We also presented the Maria Campbell Clergy Leadership Award to Rev. Eileen Stulak of Unity Church of Overland Park. Rev. Eileen’s leadership is EPIC…. she is co-Vice President of Good Faith Network, co-chair of the Eldercare Committee and very serious about building a powerful voice for justice at Unity Church. We give thanks for her wisdom, persistence, and faithful public witness!
Because this was an anniversary year, we also honored fourteen original team leaders who have been serving continuously since our very first year:
- Sharon Yelton of Atonement Lutheran
- Jeff Smith of Aldersgate United Methodist
- Carla Oppenheimer of Congregation Beth Shalom
- Jennifer Savner Levinson of Congregation Beth Torah
- Vicki Love of Grace United Methodist
- Sally Williams and Cindy Svec of Heritage United Methodist
- Mandy Hill of Redemption Church
- LaDonna Williams-Hunt of Resurrection, a United Methodist Church
- Renee Loya of Salem Lutheran
- Janet Carter, Pat Martin, and Debbie Winter of St. Mark’s United Methodist
- Kate Capps of St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal
The deepest and most sustainable source of Good Faith Network’s power is grassroots ownership. When Network Members invest personally, we claim responsibility for the public work we are building together.
We ask every Network Member to prayerfully consider an annual investment of $200 or more. Your investment sustains the capacity behind every public victory.
Visit www.thegoodfaithnetwork.org/
