Good Neighbours
Turning outward to see, hear, and respond to the needs around us.
A merciful church.
As a church, we want to contribute to the flourishing of our city (Jeremiah 29:7). As we follow Jesus together, we want to turn outward to see, hear, and respond to the needs around us.
Good Neighbours is a practical way to support people facing financial hardship, meeting essential needs with dignity and helping them move toward stability and flourishing. Our goal is to respond generously while recognizing that every situation is different.
How it works.
Good Neighbours is led by our small groups. We want them to become communities of practical generosity, where people learn to notice the needs around them and respond together with the resources God has entrusted to them.
Notice.
It may be a friend, a coworker, a neighbour. If someone is facing financial hardship or crisis, share it with your small group (with discretion and care for their dignity)
Discern.
The group prays, asks good questions, and decides together how best to help. Each request is then approved by our leadership team.
Respond.
Support is practical, like grocery or gas cards, or help with rent paid directly. Whenever possible, it comes with a handwritten note from the group.
Not in a small group?
You can still nominate someone. If you know someone in your neighbourhood, workplace, or friendship circle who’s facing financial hardship, we’d love to hear about them.
Share a little about their situation through the nomination form. Each nomination is prayerfully reviewed, and where possible, we’ll come alongside with practical support. We can’t guarantee every request will be met, but every nomination is taken seriously.
What you share is kept confidential. If you’re sharing someone else’s story, please do so with discretion and care for their dignity.
If you’d like to be part of this, our small groups are a good place to start. They meet in homes across the city, around tables, each week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Good Neighbours is new, so you might have a few questions. Here are some answers. If there’s something we haven’t covered, we’d love to hear from you.
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Anyone in our city facing financial hardship. They don’t need to be a Christian or attend Garden Church to receive support.
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Good Neighbours is for people outside your small group. If someone in your group is in need, we still want to care for them in other ways, so please reach out and we’d be glad to have that conversation.
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It’s not off the table, but it can get a bit more complicated. Connect with our leadership team and we’ll talk it through together.
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Support is practical and goes toward essential needs, like grocery or gas cards, or rent or a bill paid directly to a landlord or service provider. Whenever possible, we give toward the specific need rather than as cash. It isn’t meant for extra spending or non-essential purchases.
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Usually, yes. Gifts are often delivered by someone from the group, along with a handwritten note. The hope is that each gift says something simple: someone noticed you, and cares, no strings attached.
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You can still nominate someone. Share a little about their situation through the nomination form, and we’ll prayerfully consider how best to help.
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Usually not. Good Neighbours is meant to meet a specific need at a specific time. We’d rather be honest about what we can offer than make promises we can’t keep.
For the
flourishing
of the city.
