Healthy Congregations Initiative History

In a nutshell:

For 2009, the long-standing Healthy Congregations Grants and Healthy Congregations Recognition programs have been superseded by the new Healthy Congregations Covenant program. The Healthy Conregations Annual Retreat will continue to be offered and will be an important part of the new Covenant program.

Looking back; looking forward

Since 1996, the Health Fund has promoted health ministries in Kansas United Methodist churches through an integrated initiative to encourage and support congregational health ministries. The components of the Healthy Congregations initiative have included a recognition program, an annual retreat, and health ministry grants.

Additionally, the Kansas Area Healthy Lifestyles Advisory Committee, a joint task force of the Kansas East and Kansas West United Methodist Conferences, developed the Healthy Congregations in Action initiative in cooperation with the Health Fund. Healthy Congregations in Action sought to promote healthy lifestyle choices around nutrition and exercise.

For 2009, the Health Fund has enthusiastically reaffirmed its commitment to congregational health ministries with a simplified new Healthy Congregations program designed to foster greater participation and results. An overview of the new program is available here.

Under the new program, the Healthy Congregations Annual Retreat will continue to provide participants with information about what local churches are doing to encourage healthy lifestyles, useful information about current health ministries in Kansas United Methodist congregations, networking opportunities, and renewed personal energy. The Retreat will also be the venue for many of the training sessions and courses integral to the Healthy Congregations Covenant program.

Healthy Congregations Grants were one-time grants of up to $5,000 to start or expand comprehensive ministries of health and wellness in local United Methodist congregations. Projects funded emphasized wellness, prevention, volunteer caregiving, social support, and congregational health education and awareness. Since the beginning of the grant program in 2002 through its conclusion in 2008, the Health Fund awarded 44 grants totaling over $195,000 to support health ministries in United Methodist churches across Kansas. The HC Grants program has been superseded by the new Covenant program.

Under the Healthy Congregations Recognition program, congregations completing an annual report containing at least a minimum number of health activities based on membership size received recognition as Healthy Congregations as well as a choice of free health resource to help further their health ministries. Additionally, each year six churches (one from each of three membership categories in Kansas East and Kansas West United Methodist Conferences) reporting outstanding examples of health ministries were designated “Healthy Congregations of the Year” and received $1,500 cash awards.

The traditional Recognition program has been superseded by the Healthy Congregations Covenant program -- a simplified approach designed to foster greater participation and results.