One Year in the New Ministry Support Center
One year after moving into the Ministry Support Center in Grand Rapids, Mich., CRCNA leaders say the new space is helping to reduce costs, right-size the denomination’s office footprint, and encourage collaboration between ministries.
Located at 300 East Beltline Ave. NE, the CRCNA’s U.S. office building, remodeled from a classroom building formerly owned by Cornerstone University, is about one-fifth the size of the denomination’s former offices at 1700 28th Street SE. While the move has resulted in significant financial savings, leaders say the smaller, more intentionally designed space has also encouraged closer collaboration and community among staff.
“An open office environment with little or no departmental distinctions supports the idea that we are all part of supporting the larger denominational ministry, not just our own specialty,” said Dean Heetderks, director of Ministry Support Services.
A building with fewer individual spaces has allowed ministries and departments across the CRCNA to interact more regularly and build relationships with one another.
For example, having “one kitchen/lunchroom instead of nine means we’re more likely to get to know folks from other ministries,” Heetderks said.
Dan DeKam, U.S. director of ministry operations, was directly involved in the process that led to the CRCNA offices’ move.
“The building project was presented to me the first week on the job,” said DeKam, who started in his position in July 2023. “It allows our staff to connect more easily. These connections increase collaboration and foster a sense of shared mission.”
The move has also had a significant financial impact, allowing the denomination to be more intentional about how its resources are used.
“In the new facility we are saving $10,000 per month in utilities and basic operations costs,” DeKam said. “We also eliminated $3 million of deferred maintenance.”
That translates to roughly $120,000 in annual savings on utilities and operational costs such as electricity, gas, snow removal, and general building maintenance.
Following the sale of the previous building, the CRCNA also established a building fund to help cover future expenses.
“We estimate that this fund has the capacity to cover operating expenses and meet our capital needs for the foreseeable future,” DeKam said. “We will not be accruing new deferred-maintenance items that would be unfunded.”
In addition to covering day-to-day operations, the fund will help plan for future building needs such as roofing, HVAC systems, parking lot maintenance, and elevator repairs.
The decision to move came after several years of discussion and study. By the time plans began taking shape, the old building had become far larger than what the denomination needed.
At its peak, the building housed many denominational ministries under one roof. Over time, however, some ministries moved or shifted their work, leaving large portions of the building unused.
Maintaining such a large facility had become increasingly costly, and leaders determined that investing millions of dollars in deferred maintenance for a mostly empty building was not a responsible long-term solution. Leasing unused space was also considered but ultimately rejected.
Eventually the property was sold to Meijer Inc., which has now redeveloped the site as part of its nearby grocery/department store and gas station along 28th Street.
While the former building held many memories for staff and denominational leaders, the move has also helped clarify the CRCNA’s role moving forward, said DeKam. “We are shifting to a posture of being ‘support services’ for congregations rather than the CRC’s ‘headquarters,’” he said.
The remodeled building’s design reflects that shift. With large windows, glass walls for internal spaces, and abundant natural lighting, the space feels open and accessible, said Heetderks. In addition, “the exterior is less ominous than that of the old building, and the entrance is more obvious,” Heetderks said. “I’ve not heard anyone refer to this building as ‘The Pentagon’ since we moved—and that’s good.”
That nickname had long been used to describe the previous building’s large and somewhat imposing design. In contrast, the new Ministry Support Center better fits the size and needs of the organization today.
After a year in the new space, leaders say the move is helping the CRCNA to operate more efficiently while strengthening connections across ministries.
“This building helps us to be better stewards and fosters collaboration, making us more efficient and effective,” DeKam said.
