Ignite Is Funding Innovative Ministries

Awake Church members have spent several years connecting with and finding ways to bring the love of Christ to people in the Aurora neighborhood near downtown Seattle, Wash.

Located on Aurora Avenue, a main road cutting through Seattle, this area of the city has been known as an epicenter of crime, drug-dealing, homelessness, and prostitution.

Although the concerted efforts of churches and various community organizations have begun to transform the area into a healthier and safer place to live, there are still problems.

“We are in an area of old motels, abandoned shopping carts, sex shops, used car lots, rundown businesses, and cheaper real estate,” said Andy Carlson, pastor of Awake Church.

“Also, there is a significant amount of drug trafficking and homelessness,” he added.

Recently, said Carlson, his congregation was awarded a $10,000 grant by Ignite, a program of the Christian Reformed Church Foundation that focuses on encouraging churches to do innovative ministry in their communities.

As a church deeply embedded in the community, this grant is a welcome contribution to Awake’s efforts to create change and to help people in the neighborhood obtain and maintain a dignity of life. For instance, in 2011 they opened Aurora Commons, a drop-in center with a range of services.

Aurora Commons is open for people as a kind of community living room. It is a place to relax, get out of the weather, do laundry, get something to eat, and find help for such things as alcohol and drug addiction.

And now the Ignite grant will help to further this work by allowing Awake to purchase an old school bus that they plan to turn into a mobile version of Aurora Commons.

“We plan to remove all the seats and remodel the bus with carpeting, furniture, and decorations,” said Carlson in his church’s proposal for the grant.

Among other things, the bus “will be an annex for the Aurora Commons, a meeting space to offer case management and free therapy from the numerous licensed counselors in our community,” Carlson said.

Then, at designated times, Awake plans to park the bus outside a new “tiny house” development being built by Seattle’s Low Income Housing Institute just south of the church. The village of small homes is called Licton Springs. A few houses have already been built, and plans are to eventually have 40 homes able to house about 70 people.

“On Sundays the bus will become a Sunday school room parked outside the restaurant” where Awake meets for worship. “It will enable our children to have a more focused space for their faith formation,” said Carlson.

Jeff Bolt, director of advancement for the CRC Foundation, said Ignite has already awarded several grants to provide seed money to such churches as Awake to help get innovative projects and initiatives off the ground.

“We give support to a new ministry for a short time until it can support itself,” said Bolt. “Ignite aims to invest at least $200,000 each year in 10 to 15 new ministries.”

Earlier this year, Ignite gave money gave money to Classis Red Mesa to help in making its church facilities more energy efficient.

Besides Awake, said Bolt, two other ministries were recently funded:

Green Bean Coffee House — Seattle, Wash.

Sanctuary CRC and Urban Hands are partnering to launch an apprenticeship program in the Urban Hands Green Bean Coffee House. Because of their location in Seattle, Urban Hands is in contact with many unemployed young people. A community focus and flourishing business model position the Green Bean to extend hospitality to a young person seeking employment through the apprenticeship program. They have received a grant for $5,000.

Breathing Space — Lansing, Mich.

River Terrace Christian Reformed Church is planning to develop an outreach program that offers modified yoga classes blended with Christian devotions for friends and neighbors who are not church related. Because yoga is a desirable form of exercise, the congregation believes it can help in reaching others with the gospel. Ignite provided $3,000 to help cover the cost of a certified yoga instructor, publicity, equipment, devotional guides, and other supplies.

If you have an innovative ministry idea that needs funding, said Bolt, “we encourage you to apply for an Ignite grant.” Learn how to apply here.

Meanwhile, said Bolt, he encourages people to review all of the projects that have been submitted for consideration.

He added that Ignite is searching “for visionaries looking to fund exciting projects like the ones described above. Our goal is to gather 1,000 visionaries to give $100 each this year.”

“If you have a heart for innovation and are interested in becoming one of the 1,000 people supporting ministry innovation in the CRC, visit the Ignite website, said Bolt.