New York Church Sees Small Successes from Ignite Grant

Pastor Bill Hanchett was looking out the window of his office at Immanuel Christian Reformed Church in Wappingers Falls, N.Y., and watching a couple of kids playing basketball.

Hailing from the local neighborhood, the youngsters were trying to dribble their ball on the court that Hanchett’s church had built with help from Ignite, a Christian Reformed Church Foundation fund that supports creative ideas coming from churches.

“I could see their ball was going flat, so I went out and offered to pump it back up,” said Hanchett.

The kids were glad to have him do that and quickly returned to playing with a ball that bounced much better.

“That’s a small example of how we’re able to connect with people in our neighborhood because of the grant,” he said. “I see kids playing out there quite a bit.”

When his church received the grant last year to build the basketball court, enhance their walking trail with benches and Scripture displays,  and hold some events such as a movie night, they hoped to connect to their local community.

So far, things are going slow, but that is okay with Hanchett, who considers that at this point they are in a seed-planting stage.

“We look at the small successes we have had. We are in this for the long haul. It’s a multiyear endeavor to invite people in our neighborhood into our church community to see the love of Christ and how we treat one another.”

Some neighbors who come by include Jeff, for example — a young dad who has brought his son over to the parking lot to teach him how to ride a bike. Another dad, Rob, brought his two teenage sons by to play basketball.

In addition, Immanuel held a “Chess Night” at which Craig, a church member, invited an acquaintance, Chris, to be “the chess expert,” said Hanchett.

“As part of that process, Chris and his young family had a light lunch with Craig and his wife. And they were received warmly by the congregation on the night of the event,” said Hanchett. “We know that it takes time to bear fruit,” he added.

Later Chris and his wife, upon learning that Craig’s wife was diagnosed with cancer, visited and extended their prayers in the hospital.

An important outgrowth of the grant, said Hanchett, is how projects such as building the basketball court and events such as a chili cook-off and a free-throw competition have helped bring the church — which will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year — closer together.

At the free-throw competition, said Hanchett, several church families, who normally rush off after the Sunday service, stayed to participate.”

In addition, young people in the church are helping to build and decorate displays that will go up on the quarter-mile walking path that encircles much of the church. Each display features a laminated Bible verse or inspirational thought.

They are calling the basketball court area and walking trail The Park, said Hanchett, and the church community is “enjoying watching God work with this concept.”

“We are grateful for the grant,” said Hanchett. “It has been an excellent source of support, and it helped us as a church to make important strides. We are very encouraged.”