The neighborhood surrounding the church has changed from a suburban, middle-class area to an atomized mixture of middle class (widows and young families), recent immigrants and single-parent families. Over 70% of the students at Terminal Park Elementary School (1 block away) receive free or reduced lunches. There is little or no sense of community in the neighborhood.

In early 2005, the Session decided to apply for a Congregational Transformation Grant. By definition, this grant requires a congregation to engage in a time of discernment and transformation. Later that year, the Session approved a Ministry Vision Team to lead the congregation in that discernment of past and present identity and what God might want for their future.  Eighteen months later they had a Ministry Vision Plan.

When their first grant proposal was denied, WRPC decided to trust God’s work in their midst and try again. Based on feedback from the Mission Program Grants Committee, Interim Synod Executive Joyce Martin-Emery and the Presbytery’s Church Development Ministry Team they adjusted their grant application and reapplied in September 2007. One change was to be more intentional about their 5 year old partnership with Iglesia El Buen Pastor, a Spanish speaking congregation who shares the building.

Last week, they learned their grant application has been approved for $100,000 over 5 years. The Presbytery of Seattle has pledged to match those funds with the partnership of 5-6 congregations within the Presbytery. Bellevue First Presbyterian Church, Calvary Presbyterian Church, Japanese Presbyterian Church, Mercer Island Presbyterian Church and Maple Valley Presbyterian Church all gave funds in 2007 that will be used for the first year of matching. The White River congregation will provide $138,000 for outreach programs over those same five years. The basics of their plan are below:

Vision: To make disciples of Jesus in our neighborhood through missional ministry, integrating evangelism and social action.
• We will reach out to children by developing a supportive relationship with Terminal Park Elementary School and eventually offering life skills, fine arts, recreational and bible study programs for children and youth at the church.
• We will reach out to adults by offering Good News to our community through The Alpha Course evangelism program and adult life skills classes such as household finances, parenting and family conflict management.
• We will hire a professionally trained (B.A) Director of Neighborhood Outreach Programs to recruit, train, and lead volunteers for the above programs, and to coordinate joint ministries with our partner church Iglesia El Buen Pastor.

In the midst of applying and waiting, the White River congregation has already begun to move forward with what they call their Taking Flight Ministry Vision Plan.  At a recent worship service, Pastor Arleigh Champ-Gibson commented, “We are so thankful for God’s faithfulness in what seemed like a long process. We’re also thankful to the people in the Presbytery and the Synod who believed in us and supported our vision. Now we’re just excited to move forward and follow God into the community.”  In the spring WRPC ran a successful 40 Days of Purpose Campaign. In the summer they hosted a free school lunch program and this fall they have already trained and placed 6 volunteers at Terminal Park Elementary School.