Members of the small congregation on the east side of Indianapolis knew something wasn’t right. Due to a lack of young families, much of the education space in Eastgate Christian Church was going unused except for the occasional Bible study class and monthly board meetings, and they were troubled by a sense that God was calling them to do and be more in the Holy Place they had inhabited since 1957. But what would that look like?
A vision began to take shape in 2014 when it occurred to Eastgate Pastor Tod Iseminger and other church leaders that their space could be used better by others outside their immediate congregation. So, they went looking for and found a potential partner in Stillwaters Adult Day Care that operates out of space attached to Castleton United Methodist Church, which oversees its operation. Stillwaters was as attracted to the idea of expanding their services to the east side of the city as Eastgate Christian Church was to finding new mission and purpose for their unused space.
Perhaps it was fortuitous that in the spring of 2015, Eastgate leaders attended JumpStart Indiana, cohosted by DCEF, the Indiana Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the Episcopal Church Building Fund. The day-long event focused on the creative use of buildings to enhance mission and ministry. At JumpStart, Rev. Iseminger spoke with DCEF Advisor Jim Michel about the possibility of sharing space in their facility, perhaps with Stillwaters. A month later, Jim was onsite at Eastgate to discuss needed changes to the building to accommodate licensed adult daycare and the possibility of a DCEF loan to fund that renovation.
Long story short: Once the vision became clear, Eastgate Christian Church developed a business plan and signed a lease agreement with Castleton United Methodist Church/Stillwaters Adult Day Care to provide needed services to seniors in the church’s immediate neighborhood. Before the year was out, DCEF approved the church’s loan request and the project was off and running.
Rev. Iseminger is excited about the “new lease” on life that this new ministry provides for his congregation.
“This new adult care program will allow Eastgate to serve its neighborhood in a way that we are currently not doing,” he explains, “and will provide volunteering opportunities for Eastgate members and other churches in the area. There is new energy in our congregation as a result of a renewed sense of purpose.” Jim Michel agrees, “Eastgate is an excellent example of what can happen to a congregation when they do a new thing with their ‘place’ for all the right reasons.” He adds, “DCEF is honored to be a part of this transformation.”