After more than 2 years of planning and fundraising, the children at Faith Lutheran Church of Monmouth-Independence have a safe place to play. The final push to start the playground project came in 2025 when Faith applied for and received a NOW District Catalyst Grant.
The project was conceived roughly 3 years ago when the existing playground structure, a small kit meant for single-family homes, proved to be too small for the growing community and was becoming unsafe. The structure is used during many events hosted by the church, such as the annual Easter egg hunt, a Fourth of July parade BBQ, National Night Out, and it is also used by families attending T-ball games played on our field. Safety concerns made it hard for families to play and fellowship with our church community.
A planning session was held where groups of parents outlined the needed attributes of a replacement, the priorities being safety and longevity. After requesting proposals from many playground equipment vendors, a small structure designed for school use was selected, and boxes began to arrive in the summer of 2025.
To make the project more affordable, the congregation opted for a DIY installation, which was scheduled to take place on Sept. 6, 2025. Coordination of utility locations, heavy equipment, concrete, movement of equipment — and of course volunteers — was a big effort. But Faith came together in great fashion. It was a hot summer day, and some supported the efforts by bringing food and refreshments, along with shade canopies for relief.
With a tractor-mounted auger, foundation footers were drilled, and assembly began with poles placed into the footers and panels bolted together. The process took longer than expected, but on a second scheduled workday, the last of the concrete was poured. The workdays provided a great opportunity for the congregation to grow through working together, and many bonds were formed and others strengthened.
Now with new equipment, Faith can give the youngest members an opportunity to play after each Sunday service. The congregation also looks forward to this summer with great anticipation of sharing it with the community.
We are blessed with a great location, and we view our grounds as a tool to further the sharing of the Gospel with our neighbors as we welcome them to join us.
If you’d like more info on the Catalyst Grant and how it supports efforts to launch ministry bridges (or any of the other funding opportunities available), please visit this page: NOW District Grant Guidelines.