In late May, John and Kathy Sweet participated in the church planting assessment process with the Redeemer Presbyterian Church Planting Center. The time of assessment was both challenging and encouraging, and at the end of the weekend the Sweets were affirmed in their desire to begin a third church plant in Brooklyn through this network. With a green light from the assessment center, the Sweets will move into the Ditmas Park/Flatbush neighborhood in August and begin transitioning from Park Slope Presbyterian Church toward a new work in their new neighborhood. If all goes well, a new congregation could be worshiping by the fall of 2008.
Like all Brooklyn neighborhoods, the Ditmas area is unique in many ways. It is extremely diverse, both economically and ethnically. The population mix includes Caribbean, African-American, Hispanic, Asian, Haitian, Orthodox Jewish, Indian and Bangladeshi backgrounds, and students at one of the local elementary schools speak as many as 50 different languages. It is a neighborhood in transition: because of its distinctive housing (a combination of large apartment buildings and stately Victorian homes) and its advantageous subway access to the city, there has been a recent influx of upwardly mobile residents. In turn, there has been positive commercial development as well. As with many NYC neighborhoods, tensions arise regarding the manner in which transition and development takes place.
It is an area well suited for a new gospel oriented church plant. There are several churches in the area faithfully worshiping and serving, but with a population approaching 100,000, there is plenty of room and need for more. Along with the Sweet’s affinity for the neighborhood, Ditmas/Flatbush is a good fit for this network in many ways. The neighborhood lies deeper into Brooklyn and has a strongly developed Brooklyn identity. A good number of congregants from both Park Slope Presbyterian and Resurrection Williamsburg live in the neighborhood and are enthusiastic about the prospect of a neighborhood church in their back yard. The transitional character of the area is fertile ground for the good news of Christ and his kingdom of peace and reconciliation to take root and grow.
Please pray for the Sweets as they begin the work of preparation: casting vision and gathering a core group of people willing to be part of the new congregation, establishing relationships with neighboring people and churches, and fund raising. And stay tuned for more news in the coming weeks and months.
This page is designed to keep you up to date with the Brooklyn Church Project.