Today we’d like to introduce you to Darren Sederwall.
Darren, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Englewood Church celebrates her 80th Anniversary in 2025! We started just as World War II ended, meeting at first in the basement of a mansion that had been destroyed by fire. Eventually, a church structure was built at this same location, which continued to receive additions and renovations, right into the 2000’s. So, for 80 years Englewood Church has stood at the corner of East Winner Road and Hedges, a beacon of light for the community!
A few highlights from the history of Englewood Church: 1. From 1977 – 2008, Englewood Christian Academy, a pre-school through high school, operated in the same facility. Students from all over the KC Metro area were educated right here. An added note about the school, Englewood Christian won the Missouri Class 1-A state baseball championship twice! 2. For over 20 years Englewood Church has served as a major distribution point for Harvesters, the KC Metro Food Bank. Currently, we funnel over 20,000 pounds of food each month to those in need of assistance. 3. Englewood Church has been heavily involved in the revitalization of several area churches as well as being the host site of several ethnic congregations. 4. Training and sending ministers and missionaries across the country and around the world has always been part of Englewood’s focus. This church has been the home church of several national church leaders, the home base of KC School of the Bible, and currently coordinates on-line training through Global University. Today, there are people from Englewood Church who are serving in many countries around the world.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Englewood Church has faced several obstacles along the way, certainly as any organization 80 years old would. Some of these include: 1. The financial challenges of running a K-12 school. These stresses would eventually lead to the school closing its doors in 2008, after graduating students for over 30 years. 2. Around 2010, a lightning strike and the resulting fire led to major sanctuary damage and need for remodeling. 3. The decline of the neighborhood led Englewood to purpose property in another area of Independence. Englewood eventually decided to remain at her present location, but now there is the challenge of how best to utilize the other property. 4. The Covid Epidemic of 2020 caused the church to close her pre-school, to lose several key individuals, and to close the campus for a long period of time. Certainly, most churches in the United States faced these same issues. However, Englewood used this pandemic to greatly improve her technology and grow her internet presence. 5. The revitalization of several area congregations and the parenting of several ethnic churches has presented a myriad of challenges to church leadership. 6. The changing socio-economic make-up of this neighborhood has ignited Englewood Church to serve the community in new ways, such as with food distribution and support for those battling substance abuse.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Most of the staff at Englewood Church work another job, besides the “Church Employment”. We have church staff who are local firemen, drivers for a high-end transportation company, run their own businesses, work in residential treatment facilities, or are chaplains in a wide-variety of area businesses. The church staff desires to get out from inside the walls of the church and into the community. This allows church leadership to connect with people where they are at and to not get trapped inside a “religious bubble”. Also, because church staff has to devote time and energy away from the church, many within the congregation are then challenged to volunteer and serve in order for the various church ministries and programs to function. So, unlike most churches where about 20% of the congregation do 80% of the work, at Englewood there are very strong volunteer teams covering a wide-variety of areas.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Englewood Church has an 80 year history of top quality people attend, serve, or launch from here. Englewood Church has allowed people with vision and creativity to develop their ideas such as having a k-12 school, start a support group, ignite a food distribution program, or simply find new ways to connect and serve our community. There are many of these fine people who have passed on, some who remain anonymous, and certainly too many to list here.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://englewoodchurch.org/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/englewoodchurch
