Windy Hills

WINDY HILLS
Sojourn East
Neighborhood 360
Assessment

WELCOME TO YOUR
NEIGHBORHOOD 360 ASSESSMENT
Introduction
Neighborhood Snapshot
History of Windy Hills
Calvin Presbyterian
Sojourn East
Demographics
Culture & Values
Neighborhood Observations & Interviews
Sojourn East Assets
Opportunities for Ministry
Monthly Prayer Guide
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INTRODUCTION
After six years of holding services at a Christian
school in East Louisville, God provided a unique
opportunity and responsibility to Sojourn East
in winter of 2015-16.
When Calvin Presbyterian Church offered their
building to Sojourn East at a steep discount, we
inherited a call to reach the city of Windy Hills
with the gospel. We opened our doors on
Sunday, January 31, 2016 after a God-ordained
series of events enabled us to step into this
call. It may be tempting to see this new
building only as an asset and a means for
stable ministry to our members. But consider
this: God could have given us a property in any
number of neighborhoods on the East End. He
intentionally gave us the opportunity to inhabit
2501 Rudy Lane in Windy Hills, Kentucky.
What does that mean for us? The Lord has
uniquely positioned us to be a “city on a hill” in
Windy Hills. How will we steward this
opportunity and engage this community?
To better understand Windy Hills and the
current barriers and bridges that exist, we
commissioned a team of volunteers to conduct
an in-depth neighborhood study of Windy Hills.
Our goal was to become students of Windy
Hills in order to become servants of the
community. We surveyed neighbors door-todoor,
conducted in-depth interviews, spent
hours walking and biking to observe our
streets, and collected demographic, historical
and cultural data to complete this study.
This neighborhood study is intended to aid you,
your community group, and our church body to:
Build connections between Sojourn
Community Church and the community
Guide strategic planning and the
development of new ministries
Draw on stories of motivation and vision in
the community
Understand the forces that affect the lives of
people in the community
Understand the community factors that will
influence ministry effectiveness
Understand how we as a church is affected
by the community
Discern how Sojourn is perceived by the
community
Engage our neighbors through creative,
effective, and wise relationships
At the end of this booklet, you will find a series
of discussion questions. Our goal is not to
dictate or suggest ministry opportunities to all
of our members and community groups but to
provide this study as a means of stimulating
creative thinking. So, once you’ve read through
this study, gather a few friends and discuss how
your group or ministry can wisely and
effectively engage the people of Windy Hills.
We are excited to see what God will do through
our presence in Windy Hills!
The Sojourn East Elders
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NEIGHBORHOOD SNAPSHOT
Sojourn East is located on Rudy Lane, in
the heart of St. Matthews. Windy Hills is
Brownsboro Road
bordered by Hubbards Lane to the west,
Brownsboro Road to the north, I-264 to
the east while Westport Road makes up
the southern border. Windy Hills has an
active neighborhood association with a
city council that meets monthly.
Surrounding neighborhoods are Indian
Hubbards Lane
Rudy Lane
264
Hills, Lyndon, and the larger city of
St. Matthews.
Wesport Road

HISTORY OF WINDY HILLS
Windy Hills takes pride in being a City
of Historic Homes. Early pioneer
families from Virginia and Pennsylvania
settled near the the Muddy Fork of
Beargrass Creek. Muddy Fork is a
tributary of the Ohio River, which rises
in the northeastern quarter of the city
and flows west towards Hubbards Lane.
The settlers built many of the historic
homes original to Windy Hills which are
preserved within the neighborhood.
The city of Windy Hills was
incorporated in 1952 before the
Watterson Expressway connected
Brownsboro and Shelbyville Roads.
Over a decade ago, Windy Hills
residents were more isolated from one
another as there was no sidewalk
running through the neighborhood.
Residents resisted the installation of a
sidewalk until a huge storm took down
many of the mature trees the Windy
Hills residents were defending. This
made it possible for the city to finally
construct the sidewalk that now
connects the homes on Rudy Lane.
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CALVIN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
The Presbyterian Church (PCUSA) built Calvin Presbyterian Church in the 1950’s to
establish a church presence in Windy Hills. As well as serving the church’s needs, the
space has served as a focal point in the Windy Hills community. It is the only ‘public’
building in the area. Calvin hosted many neighborhood gatherings, both church- based
and secular. Events such as 4th of July celebrations and Ice Cream Socials happened on
site. Community meetings (such as those held prior to the widening of I-264) were often
held there, and the building was regularly used as a polling place.
The process of selling the building was a struggle for the Presbyterian church, as they had
to consider community concerns as well as zoning options and real estate values. It is
significant that had the site been zoned commercial or residential, the sale of the land
would have reaped a significantly higher price.
SOJOURN EAST
The partnership between Sojourn East and Calvin has been positive for everyone involved.
We have continued the legacy set forth by Calvin as a church that invests in the
neighborhood and desires to partner with the Neighborhood Association. We have
continued to host services for Calvin and the Louisville Taiwanese Presbyterian Church,
host numerous community events (City Council, voting, etc) and have taken responsibility
for Windy Hills community events (Christmas tree ceremony, etc).

DEMOGRAPHICS
LOCATION
9 miles from downtown Louisville
South border: Westport Road
North border: Brownsboro Road
East border: Watterson Expressway (I- 264)
West border: Hubbards Lane
RACE
White 2202 (89.8%)
Black: 145 (5.9%)
Asian: 48 (2%)
Hispanic: 42 (1.7%)
Two or More Races: 16 (0.7%)
PEOPLE
City of Windy Hills Mayor: Jim Ising Metro
Council Representative: Angela Leet
Windy Hills Council Members: Louis Phillips,
Kate Greer, Mike Skelton, Marianne Rademaker,
Suzanne Spencer, and Helen Davis
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Dunn Elementary School
Kammerer Middle School
Ballard High School
PRIVATE SCHOOLS
Walden School
POPULATION HIGHLIGHTS
Total Population: 2453
Total Houses: 1084
AGE
65+: 647 (26.4%)
40-64: 858 (35%)
22-39: 442 (18%)
18-21: 56 (2.2%)
0-17: 450 (18.3%)
MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME
$89,000
EDUCATION
Education
College Degree or Higher: 1217 (64.2%)
High School: 642 (33.9%)
No High School: 36 (1.9%)
RELIGION (*25 & older)
Baptist: 37%
Catholic: 12%
Methodist: 12%
Episcopal: 3%
Jewish: 2%
Interested but no preference: 4%
Not interested but no preference: 4%
Other: 26%
POVERTY STATUS
79 (7.3%)
HOUSEHOLD TYPE
Married: 615 (56%) - With Kids: 184
Single Males/Females: 77 (7%) - With Kids: 27
Single Occupant: 348 (32%)
Other/Non-Family: 45 (4%)
MARITAL STATUS
Never Married: 391 (20%)
Married: 1263 (54%)
Separated/Divorced: 223 (11%)
Widowed: 148 (7%)
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CULTURES & VALUES
A G E D I V E R S I T Y
At a recent city council meeting it was noted the age of the city is slowly shifting from
older to younger. Younger families are moving in and renovating old homes with more
modern appeal. Most streets have both elderly residents that are aging in place and
younger couples or families. Given the growing tension between the older residents and
younger families there is some conflict. The older residents want to preserve the integrity
of the neighborhood and are committed to staying as they grow older. The younger
families are often perceived as transient because they see Windy Hills as a stepping stone
to nearby and more affluent neighborhoods.
C O M M U N I T Y
Windy Hills is a community-minded neighborhood with numerous City sponsored events
throughout the calendar: The 4th of July parade and picnic, Christmas tree lighting and
carols, and ice cream socials.
A C T I V I T Y & G R E E N S P A C E
The younger residents all enjoy the green spaces in one way or another, from actual use
of the playground to the walking paths and field. Others enjoy the visual appeal of the
green spaces and trees. The sidewalk, though controversial when it was built, is being
used daily by residents and is a great connector between the streets within the
neighborhood.
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P R I V A C Y & S E C U R I T Y
Almost all of the streets that run off of Rudy Lane are dead end and do not connect to
other streets. This lends itself to the streets being self-contained and operating without
connection to the neighborhood at large.
S E R V I C E
An older, widowed long time resident would like the church to be aware of her and so
many others like her in the neighborhood. She says there are older residents that could
use light care, such as occasional meals, visitors, help with seasonal yard work, moving
things around between seasons, and she would love for the church to be involved.
G R O W I N G C O N G R E G A T I O N
God is clearly working at Sojourn East. The
church has grown numerically and
financially. During our 2019 Easter service
there were 39 baptisms across 3 services
with an attendance of 1900 people. An
increase in giving has allowed for new full
and part time staff positions to be filled. Our
Men’s and Women’s Bible studies meet
weekly and have grown in numbers. We are
continuing to build bridges in the East End of
Louisville in various ways including mercy
initiatives like Affordable Christmas and
Medical Clinic as well as outreach events like
Trunk or Treat, Vacation Bible School and
Summer Movie Nights. The establishment of
a Mother’s Day Out Program has also
increased neighborhood connections. We
have an active Foster and Adoption team
that connects families at Sojourn East who
are touched by Adoption and Foster Care as
well as providing some financial assistance
for those pursuing adoption.
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NEIGHBORHOOD OBSERVATIONS &
INTERVIEWS
P E R C E P T I O N O F S O J O U R N E A S T
Several people spoke warmly of Sojourn’s property itself as a hub of the neighborhood. In
addition, several people mentioned how Calvin Presbyterian had been a church that
reached out to the whole neighborhood in a very warm and loving way – especially the
daycare/preschool that used to be housed there. Calvin was free with giving out keys to
the facility and allowing access to the building.
Since Sojourn began hosting events, there have been occasional concerns from one or
two people worried about church/state issues with the church hosting community
functions. However, the overall perception of Sojourn in the neighborhood is very
positive. Even our attempts to seek out criticism yielded no results. The mayor anticipated
lots of complaints about additional Sunday morning traffic, but those complaints have not
materialized. There have been a few concerns about the parking lot runoff, and
speculation about how we will eventually use the property, especially given its
importance to the community as a green space.
Kids ride their bikes or walk over to kick a ball around, walk the dog, play basketball, or to
play on the playground equipment. Neighborhood residents use the field for soccer games
and events, and people are constantly on the walking path. Historically, the neighbors
used to be muchmore isolated from one another than they are now, since the sidewalk
was built, and the church building is now an important outdoor/green space being used
regularly by the neighborhood.

O L D E R R E S I D E N T S
Many older people in Windy Hills are isolated.
Some struggle to get out and some are caring
for ill family members. The city council has
identified elder outreach as a major focus area
as the neighborhood ages, as 1/3 or more of
the population of Windy Hills are aging. Many
residents desire to age in place, defined as the
ability to live in one’s own home and
community safely, independently, and
comfortably, regardless of age, income, or
ability level.
The dynamic of older residents moving out and
younger people moving in seems to trouble
some older residents, as they fear being
displaced. This feeling is exacerbated by
younger and newer residents seeming more
likely to move on to another, “better”
neighborhood in a few years weakening the
possibility for deeper connections. Many of the
older generation have been in the same homes
for 30 years or more. This issue continued to
come up prompting the city council to put
together a packet of information to help
seniors in the community age in place rather
than move to assisted living. They see this as a
very important part of their work.
According to one resident, more people
struggle financially and with “respectable” or
hidden issues than might be immediately
apparent. Alcoholism, borderline poverty, drug
abuse are not unknown in Windy Hills, just less
obvious than they might be in some
neighborhoods.
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D U N N E L E M E N T A R Y
Dunn Elementary is a good school with a myriad of local ties. Many kids are bused in from
other rougher neighborhoods, bringing with them issues such as food and housing
insecurity. This is complicated because parents can not be as involved in their children’s
education due to the distance from their homes. This dynamic has changed in the last few
years as more kids who are unconnected to the community are bused in.
Dunn recently lost their counseling/resource position (which dealt with behavioral issues
rooted in poverty or mental illness) and are struggling to meet arising needs. More than one
person mentioned how frustrating it is to lose that important support person. They attempt
to address some needs with the Blessings in a Backpack program and a Christmas gift
sponsorship program. They expressed a desire for support in these programs from Sojourn.
There is a great need for tutoring and practical help for the kids living in poverty. They have
successful fundraisers each year and money to funnel into special programs. The majority of
the people from Dunn to whom we spoke mentioned the very great need for prayer for the
teachers as well as support and encouragement for the Christian teachers there. Several
members of the PTA are believers, however there are people who are concerned about the
church and Christians being involved at a public school.

P O L I C E A N D G O V E R N M E N T
Graymoor-Devondale police answers calls to Windy Hills, so it
is technically outside the St. Matthew’s Police Department’s
area. A block watch is recommended since the area has seen
an increase in crime in recent years. This crime increase
seems to be connected with drug use.
A transitional housing facility (for people exiting rehab)
recently moved into the neighborhood, which caused some
serious concerns among residents. The mayor expressed that
there is a real need for peace between those groups, and a
real need for AA/NA type groups in the neighborhood itself.
The Saint Matthews Police Department and city council
members asked for our continued prayers that they would be
successful in caring for the city.
Windy Hills itself is financially solvent thanks to the frugal
management of previous generations, and has room to make
more improvements to the running of the neighborhood.
S E R V I C E
According to the mayor and others, it can be difficult to get people in the neighborhood to
volunteer and reach out in a charitable way. Older people are unable to serve or feel they have
already paid their dues, and younger people are busy with their children and families. There
are many resources within the community that could be leveraged to help others that often go
unused.
C H U R C H E S A N D S P I R I T U A L L I F E
There are five churches that fall within or just outside the borders of Windy Hills: Calvin
Presbyterian, Louisville Taiwanese Presbyterian, Christ Church United Methodist, St.
Matthews Episcopal, Westport Road Church of Christ as well as the Drepung Gomang Center
for Tibetan Buddhists.
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A E S T H E T I C & O T H E R G E N E R A L O B S E R V A T I O N S
The 3 mile loop around the neighborhood is active during the morning and
evenings with walkers, bikers, runners and people walking dogs.
This neighborhood has a variety of homes styles from ranch, split levels and
some traditional 2 stories. Prices range from $200,000 to 1,000,000.
Most Windy Hills streets are dead end streets, which is very appealing to
residents because of limited traffic.
Residents often gather outside while kids play and adults mingle since traffic
is quiet here.
There is a quarterly newsletter distributed to keep residents informed of any
news or upcoming changes.
Neighbors often help each other out watching homes while out of town,
swapping tools for projects, and sharing meals together.
The city’s centrality, proximity to major thoroughfares, and the attractive
homes and landscapes are what draw people to Windy Hills.
The city prides itself on being recognized as a ‘tree city’ with a tree board and
garden club that holds sales throughout the year.

SOJOURN EAST ASSETS
P R O P E R T Y A S S E T S
Sojourn Church East sits on 10.22 acres: 5.22 acres of developed land, 5 acres of green space
on Rudy Lane. This includes a playground and a baseball backstop. Structurally it includes
the building that houses worship space, Sojourn kids wing, Sojourn East staff offices and
Calvin Presbyterian Church’s worship space and offices.
P E O P L E A S S E T S
Sojourn Church East is filled with young families, but has a growing demographic of families
of older children and empty nesters. Sojourn Kids averages 320+ kids on a Sunday morning
between both services and mobilizes 40-50 volunteers weekly. The weekly volunteer need is
60 servants. The church is comprised of very skilled individuals including business owners,
medical professionals, educators, community leaders, locally and nationally recognized
theologians, professionals with sports expertise and more.
Sojourn Church East has 8 Full-Time and 21 Part-Time staff members. We have 20 Elders, 15
of which are non-staff Elders. Beyond the Sunday services, there are over 35 community
groups that meet across the city. The majority of groups meet in the East End of Louisville
surrounding St. Matthews. However, some groups meet as in varying areas such as Seneca
Gardens, Prospect, Middletown and Oldham County.
Some of the other opportunities that Sojourn Church East already offers are well-attended
Women and Men’s Bible Studies, Equip Classes, Care-based ministries like grief support and
men’s and women’s sexual integrity groups and S2, a thriving youth group. S2 has incredible
potential for growth considering the number of children that currently attend Sojourn Kids.
We host many events over the course of the year with both outreach and community building
emphasis. Some of these events are Trunk or Treat, Member Potlucks, quarterly Work Days in
Windy Hills, Affordable Christmas, Vacation Bible School, Medical Clinic and services to
celebrate Easter and Christmas Eve.
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SOJOURN EAST ASSETS
F I N A N C I A L A S S E T S
Sojourn church East is fiscally sound and giving exceeded its operating budget for the first
time this past year.
The church budget is $1,872,000 for FY 2018-19. The giving campaign ends in November of
2020. Sojourn East has 45 days of cash on hand in reserve with the goal of having 60 days by
the end of 2019-20 and 90 days on hand the following year. The church attenders are
financially stable. The median household income of the St. Matthews area is $63,284.
G R O W I N G C O N G R E G A T I O N
God is clearly working at Sojourn East. The church has grown numerically and financially.
During our 2019 Easter service there were 39 baptisms across 3 services with an attendance
of 1900 people. An increase in giving has allowed for new full and part time staff positions
to be filled. Our Men’s and Women’s Bible studies meet weekly and have grown in numbers.
We are continuing to build bridges in the East End of Louisville in various ways including
mercy initiatives like Affordable Christmas and Medical Clinic as well as outreach events like
Trunk or Treat, Vacation Bible School and Summer Movie Nights. The establishment of a
Mother’s Day Out Program has also increased neighborhood connections. We have an active
Foster and Adoption team that connects families at Sojourn East who are touched by
Adoption and Foster Care as well as providing some financial assistance for those pursuing
adoption.
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SOJOURN EAST ASSETS
U N T A P P E D G I F T S
Sojourn East has a strong culture of authenticity and vulnerability and the congregation has
a high level of trust in the church leadership. Our church is growing in age and racial
diversity. Our church has a well of untapped potential and willing servants. Our church
lawn and green space, playground and facilities still boast untapped potential. As we grow
in our relationships throughout the East End we hope to find more uses for this unique
space.
P A R T N E R S H I P S A N D O U T R E A C H
Currently we partner with several non-profits that serve the East End of Louisville. St.
Matthews Area Ministries (St. MAM) seeks to unite the resources and people of area
congregations to effectively meet community needs. Orphan Care Alliance (OCA) serves
children and families affected by foster care and adoption and has a vision for the body of
Christ to lead the efforts of caring for the foster care and adoptive community in Kentucky
and southern Indiana.
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OPPORTUNITIES FOR MINISTRY
This neighborhood study is designed to stimulate creative and effective ministry outreach to
Windy Hills. Rather than dictate or suggest the ministry opportunities, we decided to present
this study to numerous groups at Sojourn East and welcome reflection and discussion. With
your leadership team or community group, consider the following questions and report your
ideas to the staff and elders (east@sojournchurch.com).
1. What most surprised you about Windy Hills? Is there anything you would add to this
study from your own experience of the neighborhood?
2. How might knowledge of the city and its history and values affect the way you relate to
its residents? How might it change the way you lead ministries or inhabit the community?
3. What do you see as the major barriers (neighborhood practices, culture or perceptions
that inhibit the progress of the gospel) to Windy Hills residents coming to Christ and
joining a healthy church?
4. What sorts of bridges (opportunities for people to encounter the truth of the gospel)
might we as a church build to overcome those barriers?
5. What are some ideas you have for serving or reaching the populations below? What
types of outreach ministries or events do you think would be most effective in general?
Young families Widows & Widowers Affluent professionals City officials
Older couples Dunn Elementary Single parent homes Garden club
6. What resources or strengths do we have as a church family to love, serve and reach
Windy Hills?
7. What particular seasons of the year, holidays or events provide unique opportunity for
ministry and outreach?
8. What other ideas do you have for creative, effective ministry in Windy Hills?
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MONTHLY PRAYER GUIDE
JANUARY
Ask God to move in the hearts of his people here at Sojourn East and press us towards a
posture of outreach and service and the genuine welfare of others.
FEBRUARY
Pray for God to reveal to us where he is already at work so that we can join in what he is
already doing in our church and neighborhood.
MARCH
Confess before God our anxieties regarding outreach in our neighborhood. Ask God to
grant us everything we need for following in Paul’s pattern of life on mission in Windy
Hills.
APRIL
Pray God’s kingdom come and will be done in Windy Hills as it is in heaven.
MAY
Pray for God to help our church to see our neighborhood’s significance through his eyes
shedding preconceived notions of where he has placed our church building.
JUNE
Pray for the elderly, widows and the lonely in Windy Hills and for opportunities to reach
and serve them.
JULY
Pray for other churches and organizations in our area who are also reaching out with the
gospel.
AUGUST
Ask God to take specific struggles that are specific to Windy Hills that are meant for evil
and turn them for good.
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MONTHLY PRAYER GUIDE
SEPTEMBER
Pray for the children in Windy Hills and their parents, that he would draw them to
Himself and that we would step into opportunities that he places before us to connect
with them and serve them.
OCTOBER
Ask God to leverage the resources and strengths that he has given us as a church family
to love, serve and reach out to Windy Hills.
NOVEMBER
Ask God to give us the courage to begin to build relationships with those he has placed
in our path.
DECEMBER
Pray for the church to engage with those who are different than we are with a posture of
learning and love.
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