Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Articles”
Lara Schopp Corey Meyer, Metro Service, Serve, Serve Our Church
By Rev. Corey Meyer, Director of Mission Partnerships The people came in short waves over the course of about an hour and a half. Some would come up and say, “No lettuce, please,” or “I would love extra beans today,” and we happily obliged. A few folks requested a smaller …
Lara Schopp Articles, Carla Aday, Senior Minister Blog
One of the best things about marriage is that you may inherit a fabulous second family. When I first met my husband’s entire family 30 years ago, I met all the nieces and nephews, including Jered, the oldest. He was a sweet and good kid but not a very motivated …
Leslie Tenjack Articles, Staff Messages
By Barbara George, Director of Membership Development Just last week I heard from a first-time Neighborhood Communion participant that the group had met again and what a wonderful experience it had been…. appetizers, insightful guided discussion, and of course, lots of laughter! “It all came together!” Ten groups met this …
Lara Schopp Articles, Congregational Care, Joe Walker, The Well
By Rev. Joe Walker, Minister of Congregational Care I can distinctly remember that upon witnessing one particularly unusual historical event I uttered this incredibly foolish prediction, “We will never see anything like this again in our lifetime.” Oh my, the things you say when you’re 18 (or 63, for that …
Lara Schopp Articles, Carla Aday, Senior Minister Blog
A hundred years ago, some folks decided to build a church. Several lots were considered and finally 61st and Ward was chosen. The cost of the first building was estimated at $50,000. But when the bids came back, it was actually going to cost $60,000. They met to decide what …
Lara Schopp Articles, Tyler Heston
By Rev. Tyler Heston, Minister to Youth December seems to be a busy month for most people, but my December was particularly busy. On top of holiday activities and (last-minute) Christmas shopping, a good friend of mine here in Kansas City, Morgan, got married the Saturday before Christmas (and I …
Lara Schopp Articles, Catherine Stark-Corn
By Rev. Catherine Stark-Corn, Minister to Children and Families “Three in five,” my oldest son, home from college for the holiday, says to me as I make dinner and he hangs out with me in the kitchen. I ask what he means, assuming it is some statistic related to something …
Lara Schopp Articles, Carla Aday, Senior Minister Blog
O Little Town of Bethlehem, What Child is This, Angels we Have Heard on High, and Silent Night all vie for first place. What is your favorite carol? None makes my heart soar more than Joy to the World, especially when the trumpets and organ lets loose on Christmas Eve …
Lara Schopp Carla Aday, Senior Minister Blog
During December some of us struggle to balance the extra demands on our time with a longing to remain spiritually centered. How do we embrace the busyness, fun, and festivities that honor the arrival of the sacred while also carving out a still small moment to reflect and ponder the …
Lara Schopp Staff Messages
By Lara Schopp, Director of Communication My father-in-law was a man of few words. He worked hard and had high expectations for the people in his life. He was fiercely private and kept his circle small. He was a cowboy and a lifelong horseman, spending hours tending to his last …
Lara Schopp Articles, Mike Graves
By Dr. Mike Graves, Scholar in Residence and Minister of Spiritual Formation If you look up the word communion in the dictionary, the first entry simply reads “sharing,” whereas other entries have the usual religious overtones. Turns out, sharing is precisely what the Greek word means as well, only with …
Lara Schopp Articles, Carla Aday, Senior Minister Blog
“Is this an uncomfortable place for you to be?” a sister asked her brother. It seemed like a strange question to ask given the setting. The wedding guests were joyously dancing on the dance floor. The cousins had just sung a duet, an old spiritual. The children were savoring a …
Lara Schopp Articles, Carla Aday, Senior Minister Blog
When the church staff convenes each Tuesday we engage in a discussion about a topic prompted by an article we’ve all read in advance. Because we bring a variety of gifts ministry, the topics are wide ranging: from music to technology, from theology to business management. We muse about how …
Lara Schopp Articles, Carla Aday, Senior Minister Blog
I wonder if Mary and Joseph told anyone that their 12 year old, Jesus, had disappeared for three days while the family was attending a festival. Or if the father of the prodigal son shared with his rotary club friends that his son was out squandering his inheritance at the …
Lara Schopp Articles, Mike Graves
By Dr. Mike Graves, Scholar in Residence and Minister of Spiritual Formation It’s not uncommon in her sermons to hear Carla reference a book she’s been reading or a podcast she’s listened to recently, maybe an episode of “The Moth.” It only recently occurred to me that not only are …
