Today we’d like to introduce you to Linwood United Church.
Linwood United, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Linwood United Church was formed in 1975 from a merger of the Linwood Presbyterian, Southeast Presbyterian, and Linwood United Methodist congregations. Our Presbyterian church is located in the Northeast corner of Linwood and Olive in Kansas City, MO. We are a vital multi-ethnic community of faith, guided by the living Word in the Bible.
In 2024 we are partnered with Covenant Presbyterian Church here in Kansas City, to form the Beloved Community Parish and shared a full-time pastor. In 2025 the parish hired the Reverend Sarah Mayer as our shared pastor .
We are a dedicated group of socially and economically diverse people who join together as a family of faith for worship, study, and service. Currently, our mission to our community includes having a weekly food pantry where anyone in need can receive a bag of groceries which includes eggs and bread, choose fresh produce and fruit. (On average, Our food pantry feeds 130 families a week.) The first Wednesday of each month we distribute bags of household items i.e detergent, cleaning supplies, hygiene items etc. (Our household basics distribution average 80 families a month). We also offer a sewing class every Saturday from 11am to 2 open to everyone.
We’re also very proud of our congregation of being willing to experiment and change. Many congregations may say they want to try new things, but they rarely mean it: Linwood is the exception! From mergers to different forms of worship, experimentation is a way of life at Linwood. By holding loosely to the way things have been, we are able to follow the nudgings of the Spirit as God leads us to new horizons.
The other members of the Linwood “family” that “share our building and serve our community:
• Lazarus Ministries serves over 500 meals and give clothing to about 350 people a month.
• Sojourner Health Clinic ran by students from UMKC serves about 60 people a month, they offer various clinics i.e. dermatology & wound, and offered glasses and hearing devices along with basic health check-ups.
• Paseo Alcoholics Anonymous meets twice a day, each day of the year.
• Keeping It Honest Cocaine Anonymous meets three times a week.
• Metropolitan Organization for Racial and Economic Equity (MORE2), continues to work for social justice on both sides of our state line.
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has a support group that meets the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month
• Spiritually: Freedom Temple (Bishop Eugene Griddine), Christian Fellowship Ministries (Rev. Florene King), Free Worshippers Ministries (Pastor Ernestine Compton), and United Pentecostal Ministries (Pastor Stephen Bariyanga) all to continue to minister the “Good News” to their congregations and communities.
The “ripple effect” of what goes on at Linwood United Church continues to be felt far and wide. We truly believe our purpose is to “Love God – Serve People” and we feel we are a welcoming Christian community open to all who seek to love God and serve others.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
An aging congregation with limited resources and diminishing capacity in an area with growing needs
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Our congregation works fairly well as a team, with each member contributing time, talent and finances to our overall mission to Love God and Serve People
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
In addition to working with and supporting the churches and organizations that share space in our building, we get support from Harvesters, Kanbe’s Markets, Nourish KC, Equity.Period., Northland HyVee and the Prospect Shopping Center Sunfresh (prior to it’s closing).
We are part of the Covenant Network of Presbyterians, a More LightChurch and Apartheid-Free Congregation, and a member of Heartland Presbytery here in Kansas City.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.linwoodunited.org
- Instagram: @belovedcommunityparish
- Facebook: Linwood United Church
