Kansas Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists (KNCSB)
Helping Churches Make Disciples of All People
KCMO church needs help from volunteers
Wornall Road Baptist Church in Kansas City, Mo., joined KNCSB during the 2009 annual meeting. Mark Clifton, a former KNCSB staff member, is lead pastor. (Photo by Chelsea Huff)
Like a teenage boy on a growth spurt, Wornall Road Baptist Church in Kansas City, Mo., has trouble keeping up with itself.
Wornall Road joined the Kansas-Nebraska Convention of Southern Baptists during the 2009 annual meeting. It is also affiliated with the Missouri Baptist Convention. Mark Clifton, a former KNCSB staff member, is lead pastor.
The church was founded in 1921. Its building on the corner of Wornall Road and Meyer Boulevard has been a Kansas City landmark since 1929. But the dawn of the new millennium in 2000 saw the church in serious decline. Six years later the congregation had dwindled to only 18 people, and the church was faced with closing its doors.
At the time, Clifton was associate director of missions for Blue River/Kansas City Baptist Association. Wornall Road asked the association for help. Clifton came to help the church get back on its feet and never left.
As Wornall Road continues to grow, it needs volunteers and mission teams to assist in outreach as well as maintaining the building:
1. Building/maintenance needs
Wornall Road’s stately building with its imposing steeple was constructed in 1929.
“We use this building to bless the community,” Clifton says.
Groups ranging from the Daughters of the American Revolution to a Zumba exercise class use the building.
However, Wornall Road has neither a custodian nor a building-maintenance manager. The church needs volunteers and mission teams to help in these areas.
2. Festivals and fairs
Kansas City’s Brookside Community, where Wornall Road is located, is home to numerous festivals and fairs. Several major parades and a marathon
came by the church.
Wornall Road holds outreach activities during these events. Volunteers and mission teams are needed to assist.
3. Ministry to Border Star School
Wornall Road serves the schools in its neighborhood and needs volunteers to join these efforts.
Border Star School is located across the street. It is a charter Montessori school and has 400 students in grades 1-6.
Wornall Road assists in the Harvesters BackSnack program that serves Border Star School.
“Harvesters offers the BackSnack program, which provides backpacks of food to low-income children for the weekend, to combat weekend hunger. The program creates a partnership between Harvesters, a participating school and a local corporate, civic or religious organization,” the Harvesters’ Web site says.
Each week church members fill 40 back packs for Border Star students who are in need.
At the end of the 2009-2010 school year, the church staged a catered meal for Border Star teachers and gave them gifts. Wornall Road also gave Christmas gifts to the teachers and staff.
4. Ministry at Southwest High School
Wornall Road also ministers at Southwest High School, 2 blocks south of the church. The school has 1,100 students in grades 7-12.
The Kansas City, Mo., school district closed several schools and moved these students to Southwest High.
The school is going through major transition and unrest. Two principals resigned during the first semester of the 2010-2011 school year.
Wornall Road welcomed students to their first day of the 2010-2011 school year by providing Krispy Kreme doughnuts. KC Wolf, mascot of the Kansas City Chiefs, also put in an appearance.
Clifton wrote this Facebook post on Dec. 21, 2010: “Just delivered lots of homemade treats and Topsy’s popcorn to teachers at Southwest High. We also took 105 personalized Christmas cards to each teacher and all employees with a $5 starbucks gift card in each one. Pray we are a blessing to the school for God’s glory and our joy.”
At the beginning of the spring 2011 semester, the church began providing pre-game three times a week for the basketball team.
Clifton wrote this Facebook post in late December: “Big big big news! I just connected with the new athletic director at Southwest High! YES! We are going to provide pre-game meals for basketball team! We begin after Christmas break! Get ready to make a real difference at Southwest!”
To find out how you can get involved, call the church at 816.444.8900, or send e-mail to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
