LEAWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH IS A CHURCH ON MISSION

OUR MINISTRIES

Interfaith Hospitality Network: We host homeless families about four times per year for one week each visit. We use the kitchen, Fellowship Hall, and the Children's Sunday School Wing. Friday night, the family and the LBC volunteers caring for then are treated to a grilled chicken breast dinner, and there is a big breakfast for them on Saturday morning. Larry Cook and Robert Gibbs are the primary organizers. This is a church-wide ministry.

Cross-Lines Cooperative Council, Inc. Two events per year. Back-to-School collection of school supplies takes place during the last week in July and the first two weeks in August. Usually, Cross-Lines wants the items collected by August 14. During the month of November and the first week in December, we collect items for children (usually older kids) to benefit the Cross-Lines Christmas Store. The items collected must be delivered at the end of the first week in December. A big box is placed in the Narthex in which to collect donations during the donation times for each event. This ministry is supervised through the Deacon Benevolence Committee.

Southern Baptist Ministries: Every six weeks or so, we try to take a carload of canned goods to the SBM food pantry. In the spring, we also collect GOOD, used clothing, especially for children. The Deacon Benevolence Committee supervises this activity.

Feed the People: The "Better Together" Sunday School Class sponsors this ministry, which involves an entire Saturday at least three times per year. The Class meets to help prepare food at the Feed the People warehouse, then takes the prepared food to locations where homeless people are fed, and minor first aid or other needed services are provided for them. There are enough other churches and organizations helping this ministry to limit our involvement to three times per year. Larry Cook and Charlie Keller arrange for our participation times and dates.

Village Church Food Pantry and Clothes Closet: Located nearby at 99th and Mission Road in the old (1953) Linwood School building, the Food Pantry and Clothes Closet is readily available to help those persons who come to our door asking for food and/or clothing. As a part of our Christ's Hands ministry, non-perishable food items are collected on the first Sunday of every month, with clean clothing collected on the third Sunday. Robert Gibbs and the Deacon Benevolence Committee head this ministry and coordinate delivery of collected items to the Pantry/Closet.

Operation Christmas Child: Led by the Children's Ministry Department during the Christmas season, shoe boxes are filled with age-graduated toys and hygiene products for distribution to children all over the world. One of our church-wide ministries, it is assisted by LBC members Helen Nahrstedt, Carole Gibbs, Carol Elsbury, and Jackie Stude.

Gracious Promise: Since 1995, Gracious Promise provides material and spiritual assistance to families of the incarcerated and to ex-offenders in the effort to rebuild their lives. They also sponsor "Grandma's House" where short to long-term residental care is provided for infants born during a mother's incarceration. LBC member Marlys Casteel serves on the Board of Gracious Promise, and our Deacon Benevolence Committee supports this ministry when there are enough funds to do so.

Wilhelmina Gill Center: Twice a year, LBC members prepare and serve meals to roughly 300 needy persons at the Center located in Kansas City, Kansas. This is a church-wide ministry coordinated by Jeff Cook.

Habitat for Humanity: Members gather twice a year to help construct residences for the less fortunate. This is a church-wide ministry organized by Bill Reinwald.

Warm Embrace/Lakota Tribe: LBC member Ed Elsbury leads this ministry by organizing a winter clothing drive for the Lakota Tribe in Bridger, South Dakota. Along with other LBC participants, he also joins with other area churches in a yearly week-long journey to Bridger in order to oversee and partake in construction projects on the Reservation. This is a church-wide ministry.

The Light House: Providing love, guidance, and support to those experiencing unplanned pregnancies by meeting their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs before, during, and after their pregnancies. Almost weekly leftovers from our Wednesday Night Fellowship are happily accepted at the Lighthouse. In the spring, some LBC members arrange for help from Malachy Conner's Lawn Service to join them and the Light House girls in cutting the lawn, raking debris from gardens, and planting flowers.

The Salvation Army: LBC supports the Salvation Army during the Christmas season by providing bellringers at area locations. Arrangements for the bellringing are under the aegis of the Deacon Benevolence Committee. LBC also sends a quarterly contribution to TSA in order to offset those needy who come to our door and whom we refer to TSA for care. This contribution is made from funds in the Deacon Benevolence Fund and varies with the number of referrals made.

City Union Mission: Currently, we take leftovers from our Wednesday Night Fellowship and from major church functions when there is enough to feed 10 or more people. This happens only about three or four times per year. We should attempt to "tie in" to their needs on a quarterly basis with clothing drives, food, and volunteers as a church-wide ministry. City Union's evangelism is well-known, and it brings results for the Lord.

City Rescue Mission (Father Joe): Currently, only Max Beatty is doing anything with this ministry, and then only at Christmas. He asks for cash donations from the Middle Adult II Sunday School colass and sells packages of nuts church-wide to raise a little cash. CRM is very evangelical, having worship services in connection with meals.

Blood Drive: Joining with the Red Cross and the Community Blood Center, Helen and Gary Nahrstedt have sponsored one or two blood donation drives at LBC each year. This is a church-wide ministry.

Safe House: A shelter for battered women and children which has been brought to our attention by Helen Nahrstedt. This ministry appears to be very well-organized, is expanding, and could use our help. It's Helen's hope that one of LBC's Sunday School classes would adopt Safe House to help support.

last updated 5/5/08