The Weekly Word

May the way of God direct us.

As a deer longs for flowing streams, so my soul longs for you, O God. –Psalm 42

On Saturday, a group of 49 persons (and a couple of dogs) walked through a cold and windy Shawnee Mission Park reciting Psalm 42 out loud together and praying and reflecting. This was the first of five Prayer Walks planned for Lent. This Saturday, March 22, Rev. Zach Walker will be leading a group on a tour of Jerusalem Farm, one of signature mission partners, at 9 a.m. Meet at 520 Garfield Avenue, KC, MO.

Annual Congregational Meetings & Lunch

This Sunday, March 23

The Village Church Session has called for a meeting to be held this Sunday, immediately after the 11 a.m. worship service (Mission Campus). All are invited to share a lunch in Friendship Hall to reflect on our ministry in 2024, hear a report about the 2025 budget, and our plans for the upcoming year.

The Antioch meeting will take place in the Sanctuary so folks can best see and hear all we have to share. Then we’ll move to Fellowship Hall for one of our famous potluck lunches!

Serve

Be the Church Night—Spring edition – We once again have the opportunity to serve others at the Mission Campus! Join us at 5 p.m. Sunday, April 6 for pizza in Friendship Hall, followed by various service opportunities from 5:30-6:30. All ages are welcome; a great way to serve during Lent!

Food Pantry & Clothes Closet – We’re hoping you can do some cereal shopping this week. It’s a quick and easy breakfast. We’re starting the transition from winter to spring and summer. Please hang on to your winter coats and sweaters until next fall, but we’d love some jackets and spring fashions. Household goods (towels, linens, kitchen supplies) are welcome as well!

Community Blood Center Announces Area Shortage – Please consider donating at our April 3 Blood Drive from 2-6 p.m. at the Antioch Campus, Fellowship Hall. Tell your friends and recruit a donor!

Engage, Grow, and Celebrate

adult faith formation

Climate Change: The Solution, We Are Adapting – 6:30-8 p.m. Wednesday, March 19, Room 132, Mission Campus. The world has a plan to minimize the impacts of climate change by cutting CO2 emissions in half by 2030 and in total by 2050 but we are behind schedule. Charles “Chick” Keller will examine efforts to adapt to the new climate and implement technologies to help solve climate change.

Welcoming the Poor, the Outcast, and the Stranger: The Gospel According to Luke and Its Challenge to All Christians – 6:30-8:30 p.m. Mondays, March 10-31, Heritage Dining Room (230). This series, led by Biagio Mazza, focuses on Christian hospitality, the Eucharist, and how to emulate Jesus’ inclusive love in our daily lives.

Village for Gun Sense (VGS) has been tracking the introduction of bills after the overwhelming response of church members who wrote state legislators in January. Numerous pro and con firearm-related bills have been introduced in both Kansas and Missouri, including secure gun storage bills. VGS continues to communicate with legislators encouraging action that will protect our children. You are encouraged to continue to write, call, or email legislators. Find more information HERE. The current political climate is not favorable to our cause. However, as we follow in the footsteps of Jesus, we will continue to challenge our leaders to end the gun violence crisis.

Excited to share the 2025 Village Golf dates with you! Our first outing is Tuesday, April 22 at Fred Arbanas/Longview in Kansas City, MO. All men and women golfers are invited. Email Brad Steil to register before April 11. Follow the golf group on their Facebook Page.

music ministry

Luther College Nordic Choir with Village Choir – 7 p.m. Saturday, March 22. Tickets can be bought HERE or at the door. In addition to their concert, they’ll be leading music at both morning services on this Sunday, March 23 at the Mission Campus.

2nd Thursday Recital: Washington University Choir – 12:15 p.m. Thursday, April 10. Free midday recital in the Mission Campus Sanctuary.

Presbyterian women

Amazing Graces – 1-3 p.m. Sunday, April 6, “In the Kitchen with Teri” at the Mission Campus. We will make cinnamon rolls! The cost is $15 per person. To make a reservation, email Becky Anderson.

Celebration of Faithful Women – 5:30 p.m. April 8 in Friendship Hall, Mission Campus. All women are invited to attend as we honor the faithful service of five remarkable women in our midst. Registration is open (the event is free).

Children & family ministry

Open Play Time – Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (9 a.m. to noon) bring your little kids and hang out in the comfy Young Adult Room (below the Welcome Center) where we’ve stocked toys, books, and more—and grab a soda or coffee.

youth ministry

Programs on Break, March 16-23 – All youth events will be on hold during Spring Break while 14 students plus seven adults travel to the Dominican Republic—bringing compassion, hope, and aid to Haitian sugarcane cutters and their families—alongside our mission partners Light A Candle – Fundación Enciende Una Luz. Photos above taken by Brad Hull. Weekly programs return on March 26.

young adults

Picnic in the Park – 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday, March 25. Young adult parents and their kiddos are invited to meet for food and fun at Mohawk Park (67th & Lamar). No cost but sign up HERE to let us know you’re coming! Save our future picnic dates: April 22 and May 13.

Service Day at Jerusalem Farm – Noon-5 p.m. Saturday, April 5. Join us for an afternoon serving our neighbors at Jerusalem Farm, Village’s signature mission for 2024-2025. Come prepared to work outside!

social justice

Social Justice Ministry Community Dinner – 5-7 p.m. Monday, April 7, Friendship Hall, Mission Campus. You’re invited to a dinner with local immigration experts and friends from Grandview Park Presbyterian and Neema Community Churches. We’ll discuss the impact of the current administration’s immigration enforcement changes in Kansas City. The meal is free, but registration is required. Childcare is available.

green tips of the week:

Wash your laundry with cold water whenever possible. To save water, wash full loads or if you must wash a partial load, reduce the water level appropriately. *Village Presbyterian Church is a certified Earth Care Congregation.

Earthkeeping Lecture; A Call to Arms: Protecting Children from Chemicals Causing Disease – 8:30-11:15 a.m. Saturday, March 29 (Mission Campus) with investigative journalist and author Carey Gillam, in partnership with Grace Covenant Church. Learn more and register here.

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Pastoral care & Counseling

Village U Mental Health Series: How to Build Resilience for Difficult Times – 6:30-8 p.m. Wednesday, March 26, Room 126, Mission Campus. Led by Jen Wewers, Executive Director of the Prairie Sky Counseling Center, this session will help participants use their current resources (and explore a few new ones!) to nurture their ability to bounce back from hard times.

Easter Lily Donations Through April 2 – Your $15 donation is a way to honor your loved one plus it provides an Easter lily for a homebound member. All lily info is HERE—including a sign-up for those who can help deliver on April 12! All names will appear in the Palm Sunday bulletin.

Choose mercy. Choose compassion.

“It is precisely now, when our instinct is to recoil from one another, that the need for an ethos of sensitive, sincere encounter is vital and urgent, not only for us as individuals, families, and communities, but for our society.” –Rabbi Sharon Brous

Thank you for your continued support of the work of Village Church. This is the time of year when Pastoral Care orchestrates a massive undertaking of delivering Easter lilies to our homebound members. Our young adults are planning a day of service in April at Jerusalem Farm and have reserved a booth at Pride Fest in June—while a team of teenagers use their Spring Break to travel to the Dominican Republic to help serve some of our most vulnerable neighbors. You make this possible with your prayer, encouragement, and charitable giving. We thank you!