Weekly Word

Lift your voice in praise!

This past Sunday, Sept. 6, the word of the week is “doxology” and we hosted Hymn Sings during all worship services. You can find recordings on our YouTube Channel and here on our website. One of the requested hymns at the Mission Campus service was “Be Thou My Vision.” It was also claimed as a favorite from a hospital bed on Monday. As Rev. Anna Owens shared, “There is power in our singing. There is power in joining our voices together to declare what it is we believe. To remind ourselves, and each other, that God is worthy of praise and that God calls us to take that praise and weave it into our very lives.”

Congregational meeting

The Village Church Session has called for a congregational meeting to be held Sunday, Sept. 20, following all worship services, for the purpose of electing officers and leaders for the new year, and presenting the 2026-2027 fiscal year budget.

Serve

Peanut Butter Month – September is Peanut Butter Month! It’s a rich source of protein that is good for breakfast, lunch, or dinner! Bring jars of peanut butter (18 oz. plastic jars preferred) to help stock the Food Pantry shelves. Thank you.

Cookie Bakers Needed – The Antioch Crosslines team needs people to bake cookies each month for Crosslines lunches and/or meals that go to Uplift. Please call or text Jan Zimmerman at 913-522-4643 to volunteer.

Cross-Lines Volunteer Opportunity – Every month, Village Church serves a meal to 100-150 people at the Cross-Lines Kitchen. Join us on Friday, Sept. 11, to serve lunch to our neighbors in need. Learn more and sign up HERE. Questions? Contact Jim Bolton.

Village Serves – 10 a.m.-noon, Saturday, Sept. 26. Join folks (all ages welcome) from Village as we volunteer to make Kansas City a better place! This month we will serve at Center of Grace, our new Signature Mission. Sign up HERE.

Engage, Grow, Celebrate

Lunch with a Pastor – noon, this Wednesday, Sept. 9, Antioch Campus. Join Pastor Anna for lunch and a time of casual conversation and fellowship on the second Wednesday of each month. Lunch provided.

Sept. 11 Prayer Service – This year marks the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. We will offer a prayer service at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 11 at the Mission Campus to help us remember and honor the 2,977 people who lost their lives, the first responders, and all those affected in the years since.

New Member Luncheon – noon, Oct. 4, Room 233 (Mission Campus). If you’re interested in becoming a member of Village Church, you’re invited to join us for lunch. Register HERE. Childcare is available. Questions? Email Carol Solenberger.

Village Golf – 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13 at the Fred Arbanas Golf Course. This is our last outing of 2026. Course fee including cart is $43 for those age 60 and older; $50 for those under 60. Register HERE by Oct. 5. Questions go to Brad Steil.

CONGREGATIONAL CARE

Caregiver Support Group – 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16 at Country Club Christian Church in the KALOS Suite (3rd floor). Caregiving is loving, hard work. Join others for support with facilitator Becky Parrott, LCMFT, who holds a certificate in Mental Health and Aging and serves as a board member for the Johnson County Commission on Aging.

On Being – 9 a.m. Sept. 20-Oct. 18, Antioch Library. Life transitions, grieving, and dying are a normal part of the human experience, and yet we can find ourselves ill-equipped when facing change and loss. Taught by Jen Wewers, executive director of Prairie Sky Counseling Center.

CHILDREN & FAMILIES

Kickoff is Sept. 13 – We look forward to seeing your kids at Kickoff on Sunday, Sept. 13! Children will worship in the Sanctuary with their families through “Time with Children” and then be dismissed to Lighthouse Kids. What’s the why? Worship attendance during childhood is one of the strongest—if not the strongest—predictors of religious participation later in life. Other programs matter, but nothing predicts which people choose to live a life of faith into their adulthood as powerfully as habits formed at home and practiced in a congregation.

Antioch Preschool Spots Available – There are a couple of openings in our classrooms at the amazing Antioch Preschool for (ages 2 ½ and older). Call Paula Benefiel at 913-681-1906 to schedule a tour.

international mission

Celebration Dominicana 2026 – You are invited to Celebration Dominicana on Saturday, Sept. 26 at Milburn Country Club as the Dominican Republic Medical Partnership (DRMP) celebrates more than three decades of hope and healing. Support this long-standing ministry while enjoying fine food, drink, live music, hand-picked auction items, and more! Tickets available online and before and after worship services this Sunday, Sept. 13.

Hit for Haiti Tennis & Pickleball Tournament – Saturday, Oct. 3. Attend the sixth annual tennis, pickleball, and platform tennis extravaganza at Homestead Country Club to benefit Higgins Brothers Surgicenter for Hope. Find all the details HERE.

music ministry

2nd Thursday Recital: Victoria Botero, soprano & Lamar Sims, piano – 12:15 p.m. this Thursday, Sept. 10 (Mission Campus).

Gold Line Quartet – 7p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, Sanctuary. Los Angeles-based Gold Line Quartet is a saxophone group merging the sounds of 19th century classical music with contemporary artists and pop/movie music from the 90s to today. Enjoy a brief lecture at 6:15 p.m. before the free program begins at 7 p.m.

VOCES8 – 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, Mission Sanctuary. Friends of Chamber Music presents VOCES8, the acclaimed British vocal ensemble. Their “Towards Paradise” program is a deeply reflective sacred tapestry tracing a spiritual journey through music of longing, faith, consolation, and peace. Tickets are going quickly! Buy yours HERE.

VILLAGE U

Religious Conflicts in Matthew’s Community – 6:30-8:30pm Tuesdays, Sept. 15-Oct. 6, Room 126 (Mission Campus). Join theologian and Scripture scholar, Biagio Mazza, for four sessions that delve into the mind and heart of the Matthean community by examining their cultural, religious, and political context. Register HERE.

Discovering God’s Creation Through Observational Drawing – 3:30-5:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Sept. 16- Oct. 7, Room 206 (Mission Campus). Develop your drawing skills by learning to draw what you see. Using pencil, we will work primarily with natural objects while learning basic drawing techniques. All levels of experience are welcome! Register HERE.

Bad Weather Is Getting Worse: What Will Happen? 7-9 p.m. Monday, Sept. 21, Room 233 (Mission Campus). The U.S. military has recently introduced a resiliency policy that includes dealing with weather and climate change. The class, taught by Chick Keller, will discuss how America is managing the issue.

American Mahjong Group Lessons – 10 a.m.-noon Thursdays, Sept. 24 and Oct. 1, Room 230, (Mission Campus). Come and see why American Mahjong has become the fastest growing game in town. This two-part intro class will show you the tiles and the basics of playing Mahjong. There is a limit of 8 people. Register HERE.

The Village U catalog is available online. Email Desiree Keyes with any questions.

women‘s ministry

Mahjong Mondays – 6:30-8 p.m. Sept. 14 (Mission) and 21 (Antioch). Join us to play Mahjong on the second and third Mondays each month. No need to RSVP. Bring your Mahjojng card (copies will be available).

Fall Book Club – Tuesdays, Sept. 22, Oct. 6 & 20, 6:30 p.m. Room 8 (Mission Campus). We will read “True to You” by Dr. Kathleen Smith, a guide on exploring identity, values, and being your true self. Learn more and register HERE.

Young adults

Picnic in the Park – 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15. Young adults with small children are invited to bring the whole family to Neale Peterson Park (6136 Mission Road) for an evening packed with food, laughter, and fun! No cost, just RSVP.

Y.A.M. (Young Adult Ministry) Night – Join us for Wednesdays@Village starting Sept. 16. We’ll share a meal at 5:30 p.m. in Friendship Hall, then most weeks, at 6:15 p.m., all 20s and 30s will head to Room 8 for our programming.

green tip of the week

Go cold. Use cold water when doing the laundry. Doing two loads in cold water each week can save up to 500 pounds of carbon dioxide in a year.