Jesus embraced, served and lifted up all persons, with particular attention to the marginalized. It is our privilege and calling to further His ministry in our time, working for justice and caring for others as living witness to Christ’s love.
PANTRY & CLOTHES CLOSET
Since 1970 Central Church has operated a food pantry on Wednesday mornings (9:00 – 11:00 a.m.) that provides groceries and fresh produce to approximately 120 neighborhood households each month. Pantry patrons may also select items of clothing and housewares from the extensive Clothes Closet. We also assist folks in enrolling in the food stamp program.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
Central Presbyterian is a Presbyterian Church (USA) Earth Care congregation. Our solar panel-covered roof has reduced our energy we use by 60% since 2019. We program heating and cooling zones in the building for when they are occupied. Our outside water use is minimized by landscaping with plants native to our region and regulating irrigation. Energy consumption is further lessened by increasing use of LED light bulbs.
Central Presbyterian was for several years the city’s only Presbyterian Church that openly welcomed persons who are LGBTQIA and gender non-binary. Our Session reflects that persons of different gender identification and sexual orientation are represented in leadership roles. We wrote and proposed overtures which changed the polity of the Presbyterian Church (USA), opening the door to ordination (2010) and same gender marriage (2014) for Presbyterian Christians. Presently we provide rehearsal and office space for the Kansas City Women’s Chorus and storage space for Heartland Men’s Chorus (both member choruses of GALA); and office space for the Presbyterian Synod of Mid-America, Te Deum, and the Covenant Network of Presbyterians, whose mission is to further the full inclusion of LGBTQ persons in the life of the church.
MISSION PARTNERS
We partner with local, national and global organizations to leverage our resources to shape a better world. These are some of our partners.
 | Presbyterian Church (USA) We support the global mission of the PC (USA). We have special ties to a mission worker in Africa and to a Christian community in Mexico where we helped source potable water. |
 | More Light Presbyterians educates and advocates for fuller inclusion of LGBTQ persons in church and society. |
 | The Covenant Network of Presbyterians, associated with PC(USA), seeks an equity still not fully realized for LGBTQIA+ people in church and society, by engaging, educating, and equipping the church to provide a welcoming and affirming congregational space and to bear witness to justice through advocacy and activism at the international, national, and local church levels. |
 | Kansas City Community Gardens assists low-income households and community groups in the KC metropolitan area to produce vegetables and fruit in gardens located in backyards, vacant lots, and community sites. |
 | Green Works provides students with multiple education and internship opportunities combining environmental science and economic development. |
 | The Mission Project enables capable adults with developmental disabilities to live independently and safely in community with individualized support. |
 | Sewing Labs empowers women marginalized by generational poverty, addiction, incarceration, immigration, or other life challenges through job skills training in the creative sewing arts, and networking. |
 | Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation (AIRR) works to keep families together and end the humanitarian crisis our immigrant community is facing. |
 | Kansas City Women’s Chorus is Kansas City’s only regional women’s chorus inspiring through performance, embracing diversity, and advocating social justice. |
 | GLSEN is a national network of educators, students and community members working to create a safe, supportive, LGBTQ-inclusive learning environment for every K-12 student in every school in the Kansas City metro area. |
 | Cultivate KC works to build a sustainable, local food system for Kansas City that finds its strength and resiliency in diversity. |
 | Living Waters for the World trains volunteers to lead mission teams that partner with communities to install and operate sustainable water purification systems. |
OUTREACH AND GRANT REQUEST
As we embrace our call as a Matthew 25 congregation, we are honored to partner and engage with numerous organizations within our local and global communities. We are currently accepting requests for outreach funding. Each request will be reviewed by our Outreach Grants Committee and will be approved on a quarterly, case-by-case basis. In the event your organization is not selected, we encourage you to apply again in the future. We look forward to hearing from you!
Request deadlines are February 28, May 31, August 31, and November 30.