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Church opens in KC coffeehouse Fred Koenig, Dec 30, 2009
PHOTOS BY FRED KOENIG
The Rev. Eric Huffman is the pastor of the faith community Redemption in Kansas City, Mo.
By Fred Koenig Special Contributor
KANSAS CITY, Mo.—Redemption United Methodist Church is a new church starting out in the Keystone coffeehouse. The church is off to a good start, and the coffeehouse isn’t very large.
But as momentum builds and the church decides they need to move up to a bigger venue, they won’t have to go far, or even outside. There’s a sanctuary waiting for them right down the hall.
Redemption isn’t just a new worship service at Broadway United Methodist Church in the Heartland Central District of the Missouri Conference. It’s a new worshiping community. Although it shares space with Broadway United Methodist Church, it has its own pastor and its own distinct identity.
That’s what member Cathy Metcalf was hoping for. Both worship services at Broadway are as traditional as the majestic stone structure that has been the church building for generations.
Ms. Metcalf loves it that way; she’s personally not interested in contemporary or emergent worship styles. Most of the members of Broadway UMC feel the same way. But like Ms. Metcalf, they realize that it’s not all about them.
“I was part of our hospitality team, and realized that we had two similar services, and not everyone wants to worship in the manner that I do,” Ms. Metcalf said. “The whole point of being a church is to lead new people to Christ.”
So she made a simple motion at a church council meeting for the church to start a new worship experience. Now that it has started, she’s inviting her friends and neighbors.
“I’m not passionate about this style of worship, but I think it’s fantastic to see new people coming into Broadway, and see this new service starting to bloom,” she said.
Her enthusiasm makes for effective evangelism, said Redemption pastor Eric Huffman. “Cathy is one of my best people for inviting new people in,” he said.
Church members decided they wanted the new worship to include three key elements: The music should sound current; there should be small groups where people can build relationships; and there should be programs that include children.
The new church meets in the Keystone coffeehouse. The coffeehouse started in 2006. It’s in the original worship space of the church, which was built in 1900-1909.
“It was just another room,” said the Rev. Barry Freese, pastor of Broadway UMC.
The church found within its membership professionals to redesign the room and select colors. The old room suddenly had bright new life.
“It was a very significant catalyst,” Mr. Freese said. “It inspired many people to make improvements in other parts of the church.”
Being a large church, there’s a lot that can be done. A paint brigade started, and the group met for about 100 Wednesdays to paint walls in the church. They painted the church’s entire 32,000-square-foot education wing, except for the offices.
Parallel and independent to the stirrings at Broadway, Mr. Huffman had heard about the coffeeshop, and asked to see it. He was looking for somewhere to start a new church.
Once Mr. Huffman started meeting with the members from Broadway, Mr. Freese eased out of the launch.
“When a church starts a contemporary worship service, that’s usually out of a desire for that type of service from members of the church,” Mr. Huffman said. “Broadway didn’t need that. They were happy with their worship. What they did have was a desire to reach new people for Christ.”
Rather than just a new worship service, Redemption carries with it the excitement of a new name, new church, new leadership and new pastor. Redemption started in the summer with a core group of about a dozen people, a few from Broadway UMC and few from Revolution, Mr. Huffman’s other church. On Oct. 4, they had a soft launch, attended by 74 people. Now they are worshiping every Sunday, with attendance averaging around 45.
“More than half of the people are now new faces,” Mr. Huffman said. “The people from Revolution have returned to that church.” When they reach about 110 in attendance, they intend to move into the Sanctuary. They hope to have that happen by March 28, Palm Sunday.
Like many churches, Broadway UMC peaked around 1957, and then experienced a continually erosion in worship attendance. That finally stopped two years ago, when it experienced its first two years of back-to-back growth in nearly half a century. Mr. Freese said the growth is modest, but historically significant.
“Last fall I read my 70th name of honored saints [members who have died in the past year],” Mr. Freese said. “In the past year we’ve had nine new babies born to our congregation, and we’ll soon have two more.”
The sanctuary at Broadway UMC has been renovated, about four decades ago. Audio and video upgrades are being made now, and the chancel area is being remodeled to have more open space. Pledges of $33,000 were made for the A/V upgrade.
“There’s a great capacity for change here at Broadway—greater than at any church that I’ve been to,” Mr. Huffman said.
The worship service is at 9 a.m. at Redemption, and 11 a.m. Revolution, a congregation started by Mr. Huffman and his wife, the Rev. Geovanna Chavez, five years ago in Westport.
Mr. Huffman describes Revolution’s style as “ultra-edgy,” appealing to young people. Redemption is also a progressive church, and would be considered edgy enough compared to most United Methodist churches, but it is more subdued than Revolution.
Mr. Huffman doesn’t mention Revolution when he’s at Redemption. He’s now putting in less time at Revolution, and lay leadership has filled in the vacuum. About to welcome their second child into the world, Mr. Huffman and his wife have developed an affinity for young families.
Redemption is receiving funding from the Missouri Conference Congregational Development Team in the form of a new church start grant. It will receive $75,000 this first year, $35,000 the second year and $15,000 the third year.
“I thought that by front-loading the grant funding, it would take some weight off of Broadway during our start-up time,” Mr. Hufffman said.
This type of new church start is a pilot model for Missouri, and is somewhat similar to the Cornerstone UMC in Dallas, which was started by Highland Park UMC, a much larger church than Broadway. Mr. Huffman believes Redemption could develop into a model new church start for others to replicate when trying to revitalize the church in urban areas.
“Broadway drove the ship,” Mr. Huffman said. “It was their inspiration and ideas that brought us this far. They didn’t have to do this. They are a stable congregation. They choose to engage in risk-taking mission.”
Mr. Huffman also praised how cooperative and considerate Mr. Freese has been through the process.
“It goes against the nature of most pastors to invite someone else into their playground, to preach and lead new people,” Mr. Huffman said. “This wouldn’t work if we didn’t have a selfless person as pastor at Broadway who is willing to put advancing the Kingdom first.”
Mr. Koenig is the editor for the Missouri Conference Review.
PHOTOS BY FRED KOENIG
The new church meets in the Keystone coffeehouse. The coffeehouse started in 2006. It’s in the original worship space of the church, which was built in 1900-1909. 
Mr. Huffman doesn’t mention Revolution when he’s at Redemption. He’s now putting in less time at Revolution, and lay leadership has filled in the vacuum. About to welcome their second child into the world, Mr. Huffman and his wife have developed an affinity for young families. 
