If you live in the Kansas City area and are looking for a new kind of spiritual community or worshiping experience, this is for you.
If you’ve found yourself up late at night with a wild idea for spiritual community, this is for you.
If you’ve been trying to lead a new church for a while and realize it’d be a lot easier with friends, this is for you.
Take a look around and get in touch. God is doing something new, and we want to partner with you.
ABOUT
Heartland Presbytery recognizes that the church is transforming in new and exciting ways. To respond to this call, we’ve teamed up with the 1001 New Worshiping Communities movement and Cyclical INC to help identify and support new spiritual leaders in the Kansas City area as they develop New Worshiping Communities.
Our goal is to help support these leaders as they create and foster new, authentic, and adaptive expressions of the local church. We aim to help leaders reach sustainability by connecting them to the resources that they need. We also recognize that this can be a long, hard, and lonely journey, so we prioritize building community among leaders through regular gatherings and conversation.
You may ask, what is a New Worshiping Community?
Let’s break it down:
NEW: NWCs are varied and creative forms of church that are responding to our changing culture and seeking to form new disciples of Christ.
WORSHIPING: NWCs gather to engage in transformational, Spirit-led work by meeting Christ in Word and Sacrament.
COMMUNITY: NWCs practice mutual care and accountability, ultimately developing sustainability in leadership and finances.
You may also be wondering, who is this for?
Although this is a movement of Heartland Presbytery and Presbyterian Church (USA), we welcome leaders from all denominations and backgrounds. Whether you identify as a pastor, organizer, artist or something else, we believe that it is important to have diversity among New Worshiping Community leaders so that beautiful and creative expressions of the church can form.
Where do you fit into this?
It is a journey to start a New Worshiping Community. We are here to support you through each stage of the process:
01. DISCERNing
Discerners are people who are dreaming and exploring the call to start something new. We invite discerners to plug into the community of discerners and see a spiritual director, therapist or coach as they consider this possibility.
02. STARTing
Starters are people who have discerned and determined that starting a new spiritual community is for them. We invite starters to apply for funding, dive deeper into the community of discerners and starters, and commit to a coaching relationship.
03. Leading
Leaders are people who guide spiritual communities that are moving toward sustainability and regeneration. Formerly considered starters, leaders shape and form their New Worshipping Community, responding as it continues to grow and adapt. We invite leaders to continue to seek funding and stay connected to the larger community of leaders. Ultimately, Leaders begin to develop the capacity to foster and support new discerners and starters who are called to expand the community or create something new.
And maybe now you’re wondering, how do I get started?
Let’s connect! We want to hear about your dreams and ideas and explore the possibility of partnering with you. We will invite you to join us for a discerners gathering to get to know other people who exploring this, too. We will outline next steps with you and connect you to funding opportunities if needed.
OUR TEAM
Sarah Dunne Pickrell
Director, Heartland NWC
Sarah is an artist, yoga instructor, spiritual director, and organizer. She is a founding leader and antiracism trainer with The Open Table KC, a PCUSA 1001 New Worshipping Community. Sarah’s background is in nonprofit administration, education, and outreach. She is an advocate for racial, economic, and environmental justice and passionate about the intersections of spirituality and social equity. As an animal lover and nature enthusiast, Sarah spends much of her free time outdoors or creating art inspired by the natural world.
Contact Sarah: director@heartlandnwc.org
New Worshiping Communities Commission
The NWC Commission was created in 2019 as a response to the energy around New Worshiping Communities in Heartland Presbytery. This group prayerfully supports New Worshiping Communities.
Rev. Clare Lozano - Pastor, Heritage Presbyterian Church
Nick Pickrell - Commissioned Pastor, previously pastor at The Open Table
Darron Story - Elder, South Broadland Presbyterian Church
Rev. Elizabeth Meador - Pastor, Blue Ridge Presbyterian Church
Tony Beyer - Commissioned Pastor, New Springs Community Church
Rev Sally Wright - Pastor, Pastoral Care at Village Presbyterian Church