KANSAS CITY, MO. -
Easter Sunday is all about new life. And, one historic metro church hopes to get new life from of all things, another church.
The Old Grand Avenue Temple in downtown Kansas City is not only a relic, it's nearly in ruins. It needs financial help.
So, it's pastor turned to a metro mega-church in Leawood that just might be the largest methodist church in the nation.
The hundred-year-old Grand Avenue Temple in downtown Kansas City is showing its age.
You'll find broken windows, no air conditioning, and oddly enough you might even see a pair of old shoes lying out front. But, like the sign says, the church is all about hope. 85 percent of its congregation is homeless.
"Yeah, I'm homeless, but I try to make the best of it. I'm getting teary eye," said Kenneth.
Many of these folks say they have no family. So, at Easter, they say it's important to be with their church family.
"Oh it's very important 'cuz it's the best of the life...the Lord is risen from the grave," said Helen.
Like most Sundays at Grand Avenue Temple, you'll see folks sleeping on the floor or reading a newspaper. But, on this Sunday it's vastly different.
For the third straight Easter, the rich and the poor have come together to shake hands in harmony.
Church of the Resurrection and Grand Avenue Temple became one for a day.
"Whether you have money or not, that emptiness is there in all of us. that nature is in all of us," said Church of the Resurrection member David Sisney.
But, now this yearly communion between the two churches will become permanent. The Church of the Resurrection will rent space in the Temple to hold Sunday evening services.
"What ministry really is is organizing money and power so that you can have an influence and impact to do something significant," said Grand Avenue Pastor Ron Brooks.
And, Pastor Brooks hopes his new partnership will draw new downtown dwellers and new financial life to his church. After all, Easter Sunday is all about resurrecting new life.
"Isn't that the Easter message right there? Angels singing in the front and hearing the beautiful music and..there is hope," said Resurrection's David Sisney.
By August, the partnership will be complete. That's when the Church of the Resurrection will brand out to downtown Kansas City. They'll start out across the street, and then in November, they say they'll hold their first service in Grand Avenue Temple.
The Old Grand Avenue Temple in downtown Kansas City is not only a relic, it's nearly in ruins. It needs financial help.
So, it's pastor turned to a metro mega-church in Leawood that just might be the largest methodist church in the nation.
The hundred-year-old Grand Avenue Temple in downtown Kansas City is showing its age.
You'll find broken windows, no air conditioning, and oddly enough you might even see a pair of old shoes lying out front. But, like the sign says, the church is all about hope. 85 percent of its congregation is homeless.
"Yeah, I'm homeless, but I try to make the best of it. I'm getting teary eye," said Kenneth.
Many of these folks say they have no family. So, at Easter, they say it's important to be with their church family.
"Oh it's very important 'cuz it's the best of the life...the Lord is risen from the grave," said Helen.
Like most Sundays at Grand Avenue Temple, you'll see folks sleeping on the floor or reading a newspaper. But, on this Sunday it's vastly different.
For the third straight Easter, the rich and the poor have come together to shake hands in harmony.
Church of the Resurrection and Grand Avenue Temple became one for a day.
"Whether you have money or not, that emptiness is there in all of us. that nature is in all of us," said Church of the Resurrection member David Sisney.
But, now this yearly communion between the two churches will become permanent. The Church of the Resurrection will rent space in the Temple to hold Sunday evening services.
"What ministry really is is organizing money and power so that you can have an influence and impact to do something significant," said Grand Avenue Pastor Ron Brooks.
And, Pastor Brooks hopes his new partnership will draw new downtown dwellers and new financial life to his church. After all, Easter Sunday is all about resurrecting new life.
"Isn't that the Easter message right there? Angels singing in the front and hearing the beautiful music and..there is hope," said Resurrection's David Sisney.
By August, the partnership will be complete. That's when the Church of the Resurrection will brand out to downtown Kansas City. They'll start out across the street, and then in November, they say they'll hold their first service in Grand Avenue Temple.
