8A


mer Psychic Research Center, needed some work. As they went to work, one project quickly led to the next, and two dumpsters later the final result is a complete interior remodel, with new walls and floors throughout the entire building. “We were hoping to slap some


paint on it and move in, but things didn’t work out that way,” Huffman said. The work isn’t limited to the


inside. The property was becom- ing over-grown with weeds and brush, and most of that has already been cleaned up. Part of the newly cleared space may be used as an ampitheater or a soccer field.


The church was offered $100,000 through the Conference by a private donor, but were asked to match it. They did so in two weeks. Huffman put together a quick sermon series, based on Bishop Robert Schnase’s Extravagant Generosity materials. “There are not many church-


es of this size that can raise $100,000 that quickly,” said Bob Farr, director of the Center for Congregational Excellence. The church put $50,000 down


on the property purchase, and are using the other $150,000 for the work they are doing on the property. That’s being stretched by a lot of volunteer hours from the congregation. Nearly all the work except the replacement of the air conditioner was done by the church members. Volunteers from Platte Woods UMC have also pitched in to help. Wanda Jackson has been part of Northland UMC since its


Office of Creative Ministries News Northland continued on from page 1A


beginning stages. “When I read in the


Conference newspaper about the church being started in this area, I knew we were part of the demo- graphic that it was being started for, and we wanted to help,” Jackson said. Wanda is the children’s min-


ister, her husband Steve is the project manager of the building’s rehab, and does much of the work himself. “I’ve fixed up a couple of


houses, so I have some experi- ence,” Steve Jackson said as he covered the bathrooms walls with ceramic tile. “We’ve expanded the doorways in the bathrooms to make them handicap accessible, and are putting in the tile instead of drywall to bring the bathroom up to code.” Reuben Albrecht was at the


church with his skid-steer loader, pulling stumps. He wasn’t familiar with Northland, but he is a neigh- bor who noticed all of the activ- ity on the previously abandoned property. “I just came by to hang out,


and this feels like the place to be,” he said. “Curtis is really enthusias- tic, and I’m feeling drawn to this church. I’ll probably end up being a member here.” In addition to using volunteer


labor, the church has also been value shopping. They purchased $82,000 of commercial-grade playground equipment from a closed child-care center in Lee’s Summit for $14,000. During the construction nights,


the church isn’t forgetting to do outreach. Curtis and Kim Wilke, and their two boys, Conner, 9,


and Kyle, 8, worked on a door-to- door campaign on the evening of September 14. They were handing out fliers and cold cups. Curtis, who works in sales, had the route plotted out using Google maps and Google’s street view. A lifelong resident of Northland, he had a good sense of the neighborhood surrounding the church. The immediate neighborhood has a country feel, and consists of large homes that are about 30 years old, with large, well groomed yards. Curtis said many of the baby- boomers that built the homes have moved out to lower-maintenance retirement homes, and many young couples with children have moved in. “I’m excited about this loca-


tion,” he said. “The church is right in the heart of the Parkhill School District, which is known for being a great school.” The Wilke family has been


involved with Northland UMC since it was about six months into getting starting. They were not previously active in a church. “We’ve really enjoyed it.


Everyone is very laid back. They’re all real people,” Curtis Wilke said. Josh Reed, who has been with


Northland UMC about a year, was also going door-to-door. Having previously run for state repre- sentative, it felt pretty natural to him. He didn’t encounter anyone who was negative, and met one unchurched family that was inter- ested in finding a church to get their kids involved in, and one person who had previously been a leader in church, but hadn’t been in years and was now ready to go back. “I had a lot positive interac-


tions with the neighborhood,” he said.


The church is engaged in local


Mission. In November they will be doing yard work and home repairs for a neighbor who is a veteran who has lost both his legs. The church has also been active in relief efforts for Joplin. Northland had 65 – 90 people


Rev. Curtis Huffmann gives Northland UMC members some tips before they set out inviting people to church.


in worship through the sum- mer. They had 125 on the second Sunday in September, as they wor- shiped in the middle of an active construction zone for the second time. They have two worship ser- vices on Sunday morning, and will also have a full worship service on Wednesday night. Current plans are for a Tuesday night Bible study, and small groups on other


September 30, 2011


Reuben Albrecht, a new neighbor to Northland UMC, uses his loader to pull stumps on the property.


nights. “With this property we seem


more legitimate, and are being taken more seriously, even among our own people,” Huffman said. “There are a lot of new church starts around here in schools and other temporary locations, and most of them are struggling.” On that Wednesday night


Tiffany Turner walked the neigh-


borhood with her baby Ryker, passing out fliers and cold cups and inviting people to church. Like the others, the neighbors complimented her on the progress the church has already made on fixing up its building. “One person said, ‘Your con-


gregation has a tremendous amount of energy; we were glad to see you move in’,” Turner said.


Fall Roast Events For Saint Paul


Student Scholarships


Monday, October 10


Congressman


Emanuel Cleaver, II ‘76 Roast Event


Kansas City, Missouri


Thursday, October 13


Rev. Jim Bryan ‘76 Roast Event


an ‘76


Columbia, Missouri


Speaking at both events: Dr. Tex Sample, Saint Paul Faculty Emeritus


For additional information or to register go to www.spst.edu/roasts or call 816-245-4816.


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