KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas. Share your story idea with Olivia.
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Overland Park Christian Church has been a constant source of support for the community, serving as a warming and cooling center for Johnson County and housing multiple nonprofits.
Now, the church that welcomes everyone needs some support of its own.
The church's kitchen has been shut down for months due to fire safety violations. The former senior pastor, who has taken a new position since this interview, shared how the kitchen has served the community.
"The kitchen was used for was certainly fellowship meals for the congregation, but we've also cooked and served meals for the homeless, for different mission groups, for different music groups that are traveling through. And so we continue to serve a lot of those kind of groups right now," said Rev. Laura Ann Phillips, Overland Park Christian senior pastor.
As the congregation has shrunk, repairs have become difficult to afford.
Each time the church opens its doors to the community, it does so with the limitation that a kitchen won't be available.
"We're happy to have them, but right now, they have to bring their food in," Phillips said. "And so it would be really lovely to offer that, to offer the option that they can cook here if they'd like to."
Despite these challenges, the church continues to support local organizations, including Tiny Pantry Times, which operates a food pantry from the church rent-free.
That nonprofit is now taking the lead on a fundraiser to help fix the space that once fed many.
"They've really opened their arms to our concept, our mission and our vision, and we want to have an opportunity to pay them back," said Jennifer Parker, executive director of Tiny Pantry Times.
The fundraising event is this Saturday, June 28, from 6-9 p.m. at the church.
It's free to attend — with food, live music, and even a water slide — but donations and raffle proceeds will go directly to the church's kitchen fund.
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