Holmeswood Baptist Church stands at 9700 Holmes Road, at 97th and Holmes in Kansas City. It is known for pairing Baptist roots with an inclusive welcome, Sunday worship that blends contemporary and traditional elements, and Bible Fellowship Groups that are open to visitors. Beyond the sanctuary, Holmeswood organizes classes for children and youth, music ensembles, mission partnerships, and practical support for students and families in Kansas City. The church describes itself as a faith community striving to embody the inclusive love of Jesus Christ and make Kansas City a better place for all.
Baptist Roots and an Inclusive Vision
Holmeswood's mission is to "Journey through life with the inclusive Christ and embrace all with God's transforming love." Its vision is to be "a vibrant, inclusive community of faith that demonstrates Christ's love and connects people with Jesus Christ." The church partners with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, sharing a commitment to the Great Commission, the Great Commandment, and Baptist principles of faith and practice. CBF Heartland is its regional partner.
Its Baptist identity includes the autonomy of the local church, religious liberty, democratic church governance, and the priesthood of the believer. The congregation gives members a voice in business decisions and values the freedom to form personal beliefs according to conscience, even when it agrees to disagree on nuanced matters. Holmeswood also holds that people of faith, whether Christian or non-Christian and regardless of denomination or creed, should be protected from government intrusion. It understands every member as a minister whose gifts should be discovered and put to work in the community.
At the center is the lordship of Christ: Jesus was born and lived a sinless life, died, and was resurrected on the third day so people can have peace with God. Scripture is the guide for faith and practice, and the church seeks to incorporate biblical teaching into daily life. Holmeswood is ecumenical in nature, finding friendship and shared learning with non-Baptist Christian groups.
Sunday at 10:15 in the Sanctuary
Sunday worship begins at 10:15 a.m. Holmeswood describes its style as blended, bringing contemporary and traditional elements together in an eclectic mix of music, Scripture readings, prayers, and congregational participation. The church's membership represents many faith backgrounds, and the congregation gathers to praise God in song and word, witness to a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ, and experience the guidance and movement of the Holy Spirit. The service seeks to carry its focus on God into daily life.
Visitors may worship in the Sanctuary or participate through Facebook or YouTube. People worship in their "Sunday best" or in a more casual look with jeans. Holmeswood wants each person to be comfortable, whether dressed up or dressed down. Worship is understood as connecting with God and remembering that God guides people through grief, stress, confusion, uncertainty, and other parts of life.
Fourteen Bible Fellowship Groups at the Heart
Bible Fellowship Groups, Holmeswood's name for small groups, are described as the heart of the church community. Fourteen BFGs meet before worship on Sundays from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m. in various locations around the church campus. All are open to visitors, and each has its own identity. Groups also meet at other times during the week, in person, online, by conference call, and around Kansas City, making room for people to share life together beyond Sunday morning.
The Formation Council provides partnership and support for the groups and spiritual-formation opportunities for the wider faith community. It also offers book and podcast suggestions and helps people explore growth in faith. Adult group names include Young Adults, A Work in Progress, AC-3, The Ascenders, AC-5.1 The Intentionals, The Seekers, and Lydia.
From Preschool Through College
Holmeswood's Family Ministry includes children and youth from ages 0 to 18 and works alongside parents and guardians. All churchgoers are invited to take part. Sunday classes begin with preschool for ages 2 to 5, where Bible storytelling, hands-on activities, and active learning stations help children explore God's love. Elementary classes serve kindergarten through fifth grade and combine Bible study, games, activities, the Church Year, seasonal holy days, and liturgical colors. Elementary-aged visitors are welcome, and a parent or guardian can sit in with a child.
Youth and College gathers students in grades 6 through 12 in the Youth Room, with college-aged helpers. The group welcomes students from different schools and parts of the city to discuss the issues of daily life, ask questions, play games, and build community as their authentic selves. The separate Young Adults ministry gathers people from college age through 35, regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, neighborhood, or financial status. They seek to connect personal stories of Christ with community, work together through questions and doubts of faith, and serve social issues in the area at least once a month.
Anchors: Fellowship for Adults 55 and Older
Anchors is Holmeswood's senior adult fellowship, meeting for lunch on the third Thursday of each month. Its gatherings combine Scripture, shared joys and concerns, humor, good food, and entertainment while supporting a Holmeswood mission project. Members, friends, and community members are welcome, and the emphasis is on fellowship, laughter, inspiration, and making new friends.
Wednesday Music and Sunday Praise
Holmeswood's music ministry has places for singers, ringers, and instrumentalists. The open-to-all-ages Sanctuary Choir sings anthems, leads congregational singing, and prepares extended musical worship services during its Wednesday rehearsal from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sanctuary Handbells rehearses Wednesdays from 6:10 to 7:20 p.m. Its ringers work with more than five octaves of hand bells and hand chimes, and the group also plays for outside groups.
The Holmeswood Community Chorus welcomes adults who enjoy singing for community organizations such as retirement centers, churches, and clubs. Rehearsing Wednesdays from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the choir room, the chorus moves from Broadway classics to spirituals and religious anthems. Its performances at nursing homes, churches, and other ministries are a regular part of the group's spring and fall rhythm. The Praise Team rehearses Sundays at 8:00 a.m. and leads contemporary songs and hymns, while soloists and other instrumentalists also have opportunities to serve.
The Media Library supports learning about God, Christian growth, worship, and the church's leaders. It is open Sundays from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. and Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Pat Tennison serves as director and librarian.
Missions That Meet Practical Needs
Holmeswood's mission work combines its own projects with partnerships around Kansas City and the world. A major local effort supports students and families in the Center School District through Back Snacks, clothing, food, school supplies, and furniture. Back Snacks are delivered weekly during the school year to Center High School and Center Alternative School for students identified as unaccompanied youth. The church also operates a clothes closet, food pantry, school supply closet, and furniture closet for students and families identified by school social workers. The food pantry is available to social workers at Center, while the other closets support needs throughout the school year.
Holmeswood joined MORE2, the Metro Organization for Racial and Economic Equity, in 2020. MORE2 works through grassroots movements to change policies promoting racial and economic equity in Kansas and Missouri. The church also partners with Kansas City P.R.I.D.E. Community Alliance, which provides educational opportunities, social activities, and advocacy for LGBTQ+ people in an inclusive environment.
The Red Cross may use Holmeswood as a shelter when the community faces disaster. In that role, the church opens its doors as a safe haven and offers a comforting presence to people in crisis. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Holmeswood joins service projects across the city as a "day on" rather than a "day off." Impact Center Schools, another partner, brings together civic, faith, educational, and business leaders in South Kansas City around mentoring and homelessness in the school district.
Partnerships for Worship, Learning, and Service
The church's wider network supports several dimensions of its shared life. Choral Spectrum, an SATB choir, creates a safe space for LGBTQIA people and allies to express themselves and influence acceptance through music. Central Baptist Theological Seminary prepares women and men for seeking God, shaping church, and serving humanity. Hillcrest Transitional Housing provides homeless families, singles, and youth with education and support in a caring environment, with an emphasis on moving clients toward self-sufficiency.
Holmeswood also names Baptist Center for Ethics, Baptist News Global, and the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty among its national and global connections. Their work ranges from practical ethics resources and Baptist news to defending and extending religious liberty for all. CBF Heartland's goals are inspiring leaders, transforming missions, and engaging communities, while Word and Way provides news and opinion for Baptists across the Midwest.
Recordings, the Fellowship One App, and Online Giving
Holmeswood makes recent sermons available through recordings. A weekly "What's Happening at Holmeswood" email carries information for the community of faith. The Fellowship One Go app gives members and regular attendees a password-protected directory, profile updates, and photo options. BFG leaders and deacons can also use it for attendance and group texts or emails.
Online giving is available through checking or savings accounts, debit or credit cards, scheduled gifts, and gifts directed to one or more funds. This gives congregants and guests a way to support ministries that extend from the Kansas City neighborhood to partnerships across the nation and world.
Together, these rhythms express Holmeswood's conviction that Christian faith is lived through worship, shared inquiry, belonging across generations, artistic service, and tangible care for people and communities. Holmeswood continues to define itself by Baptist principles and the expansive welcome of Christ's love.