St. Andrew's Episcopal Church has stood on Wornall Terrace in the Brookside neighborhood of Kansas City, Missouri for generations, and its red-brick presence on a leafy block a few miles south of the Country Club Plaza sets the tone for a parish that is at once rooted in Anglican tradition and deeply engaged with the life of its city. Across Wornall Road stands the church's companion building, HJ's Youth and Community Center, where most of the parish's formation, fellowship, and outreach work unfolds week by week. Together the two buildings house a full slate of Sunday and weekday worship, a celebrated music program built around a four-manual Æolian-Skinner pipe organ, year-round formation for every age, and an unusually broad set of partnerships with neighborhood schools, food programs, and refugee service agencies on both sides of State Line.
Two Sunday Eucharists and a Friday Noon Service
The week at St. Andrew's centers on three celebrations of the Holy Eucharist. On Sunday morning at 8 a.m., the parish gathers for a quiet Rite I service in the more traditional Elizabethan language of the Book of Common Prayer, with a sermon, a musical solo, time-honored hymns, and Communion. At 10:15 a.m. the larger Rite II Eucharist fills the nave with congregational hymnody, the Parish Choir, and the full organ, weaving Scripture, sermon, and prayers for the world into a single liturgy. Both Sunday services are also livestreamed, and bulletins for each service are posted in advance for those worshiping online.
Friday brings a brief but intentional service at noon in the chapel, a midweek touchpoint that members and visitors who work nearby often keep as part of their routine. All three services are open to everyone, and baptism is available to adults and children of all ages. Children are welcome at any service, and Sunday School children and their caretakers join the 10:15 congregation during the Peace.
A Choir, a Pipe Organ, and the Instruments That Shape Worship
Music is woven through every layer of parish life at St. Andrew's, and the parish is known across the region for the quality of its vocal and instrumental forces. The centerpiece is the 1963 Æolian-Skinner pipe organ, a three-manual instrument that was rebuilt and expanded by Quimby Pipe Organs in 1993 and again in 2021 into a four-manual, 68-rank instrument with 4,148 individual pipes and an antiphonal division on the west wall of the nave. It was featured at the 2018 National Convention of the American Guild of Organists and is widely counted among the top organs in the region.
Director of Music and Organist Dr. Thomas R. Vozzella leads the program, supported by Assistant Conductor Lauren Augue, Organist Dr. Jacob Hofeling, Music Ministry Assistant Allison Fikejs, and Sunday School Singers Leader Patrick Graham. The Parish Choir sings at the 10:15 Eucharist throughout the year and rehearses on Wednesday evenings from September through April. Membership is by informal interview audition. The St. Andrew's Singers, the smaller and more selective ensemble, serve as the choir's vocal leadership and as the parish's outreach ensemble, singing Choral Evensong, funerals, weddings, and concerts throughout greater Kansas City and beyond. Both choirs support choral music at St. Andrew's 52 weeks a year.
Children join the music of the parish through the Sunday School Singers, who rehearse from 10:00 to 10:20 a.m. on Sundays in the Children's Worship Center and sing in worship as scheduled. Beyond voices, the music ministry inventory includes a Steinway & Sons Model B concert grand piano, a Young Chang Y175 grand, two Samick baby grands, a Sperrhake single-manual harpsichord, five octaves of Schulmerich handbells, and two octaves of Malmark hand chimes.
HJ's: The Second Building, Across Wornall Road
Much of the life that radiates out from St. Andrew's takes place across the street at HJ's Youth and Community Center, the church's companion facility at 6425 Wornall Road. Named in honor of a former rector, HJ's is the hub for youth ministry, adult formation, fellowship gatherings, and many of the parish's outreach efforts. It is also home to HJ's Cafe, open Monday through Saturday from 8 to 11 a.m., where a crew of HJ's Baristas serves regular and specialty coffees and welcomes visitors from across the neighborhood.
The HJ's facility includes the Brookside Room (where the Men's Lectionary Group meets on Thursday mornings), the Undercroft, and the Art Gallery, the venue for the parish's St. Andrew's Art Guild exhibitions. The Pet Blessing, the annual Haiti Benefit, the Farmer's Market Coffee Tent, the 20s/30s Game Night, and youth group gatherings for students in fifth through twelfth grade all happen under HJ's roof. Together with the church building, HJ's gives St. Andrew's the capacity to host worship, learning, meals, and service side by side.
Baptism, Confirmation, Weddings, and Funerals
The four great rites of passage of Christian life each have a clear path at St. Andrew's. Baptisms are scheduled on set Sundays during the year, with preparation classes held in advance. Adult preparation for baptism, confirmation, or reception into the Episcopal Church happens through the Catechumenate, which begins with an inquirers' class called Discovery that combines group discussion, spiritual formation, worship, and fellowship. Episcopal 101, a five-week introduction to Episcopal history, worship, and sacraments, is offered each fall and serves as a refresher for long-time members and a starting point for those preparing for confirmation or reception. Youth confirmation classes take place annually, and the next youth confirmation retreat is planned for January 2027.
Weddings at St. Andrew's follow a detailed set of norms developed over decades. At least one member of the couple must be an active, pledging member of St. Andrew's or another Episcopal church, or a close family member of one. Couples participate in a marriage preparation day held each March and August, and clergy must approve the wedding program, music, and decorations. The standard fee is $1,500, which covers clergy, organist, Altar Guild, sextons, and all standard costs; a $600 deposit is due at scheduling. Music at a St. Andrew's wedding must be sacred in nature; popular, secular, or theatrical music is not permitted, and unity candles are not used. Photography without flash is allowed from specified locations inside the nave, and the church is opened two hours before the service. Weddings are not scheduled during Lent, from Ash Wednesday through Easter Day, and are typically not scheduled on Sundays.
For end-of-life planning, the parish offers both a printed booklet and an online worksheet to help members record their wishes in advance. Baptized Christians are properly buried from the church, and a priest is available around the clock; after-hours callers press 7 to be transferred to the priest on call. The clergy walk families through the service, music, flowers, and obituary, and the parish keeps the completed worksheet on file for the family's future use.
Children, Youth, Young Adults, and Adults
St. Andrew's organizes its formation work by stage of life, and every group meets in person and, in many cases, by Zoom. The Children's Ministry serves children from eight weeks old through fourth grade. The nursery, staffed by nursery workers, is available during the 10:15 service for children from eight weeks to three years. Children age three through fourth grade attend Children's Chapel and Sunday School beginning at 10:15 and join the larger congregation during the Peace. The annual Fresh Festival and Parents' Night Out-style Summer Adventure Nights extend the children's ministry through the summer months.
The Youth Ministry serves students in fifth through twelfth grade and includes several strands. Acolytes carry the cross, candles, and flags, and serve at the altar, typically once a month. The Student Leadership Program, open to tenth through twelfth graders, meets monthly to plan youth activities and serve as role models for younger students. Youth Group meets on Sunday afternoons during the school year at HJ's, with middle school from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. and high school from 5:45 to 7:00 p.m. The youth program also runs an annual Christmas Tree Lot fundraiser, a winter ski retreat in the Colorado Rockies, and supports Scouts BSA Troop 16, which has been chartered at St. Andrew's since 1922 and hosts the parish's Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper each year.
The 20s & 30s Ministry gathers young adults for friendship, service, and conversation. Regular rhythms include a Third Sunday Brunch, a Game Night on the fourth Saturday of each month, and special events like the Winter Free Store, a Spring Trivia Night, the Haiti Benefit, a Summer Free Store, and a November Friendsgiving.
Adult Spiritual Growth at St. Andrew's follows a clear principle set by Rector John Spicer: formation groups are not vetted by a central authority, and members are actively encouraged to start discussion groups that come from different perspectives. Beyond that philosophy, the parish maintains a robust calendar of weekly and monthly groups. Christian Journey meets Sundays at 9 a.m. for book discussion. Café 9:15 meets between the Sunday services to reflect on the upcoming readings. Brown's Baggin' & Books, a Zoom-based book club, meets on the second Wednesday at lunchtime from September through May. Episcopal 101 meets on Thursday evenings for five weeks each fall. The Men's Lectionary Group meets Thursday mornings at 7:30 at HJ's, and the Christian History Class meets Friday mornings at 10:30 in the church library. Fellowship groups include the Fabric of Life quilting circle on Wednesdays, the Back Porch Alliance on Wednesday evenings at HJ's, Sacred Spaces centering prayer on Tuesday evenings at HJ's, and the Intercessory Prayer Group on Thursday mornings in the church library.
A Parish Rooted in the Episcopal Tradition
St. Andrew's describes itself as a traditional church with a modern message. The parish's mission statement reads: We seek God's healing love and share that love with all by growing in relationship with God, each other, and our neighbors. Members are invited to live a life-long and life-wide faith, rediscover tradition, seek unity in diversity, and join a conversation in which all points of view are respected, considered, and even challenged.
Worship at St. Andrew's is formal and liturgical. Worship leaders wear vestments; candles, art, music, centuries-old prayer, and sometimes incense enhance the liturgy; and different colors mark the seasons of the church year. Within that structure, the parish welcomes a wide variety of people - conservative or liberal, rich or poor, female or male, gay or straight, sure of themselves or doubtful, young or old - to gather around common worship rather than a uniform list of beliefs. Children and adults alike are welcome to receive Holy Communion, which the parish teaches is the celebration of Jesus giving his life so that those who share in it might live forever.
Outreach Across Kansas City and in Maniche, Haiti
A striking share of parish life at St. Andrew's is given to outreach, and the partnerships cluster around three concentric circles. The closest is the parish's long relationship with Benjamin Banneker Elementary School. Andie's Pantry, one part of that partnership, delivers $175 of groceries four times a year - in October, December, February, and April - to families who do not qualify for government assistance but still struggle to make ends meet. Volunteers may meet a family at the grocery store, shop for them from a list, or coordinate online ordering and pickup. The Benjamin Banneker Edible Schoolyard Garden, tended on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:15 to 11:00 a.m., teaches first and second graders the value of planting, tending, harvesting, and eating food from their own backyard. A separate Benjamin Banneker Families Fund provides emergency assistance for food, utilities, and housing.
The parish also partners with Gordon Parks Elementary Charter School, supporting volunteer reading and mentoring, and with Kansas City Community Gardens, helping package seeds each February for an affordable greenhouse sale. Nourish KC, a local food-rescue operation, welcomes five St. Andrew's volunteers on the first Friday of each month to help prepare and serve meals. Pantry Partners at St. Paul's Episcopal Church serves on the second Wednesday of each month, and the St. James Diaper and Hygiene Ministry collects and distributes essential products on the first Wednesday.
Two larger annual efforts draw the wider neighborhood into the parish's outreach. The Free Store, a partnership of St. Andrew's with St. Paul's Episcopal, Grace and Holy Cathedral, St. Augustine's Episcopal, and St. James Church, holds two events each year. The Winter Free Store, held on the Saturday of Martin Luther King weekend, provides new boots, socks, gloves, hats, coats, hygiene bags, and Quik Trip gift cards to more than 250 guests, who are also served a hot breakfast. The Summer Free Store, added in 2025, is held on the Saturday of Juneteenth and focuses on children and their families, with new underwear and socks, gently used clothing, hygiene bags, diapers, books, and educational materials, plus grilled food and a DJ. The Pet Ministry works with Lucky 13 Pet Rescue, Rose Brooks Pet Shelter, the Pet Resource Center, Uplift, and Pawsperity to provide pet food, supplies, and healthcare to families, and the parish also staffs Brookside's annual Strutt with Your Mutt each October.
Beyond Kansas City, St. Andrew's maintains a relationship with St. Augustin School and Church in Maniche, Haiti. After the 2021 earthquake the school acquired temporary buildings and opened the school year on time, one of the only schools in the region to do so, and the most recent 9th grade class passed the national exam with a 100% success rate. St. Andrew's members underwrite teachers' salaries and a daily hot lunch through donations and two annual fundraisers, the Haiti Advent Card Sale and the Haiti Benefit Dinner. Rose Brooks Center, which supports families affected by domestic violence, receives donated clothing, pet supplies, and occasional gift cards from the parish, with members of Trinity Guild participating in the Rosie's Closet clothing ministry. Welcome House receives support for the Jump Start Program, which covers up to two weeks of rent, meals, and utilities for men reestablishing their lives after addiction. Jewish Vocational Services, which welcomes refugees and immigrants to Kansas City, has received clothing and home-setup support from the parish since August.
Pastoral Care, Prayer, and the Rhythm of the Week
Parish Care ministries at St. Andrew's are built around the conviction that no one in the parish should walk a difficult season alone. Clergy provide prayer and support for hospital visits related to sickness, surgery, childbirth, and terminal illness, and visit the homebound and those in crisis. After-hours callers reach the priest on call by pressing 7. Eight Spiritual Companions serve alongside the clergy to provide a steady, listening presence. The Loaves & Fishes Ministry prepares and delivers fully prepared meals to members in times of illness or loss. Eight parishioners serve as Spiritual Companions in conjunction with clergy.
Prayer resources are abundant. Sacred Spaces, a centering prayer group, meets Tuesday evenings at HJ's from September through May for thirty minutes of silent meditation, open discussion, and support. The Intercessory Prayer Group meets Thursday mornings in the nave to pray confidentially for parishioners' weekly prayer requests. The Order of Saint Luke, a healing ministry, prays with and for parishioners during Communion and commits to daily prayer, regular worship, and regular meetings for growth together. The parish also recommends a wide range of daily prayer resources, from Forward Day-by-Day and the Center for Action and Contemplation's Daily Meditations to the Order of Saint Helena's Daily Prayer App and the Society of St. John the Evangelist's Daily Meditations.
The Ride Ministry and the Anniversary of Parishioner Tina Norton's Gift
Thanks to a generous estate gift from parishioner Tina Norton, St. Andrew's has launched a Ride Ministry that helps parishioners get to worship, church events, and even medical appointments. The parish partners with Lyft to provide rides at no cost to the rider, coordinated by Mtr. Rita Kendagor and Brittany Conge.
Clergy, Staff, and Lay Leadership
The parish is served by a sizable clergy team. The Rev. John Spicer is the Rector; the Rev. Jean Long serves as Associate Rector; the Rev. Rita Kendagor is Assistant Rector; the Rev. Anne Hutcherson is Associate Rector Emeritus; the Rev. Adam James is a Deacon; and the Ven. Bruce Bower is the Archdeacon.
Staff leadership in operations, finance, communications, music, formation, and outreach is provided by Zach Beall (Director of Operations and Strategic Partnerships), Nina Edwards (Finance Coordinator), Erin Lemanski (Integrated Marketing Designer), Mary Sanders (Assistant to the Clergy), Sarah Tepikian (Outreach Coordinator), Robert Tillman (Facilities Manager), Dr. Thomas Vozzella (Director of Music and Organist), and Veronica Wiebold (Children, Youth, and Young Adult Ministry Coordinator).
The Vestry, the lay leadership body that meets monthly, includes Senior Warden Paul Wurth and Junior Warden Jewel Scott, with liaisons assigned to Communications, Worship, Welcome and Discipleship, Parish Care, Finance, Outreach, Discernment, Youth Ministry, Contemplative Ministries, Facilities, Adult Spiritual Growth, Stewardship, Hospitality and Connection, Children's Ministry, and the Endowment Commission.
Legacy Society, Stewardship, and Giving
The St. Andrew's Legacy Society recognizes members who have remembered the parish in their estate plans or made a lifetime gift to the St. Andrew's Endowment Fund. Membership can take the form of a bequest in a will, a charitable gift annuity or charitable remainder trust, a gift of life insurance, a life estate, or another form of planned giving. The Endowment Fund underwrites ministry beyond what the annual stewardship campaign makes possible and supports future St. Andrew's ministries through planned gifts.
Annual giving happens through several channels. CONNECT, the parish's online giving platform, supports one-time gifts, recurring bank drafts, and pledge payments. Gifts can be mailed to the church office, placed in the offering plate during worship, given through Venmo at @StAndrews-EpiscopalChurch, or texted by sending STANDREWKC to 73256. Altar Flower Tributes allow members to donate toward altar flowers and have a tribute published in the bulletin. Stock transfers and qualified charitable distributions from retirement accounts are also accepted, with the parish providing account and transfer information by request.
The Messenger and Staying Connected
The Messenger, the parish's weekly email newsletter, gathers announcements, reflections, and news from around St. Andrew's and HJ's. An archive of past issues is available, and new readers can subscribe through the parish's online sign-up form. The Messenger archive stretches back several years and includes reflections on the lectionary, the seasons of the church year, mission work in Haiti, stewardship, and the rhythms of parish life. Members and friends can also follow the parish on Facebook and Instagram, and tune in to the YouTube channel for the Sunday Sermon and Worship Archive, where each week's sermon and full worship video is preserved for those who cannot be present.
What to Expect for a First Visit
St. Andrew's is committed to making first-time visitors feel at home. Greeters stationed at the church doors offer a friendly welcome and help newcomers find their way, including guiding parents to the nursery and Children's Chapel. The 8 a.m. Rite I Eucharist is a quieter, more contemplative service; the 10:15 Rite II Eucharist with Choir is the larger, fuller congregational liturgy. Both services offer Holy Communion to all who wish to partake. Attire tends toward business casual at the early service and a slightly dressier range at the late service. Visitors who would like to connect in advance can fill out the membership interest form online, text GUEST to 816-312-5152 to receive information, or fill out the New Here? form on the parish's web presence.
A Parish That Lives Its Mission
From the Sunday Eucharist to Wednesday diaper distribution, from the choir loft to the Banneker schoolyard, St. Andrew's Episcopal Church holds together a great many things at once. The parish is liturgical without being static, traditional without being closed, locally rooted in Brookside and globally engaged through its Haiti partnership. Its music program carries forward an instrument with a six-decade history, and its outreach partnerships turn a portion of every Sunday's collection into groceries, diapers, and meals for neighbors who need them. At the center of all of it is a simple claim: we seek God's healing love and share that love with all by growing in relationship with God, each other, and our neighbors.