On the Corner of 13th and Boswell
Westminster Presbyterian Church stands at 1275 SW Boswell Avenue in the College Hill neighborhood of Topeka, four blocks north of Washburn University. The congregation was organized on April 28, 1889, when 37 members of First Presbyterian Church became charter members of a new Presbyterian presence on the south side of a growing city. The motto on the front door reads "Living God's Love...Come and See!" Across the street sits Boswell Park, a green space the congregation helped create in partnership with the City of Topeka and USD 501.
From the Edge of Town to a Community Center
Westminster's story begins in the late 1880s, when city Presbyterians envisioned a church for residents who had moved south and west of downtown Topeka. At the request of Reverend E. C. Ray, pastor of First Presbyterian, and under the auspices of the Presbyterian Board of Home Missions, Reverend John B. Hill began ministering to the Washburn neighborhood out on the "edge of town." On April 5, 1889, a small group adopted a resolution asking the Presbytery of Topeka to organize a church to be known as Westminster; twenty-three days later the official organization took place.
Early services met at West End Hall at the corner of Clay and Munson. By December 1890 the young congregation dedicated a new building at the southeast corner of College and Huntoon, built at a cost of $6,000. Reverend Ralph Ward, who arrived in 1904 and stayed until 1917, gave Westminster a firm identity as a missional church; long before the congregation had a building of its own, missionary societies were already up and running. In 1921 the congregation chose the site at the northwest corner of 13th and Boswell for a larger structure. A 1924 story in the Topeka Daily Capital described the project as a building "intended for a community center, to benefit all citizens of the Westminster community." The final cost ran more than $163,000, and the debt took twenty years to pay off, finally cleared in 1945 with encouragement from First Presbyterian Church.
Today Westminster is a Certified Hunger Action Congregation, recognized for active engagement in all six areas of Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) hunger response, and a church that has begun a centennial celebration of its 1924 building, recognizing members of fifty years and longer.
Sunday Mornings at Westminster
Sunday at Westminster follows a rhythm that begins with breakfast and ends with lemonade and conversation.
- 8:30 a.m. - Breakfast in the Chapel, an informal meal for friendship and conversation.
- 9:00 a.m. - Adult Study, open to anyone who wants to study the Bible and explore adult Christian faith formation.
- 9:30 a.m. - Youth Study for young people in 7th through 12th grade.
- 10:25 a.m. - Worship in the Sanctuary and on Facebook Live.
- 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. - Middle and high school youth group meeting during the school year.
The worship service is a traditional service with music and singing, lasting about an hour. Visitors are not asked to stand and introduce themselves, and giving is entirely voluntary. Communion is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month and on special occasions, and the table is open to all. A Children's Moment is part of every service; afterward, children may return to sit with family or move to special children's tables at the back of the sanctuary where coloring and crafts are available. Fellowship and refreshments follow the service, and the congregation is known for its cooks.
Music and the Westminster Chimes
Music holds a central place at Westminster. The chancel choir sings during Sunday worship and welcomes anyone who enjoys singing; rehearsals are held on Thursday evenings. A hand bell choir performs standalone pieces at select services and occasionally accompanies the chancel choir. The bell tower houses the Westminster Chimes, electronic chimes that ring the time throughout the day and play a short selection of music at 6 p.m. each evening.
Music Director Tyler Kuder is also the Director of Orchestras at Washburn Rural High School, an alumnus of Pittsburg State University where he studied viola and orchestral conducting, and a graduate of Sumner Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is currently pursuing a Master's of Music Education at Kansas State University.
Praying, Serving, Connecting
Westminster names three essential practices: praying, serving, and connecting.
Praying. Each day at 4:30 p.m. the congregation pauses to pray the Westminster Prayer, a brief petition that asks God to awaken the church to its next steps and set it free to carry them out. A Centering Prayer group meets every Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. in the Centering Prayer Room at the church, gathering for twenty minutes of centering prayer followed by thirty minutes of guided meditation. A prayer request list is published each Sunday in the bulletin.
Serving. The Westminster World and Community Council coordinates hands-on volunteer service and financial support to programs and projects that lift people up in dignity and hope. A property team keeps the building and grounds looking beautiful and welcomes volunteers with a green thumb or a tool belt.
Connecting. Pastor K.O. Noonoo is glad to talk with anyone about the connecting pathway that makes the most sense, whether through Sunday morning activities, ministries and small groups, or direct volunteering in the community.
Meals on Mondays and the Free Summer Lunch
Two meal programs put Westminster's commitment to feeding neighbors into weekly practice.
Meals on Mondays (MOMS) runs each Monday evening, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., during the fall season, with no reservations required. Adults eat for $3 and kids 12 and under for $1, with cash or card accepted at the door. The vision of MOMS is to ease the stress on working parents by making it easier for the whole family to share a meal together one night a week. Anyone is welcome, whether dining alone or with others.
The Free Summer Lunch Program partners with USD 501 to provide lunch to children in the neighborhood during the summer months, and the church also hosts a Westminster Family Lunch that is open to everyone. A Vacation Bible School each summer rounds out the year, with crafts, games, art projects, and meals shared over a Friday evening, Saturday morning, and Sunday worship.
A Hunger Action Congregation
Westminster has been recognized by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) as a Certified Hunger Action Congregation, a designation earned by remaining active in all six areas of hunger response: hunger alleviation, development assistance, hunger education, lifestyle integrity, corporate and public policy witness, and worship. The designation places Westminster among Presbyterian congregations committed to addressing both immediate food needs and the prejudices, practices, and policies that perpetuate hunger in the United States and abroad.
Hands-On Mission Partners
The church works with a long list of community agencies and schools. Mission partners include:
- Central Topeka Grocery Oasis, which provides a nourishing, sustainable healthy food source to central Topeka neighborhoods.
- Doorstep, Inc., which helps Topekans work toward fuller, more self-sufficient lives.
- Family Service & Guidance Center, a nonprofit community mental health center serving children up to age 18.
- Let's Help, a not-for-profit dedicated to helping people break the cycle of poverty; Westminster members volunteer to prepare meals for Let's Help clients.
- Topeka Habitat for Humanity, working to promote affordable housing in Shawnee County.
- Topeka JUMP (Justice Unity and Ministry Project), pursuing systematic change through local policy and funding work.
- Topeka Rescue Mission Ministries, providing shelter and services for those experiencing homelessness.
- VIDA Ministries, representing the twelve Presbyterian churches in Shawnee County and partnering with Topeka's Latino communities.
- Randolph Elementary School and Robinson Middle School.
Adult Life at Westminster
Adults at Westminster can join any of several long-running groups, all of which welcome new participants.
The Westminster Bridge Club has been active for more than 35 years and welcomes players who enjoy friendly games. Knitters meet to make prayer shawls, infant hats, and college-themed scarves for high school graduates. Mariners gather for mission and service projects, mutual support, and fellowship over good food. Pickleball players use courts in the Fellowship Hall basement, with lessons available for newcomers. Presbyterian Women meets regularly for friendship, discussion, fellowship, and Bible study, with both daytime and evening sessions. Romeos (Retired Old Men Eating Out) meet monthly to enjoy local restaurants and conversation. The Westminster Literary Society meets monthly to discuss books chosen in turn by members.
Children, Youth, and Vacation Bible School
Children are always welcome at Westminster, including the joyful noises they bring to worship. The nursery and children's tables at the back of the sanctuary are available every Sunday, and the Children's Moment is part of every service. Vacation Bible School is offered each summer at no cost.
Youth in 7th through 12th grade meet for Sunday morning Bible study at 9:30 a.m. and for a youth group meeting after worship, 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., during the school year.
What Presbyterians Believe
Westminster is part of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and traces its heritage to the Protestant Reformation and the French lawyer John Calvin, whose writings from Geneva crystallized much of Reformed thinking. Among the principles still at the core of Presbyterian belief are the sovereignty of God, the authority of Scripture, justification by grace through faith, and the priesthood of all believers. The church is governed at every level by a combination of clergy and laity, men and women alike.
Westminster itself is governed by a Session of Ruling Elders chosen by the congregation. A Board of Deacons ministers to those in need, the sick, the friendless, and to anyone in distress both within and beyond the community of faith.
Pastors and Staff
Reverend K.O. Noonoo serves as Pastor and Head of Staff, having begun his appointment on February 1, 2021. Born and raised in Ghana, he met his wife Anna while studying at Jamestown College in North Dakota and describes himself as a peacemaker-disciple whose passion is the work of reconciliation. Reverend Howard Sudduth serves as Parish Associate; he was ordained at St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, Missouri, and served for thirty-three years in the United Methodist Church of the Great Plains Conference, including time as Director of Camping Ministries of the Kansas East Conference at Camp Chippewa.
Tyler Kuder is Director of Music Ministries. Steve Bergstrom leads worship technology, and Brian Vawter serves as custodian. The church office is open Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Sunday, 8 a.m. to noon.
Come as You Are
Westminster extends a standing invitation: "Regardless of who you are or where you're from, EVERYONE is welcome at Westminster Presbyterian Church! No matter where you are on your faith journey, God loves you, and so do we."
First-time visitors will find close parking on 13th Street and a parking lot just steps away on the north side of Boswell Park. Entrances are available from 13th Street and from Boswell; the accessible entrance is on the east side of the building. Friendly greeters will answer questions and direct visitors to restrooms, classrooms, and other areas. There is no dress code - the church means it when it says "come as you are."
Sunday worship is also livestreamed on Facebook Live, and past services are available on YouTube. The weekly eChimes newsletter is delivered each Wednesday; the printed monthly Chimes newsletter is mailed on request. Giving is available online, by mail, or in person on Sundays.