About Us

Prairie was founded in 1950 by 13 people on the then growing edge of Kansas City, who wanted to reach beyond their neighborhood to the whole world with the good news of God’s Love. They affiliated with the American Baptist Churches USA to help accomplish this mission. Today, our congregation numbers approximately 600 people of all ages, diverse theologies and politics and many different religious backgrounds or none at all. It is challenging, but we want to be a church where people can disagree and still love one another. Bearing the likeness of the Triune God, we seek to be diverse, hospitable, and missional. As American Baptists, we believe we are called to transcend divides of gender, ethnicity, and culture and form a new community of hope and inclusion.

• We serve our neighborhood and far beyond, hoping to further God’s purposes in our lives and world.
• Prairie strives to be a church where thinking and faith are not mutually exclusive.
• We value and nurture the gifts and voices of all God’s people.
• Justice, children, spiritual formation, freedom, mission, wonderful worship, and amazing grace are priorities.

 

Our Ministry Staff

Most of our staff can be reached via email. To email a Prairie Baptist staff member, please click on the person's name. To learn more about a Prairie Baptist staff member, please click on the person's title. Other staff may be reached by the church's e-mail address and addressed to them by name. In addition, you may contact the staff by telephone at church, 913-722-6176.

• Heather Entrekin, B.A., M.Div., Ph.D., Senior Pastor; visit her sabbatical blog at http://web.mac.com/heatherentrekin/Site/Welcome.html
• Kyle Gardner, B.A., M.Div., Pastor of Youth
• Chris Holliday, B.M.E., M.M., M.Div., Pastor of Music and Worship
• Ruth Rosell, R.N., M.Div., M.A., Ph.D., Pastor of Care and Counseling
• Karen Fenton, Director, Prairie Early Childhood Center
• Bev Cosby, Church Administrator
• Kay Lopez and Melody Stroth, Organists
• Charles Jones, Emeritus

Our Mission Statement      [ back to top
We proclaim Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and invite all people to join us in our journey of faith. We dedicate ourselves to a maturing Christian commitment and to building bridges of understanding and loving relationships with others. We seek to know God's call in the midst of a hurting world and to offer ourselves and our resources in response.

Our Affiliations      [ back to top
Prairie Baptist Church is affiliated with American Baptist Churches in the USA. This relationship to ABC continues today as evidenced by our financial support and individual service. For information about American Baptists, see the ABC Home Page.