Welcome to Redemption

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Redemption is affiliated with the Missouri Conference of the United Methodist Church, so yes, we are Methodist. Methodism is traced back to the 1700s, when a movement led by John Wesley arose within the Church of England. Wesley and his friends emphasized personal devotion and social action, an inward/outward combination that comprises the heart of Methodism to this day.  Find out more about United Methodism here and here.

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Broadway UMC is one of the most historic churches in Kansas City. Founded in 1907, the congregation has a rich history, and it continues to strive to be faithful to the call of Jesus to love God and neighbor. In 2007 talks began among Broadway’s leadership about starting a new faith community within these walls, and in 2009 the idea of Redemption was born. To help make this dream a reality, Pastor Eric Huffman was assigned to Broadway UMC for the purpose of launching this new community within BUMC’s existing structure. So, Redemption is a part of Broadway UMC, even as we pursue our own unique mission to follow Jesus.  Find out more about BUMC here.

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Redemption currently has one pastor, Eric Huffman. Eric is a graduate of Centenary College of Louisiana (B.A., Religion and Psychology, 2001) and Saint Paul School of Theology (Master of Divinity, 2006). Eric is a licensed local pastor in the United Methodist Church. In addition to working with Redemption, Eric leads Revolution Church in Westport, along with his wife and co-pastor, Geovanna Chavez Huffman. Together, they have a daughter, Joelle (born 10/07), and a son, Koen (born 1/10).  Scott Shaw (Worship Leader), and Amy Corsi (Assistant to the Pastor).

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Yes, we are. Redemption is made up of people from all across the ideological spectrum. Movements of the past tended to gravitate toward the extreme right or the extreme left. We believe God calls us to a radical middle ground, where ideas and dialogue from different perspectives can be shared without fear of judgment and in a context of peace.

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We’re proud to confess that, because of our diversity, the people of Redemption claim many different sets of beliefs about God. However, there are some basic theological beliefs to which we ascribe. We believe that God is the creator of all things, that God created human beings in God’s own image, and that all things were created to live harmoniously. We believe that human sin has caused a chasm between what creation is and what it should be. In our current state, all of creation groans under the weight of brokenness, loneliness, illness, violence, and fear. We believe that, throughout human history, it has been God’s passion to bridge the chasm and to heal the brokenness of all creation, and that God has repeatedly reached out to humanity through religion, scripture, and prophetic voices that often go unheard. We believe that Jesus Christ is God’s boldest and most intimate expression of love for creation. We believe Jesus to be the incarnation of God in the world. We believe that God continues to participate in the course of human history through the movement of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit draws members of Christ’s community closer together and empowers ordinary believers to do extraordinary things. 

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We're so glad you asked.  We are currently working to change lives in our city by addressing homelessness through Neighbor to Neighbor, Inc., and serving foster children through the Jackson County Foster Children's Clothing Closet.  N2N is located in Westport, and serves daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner, while also providing on-site health care, emergency shelter, a part-time social worker, and more vital services.  The Jackson County Foster Children Clothing Closet is located in our building, and is open monthly, providing new and gently used clothing to kids in foster care. Click here to inquire about working alongside Redemption in these or other initiatives. 

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Having meaningful activities to encourage faith exploration is equally important for children. Our children’s ministry features a wide variety of opportunities for children to discover God’s love, explore their faith, and learn how to practice kindness in their daily lives. Every Sunday during the worship hour, Rotations travel in groups exploring Music and Movement, Art, Science and Cooking, and Story and Drama from preschool age to 12-year-olds.  We also participate in service projects throughout the year as well as hosting special events such as a Fall Festival in October and other fun family events. Contact  (kcredemption@gmail.com) for more information, or see below for more Redemption Kids FAQs.  

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The Children’s Ministry has a couple different locations. Children newborn to 3 years meet in the nursery down the hall from the Sanctuary. Preschool through age 12 meets on the second floor above the Keystone Coffee House. Kid's welcome center is located at the top of the stairs located between the coffee house and the Sanctuary. Children progress in groups through three rotations each week; Art, Science and Cooking, Music and Movement, and Story and Drama. On months that have 5th Sundays, children are invited to participate in worship with everyone in the Sanctuary, and often help with the service.

At the welcome center,  each child will receive a name badge that has their name and number printed on it. Guest families will receive a temporary name sticker and new badges will be made accordingly. The guardian will receive a carabiniere that has the corresponding number attached. This is a great way to ensure that both the parents and the church staff know that each child is where they are supposed to be. We want to provide a comfortable place where children can come and experience God. When the guardian comes to pick up their child they will wait at the welcome center while a teacher gets their child. This will help with the congestion at the classroom door and help the teacher’s know that each child is with a caregiver. It also provides an opportunity to ask any questions or pose concerns to the children’s minister. For those children who are in 4th-6th grade, they will be able to check themselves in and out at the end of class.

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Yes! All parents are to accompany their children upstairs to check them in, and are welcome and encouraged to explore the Sunday School rooms, where they will be for the next hour. This is an opportunity to meet the teachers, as well as fill out any necessary paperwork in case of an emergency. When children are in a new place they can have a hard time adjusting and it’s helpful for a parent to join them, even if only for a few minutes. 

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Redemption Kids teachers are eager and willing adults who want to share their faith in a lasting way with children. Many are parents, some have done this for years, while others are just starting. All volunteers with children are required to attend quarterly training events to keep them current with the needs of children and education. Each volunteer is also Safe Sanctuaries certified, a measure the United Methodist church has put in place to ensure the safety of all children in the church community. 

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Two options are available for youth. Youth, thirteen years and older, are capable of engaging in a worship service at this age, listening to the sermon and relating it to events in their lives; as well as taking part in worship by reading scripture, or greeting people as they come in. It’s also important for youth to be able to interact over faith matters with kids their own age. A class for 7th-8th graders is offered every Sunday. We encourage youth to experience both! If youth are interested in taking part in worship, please contact the pastoral staff for more information.

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Diaper changing stations are located all over the building. The easiest to access is in the Nursery down the hall from the Sanctuary. Another is located downstairs in the women’s bathroom outside the Fellowship Hall.  If your child is wearing diapers or potty training, please bring extra diapers, pull ups, or underwear. We do not keep these supplies on hand. 

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Baptism has long been the primary rite of initiation for the Christian community.  Members of Redemption were either baptized in another congregation or they were baptized at Redemption when they became members.  We affirm baptisms from other Christian congregations (Protestant, Catholic, or Orthodox).  If parents who are members of Redemption want to have their infant or young child baptized, they participate in a Bible study with a pastor on the topic of baptism, and they agree to do all in their power to continue exposing themselves and their child to the gospel of Jesus and to the Christian community.

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Because Redemption welcomes people from many different walks of life, we hesitate to offer blanket statements about our church’s stances on our society’s most controversial issues. We insist that authentic community and honest dialogue are the answers for a world divided by misunderstandings and judgmental posits. When we arrive at a crossroads together and the answers aren’t clear, we choose to err on the side of love. 

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Following the revolutionary way of Jesus is not something we can do alone. Movement Groups are small circles of soul companions that strive to follow Jesus’ way together. Everyone at Redemption is strongly encouraged to connect with a Movement Group. There are a wide variety of times and topics that bring groups together; everyone is encouraged to get connected to the group of their choice.  Find out more about Movement Groups here.  

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Just like the powerful public covenants of baptism and marriage, the promises made to become a member form a sacred covenant with God and this community. Our membership covenant includes five practices – worship attendance, spiritual practices, movement groups, sacrificial service, and financial support. We recognize that many people will want to participate in these ways without becoming a member – that’s fine too.  If you wish to talk more with someone about membership, email us at kcredemption@gmail.com with "membership" in the subject heading, and we'll be in touch within 48 hours.

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Each Sunday after worship, two people (who are not related to each other) count the offering money together. A separate person makes the deposit and gives the deposit slip to the Financial Secretary. The Financial Secretary offers income and expense reports to the Leadership Team. We budget our expenditures very carefully to make sure we’re being good stewards of the resources God has given us. (Anyone can request a copy of our budget at any time) We are committed to regular reporting and having an external audit performed on our books at the end of every year. 

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Yes you can! Our Sanctuary is beautiful and has hosted weddings for 100 years!  We want to do everything we can to be hospitable and accommodating to you as you plan your ceremony.

If you're not already a part of a faith community, we would love to introduce you to our congregation. Broadway United Methodist is home to the Redemption Faith Community, and is a dynamic, multi-generational church that believes in putting our faith to work. We serve the world in many ways, on local and global levels, and we always have a place for you and your (future) family.

You can get wedding information, including pictures and policies here.

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We would love to sit down with you and share more about Redemption. Feel free to call Pastor Eric (816)210.9257 or email (kcredemption@gmail.com) to see about setting up a time. We look forward to hearing from you.