On a quiet block near downtown Leavenworth, Kansas, between Shawnee and Seneca Streets, sits First Christian Church, a Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) congregation that has gathered continuously since 1855. The red-chalice-and-cross emblem of the denomination is a familiar sight in the region, but the Leavenworth church claims its own firsts: it hosted the first convention of Kansas Christian Churches in 1857, and it has sponsored Boy Scout Troop 176 without interruption since 1930.
A Building Shaped by 170 Years
The congregation was founded under the leadership of William S. Yohe and first met in a sixteen-by-twenty-foot structure. After that building was lost to fire, members worshipped in private homes until Yohe donated land at 6th Street between Shawnee and Seneca, where a new building was dedicated in 1860. In 1915 the congregation purchased the lot between the building and Seneca, and ground was broken there in 1925 for the basement that would support a new sanctuary.
In 1968 the 108-year-old sanctuary came down and was replaced by the current education wing. The front of the church was rebuilt again in 2001 with help from the Board of Church Extension, which guided the installation of an elevator and handicap-accessible restrooms. In 2019 the congregation bought the house just east of its parking lot with the intention of opening a Youth House. Through each change the address at 130 North 6th Street has remained the same.
Sunday Worship, Plain and Centered on the Table
Sunday service begins at 9:30 AM and is described as a traditional service with communion every week. Open communion is a defining mark of the Disciples of Christ identity, and the church invites everyone present to share in it without exception. Friends and visitors are encouraged to arrive around 9:15 AM so members can greet them before worship begins.
For those who cannot attend in person, the service is offered through Zoom on Sunday mornings, and past services are archived on the church's YouTube channel. A weekly written summary called the "Sermon Short" is also published so members and guests can revisit the message during the week.
Senior Pastor Reverend Laura Hutchinson and her husband Bruce joined the church recently and brought fresh preaching to the pulpit. Music is led by Minister of Music Steve Parker and supported by the choir. There is no dress code beyond being respectful in the house of God; comfortable clothing is welcome, and masks are not required.
What the Church Believes
First Christian Church's vision is to be "a faithful, welcoming church that demonstrates true community, deep Christian spirituality, and a passion for righteousness," presenting the gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed so that newcomers become disciples and disciples become mature leaders who reach others.
Two Disciples phrases sum up the larger framework: "No creed but Christ" and "In essential unity, in non-essential liberty, in all things charity." The congregation holds that Jesus Christ died for each person personally, that weekly communion is a visible reminder of God's gift of grace, and that the Bible guides everyday life. The same page describes the people both as "Christians only, but not the only Christians" and as an evangelistic church that takes seriously Jesus' words to go and make disciples.
Children, Youth, and the Preschool on Site
A children's moment is built into every Sunday service, a brief time when young worshippers are recognized as full participants in congregational life and told that God loves them and has a plan for their lives. Two Sunday school classes follow worship: Treehouse Treasures for children at 9:50 AM and the Seekers class for older students at 10:45 AM.
Each summer the church runs Vacation Bible School, and in recent years the program has drawn teachers and students from Pilgrim Church and First Presbyterian Church alongside First Christian's own families. The 2025 theme, Rainforest Falls, runs in the evenings from 5:30 to 8:00 PM and serves children from pre-K (potty-trained) through those entering sixth grade. VBS proceeds are split between Backpack Buddies and Joshua's House, a children's ministry in Ukraine supported by member donations of pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters.
Since 1977 the church has housed Jack and Jill Preschool, an ecumenical preschool offering physical, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual growth opportunities for young children. The preschool operates as a ministry of First Christian and uses classrooms in the church building.
Weekday Small Groups at Pullman Place and Kitterman
Beyond Sunday, the congregation keeps a steady weekly rhythm of small groups, prayer gatherings, and fellowship meals. Two names recur on the schedule - Pullman Place and Kitterman - identifying the homes or rooms where these groups meet.
On Mondays at 9:30 AM, the Prayer Breakfast gathers at Pullman Place. Wednesday mornings at 8:30 AM bring a Prayer Group at Kitterman, with the Mary/Martha women's circle meeting in the same location at 5:00 PM on the first Wednesday of each month. On the second Tuesday of the month, the Leavened Bread group meets at Pullman Place at 8:00 AM, and the aliVe group gathers at Kitterman at 1:00 PM on the second Wednesday.
A Long Run with the Boy Scouts
Since 1930 First Christian has chartered Boy Scout Troop 176, one of the oldest continuous sponsorships in the Kaw District of the Heart of America Council. The troop meets on Monday evenings in the Boy Scout Hut in the basement of the church annex and has been a steady presence in church service projects around Leavenworth. Girl Scout troops have used the church as a meeting space since 1970.
Reaching Out to the Leavenworth Community
Outreach has long been a backbone of the church's identity. The congregation was instrumental in founding H.E.L.P. Incorporated, which later evolved into Riverside Resources. Beginning in 1993 members helped organize Leavenworth's CROP Walks for Church World Service. Since 2014 the church has been active with the Leavenworth Interfaith Shelter of Hope, with members taking a leading role in construction and maintenance of the Kiowa Street building; volunteers serve at the shelter on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings.
Backpack Buddies, a Feeding America program that sends weekend groceries home with school children, is supported through VBS offerings and direct donations. The church also participates in Community of Hope, a Leavenworth-area agency serving residents in need.
For grieving adults, GriefShare meets at the church in a thirteen-week cycle twice a year. For older teens and adults with developmental disabilities, the church sponsors the Gateway Club, a monthly non-denominational fellowship that meets on the first Sunday afternoon at 4:00 PM and rotates among First Christian, Trinity United Methodist, and Crossroads United Methodist churches. First Christian also continues to host a VBS class tailored to the same community.
Earlier decades added to the same trajectory: between 1989 and roughly 2014 the church sponsored Ring-the-Bells Choir for older teens and adults with developmental disabilities, and at the close of the Vietnam War members sponsored the families of Vietnamese and Cambodian officers who were stranded at Fort Leavenworth.
Planning a First Visit
First Christian keeps things simple for newcomers. Parking is normally easy, but reserved spots are set aside on the north side of the church across Seneca Street for visitors. Anyone who would like company can ask to be paired with a sponsor who meets them at the door, introduces them around, and answers questions during the service. Dress is "comfortable but respectful," masks are optional, and communion is open to all. A short Plan Your Visit form is available online for those who want to let the church know they are coming.
Those who want to keep up between visits can subscribe to the monthly newsletter and calendar delivered by Constant Contact, watch sermons on the YouTube channel, or join the Sunday Zoom service. Giving is available online through the church's Amplify page, and a summary of the most recent sermon is posted each week as the Sermon Short.
A Church That Has Stayed Put
What makes First Christian recognizable in Leavenworth is less a single program than a way of staying. Members keep showing up at the same 6th Street corner for worship, for the preschool run, for Boy Scout meetings on Monday nights, for the VBS in July, and for Friday and Saturday shifts at the Interfaith Shelter of Hope. The congregation's own words say it plainly: "With God's guidance, our ministry is able to touch lives and nurture spirits." The address has been the same since 1860, and so has the work.