Churchgoing: First Presbyterian Church in Topeka, Kansas

Christian Century, Oct 19, 1994 by Randall Balmer

Eldon Beery greeted the congregation at the 11 o'clock service, offered a few announcements and then declared, "And now let's take a few moments to say good morning to our neighbors seated around us." After several minutes of animated chatter the congregation, a mix of elderly people and families with young children, took their seats. The sanctuary was about half full. Nearly two dozen adult volunteers then filed forward for installation as vacation Bible school teachers and workers.

Lyn Grant, director of children's ministries, opened the children's sermon with a question: "Do you think God ever goes on vacation?" After assuring her charges that "He's always there for you," Grant gave way to the choir, which responded admirably and a capella. Beery's sermon, titled "God Is with You," also assured his auditors of God's presence.

After the service many formed a caravan to visit the site of the church's Habitat for Humanity house, on Lime Street in Topeka, where they were joined by Mayor Butch Felker and his wife. The mission and stewardship committee had posted the floor plans for the structure in the church parlor and issued a plea for both contributions and volunteer labor. The construction of this house represents, in Beery's judgment, an important step in the process of healing for First Presbyterian Church. It also demonstrates a broader trend in mainline churches away from denominationally defined missions and toward local initiatives. Whatever the motivations and the symbolism, it was clear that church members took a great deal of pride in their Habitat project.

Over coffee in the church parlor several of the younger members offered their thoughts on the direction of the congregation. "This is a Presbyterian church going through the same things that every downtown mainline church is going through," Ann Baker said, citing the attrition of members and budget difficulties. She thought that First Presbyterian was losing members to evangelical churches because it was not charismatic or dogmatic enough. Jim Coder said that, despite recent difficulties in the congregation, a "strong core" remains which includes several prominent families such as the Menningers of psychiatric fame. "We're really relying a lot on our past to get to the future," he said.

First Presbyterian's past is indeed illustrious. When the CENTURY designated the congregation one of its 12 "great churches" in 1950 it cited the church's educational efforts, its support for missions, its music program, and its beautiful sanctuary with stained-glass windows by Louis Comfort Tiffany, who visited the church before designing and executing them. The windows are still a source of pride, and deservedly so; indeed, the Topeka Visitors' Bureau regularly schedules tours to view them. They depict such biblical themes as Jesus blessing the little children, the call of Matthew, Christ and Nicodemus, and the Ascension. Yet though the building symbolizes a continuity with the past, this offers small comfort to a congregation reeling from dissension and what many regard as scandal.