A Brief History

In 1963, The First Presbyterian and First Congregational Churches joined together to establish United Inner City Services, a shared ministry to the inner city of Kansas City. The Rev. Ken Waterman and the Rev. John Fischer were the Pastors of these churches.

During 1967, an idea was formulated to build one building for the ministry. St. Mark Union Church was completed in 1968 and four judicatories were represented in the clergy staff: Rev. William A. Hayes, United Church of Christ; Rev. David O. Shipley, Presbyterian; Rev. Orris G. Walker, Jr., Episcopal; Rev. Robert Ready, Roman Catholic.

In 19__, the Rev. Sam E. Mann became the pastor of St. Mark Union Congregation: a union of the Presbyterian Church USA and the United Church of Christ.

As an expression of its faith, St. Mark has sought to serve the people of its community and has had many accomplishments over the past forty (40) years. Through the social service agency United Inner City Services, the following programs and services have been developed:

• Formulation, development and management of Parker Square, 204 unites of affordable housing for low income families;

• Organization and continued operation of the city’s finest ACA accredited day camp for children and youth in the inner city;

• Establishment and coordination of an ad hoc camping committee that served as forerunner of the current Camping Connection;

• Leadership in voter registration drives including OPERATION Big Vote;

• Active participation in civil rights issues including marches to protest high gas and electric bills for the poor, support for the Anti Apartheid movement in South Africa and organizing to advocate better public schools;

Provided home for the Kansas City Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, serving as advocate for numerous individuals in civil rights complaints, both locally and internationally; protesting racist activities of the Ku Klux Klan on local college

• Provided a ministry for residents, especially youth, in the Wayne Miner housing development, and leadership for the betterment of public housing;

• Responded to a call to administer funds for a hospice for homeless people with AIDS virus;

• Established an employment program to provide entry level jobs for drop-outs and low income young people;

• Joined with St. Stephen Baptist Church and South Minster Presbyterian Church to develop the Entrepreneur Assistance Corporation to loan start-up capital to small black entrepreneurs.

• Co-hosted the first National Peace and Justice Summit which brought together over 350 youth and youth ‘street organizations’ in order to establish peace and create meaningful programs as alternatives to violence.

• Build a $4 Million day care facility to provide

Since it’s beginning, St. Mark Union Church, through United Inner City Services’ programs, has provided approximately 350,000 meals in the community diner, cared for an estimated 4,500 pre-school children, provided an eight week summer day camp for 3,000 children, assisted more than 40,800 families with utility programs; provided job opportunities for over 2,500 young people, provided loans of $250,000 to Black entrepreneurs, not to mention the countless who have come through our doors seeking hope and encouragement.

Today, 2007, St. Mark is continues its commitment to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the liberating message of the Gospels. As a congregation of 250 members, St. Mark is an integral part of the Kansas City community and is known nationally and internationally for its dedicated commitment to the struggle for freedom and justice whenever injustice and oppression can be found.