What We Believe . . .
Matthew 28:19
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ... [ESV]
2 Corinthians 13:14
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. [ESV]
2 Timothy 3:16-17
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. [ESV]
2 Peter 1:21
For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. [ESV]
Mark 10:45
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. [ESV]
1 Peter 3:18
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, ... [ESV]
Acts 13:38-39
Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. [ESV]
Romans 3:24-26
... and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. [ESV]
Matthew 25:46
And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. [ESV]
1 Thessalonians 4:16-17
For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. [17] Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with these words. [ESV]
In subscribing to these Articles of Faith, we by no means set aside or undervalue any of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. We teach all sixty-six books of the Bible are God's own written Word, given to us through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The knowledge and belief of the truth as stated in our Articles of Faith are necessary to clarify sound doctrine.
Our Purpose
Our purpose can be stated in five simple statements:
Our History
During the turbulent times of the late 1850’s, a group of rugged pioneers left their farms in western Missouri, and crossed the mighty Missouri River into Kansas. They traveled to the High Prairie Township. Our church records show that faithful band of Christians wrote, “We do hereby agree to form ourselves into a congregation known by the name of The High Prairie Congregation of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and ask to be taken under the care of the Kansas Presbytery,” dated September 1857. The first church building was a two-story frame structure, which according to oral tradition, was either destroyed by a fire or a twister. The second building was a log cabin building, although the precise records for both of these buildings have long been lost. The first church building, according to some old timers, was located near the intersection of modern day Springdale Road and County 29. This second church building was destroyed by fire and a third building was built in 1895 at the present site. This third building still exists today and is used by the congregation.
At the completion of this third building, the church was named “The Gospel Tabernacle of High Prairie” and the association with the Kansas Cumberland Presbytery appears to have been dropped. During the next several decades, the little church continued to serve the Lord with a desire to be involved in outreach to the world as a whole. There are records showing offerings being given to the Gospel Missionary Union (now Avant Ministries) in the amounts of 27 cents, 43 cents and 47 cents dated 1898. These funds were designated for Morocco Mission, Foreign Missions, and Mission to the Indians.
During these years, many godly men filled the pulpit and offered sound biblical teaching and training for those in attendance. In 1969 in compliance with zoning regulations, the church was moved several feet from the center of County Road 29 and was placed on a new concrete foundation. In addition to the new basement for Sunday School rooms, a larger entrance, sidewalk, furnace, water system and more comfortable pews were added.
In 1986, the church called its first full-time pastor. Rev. Patrick Jones served the church as pastor until 2004.
In 1993, after having held two morning worship services in the original building, the congregation decided to build a larger sanctuary. In the fall of 1993, the new sanctuary was complete, and the church enjoyed its new facilities. At this time, the church changed its name from The Gospel Tabernacle of High Prairie to High Prairie Church. The century old building is affectionately called The Tabernacle.
In January 2005, High Prairie Church called its second full-time pastor, Rev. J. Vernon Welkner. Pastor Welkner previously pastored churches in Florida, Georgia, and Missouri. In his previous ministry, he served for nearly nineteen years as the Associate Pastor at Sherwood Bible Church in Kansas City. He also served as part-time professor at Calvary Bible College. He serves with his wife Linda. They have four grown children and twelve grandchildren.
God has truly honored the vision of those who began this work so many years ago. It is our hope and prayer that when people look back to this period, we too will have been found faithful.
Our Staff
Pastor Vern Welkner
Head Pastor
pastorvern@highprairiechurch.org
Pastor Jerry Mallonee
Youth Minister
pastorjerry@highprairiechurch.org
Bill Packwood
Administrative Assistant
highprairiechurch@gmail.com
Jennifer Mallonee
Bookkeeper
highprairiechurch@gmail.com
A Message from the Pastor
High Prairie Church has been serving Leavenworth County, Kansas since 1861. During those years of ministry, the people of the church have seen many difficult times and confidently know that we will endure this present pestilence. We continue to serve the Lord Jesus Christ by sharing the truth of God's Word to our community. Our doors are open and we welcome you to our services. We encourage prayer for our nation, community, and neighbors, especially to experience God's grace during these turbulent times. Feel free to call the church or e-mail us for more information regarding these and other ministries at High Prairie Church.
Thank you for looking at the High Prairie Church website and may God bless you.
- Pastor Vern