By any standards, this has been a most unusual year, but the Church of Scientology of Kansas City has stepped up to the challenge, working with community partners to help everyone make it through the pandemic safe and well.

It was only a year ago that thousands gathered in the heart of the Crossroads Arts District to welcome the Church of Scientology to its new home. The KC congregation had long dreamed of the day that Mr. David Miscavige, ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, would arrive to dedicate the new Church and launch a new era for Scientology in the heartland. 

 

As one of its first community projects, the Church created a Winter Wonderland, complete with petting zoo, music and hot chocolate, all free and open to the public. They hosted a holiday jazz concert featuring Grammy Award-winning jazz bassist Stanley Clarke and legendary trumpeter Mark Isham. Kansas Citians can expect another fun-filled week of Christmas cheer this year when Santa arrives downtown again to present free gifts to kids from December 19 to 25 at 18th and Grand.

But then the unexpected happened: COVID-19. By March 21, the city was under lockdown. 

Even before a pandemic was declared, under the direction of Mr. Miscavige, the Church researched the most effective measures for containing the spread of the virus. The Church took immediate action to protect its staff, parishioners and the community, adopting a simple but firm policy to implement the most stringent preventive measures possible for the safety of all. 

Understanding that insecurity exists in the absence of knowledge, the Church worked to make essential information broadly known.

With the motto “An ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure,” the Church created the How to Stay Well Prevention Resource Center on the Scientology website with more than a dozen videos, downloadable signs for home or office, and three educational booklets: How to Keep Yourself & Others Well, How to Protect Yourself & Others with a Mask & Gloves and How to Prevent the Spread of Illness with Isolation. Available in 21 languages, these resources may be viewed online or downloaded—all free of charge.

Kansas City Volunteer Ministers handed out thousands of copies of these booklets to shops and restaurants for customers to take home and use. They went door-to-door in the neighborhood to make sure that residents know how to protect themselves and their friends and families from the virus.  

Volunteer Ministers also pitched in at local food banks to ensure families who were laid off would not have to go without. In their bright yellow T-shirts, they became a welcome sight at weekly food distribution projects where they worked with other churches and community organizations distributing food, cleaning supplies, sanitizer and personal care products. They took part in a Community Action Plan, connecting those in need with volunteers to do cleanups, yard work, and minor home repairs.

 

But the pandemic was not the only crisis KC faced in 2020. This year has seen record homicides in the city. To take effective action, in September, Church volunteers joined forces with Councilman for the 3rd District at-Large Brandon Ellington in a “Peace Ride,” where 143 motorbikes, souped-up cars, and 4-wheelers drove through the city, handing out copies of The Way to Happiness, the common-sense moral code written by humanitarian L. Ron Hubbard, to promote a climate of unity and peace. 

It’s been a year for the unexpected, but there is one thing the city can count on: The Church of Scientology Kansas City will continue to be there for the community. For more information visit the Church of Scientology Kansas City website or Scientology.org.