[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 142 (Thursday, September 12, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E895]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING THE CENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY OF KANSAS CITY'S UNION MISSION 
                                 CHURCH

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 12, 2024

  Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I jubilantly rise today in celebration of 
the centennial anniversary of Kansas City's Union Mission Church. For 
the past century, City Union Mission has valiantly and faithfully 
dedicated itself to its Godly mission of serving the Fifth 
Congressional District's community. As a public servant, I am eternally 
grateful for its tireless work and endless sacrifice in service of our 
community. As a pastor, I am awestruck by the institution's relentless 
devotion to God and unwavering faith in His mission. Please join me as 
we take a moment to recognize City Union Mission's one hundred years of 
service to the Fifth congressional district and to the Lord.
  In 1924, Rev. David Bulkley, an inspired minister and veteran U.S. 
Army Chaplin created City Union Mission Church. Rev. Bulkley served in 
France during the First World War and was understandably shaken by the 
carnage and human cruelty he witnessed there. Upon his return, he and 
his wife, Beulah, made it their mission to prevent the suffering at 
home that David had seen abroad. The Bulkley family set up shop in 
Kansas City's West Bottoms neighborhood and immediately began serving 
free meals to the area's poor and houseless. From there, City Union 
Mission only continued to grow, expanding to provide shelter, as well 
as food, in the 1930s, and eventually evolving into the citywide 
enterprise we know today.
  City Union Mission's vision has stayed consistent with its original 
purpose: to meet the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of men, 
women, and children who are underserved. The problem the Bulkley family 
observed in our society is still prevalent today; in 2024, around 1,798 
Kansas Citians are without a place to sleep on any given night. As 
relentless and persistent as poverty and homelessness have been in 
Kansas City, City Union Mission has been equally relentless in fighting 
these dire issues. Last year, the Church provided shelter for 210 
people a day on average, providing a total of around 76,899 nights of 
safe shelter. Its work has not stopped there, however; last year, City 
Union Mission provided around 137,834 meals, administered 4,733 medical 
services, and taught 30,236 hours of job training and hands-on 
experience for Kansas Citians. In its full century of operation, City 
Union Mission has developed an inspired, multifaceted approach that 
successfully addresses the needs of Kansas City's most needy.
  Our community's most vulnerable are also more at risk of substance 
abuse issues and mental health concerns, a harsh reality that the folks 
at City Union Mission were sure to recognize. The Church initially 
addressed this problem in 2018 by establishing the L. Minor Care 
Center, a safe living facility for men with barriers to care and 
special needs, including behavioral health challenges, mental illness, 
and emotional struggles. The L. Minor Care Center is a testament to 
City Union Mission's ability and willingness to adapt to the times and 
recognize that mental health is just as important as physical health 
and is similarly imperiled for those who already face the challenges of 
poverty and homelessness.
  When I think about City Union Mission Church, I am reminded of 
Matthew 22:39: ``Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself,'' as I 
believe that City Union Mission embodies it so perfectly. City Union 
Mission has demonstrated unconditional love for its fellow Kansas 
Citians and their humanity. The organization has executed a such 
flawless vision for a century now to demonstrate the extent of 
Christian charity in its tireless endeavors to serve Kansas City's most 
vulnerable. On behalf of the United States Congress and Missouri's 
Fifth District, I applaud City Union Mission Church on 100 years of 
faithful service.

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