WARRENSBURG, Mo.--Breakfast of Champions has become a homecoming tradition at UCM. Hundreds of students awaken before 6 a.m. and line up to partake in an early morning happy hour.

Some of those students haven’t even slept when they line up to swig down their sunrise beers. However, for more than 10 years, another Pine Street breakfast tradition has been honored.

Scott Norwood, campus minister for the Community of Christ Liahona Student Fellowship, didn’t even complain about waking up early Saturday morning. Donning a warm Kansas City Chiefs jacket, he mingled with UCM students and alumni at the group’s regular meeting space located at 143 E. Pine St.

A dozen students, a few parents, grandparents and children gathered for pancakes and bacon at 7 a.m. Instead of the pints of cheap beer being chugged only doors away, the only beverages consumed here were juice and milk.
A morning prayer was offered. However, the conversations that followed were casual. Norwood said the main purpose of the function was to have fun and socialize with friends.
“It’s really just a casual gathering, waiting for the parade to start,” said Norwood. “It’s a good time for friends to come back and catch-up with each other.”
After the breakfast clean-up, another tradition begins. The students select a handful of couches and chairs to move to the sidewalk. They have a prime parade watching location. Liahona is housed in the basement of the Community of Christ’s Mission Center building. The well-maintained brick building with its large arched windows is the old Warrensburg post office and takes up the entire block of College Street between Culton and Pine streets.
A few strong students discuss which couches should be moved to the sidewalk. Width, weight and durability are considered.
As the Liahona students begin to move their comfy parade seats, tipsy students begin to pour from the bars onto the street. A male student laughs loudly as he and his friends, all sporting Breakfast of Champion T-shirts, look for a good spot to watch the parade.
“Dude, watch out!” one of the students says. “You almost sat in someone’s puke.”
They all look down and step around a chunky, bright pink stain spattered on the sidewalk. Pushing each other and laughing, even louder now, they move on down the street, still searching.
Norwood says he has never really thought much about the proximity of the Breakfast of Champions activities. He’s focused on making sure the church can provide a clean, safe place for students to gather for worship, fellowship and fun.
“I’m just glad that we have something to offer. It is nice to have an activity for students looking for an alternative to the other options,” said Norwood.