It was Sunday afternoon, and a brilliantine sound splashed through the Neo-Baroque interior of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. The sound was the mystical work of Bach in a transcription lovingly provided by organist Mario Pearson and a six-piece brass-and-drum ensemble named the Kansas City Brass Works. Most listeners sat at the altar end of the white and midnight-blue sanctuary so they could see the musicians.

Others sat with their backs to the choir loft, staring ahead and letting the sound wash over them. A wonderfully uplifting experience, 63-year-old Thomas Owens said afterward. He sat with his back to the music so he could experience the music with my ears, and my eyes can see the things that are important to me: the crucifix, the altar and the stained-glass windows. It s all complete.

Each week dozens of Kansas City churches, synagogues and other places of worship sponsor concerts and not just on Sunday afternoons. It s a trend in which churches extend religion by offering vocal and instrumental music to believers and nonbelievers alike. The range is wide, from classical organ concerts to chamber music, jazz, folk music and interpretive dance. These are not just churches who rent space to artists but those who actually present or sponsor the events.

You can find at least two dozen such series around the city. For some the concerts are an extension of worship. It provides a sacred space for music that was, in many instances, composed for a sacred space, said Larry Probst, a parishioner at Immaculate Conception. Others enjoy the informality or, often, the sheer beauty of the room. It s a more relaxed setting, said Norman Gamboa of Topeka, director of orchestral studies at Washburn University.