April 11, 2012
Conference center renovations kick off this Saturday with ‘plaster breaking’ ceremony
All members of the diocese are invited to a ceremony of “plaster breaking” this Saturday, April 14 at noon to mark the start of renovations to the Bethany Place Conference Center made possible by the Crossroads Campaign.
The brief event featuring Bishop Dean Wolfe and other diocesan leaders takes place at the conference center, located next door to the diocesan offices at 835 SW Polk St., near downtown Topeka.
If you plan to attend, please contact diocesan Director of Development and Stewardship Char DeWitt at or (785) 250-0060 right away. She needs a count for a light lunch and materials that will be provided.
Ben Varnum to be ordained to the priesthood on May 9
The Rev. Benedict Jules Varnum will be ordained to the priesthood on Wednesday, May 9 at 7 p.m. at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 12251 Antioch Rd, Overland Park, where he serves as curate. Varnum will be ordained by Bishop Dean Wolfe on behalf of Bishop Lee of the Diocese of Chicago, where he was ordained to the transitional diaconate.
All are invited to attend; clergy should vest in red stoles.
Reminder: Church Pension Fund clergy conferences are April 27-28
Clergy who are interested in attending the “Planning for Tomorrow” or “Enriching Your Retirement” conferences sponsored by the Church Pension Fund need to register right away if they haven’t already.
Both conferences begin at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, April 27 and conclude after lunch on Saturday, April 28. An invitation and supporting materials have been sent by mail to all eligible diocesan clergy.
To sign up, go to www.cpg.org/pft for the “Planning for Tomorrow” conference or to www.cpg.org/eyr for the “Enriching Your Retirement” conference, and then click the “Register now” button.
If you can’t access the online registration or have questions, contact Sean Scheller or Stokes Liles at (800) 223‐6602
Workshop on Alzheimer’s to be offered April 21 at St. Thomas, Overland Park
The pastoral care ministry of St. Thomas in Overland Park is sponsoring a workshop on Alzheimer’s and other dementias from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 21 at the church, 12251 Antioch Rd. in Overland Park.
It will provide an overview of these diseases, including early indications, risk factors, disease progression, myths about Alzheimer's and current treatments. It also will feature a 25-minute documentary about people who received an early diagnosis of dementia.
The event also will include a discussion about support needed by patients and their families.
For more information, contact the Rev. Ben Varnum at (913) 451-0512 or .
Live webcast on April 21 will explore poverty and the environment
A webcast sponsored by the Episcopal Church on the eve of Earth Day will examine the intersection of poverty and the environment. It takes place on Saturday, April 21 beginning at 11 a.m. Central time and can be viewed at www.episcopalchurch.org.
Discussion topics will be “Can sustainability initiatives lift those in poverty?” and “Reducing environmental health consequences for those in poverty.”
Participants will include Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and House of Deputies President Bonnie Anderson, as well as a panel of experts in the fields of science and religion looking at both environmental and poverty issues. Moderator for the event will be Kim Lawton of the PBS television series “Religion and Ethics NewsWeekly.”
April 15 is deadline to sign up for gifts discernment workshop in Manhattan
St. Paul’s in Manhattan invites anyone in the diocese who is interested to join them for a gifts discernment workshop Saturday, April 26 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the church, 601 Poyntz in downtown Manhattan.
The deadline to register is April 15. The cost is $5, which includes lunch and materials.
The workshop will focus on helping lay people discover the spiritual gifts they already have but of which they may be unaware, so that lay ministry is empowered.
Workshop leaders will be the Rev. Tom Miles, St. Paul’s rector, and David Thompson, chair of the parish’s Evangelism Committee.
To register, send your name, address, phone number, email address and the congregation you attend to St. Paul’s, . Paper copies of the registration form are available by calling the church office, (785) 776-9427.
Want to attend the small church summit on May 5? Sign up by April 23
The diocesan Congregational Development Commission has planned a Small Church Summit for Saturday, May 5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Margaret’s, 5700 W. 6th St., Lawrence. While designed for leaders of small congregations, people in parishes of all sizes are welcome and invited to attend.
Discussion will center on the needs and concerns of local communities, and the day also will include sharing ideas and success stories.
The cost to attend is $15, which will include lunch. The deadline to sign up is April 23.
To register, send the name, congregation, phone and email address for each person attending to Michele Moss at . Please indicate whether a registration check will be sent ahead of time or brought to the event.
Questions about the event may be directed to CDC members the Rev. Art Rathbun, ; the Rev. Juli Sifers, ; or the Rev. Philip Hubbard, .
Mission rector to co-lead women’s study of the Book of Ruth in late April
The Rev. Gail Greenwell, rector of St. Michael and All Angels in Mission, will be one of two facilitators for a study of the biblical Book of Ruth for Jewish and Christian women. Joining Greenwell will be Edna Levy, the Kansas City coordinator of Ayeka, a Jewish personal spiritual growth workshop.
The study will take place on three Tuesdays evenings, April 17, April 24 and May 1, at the Jewish Community Center, 5801 W. 115th St., Overland Park. The cost to attend is $54 per person.
All interested women are invited to attend. To register, call (913) 327-8000.
Counselors and nurses still needed for MegaCamp; staff registrations due by April 15
Interim Youth Missioner Michael Funston is seeking more counselors and nurses to serve at MegaCamp June 3-9. You still can submit your staff application for any of the age group sessions until April 15. If you know a nurse who would be great for MegaCamp have them contact Funston at or (785) 231-8785.
MegaCamp is almost here! Campers in grades 3-12 will gather for one big week at Camp Wood YMCA near Elmdale. This will be a week of mega fun, faith development and friendship. Priority registration deadline is May 7. After that date, a late fee of $15 is required. No refunds will be made for cancellations after May 21.
Camper registrations and staff applications are available at http://www.episcopal-ks.org/youth/summercamp.html
Former California bishop to speak at St. Michael’s April 21
Bishop William Swing, who served as bishop of the San Francisco-based Diocese of California for 27 years, will speak at St. Michael and All Angels, 6630 Nall Ave., Mission, on Saturday, April 21 from 1-3 p.m. in the parish’s Spencer Hall.
His topic is “Volatile Challenges and the Christian Response: The Episcopal Church in Modern Times, Same Sex Issues and Salvation through Christ Alone.” This workshop will explore Christian agreement and discord as we discuss the institution of the church and the letter of the law compared to our intuition and the heart’s own reason.
More information about the event is available from St. Michael’s by calling (913) 236-8600 or emailing .
Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP to so space is available for everyone.
‘Spiritual but not religious’ to be focus of May 24 Tocher Lecture
This year’s Tocher Lecture has been set for May 24 and will feature Dr. Marva Dawn, noted theologian and author who will explore how the church can reach those who describe themselves as “spiritual but not religious.” Estimates put that category at about 20 percent of the population and nearly half of those who are unchurched.
Dawn will give a public lecture at 7 p.m. at St. James’, 3750 E. Douglas, Wichita, entitled, “Proclaiming in Word and Deed: Reaching Those Who are Spiritual But Not Religious.” There is no charge to attend.
She also will participate in a seminar for clergy that afternoon focusing on the proclamation of the church in today’s world. Pre-registration is required for that event.
Dawn is the Teaching Fellow in Spiritual Theology at Regent University in Vancouver, British Columbia. She also is the author of more than 20 books and has spoken extensively throughout North American and the world.
The Tocher Lecture Series is sponsored by the Kansas School for Ministry.
More information about either event is available from KSM coordinator the Rev. Andrew Grosso at or (913) 367-3171.
Anti-racism training to be offered June 9
The Episcopal Diocese of Kansas will offer a daylong anti-racism training workshop on Saturday, June 9 at St. David’s, 17th and Gage in Topeka. Exact times and registration details will be available soon.
General Convention has mandated that lay and ordained leaders, including clergy, professional staff and people elected or appointed to committees or boards within the diocese, are required to undergo anti-racism training.
Vocationers’ weekend is set for June 22-23
The diocesan Commission on Ministry will host a weekend gathering for anyone who is considering or has considered a call to ordained ministry.
It is set for June 22-23 and will run from dinner on Friday through mid-afternoon on Saturday at Grace Cathedral in Topeka.
The deadline to register is June 1; a registration form and an information flyer are online at http://www.episcopal-ks.org/resources/Commission-on-Ministry.php.
Overnight accommodations will be at the Capitol Plaza Hotel at a discounted rate.
For more information contact the Rev. Art Rathbun at or the Rev. Tom Wilson at .
Duke University professor to explore ‘The Likeness of Jesus’ in free lecture April 16 in Lawrence
Artistic images of Jesus will be the topic of a free public lecture Monday, April 16 at 7:30 p.m. in the Kansas Room of the Union on the campus of the University of Kansas in Lawrence.
Duke University Professor of Religious Studies David Morgan will discuss the history and characteristics of visual thinking about Jesus in an event sponsored by the KU Department of Religious Studies and the Friends of the Department of Religious Studies. Diocesan Director of Communications is a member of the Friends board.
More information is on the department’s website at http://www.religiousstudies.ku.edu/~rstudies/events/index.shtml.
Arts day camp seeks professional artists and volunteers
St. Michael and All Angels in Mission will offer an Arts Day Camp for children in grades 1-6 this summer, and they are seeking artists who can teach, and youth and adult volunteers who can help.
The event will take place the week of June 18-22, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily at the church, 6630 Nall Avenue in Mission.
The camp will link the spiritual life of elementary-aged children with art, in the belief that, through the use of various art forms (dance, storytelling, mask making, puppetry, painting, etc.), children can gain a new sense of themselves and their relationship to the world. This will be a rewarding experience for both the children and the artists.
More information and artist applications are available online: http://www.stmaa.net/?q=content/arts-camp.
MissionPalooza helps youth experience the urban mission field this summer
MissionPalooza will take place July 16-22 at St. Paul’s, Kansas City, Mo., for youths in grades 9-12. The event trains teens to put their faith into action.
For five days youth come together in community, mission, fellowship and workshop. Students spend their days in the urban mission field heeding Christ's call to feed the hungry, visit the sick and comfort those in need.
Registrations and more details are online at http://www.episcopal-ks.org/youth/missionpalooza.html
Photo of Joplin street hit by tornado takes top award in Polly Bond competition
Director of Communications Melodie Woerman received a first-place Award of Excellence in news photography for her photo of a street in Joplin, Mo., ravaged by a tornado last May.
The May-June 2011 issue of The Harvest that included that coverage took a third-place award for best overall use of photography, and Woerman’s story about the tornado’s impact on the area’s Episcopalians won a third-place award for best news writing.
This brings to 51 the number of Polly Bond awards Woerman has received for her work in writing, design and photography in the past 18 years.
The awards were part of the recent Polly Bond competition sponsored by Episcopal Communicators, an organization of communication professionals within the Episcopal Church. Woerman accepted them on March 15 at the group’s annual conference, which took place at Kanuga Conference Center near Hendersonville, N.C.
KSM wraps up spring classes in May
The academic year is winding down for the Kansas School for Ministry, with only two weekends of classes remaining.
Upcoming courses, with instructors, are:
· April 13-14: congregational development (Dr. David Thompson); contemporary ethics (Dr. Don Compier)
· May 11-12: Old Testament III, the Prophets (Dr. Melissa Tubbs Loya); New Testament III, Paul (the Rev. Richard McCandless)
According to the Rev. Andrew Grosso, KSM’s coordinator and the diocesan missioner for theological formation, students this year will fall into four categories:
· Those studying for ordination as a deacon;
· Those studying for ordination as a priest;
· Those working toward a lay ministry certificate (congregational leadership, worship leader, lay preacher, sacramental minister or prayer minister); and
· Those taking courses for their personal continuing education and enjoyment.
The tuition is $150 per course for those in the ordination and lay ministry certificate tracks, and $100 per course for those studying for personal enrichment.
Students must pre-register by contacting Grosso at (913) 367-3171 or .
Just for fun
David Porterfield, who serves as a verger at Grace Cathedral, Topeka, and owns a floral shop that provides altar flowers for the church, has posted a two-minute video of the floral preparations for Easter.
You can see the elaborate displays of flowers at the altar and down the center aisle here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaYbKChTC4o