Spirit Winter 2013

Spirit

BISHOP’S REPORT TO DIOCESAN CONVENTION • PEW BUDDIES • TWEET-EVANGELISM

Episcopal Diocese of West Missouri

ST. MARY MAGDALENE: THE DIOCESE’S NEWEST PARISH

Winter 2013 Volume 4, No. 2

Spirit PUBLISHER: The Rt. Rev. Martin S. Field EDITOR: Hugh Welsh Spirit is published quarterly by the Episcopal Diocese of West Missouri 420 W. 14th St. Kansas City, MO 64105 EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS: Hugh Welsh, Spirit The Very Rev. John Spicer, St. Andrew’s, Kansas City Angela Crawford, Administrative Assistant to Chuck Franklin, Diocesan Administrator The Rev. Dr. Steven Rottgers, Assistant to the Bishop for Congregational Vitality SUBMISSIONS/LETTERS: Spirit welcomes submissions of news articles, photographs and letters to the editor on topics of interest to the diocese. Submissions should include the writer’s name, e-mail, mailing address and phone number and are subject to editing.

PHONE: Editor’s Cell: (816) 213-1639 FAX: (816) 471-0379 E-MAIL: westmo_spirit@swbell.net WEB SITE: www.episcopalwestmo.org

4 Editor’s Letter For my birthday, my parents gave me a book written by a family friend, Judy Robinson. It chronicles the 150 years of the Episcopal Diocese of California, a history that began with Robinson’s great-great grandfather. As the diocese’s first bishop, the Rt. Rev. William Kip would overcome great odds to cement the Episcopal Church’s legacy in California, including blindness, a lack of resources and a population hellbent on striking it rich.

By Hugh Welsh

5 Tweet-Evangelism A member of St. Paul’s (Kansas City) wants to know: “Will you proclaim by word, tweet, and example the Good News in Christ Jesus?”

By Walker Adams

5 Diocesan Youth ‘DYG Deeper’ The Diocesan Youth Gathering brought together 43 youth from 12 congregations to Christ Church in Springfield, where they were to “DYG Deeper” by participating in one of seven breakout sessions on subjects such as prayer in art, meditation and world drumming. Youth led Morning Prayer at Diocesan Convention Saturday, November 3 and described each of the events planned for the upcoming year — and why they matter.

6 Gleanings from Around the Diocese With the New Year comes new resolutions for any church, according to the diocese’s Assistant to the Bishop for Congregational Vitality. He offers a couple resolutions worth pondering, including how to keep kids occupied during church services: pew buddies.

By the Rev. Dr. Steven R. Rottgers

7 The Agenda A peek at all that is up-and-coming around the diocese: Bishop’s Ball, a celebration of Absalom Jones, Youth Leader Retreat, Happening #67, Evening of Stars and “In One Garden, As You Sow.” 2

SPIRIT, WINTER, 2013

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori preached at St. Andrew’s Sunday November 25. The event was the first of several celebrating the parish’s centennial. It featured the debut of a banner (shown) made by St. Andrew’s Banner Guild and a new hymn honoring the church’s patron saint. Submitted photo.

ON THE COVER: The Rev. Jason Lewis (third from left), rector at St. Mary Magdalene (South Kansas City), votes at Diocesan Convention, next to other delegates from St. Mary Magdalene, in favor of the church’s organization as a parish.

Photo by Gary Zumwalt.

8 Presentations for Everybody The ninth-annual Diocesan Gathering included 14 presentations on topics suitable for all interests, whether laity or clergy. Two are featured: a report on the Palapye Project, a joint ministry with the Anglican Diocese of Botswana, and the diocese’s answer to General Convention’s mandate that health insurance be equitable for all employees.

9 A Matter of Death and Life It was no coincidence the 123rd Diocesan Convention premiered on All Souls’ Day, or the Commemoration of All Faithful Departed. The convention passed resolutions that dissolved one church (Church of the Ascension in Springfield) and granted another new life as a parish (St. Mary Magdalene in South Kansas City).

It was also responsible for an altogether new budget and a redefinition of archaic church policies.

10 Bishop Martin Field’s Report Bishop Martin Field’s report to Diocesan Convention spanned from the Anglican Communion (page 10) to General Convention (page 11) to our diocese, commenting on changes to the bishop’s staff (page 12), the work of the Futuring Task Group (page 13) and the new budget process (page 15). It also touched on successful ministries — such as youth (page 14) — as well as one in need of improvement: Hispanics (page 14).

17 St. Mary Magdalene’s Rise to Parish Status In 2012, St. Mary Magdalene (South Kansas City) celebrated its 10th anniversary. The year would prove doubly significant when Diocesan Convention adopted a resolution organizing the congregation as a parish.

By the Rev. Jason Lewis

18 The Search for the Right Reverend The rector search process poses a challenge for any parish. While guidelines exist, each parish must chart its own course, one unique to its culture and congregants. Three diocesan parishes have either recently called a rector or are amid a search for a new one. Their stories.

SPIRIT, WINTER, 2013

3

Editor’s Letter by Hugh Welsh JUDY ROBINSON, A FAMILY FRIEND, IS A MENTOR of mine. An accomplished journalist, which include serving as a professional staff member and legislative assistant to the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, Judy has written about everything from the National Institutes of Health to the Hearst family — as much a study of William Hearst’s Missouriborn philanthropist mother and miner father as the innovator of “yellow journalism” — to a chronicle of her own genealogy, dating to the pioneers.

For my 29th birthday, my parents gave me a book of Judy’s that traces the 150-year history of the Episcopal Diocese of California. Judy is the great-great granddaughter of the Rt. Rev. William Ingraham Kip, the first bishop of California from 1853 to 1893.

The book begins in the summer of 1579 with the first Episcopal service in California. Amid Englishman Francis Drake’s exploration of North America’s western coast, the ship was beached for repairs in northern California in an area that would come to be known as Drake’s Bay. The ship’s chaplain, Francis Fletcher, conducted a service there using the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, celebrated annually by the Diocese of California on St. John Baptist’s Day, June 24.

Fletcher later wrote that the service and Holy Communion were observed by a large group of curious Native Americans, to whom he “preached the Gospel with much fervency.” Not much survived Drake’s North American expedition, save some of the ship’s timbers that were made into a chair presented to the University of Oxford by King Charles II. In testament to Fletcher’s service, a 55-foot Celtic-style Prayer Book Cross was erected in 1894 in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. No Episcopal activity was reported in California for three centuries after Drake’s landing.

In San Francisco in March 1847, the Rev. Thaddeus Leavenworth — chaplain of the First New York Volunteers, sent to administer the newly acquired territory — presided over a public meeting, a congregation “from the streets, the dancehalls, and the saloons of the town.” He implored the raising of funds towards the construction of a church, to no avail.

Following the Gold Rush, which brought a torrent of greed to San Francisco, the town was further starved of proper houses of worship, hosting services “in tents, rudimentary structures, homes, hotels, dining halls, even saloons where card games 4

SPIRIT, WINTER, 2013

were temporarily suspended during services...”

The Episcopal Church’s Board of Missions in New York was initially reluctant to send a priest to San Francisco at all due to the city’s reputation as a lawless and deviant place. The board’s first choice, the Rev. Dr. John Leonard Ver Mehr, a Belgium immigrant, was unfit to travel after contracting smallpox. His replacement, the Rev. Flavel Mines, proved up to the task, overseeing the construction of a simple wooden building with a cross above the doorway: Church of the Holy Trinity, the fourth religious structure built in San Francisco. Mines, reported to often sing the one hymn he knew by memory “From Greenland’s Icy Mountains,” would become chaplain to a vigilance committee, a group of citizens infamous for its harsh retribution toward arsonists and other evildoers. Mines once ministered to a man caught in the act of setting a building on fire; afterwards, the perpetrator was promptly hanged.

The book’s most illuminating section, however, is devoted to Judy’s ancestor, a “tall, thoughtful man…(whose) gentlemanly and erudite demeanor seemed at odds with the rough and tumble, uncomfortable life that California afforded.” Kip’s consecration as the first Episcopal Missionary Bishop of California at Trinity Church in New York City was conducted during a violent rainstorm. Once the service was complete, the storm broke, casting a “gleam of tinted sunshine” on the altar, filling the sanctuary with light. “You are going out to make history,” a fellow bishop told Kip. Kip’s task was arduous. To steady the diocese on the edge of the frontier, he would have to overcome blindness, inadequate funding and biting criticism for his inability to secure a permanent rector at Grace Church (in the church’s first 40 years, it had six rectors) from such newspaper columnists as Mark Twain, who wrote that Kip was “the great originator of cathedrals, parish schools and ‘intoning.’”

West Missouri, whose border was the trailhead to the frontier ending in New Mexico, Oregon and California, also elected a New Yorker as its first bishop in 1890, the Rt. Rev. Edward Robert Atwill. Atwill, too, oversaw a tumultuous time in a diocese’s history: the diocese had just broken from the Diocese of Missouri, which would now have jurisdiction over the eastern half of the state and possessed far greater resources. According to author Carrie Whitney, Atwill had “an understanding of those with whom he comes in contact, enabling him to judge of their sincerity, their purposes and their motives and to render assistance as a fellow traveler on life’s journey.” Two of Atwill’s sons would become priests, both serving parishes in West Missouri. Thanks to Judy, Atwill’s story is one I am inspired to report further in a later issue.

Judy’s book “From Gold Rush to Millennium: 150 years of the Episcopal Diocese of California” is available for purchase on Amazon.

TWEET-EVANGELISM

By Walker Adams (St. Paul’s, Kansas City)

I LOVE FACEBOOK. It is a great way for me to keep track of what is going on with my friends, find out who has a birthday, and see my cousins vacation pictures. As much as I love Facebook, I think I love Twitter more.

Twitter brings me a constant source of news and information. It allows me to have conversations with people I may have met only once, or people I have never met at all (which is how this article even came about).

What I love most about Twitter though is that following trending topics enables me to see what is going on around the world, and gives me a glimpse into what people around me think is important (or not). In short, it keeps me in touch with society.

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori was in our diocese (West Missouri) recently to celebrate the centennial celebration feast day of one of our parishes, St. Andrew’s. She preached about St. Andrew, evangelism, and compared various fishing techniques to spreading the gospel, encouraging us to find what bait attracts us and use it to fish for others. While I loved her sermon, and wholeheartedly agree with her, I fear we as Episcopalians spend less time fishing and more time keeping the aquarium.

Let me explain. Over the course of the last few days as I have been reflecting on the words of our Presiding Bishop in comparison to Bishop Kirk Smith’s sermon “Digital Bishop”. As a young Episcopalian I am disheartened, and not surprised, at statements like “80% of people looking for a church to attend for the first time, go to the internet, and yet only 20% of Episcopal churches have an active and up-to-date website.” Or that “Of the 110 active bishops in this country, only six are on Twitter.” Growing up in a digital age with a digital mind frame, I do not understand why the church would attend to current culture from the pulpit and preach the gospel as it relates to war in the Middle East, or the greed and need associated with this time of year, but will not take the step to log into Twitter and hashtag #BlackFriday. I understand sometimes the aquarium needs attention, but eventually it also needs fish, and it seems foolish for us to wait for them to jump into our Episcopal tank. So, my challenge to the church is this: don’t wait for Mary to give birth to Jesus. Instead, make your faith incarnate right here, right now. Log into Twitter, find a trending topic, and preach the gospel in an ocean where the fish are. Will you proclaim by word, tweet, and example the Good News in Christ Jesus?

The article was reprinted with permission from the Episcopal Cafe.

DIOCESAN YOUTH ‘DYG DEEPER’ THE DIOCESAN YOUTH GATHERING, held in conjunction with November’s Diocesan Gathering and Convention, brought together 43 youth from 12 congregations across the diocese to Christ Church in Springfield, where youth in grades 6 to 12 were to “DYG Deeper” by participating in one of seven breakout sessions including Christ and Culture, World Drumming, Senior High Panel, Junior High Panel, Prayer in Art, Meditation and Prayer and Devotions.

Fun came in several forms: bowling and a cookout at the First Baptist Church Recreation Center, a taco bar and a zombie rave (pictured). The youth led Morning Prayer at Diocesan Convention Saturday, November 3.

As part of the committee reports to Diocesan Convention, youth described each of the seven events planned over the next year, including a Guys and Girls Retreat, Bishop’s Ball, Happening #67, Junior High Retreat, Camp WEMO (to be held at a new location: Camp Wakonda in southwest Missouri), Pilgrimage 2013 and Missionpalooza 2013. Afterwards, church leaders involved in youth ministry came forward to explain why young people are integral to their congregations, the diocese and the Church. “They inspire the Baptismal Covenant,” said the Rev. Charles Uhlik, rector at St. James’ in Springfield. The Rev. Steve Wilson, rector at Grace Church in Carthage, said “my wife constantly reminds me that it’s salutary to be with people more mature than I am.”

SPIRIT, WINTER, 2013

5

GLEANINGS FROM AROUND THE DIOCESE

Having attended many congregations where children are present, I can watch and see the anxiety levels of new parents rise as kids want to be kids in an adult forum. Small kids just have that energy that spills By the Rev. Dr. Steven R. Rottgers out into public gatherings, and attempts to give them WE ARE AT THE START OF A NEW YEAR, AND something to occupy their attention — things get I’m pondering just how many New Year resolutions bumped onto hard pew sides and drop on hardwood have already fallen to the bin marked “Well Intended, or tile floors that love to resonate and amplify the but Not Fulfilled!” It is a slippery slope we unintended mishap. How about a large plush and fuzzy make when gathering our best intentions companion that mirrors a quiet demeanor, and yet onto a grocery list of hopes, dreams welcomes hugs and the small spirit that is trying to exist and expectations to serve as goals to be in a swirl of adult language and actions?! acquired or achieved in the coming year.

The Rev. Dixie Junk showed Bishop Field and me It is a folly of informational overload. The these stoic characters that are spread throughout the punch list is too exhaustive or detailed, and we fall into nave of St. Paul’s, awaiting their Sunday companions the pharisaic practice of trying to live by the letter of a that come for visits at regular service times. They are law that has volumes and sub-volumes of detailed text actually cherished and snuggled by children as well as that, in itself, takes hours or years to read, let alone senior members! understand.

Pew buddies are large stuffed friends As a congregational leader, pick two, such as bears, dogs, elephants or lions. or at most three, goals to work on for the Your local toy store or baby store can coming year! Enlist your membership to help you find your buddies! Included in assist in accomplishing these goals! There this column is a picture of a friend that is actually wisdom and statistical backing has accompanied me over 32 years of for the premise, “The KISS Method!” ministry and has welcomed young and St. Mary Magdalene in South Kansas old to my office wherever I have served City is doing that well with its theme from Virginia, Michigan, Alabama, of “Real…Rooted…Relevant!” Using Texas and now in Missouri. Fr. Bear is that repeated template, they overlay that there to greet you! theme over all that is done to test its The temptation as stated by Dixie is viability, as well as its communicative that teens want to escort pew buddies worth. Keeping it simple actually allows out of church to their dorm rooms, a clarity that enables action and a which is not allowed. In fact, a tag is Fr. Bear, a pew buddy. confidence to decide. The jewel of all placed on each pew buddy to remind of this is in how we form the resolution. By prefacing those who share their pew of a simple rule of thumb. the statement in “Thou shall not...” phraseology, there Side One: is a subconscious draw to detail and limited flex to “I love being here at St. ______, and I’d love to be your act, except in direct response to a narrow path. “Thou pew buddy today!” shall,” accompanied by only one or two directional Flip Side: outside barriers mentioned as “Thou shall nots,” “St. ______ is my home. Please keep me here!” affords an entire field of creative possibilities to be Setting a welcoming atmosphere for young or old, in explored and enacted! what is sometimes perceived as a cold or sterile adult For your vestry retreat formats, KEEP IT SIMPLE! Yet context, regardless of how spiritual the original intent focused! Just something worth pondering! may be, is something worth pondering!

A second item worth pondering is how the church The Rev. Dr. Steven R. Rottgers is the diocese’s Assistant to can be more “child/newcomer friendly?” One answer the Bishop for Congregational Vitality. He may be reached at may be what I encountered at St. Paul’s in Kansas City, srottgers@ediowestmo.org or 816-471-6161.

Kansas. Have you ever experienced “pew buddies?”

6

SPIRIT, WINTER, 2013

THE AGENDA Upcoming events around the diocese

Youth Leader Retreat Friday, February 8 to Saturday, February 9 Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral in Kansas City

Youth leaders are invaluable to the diocese’s longevity.

The Rev. John Spicer, rector at St. Andrew’s in Kansas City, spoke of youth ministry’s importance at Diocesan Convention: “What people come to know about church in youth, they take with them forever.” If you are called to be a youth leader in your congregation, then you should attend this retreat. For more information, contact Kim Snodgrass at 417-793-0780.

Happening #67 Friday, March 8, to Sunday, March 10 Grace Church in Carthage

Is Christianity relevant today? As a Christian experience presented by high schoolers for high schoolers, Happening #67 will point to an answer. It’s not a new form of spirituality or just another weekend retreat, but something that must be experienced to be fully understood. Cost is $25 per participant. For more information, please visit the following Web link: www. wemoyouth.com/events/happening-67/.

Bishop Martin and Donna Field dancing at 2012’s Bishop’s Ball.

Bishop’s Ball 6 p.m. Saturday, January 26 St. Paul’s in Kansas City Bishop’s Ball is about more than dancing the night away — it’s about recognizing outstanding youth and their leaders. More than 200 people are expected to attend the event, including youth, clergy and adult volunteers. An overnight lock-in will be held at the church. For more information, please visit the following Web link: www.wemoyouth.com/events/bishops-ball/.

Absalom Jones Celebration 11 a.m. Saturday, February 9 Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral in Kansas City

A celebration of Absalom Jones, the first AfricanAmerican Episcopal priest, will be immediately followed by a reception and a black history exhibit. The service is co-sponsored by the Diocese of West Missouri and the St. Andrew’s/St. Augustine’s Racial Reconciliation Committee.

Born a slave in 1746, Jones co-founded the Free African Society, an organization devoted to helping widows and orphans and assimilating newly freed black men into urban life. Jones organized the black community to serve as nurses and attendants during Philadelphia’s yellow fever epidemic. Later, the Free African Society formed a congregation that applied for membership in the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania.

It was admitted in 1794 as the African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas, where Jones served as deacon and priest.

Evening of Stars 6 p.m. Friday, April 19 Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral in Kansas City

Episcopal Community Services will host its fifthannual “Evening of Stars”: an evening to celebrate the volunteers who support hunger-relief ministries for Episcopal Community Services and the Episcopal Hunger Relief Network. In 2012, the ministries, with the help of so many volunteers, combined to serve more than 1.2 million meals in the Kansas City area.

The event will include a dinner provided by Cornerstones Catering and the graduates and students of Culinary Cornerstones. This will be followed by volunteer recognition and awards. To register, email rsvp@episcopalcommunity.org or call 816-561-8920.

‘In One Garden, As You Sow’ Saturday, April 20 All Saints’ Church in Kansas City “In One Garden, As You Sow” is an educational/ training event by the departments and ministries of the Diocese of West Missouri. The bi-annual event will feature breakout sessions from all the departments and ministries of the diocese — Christian Formation, Communication, Stewardship, Youth, Congregational Development (Town/Rural and Urban/Suburban). The keynote speaker, the Rev. Marek P. Zabriskie, will speak about The Bible Challenge. Event fee is $20 per person.

A special price break — the “Education Half Dozen” — will be given to teams of six from one parish, one person will be free and six for $100. Descriptions of the breakout sessions and registration information will be available soon.

SPIRIT, WINTER, 2013

7

Ninth Diocesan Gathering

PRESENTATIONS FOR EVERYBODY The Diocesan Gathering Friday, November 2 at Springfield’s University Plaza Hotel featured 14 presentations suitable for all interests, clergy or lay. Subjects included the diocese’s plan to cope with major changes in the Church’s health insurance policy and an update on the Palapye Project with our companion diocese, the Anglican Diocese of Botswana.

COMPANION DIOCESE COMMITTEE members Minda Cox (pictured), a parishioner at St. Alban’s in Bolivar, Gary Leabo, Trinity Church in Independence, and Dennis Robinson, St. Mary’s in Kansas City, led the presentation “Our Companion Diocese of Botswana: New Developments.”

Cox, who recently spent six months in Botswana as part of an intercultural studies degree requirement at Southwest Baptist University, reflected on her service project at St. Peter’s Daycare Centre, a daycare and preschool facility for orphans and children that will serve as a model for the one to be built in Palapye, an impoverished community north of Botswana’s capital city of Gaborone. Since 2008, the diocese has worked toward bettering the lives of orphans there, many of whom lost their parents to AIDS or malaria and are ineligible for federal aid because they aren’t citizens of Botswana. Cox spoke of an authentically African day care in which music and dance are fundamental to the learning process and lessons are conducted in Setswana, Botswana’s native language, as well as English.

The land in Palapye on which the day care is to be built has been secured, Robinson said, though the tract is smaller than anticipated. The day care, a joint venture between the dioceses of West Missouri and North Carolina as well as the Anglican dioceses of Newcastle and Botswana, will cost approximately $300,000, including furnishings. According to Robinson, the day care will be initially comprised of one building, including a dining hall, classroom and offices, accommodating 200 children.

The project’s future, however, remains in limbo as Botswana’s bishop since 2005, the Rt. Rev. Trevor Mwamba, has been appointed assistant bishop in the Church of England’s Diocese of Chelmsford. “We can only hope for a smooth transition,” Leabo said, “and that the new bishop will see progress.” Bishop Martin Field will visit Botswana in February and Cox said she plans to return in May.

8

SPIRIT, WINTER, 2013

PICTURED: JIM GILLIGAN (Church of the Resurrection in Blue Springs), who served on the insurance committee, discusses the details of the diocesan medical insurance plan with the Rev. Ron Keel (rector at Church of the Resurrection in Blue Springs) during the presentation “Health insurance: the proposed diocesan plan and its impact on your parish budget.”

The presentation, led by the Revs. Steve Wilson (rector at Grace Church in Carthage) and Stan Runnels (rector at St. Paul’s in Kansas City), sought to explain why the resolutions were in the diocese’s best interest, given the mandate from General Convention that all clergy and lay full-time employees (those working more than 1,500 hours per year) are offered the same insurance package by December 31, 2015. The mandate also requires that all dioceses and congregations provide an insurance plan via the Church Medical Trust.

The purpose of the resolutions before Diocesan Convention, according to Runnels, was for the “conversion to be as budgetexpense, compensation and benefit-expense neutral as possible.” If no action was taken, Wilson crafted a scenario in which his parish’s secretary married a 28 year old with 11 children. “I’ve just added $15,000 to my church budget,” Wilson said.

The first resolution complied with the Denominational Health Plan passed at General Convention, dictating full parity for all clergy and lay full-time employees and that employees at diocesan institutions, such as Bishop Spencer Place or St. Luke’s Health System, are not required to be covered. The second resolution proposed a health plan from the Church Medical Trust in which full-time employees of the diocese with dependents would be given an additional stipend and pension to purchase insurance from the Church.

The approximate annual cost per full-time employee in this diocese is $26,784. The cost for a single employee would be $733 per month, including a $572 high-deductible health plan premium, $83 to the employee’s health savings account and an additional $66 stipend. Congregations save $66 per month when compared to the 2012 insurance plan. Both resolutions were approved at Diocesan Convention.

123rd Diocesan Convention

(Top): The Rt. Revs. Martin Field and Todd Ousley, the Diocese of Eastern Michigan’s bishop, lead the Eucharist at Diocesan Convention. (Bottom, left): A performance by WEMO Karaoke, comprised of Chuck Franklin, Diana Leonard and the Rev. Dr. Steven Rottgers. (Bottom, right): Ousley delivers the Eucharist sermon at Diocesan Convention. Photos by Gary Zumwalt.

A MATTER OF DEATH AND LIFE

The Diocesan Convention convened the evening of Friday, November 2 with a Eucharist sermon from the Rt. Rev. Todd Ousley, the Diocese of Eastern Michigan’s bishop. Ousley was the Rt. Rev. Martin S. Field’s bishop when Field was rector of St. Paul’s in Flint, Michigan. Ousley said that it was no coincidence the convention was held on All Souls’ Day, or the Commemoration of All Faithful Departed: “The last night of October and the first days of November are the days set aside for remembering the dead, and contemplating our own deaths. But what a chilling thought it is to contemplate our own death! Yet, at the very heart of the faith we hold are questions of life and death...These days are days to bring death and the dead into the light: to acknowledge loss and move beyond it; to mourn, but not to despair; to regret what needs to be regretted but, even more, to celebrate what needs to be celebrated; to remember the past and have hope for the future.”

The sermon foreshadowed a convention that would include the death of one church (Church of the Ascension in Springfield) and the birth of a parish (St. Mary Magdalene in South Kansas City), a resurrection of folksy sing-alongs familiar to children of the 1960s (such as “Puff the Magic Dragon” and “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?”), a 21st century refresh of diocesan policy and a balanced budget erected atop the diocese’s pillars for the future: grow congregations, grow personally, grow in community, grow in compassion and grow leaders. For more information — including the 2013 budget, committee reports and full text of resolutions (all were approved except numbers 5, 12 and 13, which are pending further discussion and dealt with ecclesiastical definitions, rules of order and the composition of deaneries) — click the “Gathering and Convention 2012” link on the diocesan Web site, www.diowestmo.org.

SPIRIT, WINTER, 2013

9

123rd Diocesan Convention

Bishop Martin Field, center, praying during the Holy Communion service at Diocesan Convention. Photo by Gary Zumwalt.

The Rt. Rev. Martin S. Field’s Report to Diocesan Convention

“In the midst of life, we are in death.”

10

SPIRIT, WINTER, 2013

T

he adjoining quote is from the Book of Common Prayer, from the Committal service of the Burial Office to be exact (p. 484), and it introduces to all gathered what the gathering at the graveside is all about.

But let me paraphrase or adapt this prayer book quote for our use now: “In the midst of the big picture, we are in minutiae!”

For some people being forced to dwell on or deal with minutiae feels like a near death experience. For others, the bread and butter of their lives. We’re all a bit different on that score.

Sometimes dealing with minutiae is simultaneously the need and the trap of Church life. We need to attend to details: to the small building blocks of administration and finance and governance and organization and lesson planning and sermon preparation and...oh so many other matters, which, when added together, make up the whole.

But we must not ever become so focused on the details that we lose sight of the bigger picture. For us that’s the Church with the upper case “C”...the Church universal... or at least the Episcopal Church (la Iglesia Episcopal) and the Anglican Communion (la Comunión Anglicana).

We, as a Church, need to get leaner (though not necessarily meaner).

The days of top heavy corporate-style hierarchies are over.

CHURCH WITH A BIG C: Let’s take a brief look at that bigger picture. Around the world, the Anglican Communion continues to grow. In what have been labeled “third world” countries, especially Africa and Asia, the growth is remarkable.

In the latter years of the last century, many experts predicted that the weight of membership for the Anglican Communion would shift to Africa, that by the early years of the 21st century, there would be more Anglicans in Africa than in all the Western cultures.

As predicted, that has come to be. What we would call western cultures: North America, Europe and the Australian continent — combined — trail Africa in membership numbers.

And there is significant growth coming out of the other non-Western cultures around the globe. Take China, where it’s nearly impossible to get accurate numbers of Christians, but which has 1.34 billion inhabitants. That’s nearly 20% of the world’s total population, nearly a fifth. Some estimates place the number of Christians in China as high as 150 million plus; that’s nearly half the population of the United States. Certainly, not all of those 150 million are Anglicans, but many are.

So, the Anglican Communion now has over 80 million Christians, maybe as high as 100 million. It is present in 165 countries. It is our world’s third largest Christian body (behind only Roman Catholicism and Orthodoxy). And it is growing. The Church of Jesus Christ is growing.

And we are part of that big picture.

It helps me, when I am overwhelmed with minutiae and details of all kinds, to remember that I am part of something bigger, something BIG, colossal, worthy, and inspiring – Jesus’ Church, the WHOLE people of God across an entire globe!

GENERAL CONVENTION 2013: Another aspect of the big picture is the Episcopal Church’s recent General Convention. It was my first convention as a member of the House of Bishops, and was a bit of an eye-opener.

As I wrote in the most recent issue of our diocesan magazine, the West Missouri Spirit, I was impressed with the civil tone and strong sense of community spirit and unity shown by those gathered, in spite of very real

theological and even political differences among the members of that temporary community.

The thing that impressed me most was the sense that — no matter what the person’s preference on a decision or issue — there were no winners and losers, just Christians trying their best to understand each other and advance the Gospel. We are a diverse Church. We lived the experiment in creative engagement of people who were different and who were alike.

The key decisions — in my opinion — were around the issue of mission, as in the mission of God given to the Church.

Restructure of the Episcopal Church is underway.

Our diocese had a hand in bringing that about.

The resolution this Convention passed last year and submitted to General Convention was one of over 50 such resolutions. Almost half the dioceses of TEC sent in a call for re-visioning our Church. With such a groundswell behind it, this issue could not help but be a major part of the General Convention buzz.

A special task group to study this issue and recommend changes to how we are organized for mission will be named next month by the President of the House of Deputies and the Presiding Bishop.

This is crucial. We, as a Church, need to get leaner (though not necessarily meaner). The days of top heavy corporate-style hierarchies are over. We must be focused on mission, not governance. We must be outward focused at every level of the Church, having enough governance for the marshaling of resources, enough committees for organizing ministry, enough hierarchy for holy decision making...but no more!

The Church must be — from congregations to General Convention — committed to God’s Mission, not our favorite political agenda. God’s Vision for the world; not business as usual.

God has blessed his Episcopal Church with abundant resources, and through the years the Church has tried to be faithful. The time is now upon us to renew faithfulness and be a leaner, more mission-focused Church.

Since this is one of my passions, I am happy to share with you that I have been appointed to the General (continued on page 12) SPIRIT, WINTER, 2013

11

Convention’s Standing Commission on the Structure of the Church, and as such, I will be in on forming the recommendations that will lead to a new missional shape and structure for TEC, one that will match the missional needs of the 21st century.

The budget for the Triennium (the next 3 years) is based on the Marks of Mission known and used to guide decisions all over the Anglican Communion.

If you don’t know them, they are: — To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom — To teach, baptize, and nurture new believers — To respond to human need by loving service — To seek to transform unjust structures of society — To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth The Convention adopted a budget organized and prioritized around these Marks of Mission.

A resolution passed to create and financially support Mission Enterprise Zones...to grant needed resources to those parts of our Church reaching out especially to segments of the population underserved by our Church.

Convention also chose to stay engaged with the proposed Anglican Covenant; we have neither accepted nor rejected it en toto. Rather we’ve asked that the dialogue go on and relationships continue within the “bonds of affection” that hold the Communion together.

Another decision that came out of General Convention is that baptism remains the normative way to enter the Episcopal Church. A resolution was introduced to allow those not baptized to receive Holy Communion, something that has never been our way, but which was being considered for a good reason, a desire for radical hospitality. The sponsors were hoping to welcome those not baptized to Communion as a way to help them connect to the community of faith, rather than exclude them from the most sacred time of our worship and make them feel, perhaps, less welcome. Convention chose to uphold the traditional teaching: baptism is the entry point to all other sacraments and to full fellowship in the body of Christ. So, the emphasis returns to baptism. To be radically hospitable, invite people to baptism. Invite them really to be connected to Christ and his body the Church. Do not settle for a watered down hospitality, emphasize rather the 12

SPIRIT, WINTER, 2013

complete inclusion that comes through baptism. There may be more to hear on this score.

CHANGES ON BISHOP’S STAFF: As most of you will know by now, there have been several changes on the Bishop’s Staff in the last year.

Last evening we honored the Venerable-for-life-and-alwaysand-beyond, John McCann. Last year we honored our now-retired Provost, Jon Yeager. And we also witnessed the retirement in January of this year of Aneta Ireland, our Assistant to the Provost.

Joining my staff are the Rev. Dr. Steve Rottgers, as Assistant to the Bishop for Congregational Vitality, and Lt.Col. Charles Franklin, USA (Ret.), who accepted the role of Diocesan Administrator. (They were the male members of the “Not Ready for Branson Singers” who performed at last evening’s banquet.)

Please note: The roles they now fill are not identical to the roles their predecessors filled. The duties that were Archdeacon McCann’s are not wholly invested in Steve Rottgers. Archdeacon McCann was an administrator and a project leader and a congregational consultant and a transitions minister and...well he wore a bunch of hats.

Fr. Steve’s portfolio — as his title proclaims — is to assist congregations in reaching the fullest vitality they may reach.

He’ll work directly with congregations and parishes to bring his expertise to bear in the lives of our faith communities, to help them see God’s vision for their corporate lives and to enhance their becoming (in some cases) and remaining (in all cases) missional outposts of God’s kingdom. He is not yet, but will soon add working with congregations in transition to his duties — meaning he’ll become our Diocesan Transitions Minister. For now, I’m working in that area while Fr. Steve gets around the diocese, gets to know you leaders, and gets acquainted with his primary, congregational-support duties. He will work in the arenas of Christian Formation, Congregational Development, and — with the exception of the Commission on the Ministry and our participation in the multi-diocesan school for ministry — Leadership Development. In this, he will be primary staff liaison to these diocesan committees and other groups working in these areas.

Colonel Franklin – or Chuck – deals with administration...all of it. I won’t venture to name all that falls under his purview, but some example include: working with finances and the diocese’s Finance Committee; administering and maintaining records of Safeguarding God’s People and Safeguarding God’s Children trainings

Do not settle for a watered down hospitality, emphasize rather the complete inclusion that comes through baptism. and trainers and when renewal trainings are required (a big job!); working with parish and congregational Treasurers to improve fidelity to the standards of the Manual of Business Methods in Church Affairs; and more. If it’s something you can count or database, it probably falls within Chuck’s area of responsibility.

And I must take a moment to state this: Neither Chuck nor Steve+ nor the Bishop could ever do all that is on our plates without the able, invaluable help of Angela Crawford and Laura Waggoner, the administrative assistants who, at times, seem really to run the diocese. And even if they don’t, really, they at least keep the administrative skids greased enough that the Bishop’s staff can move ahead in its work and ministry. They’ve been at this for years. They know their stuff. And I appreciate them.

BUILDING ON LAST YEAR: Last year at this Convention, we were revealing for the first time formally the results of our Shaping Our Future forums held around the diocese. Let me remind you of what YOU told your Bishop and the rest of the diocese’s leadership.

You identified the things you considered things to celebrations: 1. Our collective outreach/social ministries.

2. Ministry to and by the youth of the diocese.

3. Our worship and liturgy church by congregation by parish.

4. Communication from the Bishop’s Office and about Diocesan Ministries.

5. Leadership Development (Lay and Clergy).

Your concerns and challenges were identified to be: 1. Congregational growth.

2. The diocesan budget process.

3. Expense of diocesan administration and the Bishop’s staff.

4. Community and mutual support between congregations.

5. Clergy availability and deployment.

The dreams you dreamed for our diocesan family were identified to be: 1. Congregational growth.

2. Expanding ministries to youth and young adults.

3. Community and mutual support between congregations.

4. Increased outreach/social ministries.

5. Expanded leadership development for the laity as well as the clergy.

These dreams, concerns, and celebrations were the source of the statement of diocesan priorities, which Diocesan Council subsequently adopted on behalf of each and all of us. Those priorities are: #1 – Grow Congregations: seeking congregational growth in membership, more congregations being started, excellence in liturgies. #2 – Grow Personally: seeking Christian formation for all ages: children, youth, young adults, and adults – cradle to grave; growth in knowledge of the faith and in spiritual depth; growth in responsible stewardship. #3 – Grow in Community: seeking unity, cooperation, and mutual support congregation-to-congregation and in our connections beyond the diocese. #4 – Grow in Compassion: seeking reach out to aid the children of God. #5 – Grow Leaders: seeking leadership development for lay and clergy alike.

It’s easy to see the tie-in among these priorities and your input from the Shaping Our Future forums. And all this is the outgrowth of the diligence of West Missouri’s Futuring Task Group, a group of incredibly faithful people.

The Futuring Task Group will report later this morning, so I will not steal their thunder, but I will express my gratitude for their loyalty to their mandate and their hard work. Not everything they’ve started has finished, but, as will be explained in a few moments, they’ve planned to leaven the work of the whole loaf – to offer council and ideas to our continuing committees and commissions and to the diocese as a whole on objectives and goals to pursue for the long-term.

PRIORITIES IN ACTION: For now, though, let me return to the chain of events that moved from 1. the forums to 2. those celebrations, challenges, and dreams to 3. the diocesan priorities to 4. our initiatives in mission, that is our efforts to put our priorities into action. (continued on page 14) SPIRIT, WINTER, 2013

13

of my staff, that our support will be there.

The Gospel is about reconciliation in all imaginable directions, being reconciled to God, to one another, with people with whom we differ, with strangers we’ve never met, with the earth and all creation...in all possible meanings of reconciliation. And it is about transformation of individuals into the moral likeness of Christ, so that we may walk in life as he walked in life, blameless and holy.

The size of the congregation or parish proclaiming this Gospel is irrelevant. Each faith community and each individual Christian is charged with this proclamation!

Each summer, Missionpalooza brings together youth from the dioceses of West Missouri and Kansas to serve the Kansas City community. Submitted photo.

Congregational growth is our first and highest diocesan priority. Among the populations underserved (by far) in our diocesan ministries is the Hispanic population of Kansas City. We are trying to amend that. In cooperation with our Lutheran partners of the ELCA and the Diocese of Kansas, we are looking for ways to create a meaningful presence with faithful Hispanic people of Kansas City on both sides of the state line.

Fr. Rottgers is here because we have a high priority on growing vital, viable, mutually-attached, and visionary congregations.

In this effort we want to celebrate the potential of all our congregations: small and large and in-between. Sid Breese, Ministry Developer for the Sacred Hills Region, wrote this to me about the remarks I might make today: “(Please) congratulate and encourage the tenacious continued existence of many of our smaller congregations because of very dedicated and faithful people. There may come a time when a small congregation may need to close, but while the Gospel is still being heard and lived out in the lives of the members, we need to support them as a diocese. Many may not have grand plans for growth, but have viable and valid ministries that reach out to God’s children in ways that might amaze a larger body of believers.”

To this I can only add my Amen and my pledge, and that 14

SPIRIT, WINTER, 2013

LEADERS: EDUCATING, ORDAINING AND DEPLOYING: The blending of our diocese’s school for pastoral ministry with the schools and processes in the Dioceses of Kansas and Western Kansas is well underway.

We have seven students enrolled and studying there.

Several more are heading that way as we have just had a second Vocational Conference this fall to handle the number of in discernment for Holy Orders and not make them wait ‘til spring. We had one back in the spring too; those who went through Vocations Conference then are the ones studying at the new combined school now.

The Diocese of Nebraska is also using this new combined school for its vocational needs, and may become a full partner in the near future.

This growing count of persons studying for ordination – and getting a good education while doing so – is welcome indeed and addresses diocesan priority #5: leadership development, and will allow me and my staff to work with congregations to address one of our identified challenges: the availability and deployment of clergy leadership.

I don’t have time to talk in detail about our other initiatives to meet our priorities, but let me give a cursory glance at a few.

YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS: Expanding ministries to youth and young adults. Recently the Diocesan Council set aside the monies realized when the diocese sold Cliff Springs Camp as a fund for supporting our diocese’s youth ministries. Use of this money is restricted to supporting this vital ministry to the emerging generations of Episcopalians.

We’re also taking seriously our effort to expand college ministries, and we realize the need to reach out to adults of the same age who haven’t gone to college. You’ll hear from Beth Belcher, our Campus Ministry Coordinator, a little later.

An article in the Kansas City Star from back in January of this year caught my attention and signals a warning on

Among the populations underserved (by far) in our diocesan ministries is the Hispanic population of Kansas City. the importance of a faith and church connection at this age. It’s entitled: “Why Young Adults Leave Church?” The gist of the article is that the youth entering adulthood the age many attend college are vastly more likely to remain connected to the Church through the rest of their adult years if the Church reaches out to them and helps them maintain a strong connection through their twenties.

Both Beth Belcher (Campus Ministries) and Kim Snodgrass (Youth Ministry) want to do just that for your children and grandchildren and – to our youth delegation – for you. Please help them do so by passing along the contact information of any youth or young adult in your parish or congregation. Kim and Beth will make contact and do everything they can to help those you identify stay “plugged in”.

OH, NO! NOT THE BUDGET: Last year at this time, in my Address to Convention, I talked about our Diocesan Budget and how we go about developing that budget. I promised you then that I would do all I could to create a responsive, diocesan program of ministry “worthy of the resources devoted to diocesan work.” That is still my goal.

This day you will vote on a budget for our diocese. I would like to say it calls for less from congregations and parishes for the support of diocesan ministries. It does not, unfortunately, call for any significant cuts in the covenanted portions of congregations and parishes. In the futuring process, the things congregations and individuals said you need from the ministry of diocesan leadership, committees, and commissions are simply too significant right now. These are critical times for some of our congregations and reduction in diocesan services would have a bad effect for many of them.

I hope the day will come soon when healthier, growing congregations will need less and then the diocesan leadership and ministries will need to provide less.

I know that some of you (maybe many of you) found it confusing to follow the development of this year’s budget.

The way we create budgets in West Missouri was designed a few years ago when the Convention decided there need to be more involvement in the drafting. So, in this process, several drafts go out from Diocesan Council and the council’s Finance Committee over the course of a year, and

feedback is received from your deaneries. The feedback is to be used to revise the budget further. This year it has been confusing. Numbers in the drafts keep changing. The format has been revised. Etc. I apologize for the confusion. It is a natural outgrowth of several things.

Dean Steve Wilson described it accurately as a “perfect storm” – an analogy we all understand a little bit more after the recent Super Hurricane Sandy. In the last year, we’ve had turnover at every office in our financial management: Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Diocesan Administrator, and there’s been a learning curve for each now office holder.

New initiatives like EChO, the new regional ministry in the southwest of the diocese, (the acronym stands for “Episcopal Churches of the Ozarks”), were just being conceived and formed and their budgets developed. This caused several permutations in their budget figures.

Your input from deanery and other discussions was taken seriously, and that also caused figures and narrative to change as we went from draft to draft.

Part of the confusion is that we did the process as it was designed, not knowing the final numbers at the start, taking all input seriously, making changes because of that input, and also incorporating initiatives that were just emerging as draft followed draft.

This messy process is the result of doing the process of draft and feedback as it was designed.

In this year’s budget, we’ve captured all diocesan personnel costs into a single place in the budget this year.

Previously, these costs were expensed across all cost centers of the budget. The new format might make Bishop and staff salaries look higher, but in reality our personnel costs are very much in line with current costs. With savings in health care costs, these personnel figures can be even lower.

HOPE IS THE THINGS LOOKED FOR: I honestly believe that our diocesan initiatives — and all that caused us to choose them, meaning the collective wisdom of the whole diocesan family — lay a solid foundation for our diocese’s future.

And I see a bright, renewed future for our diocese. For the parishes and congregations that, collectively, are the

(continued on page 16) SPIRIT, WINTER, 2013

15

diocese — that mutual aid society in which all 48 or 49 churches are covenanted to stand by and support one another and the Greater Church.

A GROWING CHURCH, A GROWING DIOCESE: I see hope for The Episcopal Church, too, and there’s a good basis for that. Statistics from the 2011 Parochial Reports (which compare 2011 to 2010, the latest stats there are) show that five of the Episcopal Church’s nine provinces grew in total membership and average Sunday attendance or ASA for short). Dioceses domestic to the U.S. were up 56 in A.S.A. (no discernible percentage change, but not decline!). Non-domestic dioceses (outside the U.S.) are up 1.1% or 440 A.S.A. So overall, TEC was up a total of 496 in A.S.A. or 0.1%. that may not be much, but in this day it’s great news.

And that news means growing dioceses. Fifty of the 113 diocese are up in A.S.A. Three broke even. Sixty declined, but the up numbers exceeded the down numbers.

And one of the growing dioceses is West Missouri. Good ol’ West MO is up 71 members from 2010. We went from 11,034 to 11,105, or a 0.6% increase, and our A.S.A. went up 20, from 3,791 to 3811, or 0.5%.

AN ANCIENT CHURCH IN A CHANGING RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE: The age in which we live is a time of vast shifting of the religious landscape in our country, and to a degree in all of Western culture.

Institutional religion is waning. Spirituality is up; desire to have a spiritual dimension to life is up, especially among the younger, emerging generations. Monolithic, top-heavy structures are going the way of the dinosaurs. Centralized leadership that empowers the edges of the structure to be creative is the wave of the next days. Outward focused in service and proclamation, not inward focused and selfconcerned, is the Church of tomorrow.

And yet it’s an ancient Church, anchored in an ancient faith and the promises of God. At this convention, our theme is the first baptismal covenant, “Will you continue in the Apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers?” Our answer? “I will with God’s help.”

To keep this covenantal vow is to be connected to the apostolic age, the apostolic faith, and the apostolic effort across centuries. To keep this covenantal vow is also to be a child of the present moment, one who seeks personal transformation and absolute reconciliation with God and others, and who also proclaims by word and deed the Good news of God in Christ.

16

SPIRIT, WINTER, 2013

I was at a meeting the other day also attended by Fr. Andrew Grosso, the priest of the Diocese of Kansas who heads the faculty of our combined, local formation school for ministry. He offered a thoughtful Bible Study at the meeting’s opening on whether the Church is going into Exile because of shifts in societal attitudes...or is the Church returning from exile after a 1,700 year experiment of being tied to political power and living at the core of society, not challenging society, but being one of the key power brokers in society.

Many of you have heard me say that our opportunity is to be once again the Church of the first century A.D., an alternative voice; an edgy, challenging voice; the voice of God to a world not usually all that interested in or knowledgeable about God. So, are we, by returning to where the 1st century Church found itself in the first days after Jesus’ Ascension, becoming who we are meant to be?

Or are we losing what we should remain, thereby becoming less faithful?

I believe the former is true. The Church is returning to the Church of the Apostles, the Church Jesus left behind, the Church that the world needs and for which it even longs — even if it doesn’t know it.

AND HERE’S OUR PART: We in West Missouri are called to move with this age, to emerge as the new Church, to become truly missional in outlook and labor, to be faithful to God’s Mission.

You see, the Church does not have a mission. God has a mission. God in Christ did not establish the Church and then ask, “Now what on earth can I give them to do?”

No. God had a Mission, and the church was launched to pursue that Mission.

An ancient analogy for the Church is a ship. We worship in our naves, and the same Latin word that gives us “nave” also gives us “navy”. The Church is a ship and crew sailing through life together, rowing and pulling together to reach God’s appointed destination, to achieve God’s dream for his creation.

So the Church is a boat. Now remember this! It is something, as a Navy man, I’ve always found important.

“A boat at anchor in a harbor is safe; but that’s not what boats were built for.”

A Church that protects what is and has...that ventures not into the maelstrom...that risks not the called-for journey...is safe.

But that’s not what the Church was built for.

And, West Missourians, you are the Church.

St. Mary Magdalene’s Rise to Parish Status

BY THE REV. JASON LEWIS Rector at St. Mary Magdalene (South Kansas City)

T

he year 2012 marked 10 years for St. Mary than 120 folks into 3,500 square feet of retail space.

Magdalene. It’s a story of vision, belief, hard Then finally, through the amazing and persistent help work and Christian-disciple-stick-to-itiveness. of our diocese, we got land. And a dream to build. We Ultimately, it’s a story of God’s call and a people’s shared the vision. The call was heard and the response learning to faithfully respond. was faithful. The down payment was raised — in the History is often remembered as rooted in place. And midst of 2008 — and we went for it. that is how we go about it here at St. Mary Mag’s (as We now occupy a beautiful building, dedicated and we often, and lovingly, call her). We tell of her humble set apart for God’s work in July 2010. With gratitude beginning: in the Spring of 2002, she was started in for the building, we remind ourselves often that the a basement with a few gathered full of expectation building is not the church: the people are the church. around a table with bread and We gather at the “church wine to bless, break and share. building” to remember who And then, of all places, to a we are, and then to go out funeral home. We’d often say in the world. St. Mary Mag’s to newcomers, “come here, story is of people offering you’ll find Life in unexpected themselves sacrificially to places.” And we did — find see the work of the church Life. We found the Life of the accomplished.

Risen Lord in the very midst 2012 not only marked St. of a place of death. I suppose Mary Mag’s 10th year. It is also for folks who believe in the the year we were welcomed mystery of the resurrection, among you, the people of the it shouldn’t have been so Diocese of West Missouri, as a unexpected. full parish within your ranks.

Our next home was in a It’s a sign, a symbol; we are strip mall storefront. More ready to join with you more A standing ovation followed the unanimous approval of a than a few times, we had fully in the mission of God. resolution at Diocesan Convention organizing St. Mary newcomers come out of Time and time again, the Magdalene as a parish. Photo by Gary Zumwalt. intrigue and curiosity. “An people of St. Mary Mag’s have Episcopal Church in a storefront? Either you are lived out a working motto: “we are a get-it-done kind of completely off the wall or really have something.” The people.” novelty paid off. They came, and we had something And it’s true. St. Mary Mag’s is a people of belief amazing to offer. We gathered for intentional worship and action. We learned it from you, the people of this (led by a stellar music team!) that sought to connect, diocese. The story of St. Mary Magdalene is your story. vibrant ministries for all ages and a grace-filled, lifeThe missional faith that gave birth to us and inspired us giving community. And we scattered outward, feeding onward is your faith. It’s a belief in a God who calls the the hungry at St. Mary’s downtown, packing and church not to exist for itself but for those who are not delivery backpacks of food for local schools, knitting yet a part of it. caps for babies in the neo-natal intensive care unit, We came from you and are honored to share with you rebuilding the Gulf Coast, going to Haiti (among other the joy of 10 years of faithful ministry among and with places), and visiting everyday workplaces as disciples you! with a renewed vision to be the hands and feet of Christ in the world. On Sundays, we started to cram more SPIRIT, WINTER, 2013

17

THE SEARCH FOR THE RIGHT REVEREND Insight into three diocesan parishes’ search for a new rector.

By Hugh Welsh

ST. JOHN’S (SPRINGFIELD)

of St. John’s are searching for a committed spiritual leader and counselor who is grounded in the Anglican tradition of worship. Our diversified membership is n 2003, Linda Robertson chaired the search united in the love of the liturgy with all the ‘smells and committee at St. John’s (Springfield) that resulted bells.’” in the installation of the Rev. Jerry Miller as rector.

“We didn’t want a Web page that was too complex or With Miller’s retirement in June 2012, Robertson was hard to access,” Robertson says. again approached to chair the committee.

The Rev. Ross Stuckey, the former rector of St. James’ “One always learns in a search process,” Robertson in Springfield, is the supply priest at St. John’s. Stuckey says. occasionally substituted before Miller’s retirement.

To obtain congregational input, the Search Robertson says Stuckey’s role isn’t limited to Sunday Committee devised a 13-item questionnaire that asked sermons. “He’s busy celebrating at St. John’s at other ranking questions (varying from extremely important times through the week,” she says. “Whether it’s to not important) about such topics as lectionaryWednesday Mass before supper or the Thursday healing based sermons, weekday services, missionary support, service, the people of St. John’s know Fr. Stuckey well.” administrative skills, community involvement, The deadline for applications was December 31; Christian education and church growth, as well as in addition to a asking openletter of interest, ended questions.

“Calling a new rector is not a simple procedure,” resume and his The survey was her Office for says Linda Robertson, search committee chair. or distributed after Transition Ministry both Sunday profile, applicants services, and the results were posted on the church’s were to provide short answers to three questions: why bulletin board. do you wish to come to St. John’s; what are the most The feedback was crucial as the committee important skills you could bring to St. John’s; and in answered questions for the parish’s Ministry Profile what ways can you help a church to grow? for the Episcopal Church’s Office for Transition According to Robertson, the committee would Ministry, which assists individuals (lay and ordained), interview selected candidates by speaker phone, talk congregations and institutions in the discernment with references, and then determine who would be process. Bishop Field is the Discernment Officer visited in his or her home environment, including onfor the diocese. The parish’s profile is available to site interviews and attendance at a worship service led individuals who are seeking a position as rector, and by the candidate. The committee would then present information from the profile is also used for computer a short list to the vestry. Candidates the vestry decided searches to help the committee locate ministry profiles to invite to continue the process would be asked to visit of individuals who are seeking positions. the parish and would also be interviewed by the bishop.

The congregational input and information from Finally, the vestry would take the matter to a vote. Any the parish profile are apparent on the church’s Web call has to be pre-approved by the bishop. Robertson site, which includes a link to the rector search page. says St. John’s hopes to have a new rector in place this In a straightforward format, the page outlines the summer. congregation’s community and demographics as well “Calling a new rector is not a simple procedure,” as its liturgical style and missionary objectives. There’s Robertson says. “You have to cross the Ts and dot the even a pitch to prospective rectors: “The parishioners Is.”

I

18

SPIRIT, WINTER, 2013

I

CHRIST CHURCH (ST. JOSEPH)

n the 1950s, Christ Church in St. Joseph was a bustling congregation. As St. Joseph’s prominence declined, so has membership in all its downtown churches, Christ Church included. In 1978, average Sunday attendance was 135. It is half that 24 years later.

A year and a half into his three-year tenure as interim rector, the Rev. Charles Caskey has added faces in the pews: average attendance is up to 65 from 55. But, if the church is to hire a full-time rector, more growth is needed, according to Caskey.

“Christ Church has a core of parishioners who work hard each week to provide a vibrant worshiping community as well as outreach, but we need at least 10 to 12 more giving families,” says Caskey, who’s previously served as interim rector at churches in California, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. While his contract expires in July 2014, Caskey said he’d be willing to remain longer if necessary. “It all depends on how hard (Christ Church’s parishioners) are working.”

A hefty portion of Christ Church’s budget for programs and maintenance is culled from an endowment, as many churches are apt to do. “We can’t continue to rely on an endowment,” Caskey says.

Caskey says part of his challenge is to disrupt what he coins the “Cheers” effect. “Some folks are satisfied being a small church,” Caskey says, “where everybody knows my name.”

According to Caskey, Christ Church’s congregation must not only grow but get younger, its electronic communications must improve (including a renovated Web site and a Facebook page) and the church building must become more energy efficient and better utilized.

This could potentially include supplementing the church’s costly boiler system with a solar-powered alternative, reconfiguring the second and third floors for handicap access and housing a student-resident group on the third floor. “I’m hoping that in the nottoo-distant future, we’ll be ready to get moving on the rector search process,” Caskey says. “But, right now, it’s not in the cards: we have too much work to do to grow the parish.”

According to Caskey, Christ Church’s resurgence hinges partly on a revitalized downtown St. Joseph. “We pray that others will want to join us as the downtown becomes a destination once again,” Caskey says. “Our mission and ministry are just too important to the city as well as our families.”

St. Andrew’s rector: the Very Rev. John Spicer. Submitted photo.

O

ST. ANDREW’S (KANSAS CITY)

nce the Rev. Fred Mann’s retirement as rector was official June 30, 2011, St. Andrew’s (Kansas City) promoted from within. The Rev. John Spicer, associate rector at the parish since April 2005, would be Mann’s replacement.

Spicer, however, wasn’t the new rector. Not yet. Per thenBishop Barry Howe’s suggestion, Spicer and the parish agreed to a one-year period in which Spicer would serve as St. Andrew’s priest-in-charge. If the relationship didn’t work as well as hoped, Spicer would have another year as priest-in-charge and both parties would discern new paths for themselves. If it did, he would become rector.

“We knew Fr. John was a great priest,” says Stephen Rock, St. Andrew’s senior warden. With an average Sunday attendance of about 350, St. Andrew’s ranks among the diocese’s largest parishes. “But there is a difference between being a priest and a rector at a church of this size.”

Before he was priest-in-charge, Spicer delivered a sermon in which he made his intentions clear to everyone in the pews: “I don’t want to be here if you’re hiring a caretaker.”

According to Rock, “What made the discernment work was that Fr. John was exceptionally clear about the things he would change and the things that he would not change.

The priest-in-charge period would include an evolution in mission and clear changes in leadership culture, but most every other aspect of our life together would remain the same. At the end of the year, we all knew how it felt to be together.”

In June 2012 — after “we took him for a test drive for a year,” Rock says — a unanimous decision was reached: Spicer would be St. Andrew’s rector.

SPIRIT, WINTER, 2013

19

spirit Episcopal Diocese of West Missouri 420 w. 14th street kansas city, mo 64105

Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Permit #668 Kansas City, Mo.

An Exceptional Place in the Heart of it All.

SATI

ION

GU

ED

Rewarding and engaging. Intimate in size, but wide SFACT open with opportunity. At Bishop Spencer Place, you’ll thrive living in our landmark location near the Country AR A T E N Club Plaza and you’ll be energized by all of the cultural activities and conveniences Kansas City has to offer. Plus, you’ll celebrate each day with ease knowing you have access to a full continuum of on-site healthcare and to our affiliate Saint Luke’s Hospital, if needed.

Our faith-based retirement community is also a close affiliate of The Episcopal Diocese of West Missouri, and we’re proud to have enriched lives for over 17 years. There is simply no better place to be!

100%

Call Mendi at (816) 595-5878 for Lunch & Tour. www.bishopspencerplace.org 4301 Madison Ave. Kansas City, MO 64111

T H E

P L A C E

T O

B E

F O R

R E T I R E M E N T

L I V I N G