Spirit June 2015 by The Diocese of West Missouri

Spirit

GENERAL CONVENTION 2015 | TEN YEARS OF INTERFAITH BUILDING

Diocese of West Missouri JUNE 2015 | VOLUME 7, NO. 3

BACKSNACK PROGRAM - PAGE 12

Publisher

The Rt. Rev. Martin S. Field

Editor

Gary Allman

Spirit is published by: Diocese of West Missouri 420 West 14th St. Kansas City, MO 64105

Editorial Board Members

Gary Allman, Communications Director Angela Crawford, Communications Assistant The Rev. Dr. Steven Rottgers, Canon to the Ordinary

Submissions/Letters

We welcome submissions of news articles, photographs and letters to the editor on topics of interest to the diocese.

Submission Guidelines

We will consider all submissions, but it helps us immensely if you can follow the submission guidelines provided on the diocesan website.

 www.diowestmo.org/spirit-article-submission.html

Back Copies

You can see the latest Spirit magazine and an archive of Spirit issues going back to the winter of 2011 by following the link below.

 www.diowestmo.org/spirit/spirit-magazine.html

Contact

 (816) 471-6161 ext. 17  communications@ediowestmo.org  www.diowestmo.org  www.facebook.com/diowestmo

In This Issue

Editor’s Letter Using Social media to spread the Word,

Keeping Watch Bishop Marty looks at the upcoming

Seeing Christ in the Face of a Homeless Man

and kicking the dust from one’s sandals. Gary Allman

General Convention.

The Rt. Rev. Martin S. Field

A young man’s bad luck takes a turn when he visits the Church of the Good Shepherd after a vestry and leadership retreat. The Rev. Galen Snodgrass

Cursillo Ever wondered what Cursillo is? Wonder no

A Muslim, a Jew, and an Episcopalian Among

more. Canon Steve provides some details. The Rev. Dr. R. Steven Rottgers

many, these three experiences draw me to the Episcopal Church: manners, beauty, and the Body of Christ... Vern Barnet

Ten Years of Interfaith Building in Kansas City

The partnership between Habitat Kansas City and Christian, Jewish and Islamic congregations has resulted in four houses and strong relationships over the past decade. Carol Hobbs

How to Change 125 Lives A long-term mission

in Kansas City South, to feed hungry schoolchildren on weekends, now has teenage leadership and young workers. Chester Neumann

Only a Wet Baby Likes Change Part 2 of a series

about adaptations in the Diocese of West Missouri. In this edition we look at Episcopal Visitations. The Rt. Rev. Martin S. Field

Cover photograph: Gary Zumwalt

ON THE COVER St. Mary Magdalene’s Youth’s BackSnack Program.

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Youth at St. Mary’s Magdalene preparing BackSnacks on a Sunday morning ready for distribution to school children the following Friday. Read the full article on page 12.

In The Footsteps of St. Paul A 14-day travel adventure tracing St. Paul’s mission through Greece & Turkey - A portion of the trip cost will benefit Outreach Programs in the Diocese of West Missouri. Laura Long

Directory A directory of the churches of the diocese.

Gary Allman | Editor’s Letter

Things I Learn from My Wife CONTACT communications@ediowestmo.org   www.diowestmo.org Direct:  (417) 522-5151 LINKS For all the links - Spirit online extras:  http://goo.gl/KgEj3A

y wife has a website, an online shop, and a business Facebook page. In the beginning, I guided and helped her with the technology and marketing. After three years of effort, 7 day work weeks, and 12-14 hour days, the student is probably better than the teacher. She is achieving the market penetration and brand awareness for which a lot of companies (and churches) would give their right arm. And this has been achieved online, without paying for advertising and without leaving her office and studio. So, what is the point I am trying to make? With effort and ingenuity anyone who is willing to learn, work hard and is open to new ideas can promote their cause via the Internet. And that includes a church. But, is this a one-size-fits-all solution? Certainly looking at a church’s Facebook statistics and knowing the average Sunday attendance (both statistics are easily found online), I can see that in many cases Facebook touches three to eight times more people than the number who walk through the church’s door on an average Sunday. So, my first question is, what should individual churches be doing to take advantage of the resources the online world offers? Here are some real-world examples. Fr. Steve at Grace Church, Carthage, posts a daily homily with insightful observations. Fr. David at St. John’s Church, Springfield has been regularly posting audio recordings of morning prayers. The Rt. Rev. Steven Charleston, Choctaw, sets a great example with his prolific, insightful and inspiring posts. And there are numerous other inspirational websites and Facebook pages: The Society of St. John the Evangelist, Forward Movement, and d365 to name but a few. The puzzling thing for me is that none of these people or sites appear to be generating a large amount of engagement with their audiences. They’re not prompting conversation and discussion. One Facebook page that does generate conversation is Episcopal Church Memes. However, often the conversation hinges around someone taking offense. I would love to hear about other sites that do succeed in creating some real interaction. I don’t have any answers as to why most church pages don’t prompt conversation. I do have some suspicions. I think that there is a reluctance to discuss one’s religion in the spotlight of the public domain. Share a nice picture and some soothing words? Yes. Make a statement that might be seen to disagree, question, or even provide support (beyond pressing ‘Like’)? No. I also think a lot of people ‘follow’ churches out of duty, or to be seen to be doing the ‘right thing’.

Until we can find the Holy Grail of how to prompt dialogue, we’ll have to keep relying on the soothing words and pictures, and telling people the good times we have, and the good works we are doing to spread our message. Back to the question: is the Internet a good evangelism strategy for all? A week or so ago my wife was expressing concern because someone had unsubscribed from her email list. Her immediate reaction was: what had she done wrong? My take was: why worry? Her emailing list has a lot of people on it. If someone doesn’t like or isn’t interested in what she is saying, why should they stay subscribed? If they are not interested, and as a consequence will probably never become a customer, why would she want them to remain a subscriber? I suggested that the best strategy was to keep on being herself, writing the articles she wants to write, and build on the base of people that already appreciate what she is doing. I started wondering how this lesson could, or even if it should, be applied to a church. I was reminded of Matthew 10:14 (Mark 6:11; Luke 10:11) “And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town.” Which spoke to me in this context as, if they don’t want what you are offering, don’t shovel it down their throat. Move on and find more like-minded souls and celebrate together. So, if your church likes traditional Organ music, stick with it and don’t try a praise band to try and attract younger members (by the way, the rumblings in the media suggest that a traditional service is popular across all generations). Honesty, realism, working in the community, encouraging people and answering their questions - even the difficult ones, is more likely to find kindred souls. And who says that every church has to be big? There is nothing wrong with smaller, closer communities, each meeting their local need. And this links back to my original comments on the use of social media to reach out beyond your boundaries. It’s not for everyone. Not everyone can be Bishop Charleston. But to those who do have the call to serve more widely, or want to spread the Word to a wider audience, today’s technology offers almost every person an opportunity to speak and hopefully be heard. Check your heart, and that of your church. If it is your calling to reach out, then do so. Certainly we should all be following the second of Jesus’ two great Commandments, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ by being open, inviting, and inclusive. Invite everybody in, but don’t expect every last one of them to stay. +

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KEEPING WATCH | The Rt. Rev. Martin S. Field

The 78th General Convention of the Episcopal Church Bishop Marty discusses the management of The Episcopal Church and what’s on the agenda at this year’s 78th General Convention.

elcome to “Keeping Watch”. Why do I call it that? It comes from a passage of scripture in the New Testament’s book The Acts of the Apostles (more often referred to as “Acts” for short). It’s from the twenty-eighth verse of the twentieth chapter:

CONTACT bishopmarty@ediowestmo.org   www.diowestmo.org  (816) 471-6161

a Church of approximately 2,000,000 members. The work is challenging. In the last issue of Spirit, Fr. Stan Runnels provided an excellent overview of the makeup of General Convention; the broad work it does; how it is organized to do its work in good order; and how West Missouri’s Deputies and I are preparing to Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock, of be and do our best at the work before us. Some have asked me which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepabout the work: what specific issues will be the most important herds of the church of God, which [Christ] bought with on the agenda? his own blood. Actually, while the secular press will undoubtedly focus most The chapter from which this verse is taken tells the story of of its collective attention on a small number of decisions and the Apostle Paul’s leave-taking from the leaders of the Church debates taking place at General Convention, there are many of Ephesus. He’s bound for Jerusalem and has been warned important issues on the agenda. The list of committees that by the Holy Spirit that imprisonment and hardships await him will vet and scrutinize resolutions gives some indication of the and that he will never see the Ephesians again. He meets these breadth of topics. Here’s a list of a few: elders and confers to them the task of leadership that he has Constitution and Canons; Governance and Structure; World personally fulfilled since he first came to preach the Good News Mission; Social Justice and International Policy; Social Justice among them. His words in this verse warn these new leaders and United States Policy; Congregational Vitality; Evangelism that – having been entrusted with oversight – they must also and Communications; Prayer Book, Liturgy and Music; watch over themselves to govern themselves rightly as well as Formation and Education for Ministry; Church Pension Fund; the Church that is in their collective charge. Stewardship and Development; Ecumenical and Interreligious In Greek, the word “overseer” or “supervisor” is episkopon, Relations; Environmental Stewardship and Care of Creation; from which (after translation through a few languages) we get Confirmation of the Presiding Bishop; Special Legislative our word “bishop”. And yet, supervision and oversight isn’t just Committee on Marriage; Program, Budget and Finance; and for bishops. Alcohol & Other Drug Abuse. Though I take seriously the role for which I was elected by Some of these serve the internal needs of our Church, but the Diocese of West Missouri, that role of oversight (episkopes), others discern our Church’s response to other parts of God’s I know I am never alone in filling this role. All bishops, all Church as well as the world. They run the gamut from what’s priests and deacons, and all lay leaders are about the work of in our Prayer Book to what we say about such things as human episkopes. When bishops gather, they provide oversight. When trafficking, poverty, and human dignity at home and abroad. vestries gather, they provide supervision. When clergy take As you can tell, it’s a very full plate. council with one another, it’s the same. When the laity and This year I expect the journalists who will cover our clergy of a diocese gather in convention, it is to accomplish gathering for newspapers, TV, etc. to report most fully on oversight, episkopes. our deliberations about the history, theology, and vocation of The same is true for the General Convention of the Episcopal marriage, especially as that relates to same-sex marriages that Church. When it gathers every three years, it is both the highest are becoming more and more accepted and more commonly authority in our Church and the fullest expression of shared legal. Did you know that 70% of all Episcopalians now live in oversight possessed by our Church. General Convention is the states where same-sex marriage is legal and possible? While combining of the work of the laity, deacons, priests, and bishops. Missouri is not currently one of them (though we’re possibly on All orders take their place and do their part in overseeing our the cusp of change; the Supreme Court could rule and change Church, guiding our Church, choosing our Church’s direction, all that even before you read this article!) the fact that it is now crafting our Church’s message and its voice on ethics, morality, so widespread makes it an issue our Church must address. and theology so that the Church and we may speak with Of course, both the election of the next Presiding Bishop integrity in all the places where belief in the Triune God interand the need to review and perhaps take action on the recomsects with earthly, day-to-day, and political life. mendations of the Task Force for Re-imagining the Episcopal In any case, in late June and into early July of this year, Church (TREC) will also be notable, especially to those inside another General Convention (the 78th) will convene to do this the Episcopal Church. much-needed work of oversight. It is no small thing to oversee 4

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LINKS Diocesan Website:  www.diowestmo.org Facebook Page:  www.facebook.com/diowestmo General Convention:  www.generalconvention.org Episcopal News Service:  episcopaldigitalnetwork.com/ens/category/78th-general-convention/ On the first of those topics, the slate of nominations from the Joint Committee for the Search and Nomination of the Presiding Bishop was recently released. The four nominees (all of whom are bishops of dioceses) are: Thomas Breidenthal, Bishop of Southern Ohio; Michael Curry, Bishop of North Carolina; Ian Douglas, Bishop of Connecticut; and Dabney Smith, Bishop of Southwest Florida. The House of Bishops will elect one of these men early on in the Convention, and, with the House of Deputies consent, one of these will become our next “PB”. On the second of those topics, TREC, I expect significant debate over the recommendations and resolutions the Task Force has presented. It is clear that we will not “restructure” our

way of being better at the mission God has given the Church. The best for which we can hope is that we will find ways to organize that ensure that our organization does not hinder our missional actions but instead truly facilitates our ability to carry out the ministries to which our God calls his Episcopal Church. General Convention, then, is the biggest item on the diocese’s and my menu of activities for this summer. Your Deputation and I will use social media, the diocesan website, Facebook Page and Twitter to send updates throughout the Convention. You may also follow along on General Convention’s website, and the Episcopal News Service. Keep on Keeping Watch over yourselves and one another! +

Nominees for Presiding Bishop The Rt. Rev. Thomas Breidenthal, 64, (Diocese of Southern Ohio) was dean of religious life and of the chapel at Princeton University in New Jersey when he was elected on Nov. 11, 2006, to be the ninth bishop of Southern Ohio. He was ordained and consecrated April 28, 2007. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1974 from Portland State University, a Master of Arts degree from the University of Victoria, in British Columbia, in 1977, a Master of Divinity degree in 1981 from Church Divinity School of the Pacific and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in theology from Oxford University in 1991.

The Rt. Rev. Ian Douglas, 56, (Diocese of Connecticut) was the Angus Dun Professor of Mission and World Christianity at Episcopal Divinity School when he was elected on Oct. 24, 2009, to be the 15th bishop of Connecticut. He was ordained and consecrated on April 17, 2010. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1980 from Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont, and a Masters of Education in counseling and consulting psychology from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 1982. Douglas earned a Master of Divinity degree from Harvard Divinity School in 1983. In 1993, he earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree in religious studies from Boston University.

The Rt. Rev. Michael Curry, 62, (Diocese of North Carolina) was the rector of St. James’ Episcopal Church, Baltimore, Maryland, when he was elected on February 11, 2000, to be the 11th bishop of North Carolina. He was ordained and consecrated on June 17, 2000. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1975 from Hobart and William Smith College, in Geneva, New York, and a Master of Divinity degree in 1978 from the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale.

The Rt. Rev. Dabney Smith, 61, (Diocese of Southwest Florida) was rector of Trinity Church, New Orleans, Louisiana, when he was elected on Dec. 9, 2006, to be the fifth bishop of Southwest Florida. He was ordained and consecrated on Sept. 15, 2007. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in broadcasting production from the University of South Florida in Tampa in 1980, a Master of Divinity in 1987 from Nashotah House and a Doctor of Ministry from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary with special focus on congregational development in 1999. Nominee text and photographs: ENS.

SPIRIT | June 2015

Guest Column | The Rev. Galen Snodgrass

Seeing Christ in the Face of a Homeless Man A young man’s bad luck takes a turn when he visits the Church of the Good Shepherd after a vestry and leadership retreat.

CONTACT  frgalen.snodgrass@gmail.com  www.episcopalcogs.com  (816) 452-0745

veryone has encountered ‘that person’ who opens our eyes to see God’s hand at work in the world. It often comes when we least expect it, but if we open ourselves to the experience things work out. Church of the Good Shepherd, Kansas City had a ‘vestry and leaders’ retreat during the first weekend of March. Little did we know that the lessons we were there to learn would be put to good use almost immediately. The retreat began by examining the actions and structure of first century Christianity; the Apostolic Model. What we learned was how the early Church reached out to those in need in their neighborhood then gave relief based on the needs of the moment. There were no churches and no formal structure. The earliest Christians reached out to their neighbors despite the hostility of the Roman Empire and not being part of society. As the weekend progressed Fr. Jerry Skillicorn helped guide our thirty leaders in understanding the importance of reaching out to our neighbors with guidance of the Holy Spirit. By the close of Saturday afternoon it was apparent to the leaders of Good Shepherd of the need to minister locally and to respond when called upon. We left excited and upbeat. God wasted no time in testing us. A couple of days later a young man named Mark (not his real name) came into the church office. I asked him right away, “Who beat you up?” A physical altercation was obvious, not to mention a night spent out in the cold. Mark had come down to Kansas City from the Quad-Cities the day before to help ‘a friend move’. The friend had promised Mark $500. They got into an argument and a fight after unloading the truck. Mark’s cell phone was taken from him, and $180 in cash. Someone called the police, who arrested Mark’s girlfriend on a parole violation, but let the two men go since neither would press charges. Mark had then spent the night on the street. Somehow he happened upon Church of the Good Shepherd. We got him some food, water, and a place to rest. He came into my office asking that I call his sister, and Robert, a man in New Jersey who ran a rehabilitation center. I left a message for Robert before calling Mark’s sister. His sister wanted nothing to do with Mark to the point of saying, “He was 6

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dead to her for all the trouble he caused.” Mark was hurting and downtrodden. Moments later Robert returned my call, wondering who I was and how Mark had gotten to Kansas City. I handed Mark the phone. When Mark had finished Robert asked to speak to me. It turns out Robert had been looking for Mark for three months, intending to fly him back to New Jersey where he could get help. I assured Robert that Mark could stay in the building until an airline ticket could be purchased, and then we’d get him to the airport. At this point I had to meet with a parishioner, and fortuitously another member of the church who had attended the weekend retreat happened by. He learned of Mark’s problem, and felt compassion for him. He decided to go purchase a temporary cell phone for Mark. While the phone charged, Mark waited patiently. After my meeting with parishioner number one, the second member asked about going to lunch. “What about Mark?” I asked. They said, “He can come with us.” The four of us had a great lunch. Mark ordered a sandwich, ate half, saving the other half for later. This impressed the three of us. Upon returning to the office we heard that Robert didn’t have enough money for the airfare. It was then I looked to heaven and said, “Lord you’re testing me. Please send your Holy Spirit to guide me.” Long story short. We purchased a next day airline ticket for Mark, put him up in a hotel overnight, and made arrangements for him to get to the airport. Did I mention Mark had never flown before? The next day he called me on his cell phone after getting through security. Robert and I tracked his flights and later that day he arrived safely in New Jersey. The following day Robert called to tell me he had met Mark, who was out looking for a job. Three weeks later Good Shepherd received a check for half of the airfare, and a letter from both Mark and Robert. Robert helped Mark and his father reunite after 16 years of separation. All is going well and we plan to stay in touch. Such is the power of the Holy Spirit and an excellent leadership retreat. + Fr. Galen Snodgrass is Priest in-charge at Church of the Good Shepherd, Kansas City.

Cursillo Ever wondered what Cursillo is? Wonder no more, as Canon Steve provides some background information on this opportunity to grow in faith and spirituality. CONTACT canonord@ediowestmo.org   www.diowestmo.org  (816) 471-6161 CURSILLO INQUIRIES Jeannie Carlile:  jeanniecarlile333@gmail.com  www.cursillo.org

The Rev. Dr. Steven Rottgers

A Brief History

What is Cursillo? •

an opportunity to grow in faith and in spirituality

•

a deeper understanding of the teachings of Jesus and how we can serve Him.

•

an experience of living and sharing with others in a loving and caring Christian community and realizing that this can be extended into our own environment

•

a continuing community that gives support and encouragement to help Christians carry out their Baptismal Vows.

The first Cursillos developed in the Roman Catholic Church in Mallorca, Spain, in the late 1940s. Under the leadership of their bishop, several laymen began to formulate a way to draw active laymen into the work of “Christianizing” the everyday life settings where they lived. Eventually, the Cursillo Method found interested parties in the United States. The first Cursillo Three-Day Weekend in the United States was held in Waco, Texas, in 1957. At first, these were still held in the Spanish language, and were available only to Roman Catholics. The first English speaking weekend was in 1961 in San Angelo, Texas. In time a few Episcopalians were invited to participate in the weekends.

The Weekend Cursillo includes a three-day weekend that begins on Thursday evening and concludes on Sunday. The weekend includes fifteen talks, five meditations and a Eucharist every day. The Cursillo weekend is not a retreat, but an opportunity to meet clergy and

laity seeking to strengthen their faith. It provides an environment to experience the reality of the gift of God’s love through shared prayer, individual meditation, worship, study, fellowship, laughter, tears, and acts of unconditional love.

and to know that a specific response is not expected of you.

Save the Dates

September 10 – 13, 2015, you can treat yourself to a 3-day Cursillo weekend. The Heartland Cursillo community invites you prayerAfter the Weekend fully to consider marking Each person returning this event on your calendar from a weekend is encouraged and joining us in September. to join in the activities of “the With the support and blessing Fourth Day” Community. The of Bishop Marty and Bishop purpose of this community is Dean Wolfe (Bishop of the to give strength and support to Diocese of Kansas), the next each other as we grow in faith Cursillo 3-Day Weekend and develop our unique gifts will be held at the Heartland of ministry. Presbyterian Conference What’s expected of Center just north of Kansas participants? City. If you have questions about Cursillo and how you • To be open and willing might benefit from it, please to respond to what you direct your inquiries to Jeannie experience, to share Carlile, Cursillo Lay Rector. your feelings with others, and allow them Canon Steve is Canon to the Ordinary at the Diocese of West Missouri. to share theirs with you. •

To make a genuine effort to discover where you are and how you can grow in your Christian life.

•

To feel secure in the knowledge that you are accepted where you are and as you are,

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A Muslim, a Jew, and an Episcopalian Among many, these three experiences draw me to the Episcopal Church: manners, beauty, and the Body of Christ...

Vern Barnet

hy am I drawn ever closer to the Episcopal Church? I admire much in other traditions, Christian and non-Christian, and I cherish friends devoted to those paths. Still, Episcopalian values seem to propel me into a deeper awareness of God’s love. Here are three examples. paused and gathered all his courage to admit his iniquity. 1. Manners “When I should have used my dinner fork, I picked up my A Muslim or a Jewish person first told me this story. salad fork, wretched man that Have you heard it? A Muslim, I am.” a Jew, and an Episcopalian were sweating in their guilt as they waited in St. Peter’s antechamber, pained by their sinfulness. After a time, the Muslim and the Jew struck up a conversation. “I feel so bad. I violated my faith. I don’t see how I can be admitted to Paradise,” said the Jew. “Well, what did you do?” asked the Muslim. The Jew replied, “I ate a bite of pork.” “What I did was worse,” said the Muslim. “I drank a full glass of wine.” They both looked at the Episcopalian, who was silently trembling with remorse. “We have told you our sins. Now confess yours; you’ll feel better,” the two said. The Episcopalian reluctantly spoke. “Well, you’ve admitted your infractions. But what I did was simply beyond the pale, quite beyond the pale. I am so embarrassed.” He 8

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all and not nothing? You can go crazy trying to answer such questions. I don’t find mere theological propositions help much. Such questions can instead lead to a deep religious mindfulness: overwhelming awe and gratitude. And the Christian story becomes a paradigm of wonder that we

2. Beauty

The Episcopalian in the joke may have been a genteel snob, but I still admire his impulse to do things right. When you invite folks to dinner, you want to show your regard for them with a clean house, perhaps with immediate offers of drinks when they arrive, maybe flowers on the table, certainly with a thoughtful menu. Once, to celebrate a friend’s birthday, I engaged a guitarist to play We are given the gift of life. For this, how do some favorite music. We want we say Thanks? to honor our guests with a beautiful environment. So when we render thanks live. Our lives are an unlikely, The joke’s stereotype of for God’s gift of life, our indeed miraculous, gift, just the Episcopalian, overly fussy worship must be as beautiful about etiquette actually points as God becoming human is as our resources will allow, an amazing claim. Saying to the profound spiritual from entrance to exit, with value of manners. Perhaps the Thanks is not only polite; it the thoughtful execution of acknowledges our fragility and first rule of manners is to say every act in between, in an Thank You when you are given indebtedness, and restores our environment that bespeaks perspective and humility. a gift. of the sacred, with words and I smile over W. H. Auden’s We are given the gift of music and pauses and silences remark in his introduction to a life. For this, how do we say that honor life’s miracle. A book on Protestant mystics: Thanks? bishop once told me that he We do it in the liturgy and It is no insult to say did not care if the service our private devotions. As a that Anglicanism is the was done this way or that Church we regularly render Christianity of a gentleway, so long as it was not man, but we know what thanks for the gift of life and sloppy. The Book of Common a tiny hairsbreadth chiefly for the redemptive Prayer, valued throughout the there is between a story of the risen Christ. English-speaking world, is an gentleman and a genteel Philosophers have asked emblem of the orderliness we snob. imponderable questions like bring in offering our gratitude Why does the universe exist? for life. and Why is there anything at

we know that somehow at the child’s level of understanding, the child has experienced the grace of God, the gift of life, in the beautiful environment of the holy community which embraces everyone, young and old, rich and poor, gay and straight, white and every other color.

Evolution, completed just before his death. Throughout his career, he lamented our national excesses of individualism and the consequent loss of a sense of community. Our news is full of social fragmentation and political alienation. Compromise is often regarded

3. The Body of Christ

as betrayal rather than as respectful acknowledgement of different perspectives and needs. What amazed me in the conversation then seems obvious to me now. While praising utterances like the Gettysburg Address and Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream” speech, both of which invoke a national commitment of individuals to one

Photograph: Gary Allman

For us, orderliness is not constraint; discipline is not the opposite of freedom, but rather its condition. Freedom is not the absence of form but the mastery of form. In Brian McLaren’s book, A Generous Orthodoxy, he asks how our tradition can be so radically inclusive. His answer is our “appreciation for the deep beauty of liturgy.” And a non-Episcopalian friend, the Rev. Brian Zahnd, pastor of the Word of Life Church in St. Joseph, says he has been deeply affected by The Book of Common Prayer; one of his own books is titled, Beauty Will Save the World. While Jews might light one candle for most meals, two are lit for the Sabbath. Just so, at the Cathedral and other parishes, little touches, like processing with the bell banner during the Easter season and at other special times of the liturgical year, become part of our rich worship vocabulary of praise. When the beauty of the forms helps us penetrate into the essence of the gift, we don’t need to be fussy like the Episcopalian in the joke; we can enjoy the lively spontaneity of the child skipping from the altar rail after having received communion, because

Long before I ever thought to join the Church, I had the chance to visit with the greatest sociologist of religion of our time, Robert Bellah (1927-2013), who chose to become an Episcopalian. His most famous book is Habits of the Heart, and his magnum opus is Religion in Human

another without advancing any particular faith, Bellah ascribed the disintegration of national concern for one another and the elevation of greed and self-interest as this: the neglect of the theme, so analogically evident in liturgical Christianity, that “we are all members of one Body.” How can we, as guests of life politely sharing together at the Holy Table, not care for one another? As he retired as president of Hallmark, Irv Hockaday described spirituality as “action undertaken in the belief that there is a good or purpose higher than one’s own self-interest.” Perhaps the fussy Episcopalian would have relaxed if he focused less on his fork faux pas and more on the wonder of Christ living and dying for others, and been assured that in feeding on Him “we are living members of the Body of your Son ...” (BCP p.366). Acts 2:43 tells us that at Pentecost, often called the birthday of the Church, “a sense of awe was everywhere.” + Vern Barnet, founder of the Kansas City Interfaith Council, wrote the weekly “Faith and Beliefs” column for the Kansas City Star for eighteen years.

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Ten Years of Interfaith Building in Kansas City The partnership between Habitat Kansas City and Christian, Jewish and Islamic congregations has resulted in four houses and strong relationships over the past decade.

Carol Hobbs

or the past ten years the sound of ringing hammers has been heard far down the block in the Kansas City Ivanhoe neighborhood. Hammering has always been a sound that I associate with growth, with building. It’s especially so in that this is a Habitat KC build—a project that will provide a “decent, affordable place to live” for a family here in the Kansas City metro area that would otherwise never have the opportunity for home ownership. And it’s exceptionally true because this is a House of Abraham build—an initiative sponsored by Habitat KC that brings together members of Christian, Jewish and Islamic faiths to work on a tangible project: building a home for a family. As our information flyer puts it, “It is the first undertaking of its kind in the world and has been used as a model for multi-faith projects across the country.” Habitat Kansas City is or another family’s house. the seventh oldest affiliate In turn, Habitat’s staff and of Habitat for Humanity their army of volunteers work International. They are a together to build a house for 501(c)(3) non-profit Christian that family. By their work, ministry working to fulfill the Habitat provides decent dream of home ownership housing at an affordable cost for low-income families that these families would in the greater Kansas City otherwise not be able to metropolitan area. The goal is obtain. to provide decent, affordable The House of Abraham homes to qualified families project – “The House that based on the principle found in Abraham Builds” – was Leviticus 25:35-37: started by The Rev. Stan Runnels, rector of St Paul’s If a brother living near Episcopal Church in Kansas you becomes poor, you City. In 2006, Father Stan must provide for him … approached Rabbi Scott do not make a profit on the goods you sell him. White, of Ohev Shalom synagogue in Overland Each family goes through an Park, KS, with the idea of application process and, once accepted, contributes a certain bringing members of their faiths together as a response number of hours of “sweat equity”—they contribute hours to the events in September of 2001. Father Stan and working on their own house, 10 SPIRIT | June 2015

LINKS Habitat for Humanity Kansas City:  http://habitatkc.org See more pictures - Spirit online extras:  http://goo.gl/KgEj3A Rabbi Scott came to Habitat KC with a proposal that the Habitat affiliate partner with them in a build project that would be sponsored by the interfaith coalition which the two men were creating. They then brought the idea to their respective congregations and invited all those interested to join them in the endeavor. I was glad to be one of the initial people to respond, and we began meeting at the Habitat KC offices and developing a plan to make the vision a reality. By 2007, our coalition consisted of a Jewish congregation, an Islamic congregation, and four Episcopalian congregations in the diocese of West Missouri and we were busy swinging hammers. Our first build was from May to August of 2007. It was a complete build and our volunteers were able to participate in framing, flooring and painting the house, and every task in-between. We sweated and laughed together as the lovely structure arose from the ground and became a swell little home for a family. By the time of our second build, from April through June of 2009, the coalition members were fast friends

and had expanded to include two Catholic parishes, another Episcopal parish, and a non-denominational church in the Westport neighborhood of Kansas City. Lunches at the work site were provided by coalition members (which were preceded by education sessions on Kosher and Halaal dietary guidelines). We met monthly to bi-monthly in-between the builds to discuss fundraising options, interfaith worship and celebration events, and share a meal together. Some of the interfaith opportunities we shared (and continue to share) were chili cook-offs and fiestas at Visitation parish (a Catholic community), Ramandan feasts, Haaj educational events, and observing worship services at a local mosque, synagogue and church. Our latest interfaith celebration was a Holiday Sing-a-thon (to families who were the recipients of House of Abraham builds), followed by a pizza party at St Paul’s Episcopal Church at 40th St and Main. We believe that we are engaged in “building relationships while building a house”, and those relationships are strengthened when we each share what is important

Fr. Stan Runnels at the second build site

about our faiths as we spend time together. The House of Abraham project has averaged a house build every two years; our third build was from September 2011 to February 2012, and our most recent build (a rehabilitation of an existing structure) was August to November of 2014. We had a mascot on that build; a yellow tabby would show up every day to the work site and accompany us in the daily tasks. He was fearless; there was no ladder too tall, no bucket too rickety, or any power tools too loud for him. We christened him “HabbyTabby” or “Habi-Cat”, and the homeowners gladly adopted him when they moved in. We added another type of build in the fall of 2012 with the Playhouse Project; Habitat KC supplied the basic playhouse structure (built by students at a local vocationaltechnical college) to any interested group for a donation of $500, and each group decorated their playhouses which were displayed at Union Station in November of 2012. The coalition decided to use the playhouse as a method to bring youth from the various congregations together, and it was a huge success. The

Working on the second build site

kids designed the images to grace the inside and outside of the playhouse, and then painted them on with minimal adult supervision. It was a lovely playhouse when it was finished, and was eventually sold at auction for $2,500. Because our primary concern is the interfaith nature of our group, the House of Abraham project has always incorporated spirituality in the ceremonies marking the initiation and the completion of each build. These groundbreakings and house blessings incorporate all three faith traditions, with members from each faith leading prayers and celebrating through music with inclusive themes. The coalition even created special prayers created to start each day of work at the build site: Let us praise God, Sovereign of the universe, who commands us to labor together for good. Visit, O blessed Lord, this build site with the gladness of your presence. Bless all who work here with the gift of your grace; and grant that their efforts may fill this home with your love and presence. Peace be to this house

We are extremely excited because the House of Abraham project will celebrate its tenth anniversary in 2016! We have many events planned to mark the occasion, and expect to begin promoting them this fall. We have gained so much from our time together over the past ten years, and look forward to one hundred more years of our three faith communities coming together to celebrate our unity and fellowship as we build bridges – and houses – together. To paraphrase from our information flyer: “The House that Abraham Builds celebrates unity and fellowship in the Abrahamic tradition: Jewish, Islamic and Christian congregations working together to build a home for a Kansas City family. In a world that emphasizes differences, this build helps us focus on what brings us together to do good for those in need. Because we can all agree that every man, woman and child deserves a safe and decent place to lay their heads at night.” And we can be part of the experience that brings that vision to a reality. +

and to all who build it and to all who live in it. This we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. In the name of Allah the most compassionate, the most merciful. We put our entire trust in your hands, for there is nothing that is not within your power.

Because each Habitat affiliate is self-supporting, the House of Abraham project relies on its coalition members raising the funds for each build. This requires a strong commitment from all the congregations involved. We’ve been pretty creative in our fund-raising; we designed a t-shirt which has three phrases in three languages that summarize our theme: “One family”, written in Hebrew; “One dream”, written in Arabic; and “One God”, written in Greek. We’ve been blessed with creativity in our group; indeed, the project’s motif was designed by the high-school-aged daughter of one of our coalition members and features a graphic of a house with the symbols of Islamic, Christian and Jewish faiths next to our three phrases in the corresponding three languages.

Carol Hobbs is a resident of Kansas City and a member of the Episcopal Diocese of West Missouri. She enjoys reading, gardening, and building houses.

SPIRIT | June 2015 11

How to Change 125 Lives A long-term mission in Kansas City South, to feed hungry schoolchildren on weekends, now has teenage leadership and young workers. Chester Neumann

LINKS www.marymag.com  See more pictures - Spirit online extras:  http://goo.gl/KgEj3A

12 SPIRIT | June 2015

Photographs: Gary Zumwalt

his year, as we observe the 125th Anniversary of the diocese by asking how we can change 125 lives, we agreed that our BackSnack mission to feed hungry children has not only changed the lives of the school children who live in our parish, but it has also changed the lives of the children of St. Mary Magdalene, who are packing and delivering the food, in a new mission of children helping children. In partnership with Magdalene member who Harvesters of Kansas City, works at the school returns St. Mary Magdalene has the plastic tubs to the church provided weekly BackSnack before they are needed again food packages to 120 students the following Sunday. at the Martin City School To watch the young people for more than seven years. of St. Mary Magdalene make The Martin City School has up these packages every Youth at St. Mary’s Magdalene preparing BackSnacks on a Sunday morning 700 students in kindergarten Sunday would convince through grade 8, located in anyone that our youth are the Kansas City South section quite capable of running a of the Grandview C-4 School large mission project. Olivia District. The Martin City said that, “teenagers are often School has received the highest caught up in the daily cycle of academic ratings possible in homework and jobs and social Missouri, and currently has a media. Doing something Free & Reduced Lunch Count so much more important of eighty percent, which is an than tweeting or posting is indication of a high level of incredibly eye-opening. It poverty among the families teaches us that the world is attending the school. much bigger than our phone What is new about our screens.” BackSnack mission is the Another young volunteer teenage leadership from high said that her parents like to school junior, Olivia Garrison. talk with their friends after the On Sundays, after the service, service, so this work allows her our young members pack the to spend time with her friends 120 food packages from large packing the BackSnacks. boxes of food delivered to the The mission to feed hungry church by Harvesters earlier local children has also become in the week. They put the a fun social event for the youth prepared packages into large of St. Mary Magdalene, and plastic tubs to be collected that is a very good thing too. + by Olivia and her friends on Chester Neumann was Bishop’s Wednesday, and deliver them Warden of St. Mary Magdalene from 2002-2010, and is now Chairman of its to the school. On Friday, the Finance Committee. teachers distribute the food packages to the students so that they will have food for BackSnacks being distributed on a Friday the weekend. A St. Mary

Only a Wet Baby Likes Change Part 2 of a Series about Adaptations in the Diocese of West Missouri. In this edition of the Spirit we look at Episcopal Visitations. The Rt. Rev. Martin S. Field

n the last issue of Spirit, I reported on the adaptation of the diocese’s deanery structure, how we have reconfigured to three deaneries (replacing the four we have had for some time) and how the Diocesan Council has widened the mandates of the deaneries to include a missional, programmatic purpose in addition to their traditional place in diocesan governance. Pursuing their expanded purpose will require Deanery Councils and their constituent congregations and parishes to collaborate and form networks of partnerships and actively cooperate. The second diocesan (see Canon III, sections 9 adaptation to be examined & 12). In my four years of in this short series of articles experience as the Bishop of is a change to the purpose this diocese (and I believe I and frequency of my official echo the sentiments of those Visitations to parishes and who held this office before congregations. First a look at me), Episcopal Visitations what we’ve been doing up to have been reduced to leading now. the liturgy and attending a For a long time, Bishops of reception, which constitutes West Missouri have made the only part of the purpose of Episcopal Visitations that the visitations. What gets left canons of the Church require out in the rush of a Sunday by visiting on weekends, most morning is the part where often for Sunday worship and the Bishop, membership, lay fellowship. I held true to that leadership, and clergy take norm for the first 4 years of council with one another for my tenure, but there are a the good and the advancement few reasons why I recently of the ministry of the parish or made the decision to do congregation. Therefore, if the something a bit different in the current practice isn’t fulfilling future. I believe it’s only fair its purpose, a different strategy to share why I’ve made this is necessary. decision and to explain what is Here’s an example of the changing. current practice that illustrates Basically, the reason for what I mean when I say the making a change is simple. I current practice has been believe the change will allow reduced to less than it was me to serve the churches intended to be. better. I arrive in town. There Background: The canons of might be a Saturday the Church require a Bishop evening fellowship with to visit the parishes and the membership or the congregations of the diocese leadership. I conduct periodically in order to preside Sunday liturgies including at liturgies and to examine the celebrating Confirmation and records, life, and ministry of Holy Communion. There’s the Clergy and Congregation a reception which usually

CONTACT  bishopmarty@ediowestmo.org  www.diowestmo.org  (816) 471-6161

focuses more on me (or my wife and me, if she is with me) than on the confirmands. The reception almost always includes a time of sharing and answering questions with the membership, which is a good thing. But only sometimes am I able meet with the clergy and the Vestry or Bishop’s Committee, but it’s almost always too brief to be substantial. All that makes for a very busy morning, but it doesn’t amount to the substantive consultation on “the state of the congregation, spiritual and temporal” that the canons require. Nor does it give me an adequate amount of time to meet with the clergy person and his or her family so as to connect with them pastorally. Therefore, I believe we need to release Episcopal Visitations from the current pattern and allow them to become: • consultations with leadership and for leadership development,

within the canonical mandate of once every three years. To do that, ½ of my visitations each year will take place on weekdays. The other ½ of my visitations will be on Sundays. So you’ll see me on a Sunday one year and a weekday the next, then a Sunday, then a weekday, etc. The weekday visitations will be scheduled to occur on a day in the scheduled week upon which Vestry (or Bishop’s Committee), the clergy, and I agree. These will involve a substantive time with lay leadership and clergy, time which can be tailored to the needs and vision of the congregation or parish. The Sunday visitations will be a chance for me to preach, to preside at the celebration of Holy Eucharist, to share in baptisms if candidates are to be presented, and to be in fellowship with the membership. There will be an intentional time of conferring with lay and clergy leadership during this visitation as well, but please note, confirmations • pastoral visits to clergy will not take place during and clergy families, and these Sunday visitations. Instead, confirmations • opportunities to will be celebrated during consider parochial Area Confirmation Services needs, missional throughout the diocese. My capabilities, leadership next article in this series capacity, and how to will talk about the Area address these issues. Confirmations and how they My new scheme for visiting will take place. + allows me to visit every parish Bishop Marty is the eighth Bishop of the Diocese of West Missouri. and congregation every 12 months, more frequently than is currently possible, and well

SPIRIT | June 2015 13

CONTACT  srunnels@stpaulskcmo.org  laura@journeyslast.com  (816) 674-9004

Laura Long

he Rev. Dr. R. Stan Runnels, rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Kansas City, is leading church members on a tour of the landmarks and artifacts that remain from a mission voyage that St. Paul began in 49 AD. way of life in Judaism, The cruise tour, called In how intensely I perseThe Footsteps of St. Paul, is cuted the church of God being offered by Voyages to and tried to destroy it… Antiquity from April 6-19, But when God, who 2016. It begins in Athens and set me apart from my includes visits to the sites in mother’s womb and Greece where Paul delivered called me by his grace, his sermon on the Areopagus was pleased to reveal (Mars Hill), the cave where his Son in me so that he was jailed and the ancient I might preach him village in Turkey where he among the Gentiles… baptized his first European Once converted, St. Paul convert to Christianity, among preached in earnest that Jesus many other historical and was Christ, Son of God. He theological landmarks. embarked on at least three St. Paul himself was a missionary journeys, spending convert who acknowledged time in several of the ports that he, at one time, persevisited on this trip. cuted Christians. Originally “Second only to Jesus, known as Saul of Tarsus, it is Paul is the most important believed that his conversion voice of the early Christian from Judaism to Christianity Church. To follow Paul is to occurred sometime between discover the vision of a church AD 33-36, while he was on the moving beyond its ancient road to Damascus. In The Acts geographical boundaries into of the Apostles - Acts 9:4-6, it the larger world,” explains indicates he saw a vision of the Runnels. “Our trip follows resurrected Jesus while on his these early steps of Paul and way to Syria. Christianity from the ancient Paul wrote in his letter Near East into Europe; without to the Galatians - Galatians a doubt the most significant 1:11-16, NIV: religious journey in human I want you to know, history.” brothers and sisJust as St. Paul made ters, that the gospel his way through Greece I preached is not of and Turkey, the travelers human origin. I did not on this voyage will journey receive it from any man, from Athens to Ephesus, nor was I taught it; Mykonos, Patmos, Pergamon, rather, I received it by and Thessalonica, as well as revelation from Jesus several other venerable ports Christ. For you have and towns. Some additional heard of my previous 14 SPIRIT | June 2015

excursion highlights include a visit to the cavern where St. John wrote the Apocalypse, the frescos of Christodoulos Chapel, the sacred site of Delos guarded by ancient stone lions, the battlefields of Gallipoli and the monasteries perched on the cliffs of Meteora. Voyages to Antiquity is a British-owned small ship cruise line that is known for offering destination-immersive itineraries designed to connect travelers with the historical and cultural riches of the past. Every cruise includes one or two celebrated guest speakers chosen for their knowledge of the areas we visit and their ability to bring the past to life through informative, entertaining talks. The speakers scheduled for The Footsteps of St. Paul voyage are The Very Reverend Victor Stock, retired Dean of Guilford in The Church of England and Roderick Beaton, King’s College History Professor & Director of The Centre for Hellenic Studies. Those interested in the trip can arrange with the group coordinator to book either a pre-cruise tour package that includes airfare, 2 nights in a four-star hotel in Athens and sightseeing in the city or they can book a cruise-only package with the group and make separate arrangements for pre-cruise transportation, room and board. All participants will need to arrive in

Athens at least one day prior to the ship’s departure. Many of the excursions involve walking and climbing. Once the group boards the 350-passenger Aegean Odyssey, all meals, principle excursions, guides, ship gratuities and wine at dinner are included. Passengers can choose from an international menu in the main dining room or a beautifully prepared buffet in the more casual indoor/outdoor Terrace Café. In addition, the British crew serves a delightful high tea every afternoon. The ship has elegant lines, includes a well-stocked library and plenty of quiet nooks, a pool, several lounges and a gift shop. Staff service is gracious and cabins are attractive and comfortable, although not ‘glitzy’. In The Footsteps of St. Paul is an ideal travel adventure for anyone with an interest in history, theology, art, culture or ancient civilizations. In addition, a portion of the cost of the voyage will benefit outreach programs in the Diocese of West Missouri. If you would like to join members of St. Paul’s parish on this adventure, please contact Fr. Stan or Laura Long. + Laura Long, is a 15-year member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Kansas City, she has traveled on the Aegean Odyssey and is owner of Journeys: Land & Sea Travel. She is helping to coordinate the voyage with Fr. Stan and welcomes any questions.

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Diocese of West Missouri Diocese of West Missouri: ď&#x201D;Ľ (816) 471-6161 | ď&#x201E;&#x192; www.diowestmo.org All Saints' Episcopal Church, Nevada (417) 667-2607 www.allsaintsnevadamo.org

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Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration, Mountain Grove (417) 926-5217

Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral, Kansas City (816) 474-8260 www.kccathedral.org

Grace Episcopal Church, Carthage (417) 358-4631 www.gracecarthage.org

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(816) 476-2932 www.esepiscopal.org (417) 739-2460 www.stmrks.org

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eSpirit Newsletter www.diowmo.org/espirit/espirit-newsletter.html

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For the most up-to-date information about events in the diocese, church resources, news, church & clergy directories, and more, visit the diocesan website. www.diowestmo.org

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