Community Focus at The Barn

Longer, warmer days mean more time outside celebrating with family and friends. The Barn at Kill Creek Farm welcomes groups of all kinds—with a mission to be a place of “joyful gatherings.”

Many locals know that The Barn hosts weddings, graduations, family reunions, birthday parties, and other events. What they may not know is that The Barn operates as a nonprofit organization. At its core, The Barn at Kill Creek Farm is about community. Funds generated by paid events at The Barn are used for yearly operational costs and improvements. Electricity was recently added in the north field to allow for additional lighting.

The Barn is available to civic groups and nonprofit organizations for a reduced fee. This past year, The Barn has hosted Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, Pioneer 4-H, De Soto Rotary (Bingo and Oktoberfest events), Huhtamaki’s corporate recognition event, Daughters of the American Revolution, Free to Thrive, KVC Kansas, International Students Inc., and GoodLife Innovations. School dances (elementary school father-daughter dances up through high school proms), sports’ team banquets, church services, barbeque contests, and fundraisers were also held. The Barn’s board of directors strives to give back to the community whenever possible. With roots in the agriculture community, The Barn is pleased to host De Soto’s Pioneer 4-H club every month. Last year the board supported several Johnson County youth by donating to their livestock projects. This year, the board hopes to extend that support. Plans are being made to purchase a swine from a local youth at the Johnson County Fair in August, have it processed locally at Steve’s Meat Market, and then donate the meat to the De Soto Food Pantry. A win-win-win!

The culmination of community happens each fall at The Barn, with a glimpse into Johnson County’s agricultural history. Mark your calendars for the Annual Fall Festival on October 28 in true community fashion, it is free to the public.

–submitted by Janice M. Kresin

FaITh

Vacation Bible School Adventures

De Soto Baptist Church

8655 Copeland Way desotobaptistchurch.com

June 12-June 15 1-4 pm

Get Ready for an amazing week that is “Out of This World.” Filled with surprising adventures and amazing experiments!

Junior and Teen Leaders needed (6th to 12th grades). Register online. desotobaptistchurch.com

Reach Church

33085 West 83rd Street reachdesoto.com

July 10-13 6:30-8:30 pm

“Twists & Turns” celebrates games–from classic tabletop games to video games, kids play their way through VBS learning that Jesus guides them through the twists and turns of their lives. Sign up online reachdesoto.com/event/vbs/

De Soto United Methodist Church

8760 Kill Creek Road, De Soto desotoumc.org

July 24-27 6:30-8:30 pm

“Food Truck Party” rolls into the neighborhood. Lessons on our “our daily bread.” teach all we have comes from God who provides our daily needs. Register online: desotoumc.org

SIn Remembrance

The De Soto community remembers these De Soto residents and their families:

Reta Jenks v June 5, 1940–February 19, 2023

Leland Penner v October 30, 1928–February 25, 2023

Timothy Dan Cronin v Sept. 4, 1939–March 15, 2023

Darcy Davis v January 3, 1955–March 16, 2023

Debra Lynn bartholomew v Sept. 1, 1956–March 17, 2023

Carroll “Tip” Newport v October 12, 1936–March 22, 2023

Jean Epperson v September 12, 1925–April 6, 2023

–provided by the De Soto Historical Society

Obituaries may be viewed online.

These verses in Psalms beautifully captures the theme of this issue. God loves and treasures His Creation, and all of its inhabitants. He holds a special place for animals.

“The Lord God formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air.” recorded in both Genesis 1 and 2. And God saw that it was good. He brought them to man to name.

De Soto Baptist Church Prayer Path

A time of celebration was held on Sunday, February 26, dedicating the Mary Etta Copeland Prayer Path at De Soto Baptist Church. The idea was conceived by Mrs. Copeland in 2010 to provide a quiet place for the community, surrounded by the beauty of God’s creation to commune with God and seek guidance, comfort and encouragement.

Seven prayer stations, including benches and signs correspond to the aspects of prayer: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication, Faith, Hope and Love (shown at right). Each sign contains devotional thoughts and scripture quotes to guide or inspire your communication with God; each bench contains scripture verses pertaining to the topic of each station. Special thanks to all who contributed ideas, talent, labor and money towards the completion of the prayer path making it a dream come true. As it matures and beautifies new things will be added and new visions will emerge. All are invited to visit.

–submitted by Linda Lane

on a thousand hills. in the field is mine.

–Psalm 50:10-11 RSV

Tucked away in Job 12:7-10 are these special verses...

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you. The birds of the air, and they will tell you. or speak to the earth, and it will teach you. or let the fish of the sea inform you. which of these does not know the hand of the Lord has done this? in His hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.

Light of the World Lutheran Church continues to move forward in planting a new church in the de soto community. currently we are trying to locate and purchase property for a future worship facility. We meet at the senior center, the first and third Sundays of the month at 6:45 pm for Bible study and community projects. contact pastor Bert tegtmeier at 620-343-4371 or email norbert.tegtmeier1953@gmail.com