The Harvest, January-February 2012

Inside The Harvest From the bishop

Bishop Wolfe announces that the first phase of construction to benefit the Kansas School for Ministry, made possible by the Crossroads campaign, will begin in April. Page 2

Tocher lecture

A noted author and theologian will explore how churches can reach out to those who identify themselves as ‘spiritual but not religious’ in the annual lecture series set for May 24 in Wichita. Page 3

New priest ordained

The Rev. Patrick Funston, the newest priest in the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas, was ordained in a service Jan. 7.

Page 4

‘Icons in Transformation’

Russian artist Ludmilla Pawlowska drew comfort and inspiration from traditional icons in more than 150 major works of art that are on display until March 25 at Grace Cathedral, Topeka. Page 5

Emporia community lunch

St. Andrew’s now serves a hot, nutritious meal every Saturday at noon. The criteria to attend? You just want to eat. Page 6

10th Miqra

Episcopal-Lutheran cooperation is explored by area bishops, staffs

By Melodie Woerman Editor, The Harvest

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first-ever meeting in January between four bishops — three Episcopal and one Lutheran — was designed to increase shared ministry in the states of Kansas and Missouri.

On Jan. 12, Episcopal bishops Dean Wolfe of Kansas, along with Michael Milliken of Western Kansas and Martin Field of West Missouri, met with Bishop Gerald Mansholt of the Central States Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Bishop Wolfe’s diocese encompasses the eastern 40 percent of the state, with Bishop Milliken’s diocese covering the rest. Bishop Field’s diocese includes the western half of Missouri. Bishop Mansholt’s synod encompasses all of Kansas and Missouri. Bishop Wayne Smith of the Diocese of Missouri also will be part of ongoing conversations.

The meeting, which included 18 people, took place in the Central States Synod offices in Kansas City.

The Episcopal Church and the ELCA are in full communion, which occurred 11 years ago when both bodies adopted the “Called to Common Mission” agreement.

This means the two churches recognize each other “as part of the whole Church of Jesus Christ,” recognize each other’s

Photo by Dan Glamann

Bishop Gerald Mansholt (far left) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America welcomed area Episcopal bishops (from left) Martin Field of West Missouri, Michael Milliken of Western Kansas and Dean Wolfe of Kansas to a meeting in his Central States Synod office in Kansas City Jan. 12.

The four men, along with members of their staffs, discussed ways Episcopalians and Lutherans can cooperate in a variety of ministry areas.

baptism and recognize the sharing of the Holy Eucharist, which provides for joint worship and full sharing of members and clergy between the two denominations.

Along with Bishop Wolfe, the Diocese of Kansas sent Canon to the Ordinary the

Rev. Craig Loya and Ecumenical Officer the Rev. Kelly Demo.

Bishop Wolfe, who noted that such a joint ecumenical meeting of area bishops (Please see Cooperation, page 3)

The annual Bible-reading retreat weekend for teens celebrated its 10th gathering in January, and reading the Bible out loud remains one of the staples. Page 7

Michael Funston named interim youth missioner

Diocese receives two Jubilee ministry grants

39 dresses

By Melodie Woerman Editor, The Harvest

By Melodie Woerman Editor, The Harvest

Charlotte Burch, a senior at Bishop Seabury Academy in Lawrence, helped collect 39 formal gowns for girls in Winfield and Arkansas City, to help them attend their high school prom. Page 7

Around the diocese

Read more about a Shawnee woman who was recognized for her work with victims of sexual violence, some Lutherans who helped raise money for Newton’s payee program, and more. Page 8

Chaplaincy change

The new state chaplain of the Kansas National Guard is an Episcopalian, talking over that post from another Episcopalian who happens to be his rector. Page 9

Special needs acolytes

One Atlanta-area parish isn’t letting some pretty significant special needs, such as not being able to walk or see, stand in the way of their young people serving as acolytes. Page 10

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ishop Dean E. Wolfe has named Michael J.K. Funston as interim Youth Missioner for the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas, beginning Feb. 15.

In her full-time role as interim, Funston will oversee all aspects of the existing youth program and will help the youth ministry community move through the transition period that will lead to the call of a permanent Youth Missioner.

In making the appointment Bishop Wolfe said, “Michael Knoll Funston is a product of the Episcopal Diocese Michael Funston of Kansas youth and campus ministries programs. She has distinguished herself as an interim youth leader at St. Columba’s Episcopal Church in Washington, D. C., and brings maturity and a team approach to the interim leadership of our fine youth ministry program. I am delighted she has agreed to serve the diocese in this capacity.”

Bishop Wolfe said he plans to undertake an extensive nationwide search later this year to fill the permanent Youth Missioner position.

Funston said of her new appointment, “I am overjoyed to serve the young people of the Diocese of Kansas in this way. This diocese is known for its strong youth program, and I look forward to working with the youth ministers, leaders and young people to continue this tradition.”

Funston, 25, most recently spent two years as the fulltime interim director of youth ministries at St. Columba’s in (Please see Funston, page 3)

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he Episcopal Diocese of Kansas has received two Jubilee ministry grants, totaling $1,750, to assist with health and nutrition, and with Jubilee ministry diocesan development.

The Community Health Ministry in Wamego received $750 to help it buy fresh fruits and vegetables to augment the nonperishable food it distributes through its food pantry.

It was one of the Jubilee grants that were targeted at improving the nutritional needs of people who live in “food deserts,” an area with restricted access to healthy foods.

St. Luke’s, Wamego, is a member organization of the Community Health Ministry and helped the agency achieve Jubilee status in the Episcopal Church in 2009.

The diocesan Jubilee effort received a grant of $1,000 to help the diocese’s newly appointed Jubilee officer, the Rev. Dixie Junk, better connect with the diocese’s 10 existing Jubilee ministries.

The grant, which is designed to support local diocesan Jubilee ministry development, will help Junk hire an intern who can help update records, improve communications and develop a plan to more broadly share the stories of Kansas’ Jubilee ministries in the diocese and beyond.

The Social and Economic Justice Office of the Episcopal Church awarded a total of 108 Jubilee grants in 50 different dioceses, covering four designated target areas.

Jubilee ministries are congregations or agencies with connections to the Episcopal Church whose mission efforts affect the lives of those in need, addressing basic human needs and justice issues. v

2 • The Harvest • January/February 2012

From the Bishop

The Right Reverend Dean E. Wolfe

Publisher: The Right Reverend Dean E. Wolfe, Bishop Editor: Melodie Woerman A member of Episcopal News Service and Episcopal Communicators, The Harvest is published six times a year by the Office of Communications of the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas: February, April, June, August, October and December.

Stories, letters and photos are welcome. They will be used on a space-available basis and are subject to editing. Send all material (preferably in electronic format or by e-mail) to: Melodie Woerman, editor The Harvest 835 SW Polk St. Topeka, KS 66612-1688 phone: (800) 473-3563 fax: (785) 235-2449 mwoerman@episcopal-ks.org Send address changes to: Receptionist 835 SW Polk St., Topeka, KS 66612-1688 receptionist@episcopal-ks.org Upcoming deadlines: March/April issue: March 15 May/June issue: May 15 Subscription rate: $1.50 annually Third class mailing Permit No. 601, Topeka, Kansas POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Episcopal Diocese of Kansas 835 SW Polk St. Topeka, KS 66612-1688

The Anglican Communion

A global community of 70 million Anglicans in 38 member churches/provinces in more than 160 countries.

Archbishop of Canterbury The Most Reverend and Right Honorable Rowan Williams Lambeth Palace, London WE1 7JU, United Kingdom www.anglicancommunion.org Episcopal seat: Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury, England

The Episcopal Church

A community of more than 2.1 million members in 110 dioceses in 16 countries in the Americas and abroad.

Presiding Bishop The Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori 815 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10017 (800) 334-7626 www.episcopalchurch.org Episcopal seat: Washington National Cathedral, Washington, D.C.

The Episcopal Diocese of Kansas

A community of 12,000 members in 46 congregations, two diocesan institutions and one school in eastern Kansas.

Bishop The Right Reverend Dean E. Wolfe 835 SW Polk Street, Topeka, KS 66612-1688 (785) 235-9255 (800) 473-3563 www.episcopal-ks.org Episcopal seat: Grace Episcopal Cathedral, Topeka

Construction to aid KSM is set to begin in April The first phase will remodel the Bethany Place Conference Center to provide 22 beds for KSM and other groups

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ear Friends, The long-awaited day has finally come! We have dreamed, we have prayed, we have worked, and now, we are prepared to act.

I am pleased to announce the Council of Trustees of the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas voted unanimously to begin construction on the Kansas School for Ministry project!

This will be a phased construction effort that will begin with the renovation of the dormitory and living spaces in the historic structure we currently use as our Conference Center.

This building, once a bishop’s residence, will become an environmentally sensitive, energy-efficient, handicapped-accessible facility that will provide overnight accommodations for up to 22 persons.

Once completed, this building will provide space for vestries, women’s and men’s groups, youth groups, and individuals to come for overnight retreats and meetings and to enjoy the benefit of being close to the Kansas School for Ministry and our magnificent cathedral.

Still seeking additional funds

It is important to note that we made the decision to begin our work in phases because we are still actively soliciting funding for the Kansas School for Ministry, and we do not yet have in hand the funds necessary to undertake the entire project.

I will be working closely with the CrossPhoto by Stephen Butler roads Campaign leadership to identify those parishes that have not yet fully participated in this effort and to develop fresh initiatives for engaged in a more critical undertaking. resource development.

Every parish in this diocese needs what It is imperative for us to complete this projthis school will provide, and those who don’t ect as envisioned, yet understand this and I pray the sight will soon come to that of dirt moving realization. We have This will be a phased conand the smell of undertaken this struction effort that will begin sawdust in the air enormous task together will inspire more as a diocese because no with the renovation of the and more people to single parish, not even dormitory and living spaces participate. our largest parishes, This is one of the can afford to employ in the historic structure we most exciting things the number of residencurrently use as our Conferwe have done in the tially trained priests Episcopal Diocese they want and need. ence Center. It will become of Kansas in our We plan to break an environmentally sensitive, 153-year history, ground in April, and and I want every you will hear more energy-efficient, handisingle person in our and more about these capped accessible facility diocese to feel they details in future comhave done everymunications. There certhat will provide overnight thing they can to tainly will be a grand accommodations for make this dream a celebration! reality. up to 22 persons.

In the meantime, Not everyone please offer thanks to understands the God for the abundance compelling urgency we have to create a space and generosity the Lord has bestowed upon the to train laypersons, deacons and priests for people of the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas. local ministry, and it is my responsibility to Faithfully, help everyone understand we have never been +Dean v

January/February 2012 • The Harvest • 3

Cooperation: Two denominations respond to joint sense of God’s call (Continued from page 1) had never before taken place, said the purpose was to look at what the groups could accomplish together.

“Bishop Milliken, Bishop Field, Bishop Mansholt and I came together, along with representatives from our respective judicatories, obedient to a unifying Spirit and all asking the same question, ‘How might we work more closely together for the glory of God and for the building up of our common mission?’”

Lutheran Bishop Mansholt agreed. “I think God is calling us to take seriously what we have agreed upon in the full communion agreement, Called to the Common Mission,” he said. “We indeed are being called by God to a deeper unity in life and mission. We are not just giving lip service to a deeper reality.

‘Exciting’ meeting

Demo said she came away from the gathering with an emotion not often felt in church meetings — excitement.

“We’ve opened up lots of possibilities,” she said, noting all the bishops wanted the gathering to result in action.

Loya shared Demo’s sense of excitement and said one immediate outcome is a commitment to get to know each other, and each other’s programs, better. “We committed to finding ways initially for clergy and lay leaders to begin interacting,” he said.

That can take a number of forms, Loya said, but one that had widespread agreement was to send representatives to each other’s annual conventions. That would involve a group of people who could learn from and share with those attending, he said.

Demo said that through discussions that day, everyone learned that ecumenical activity already is taking place, “but it’s primarily in certain local ministries of outreach, shared Vacation Bible School, etc.

It’s not happening on the judicatory level yet,” she said.

Loya said he and his Lutheran counterpart agreed to work together when congregations need to hire interim clergy and to share information about congregational development, so they can find places where cooperation can occur.

He said a joint group interested in Hispanic ministry in the Kansas City area also plans to meet to explore opportunities.

Two states, four dioceses, one synod Central States Synod, ELCA Includes all of Kansas and Missouri 195 congregations 57,731 baptized members Diocese of Western Kansas, Episcopal Church Includes the western 60 percent of Kansas 30 congregations 2,030 baptized members Diocese of Kansas, Episcopal Church Includes the eastern 40 percent of Kansas 46 congregations 11,684 baptized members Diocese of West Missouri, Episcopal Church Includes the western half of Missouri 50 congregations 11,323 baptized members Diocese of Missouri, Episcopal Church Includes the eastern half of Missouri 45 congregations 13,430 baptized members said they were certain God’s call Bishop Wolfe said the fact that prompted the new commitment both churches share the same geo- to sharing.

Bishop Mansholt said, “I think graphic territory and face similar challenges makes cooperation all God is in the process of shaking us very deeply, the more immoving things portant. around in cul“ We a r e ture and comI believe this is one driven togethmunity and er,” he said, of those Spiritchurch, shap“for very good ing the Body reasons — a drenched moments, of Christ uncommon faith, when the grand til something a shared vinew comes sion, shared possibilities ... might forth. Our g e o g r a p h y, actually come meeting toand a desire gether as Luto be careful to fruition. therans and stewards of the finite human — Bishop Dean Wolfe Episcopalians in January is and financial an effort to see resources enwhat God is trusted to our up and how care,” he said.

Demo agreed. “Doing things we can best be part of what God together can be more efficient and is doing.”

Bishop Wolfe agreed. “I believe can spread the gospel farther,” she said. “But we need awareness. this is one of those Spirit-drenched Ecumenical efforts can’t be an af- moments, when the grand posterthought, but to do that, we have sibilities, which have always been promised by the ecumenical to know the players.”

Several of those charged with movement, might actually come to leading their churches forward fruition.” v

Similar challenges

Funston: Youth program produces new leader (Continued from page 1) Washington, D.C., which has more than 3,000 members. She also served as facilitator for the recently completed Miqra Bible-reading weekend for youth in this diocese and has been coordinator of the diocesan peer ministers since last September.

A lifelong Kansas Episcopalian, she was active in parish and diocesan youth ministry from 2001 to

2005, when she served in virtually every leadership capacity in the program.

She was a diocesan campus peer minister at Kansas State University, from which she graduated in 2009 with a degree in sociology. She was a member of the K-State women’s rowing team.

She is married to the Rev. Patrick Funston, chaplain at Bishop Seabury Academy in Lawrence. She will work from an office at their home. v

Photo by Alison Black

The Rev. Michael Munro, rector of St. Paul’s, Leavenworth, blesses children at an orphanage in Torbeck, Haiti, during a 2011 medical mission sponsored by the church.

Leavenworth church sponsors trip to Haiti

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t. Paul’s, Leavenworth, is seeking volunteers interested in helping the people of Haiti through a medical mission.

And while doctors and nurses primarily are needed, anyone with a strong desire to reach out to the people of the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere are encouraged to participate.

The trip will take place May 8-18, centered on the Ste. Hilaire Petit Riviere Elementary School in Torbeck, in the southwestern portion of the country.

The cost is $2,200 per per-

son and includes travel and accommodations in Haiti.

Since the earthquake that devastated Haiti in January 2010, Torbeck has seen an influx of more than 100 orphans for whom they must care. The Episcopal church there is able to give them one hot meal each day but has no way to provide them with an education.

Those interested in participating or who want more information should contact Dr. Frank and Helen Flanner at (913) 651-8179 or fflanner@usa.net, or the St. Paul’s office, (913) 682-1033 or stpaulse@kc.rr.com. v

Tocher Lecture to explore ‘spiritual but not religious’

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his year’s Tocher Lecture will feature a theologian and author who will explore how the church can reach out to those who identify themselves as “spiritual but not religious,” a group estimated to make up 20 percent of the U.S. population and up to half of those who are unchurched.

Dr. Marva Dawn, who teaches Spiritual Theology at Regent University in Vancouver, British Columbia, will give a public lecture on Thursday, May 24 at 7 p.m. St. James’, 3750 East Douglas in Wichita.

Her speech is entitled, “Proclaiming in Word and Deed: Reaching Those Who are ‘Spiritual but Not Religious.’”

The lecture is free and open to the public, and a reception and book-signing will follow the event.

Dawn also will speak at a 3 p.m. event for clergy on the proclamation of the church in today’s world, also at St. James’. Those attending this event must sign up in advance.

Dr. Marva Dawn is an internationally renowned theo-

Dr. Marva Dawn will deliver this year’s Tocher Lecture.

logian, author and educator.

She is the author of more than 20 books and has made presentations to groups around the world. She received her Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame and holds degrees from Western Evangelical Seminary, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and the University of Idaho.

Information about the public lecture is available from the St. James’ office by calling (316) 683-5686.

The Tocher Lecture is an annual event sponsored by the Kansas School for Ministry. v

4 • The Harvest • January/February 2012

Helping those who grieve is purpose of May workshop

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t. Thomas the Apostle, Overland Park, invites any group or parish in the diocese to join it in a training opportunity for those who head grief support groups or who want to start such a group in their community.

The training will take place May 2-4 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day and is offered through the national group, “Walking the Mourner’s Path.” The event will take place at the church, located at 12251 Antioch Road in Overland Park.

The cost is $350 for a single student from a faith community or $250 each if multiple students attend.

According to the Rev. Ben Varnum, St. Thomas’ assistant rector who is coordinating the event, those who complete the training will be able to lead their own small group through the “Walking the Mourner’s Path” eight-week course.

The course is designed to allow participants to engage abiding grief, especially over the loss of a loved one, and connect it to ongoing meaning in their lives and faith journeys.

Church has key role

Varnum said he sees this as a way for congregations to enhance its pastoral care to those who are grieving. It’s designed

to allow people “to find comfort and healing together,” he said, and to provide a safe and holy place where these difficult emotions can be discussed and shared.

Varnum said the church has a key role to play in helping those who have suffered a significant loss.

“Those who go through any serious grief often find it to be one of the most defining parts of their lives,” he said, “and so we, imitating Christ, walk there with them. We do not dismiss grief, but allow that it has become part of a life that includes that grief, and yet still also the love of God.” He said that is much like the resurrected Christ, who still bore the marks of his crucifixion.

He added, “My hope is that this training can serve as a catalyst to help equip a group to have the capacity for lively conversations about how Christians can respond to grief.”

He said St. Thomas’ plans to invite members of the greater community to participate in the grief courses, also.

For more information about the workshop or to sign up to participate, contact Varnum, (913) 451-0512, bvarnum@ stthomasop.org, or the Rev. Gar Demo, (913) 451-0512, gdemo@stthomasop.org. v

Funston ordained in January service

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he Rev. Patrick Funston was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Dean E. Wolfe in a service Jan. 7 at Grace Cathedral in Topeka.

Funston, who graduated in May 2011 from Virginia Theological Seminary, serves as chaplain at Bishop Seabury Academy, a 172-student Episcopal secondary school in Lawrence. He also teaches two sections of world religions to eighth grade students.

Funston, 29, grew up at St. Francis’ in Overland Park, where his father, Eric, was rector. He was active in the diocesan youth program, and he was one of the first diocesan youth peer ministers.

After graduating from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, he also served as a campus ministry intern at Kansas State University.

He was sponsored for seminary

by St. Michael and All Angels in Mission, and had been ordained as a transitional deacon in June 2011.

He is married to Michael Knoll Funston, who recently was named interim youth missioner for the diocese (see story on page 1).

The Rev. Craig Loya, the diocese’s canon to the ordinary, preached the sermon.

During the service Funston wore the red chasuble his father, the Rev. Eric Funston, had worn at his priestly ordination in 1991.

The elder Funston also served as one of his son’s presenters.

— Melodie Woerman v

Photo by Melodie Woerman

The Rev. Patrick Funston (left) was ordained by Bishop Dean E. Wolfe Jan. 7 at Grace Cathedral in Topeka. Funston is chaplain at Bishop Seabury Academy, an Episcopal secondary school in Lawrence.

Wichita church plans second Holy Land pilgrimage

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A Medieval Feast A fundraiser for the Kansas 2 Kenya ministry Saturday, April 28, 6 p.m.

St. Michael and All Angels Church, 6630 Nall Ave., Mission Featuring dinner, silent auction, period music and storytelling

$50 person - seating is limited to the first 80 guests Make checks payable to “Diocese of Kansas” with “K2K Medieval Feast” in the memo line. Mail to: K2K Feast, Diocese of Kansas, 835 SW Polk St., Topeka, KS 66612

Come and celebrate the joy of ancient times by attending an authentic Medieval feast. Proceeds will help send mission teams to Kenya to help people improve their lives.

t. James’, Wichita, sponsored a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in July 2011, and it was such a success that they are doing it again in July. This second version will actually feature two trips — one for adults and another one for high school and college youth.

All participants will leave on July 18. Adults will return on July 26, with youth arriving back in Kansas on July 30.

Adults will visit Jerusalem, the Mount of Olives, Bethlehem, Caesarea, the Sea of Galilee, Jericho and Qumran. The cost is $3,685, which includes round trip airfare from Wichita, all accommodations, two meals a day, ground transportation in Israel and the services of an English-speaking guide. Leading the pilgrimage again will be the Rev. Amanda Eiman, St. James’ assistant rector, and Sue Abdinnour, a parishioner who is a native of Jerusalem and whose brother operates the travel agency that is making the arrangements.

Youth making the pilgrimage will participate in activities through the Children and Youth Summer Camp Program, which is facilitated by members of Abdinnour’s family in Jerusalem. Young people will stay in various camp-like settings as they interact with Christian youth from the Holy Land, participate in volunteer work and engage in leadership training. They also will visit many of the area’s most sacred and historic sites. The cost will be $3,500 per person.

All those participating in the pilgrimage must have a current passport.

More information is available on the parish website at www.stjameswichita. org or by contacting Eiman at astrector@stjameswichita.org or (316) 683-5658 or Abdinnour at sue_a@cox.net or (316) 744-8612. v

Corrections

In the November-December 2011 issue of The Harvest, a story about Jim Brewer and his Warm Little Ones Coat Fund contained two errors. The story said he was a lifelong Episcopalian, when in fact he started attending an Episcopal church when he was in elementary school. The 21 years the fund has been in existence were inadvertently made 11 years with a typographical mistake.

Additionally, a story about the new vicar of St. Paul’s, Coffeyville, the Rev. Antoinette Tackkett, referred to her as an academic dean at Coffeyville Community College. She actually is division chair of Social Sciences and Fine Arts but is not a dean.

The Harvest is committed to accurate and timely reporting, and we regret these errors. v

January/February 2012 • The Harvest • 5

Glimpses into heaven

Cathedral exhibit explores how icons informed one artist’s expression of her faith

Some of the pieces include cut-outs that run from front to back.

Eyes are a common theme in many of the paintings in the Topeka exhibit, in part because they are an important feature of traditional icons and also because they invite the viewer to experience God’s presence.

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verywhere you look, Grace Cathedral in Topeka is filled with eyes — large, deep-set eyes, painted on big canvases. You can’t miss them, even though they are only one part of the special art exhibition taking place there through March 25.

They are the work of Russian artist Ludmilla Pawlowska and are a major focus of her exhibit “Icons in Transformation,” which is traveling to a variety of Episcopal cathedrals this year.

For Pawlowska, the eyes are more than just interpretations of those in the traditionally styled icons that also are part of the exhibit. Hers represent a truth not only about the viewer, but about God, “to look for, to believe, to hope, to understand,” she said, “but also, it’s about being seen.”

During the exhibition’s Jan. 29 official opening, Pawlowska said through her work she wants people to understand that “someone sees us and accepts us as we are. So don’t be afraid.” That someone is God. “It’s not like a video camera watching you,” she said, “it’s someone looking into you, and at the same time supporting you all your life.”

Response to mother’s death

Pawlowska has been an artist all her life, plucked from her family at age 8 by the old Soviet regime that recognized her artistic talent and cultivated it. She had no religious upbringing but chose to be baptized into the Russian Orthodox Church when she was 18 — an act that was illegal at the time. She married, and after the fall of the Soviet Union, she and her husband moved to Sweden, where they run an art studio and she continued to develop her abstract expressionism style of painting, characterized by highly textured canvases and writing that is part of the design.

That took a turn when her mother, who had come to visit her, died suddenly, leaving her grief-stricken.

She then remembered the icons she’d seen in a Russian monastery, and recalling them first brought her comfort and then inspiration, and through her work she began to exorcise the grief that gripped her.

The result is this exhibit, featuring paintings created over a decade or so, which explores the interaction between traditional icons that were created in the Russian monastery she had recalled, and her own work that explores what it means to be known, seen and loved by God.

The artist, Ludmilla Pawlowska, points out details in one of her pieces to visitors at the exhibit’s opening on Jan. 29 at Grace Cathedral in Topeka.

Exhibit in two places

Michael Massey, the cathedral’s ministry coordinator, said the artist contacted the church to see if they’d like a spot on the exhibit’s tour. The only cost was to ship the 150 pieces to Topeka (about $1,900) and provide lodging for Pawlowska and her husband for the two weeks they were here to supervise the installation.

It took 30 people two days to uncrate all the works, part of which are on display at First Presbyterian Church two blocks away.

Pawlowska said the cathedral’s many stained glass windows made arranging her pieces challenging. “The light is so different,” she said. She tailors her exhibit to each location’s unique characteristics, noting especially how the light will play off each of the pieces.

The cathedral has 96 of the exhibit’s works on display, with another 58 at First Presbyterian.

The cathedral’s dean, the very Rev. Steve Lipscomb, said the interplay of Pawlowska’s works with traditional icons is “thought provoking.”

He added, “This really is a world-class art exhibit and worth a drive to Topeka to see.”

The works are on exhibit through March 25 and may be toured Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays noon to 4 p.m. at both the cathedral and First Presbyterian. Special tours can be arranged by calling Massey at (785) 235-3457. v

Story and photos by Melodie Woerman

A 4-foot by 10-foot painting of the Crucifixion includes a central panel of silver metallic surrounded by highly textured red paint. Sunlight that hits the painting causes the metallic panel to shimmer.

6 • The Harvest • January/February 2012

Emporia church serves up food and fellowship with new Saturday lunch ministry

By Melodie Woerman Editor, The Harvest

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t. Andrew’s, Emporia, is helping to fill the Saturday gap in food aid with the opening in early December 2011 of its new Loaves and Fishes lunch ministry.

Congregation members and volunteers unaffiliated with the church now are preparing a hot meal every week to about three dozen people. It’s open to anyone who wants to enjoy a meal, with no questions asked about income or need.

In fact, Deborah Cotterman, one of the ministry’s organizers, said it’s called a “community lunch” so everyone in town will feel welcome. “Some are on retirement fixed incomes,” she said. “Some are young families with children. Some come for the companionship.”

The point is that all are welcome, she said.

“Just come and eat. Just come.”

The Rev. Kelley Lackey, the

Lunch guests line up at the kitchen’s serving window to receive trays of homemade lunches. The only qualification to participate is the desire to share a meal.

Photos by Melodie Woerman

church’s rector, knew that people in need in Emporia could rely on the existing Abundant Harvest lunch program on weekdays but had nowhere to turn on weekends.

Last fall he asked if anyone in the congregation felt called to address this need, and Cotterman and Don Bailey stepped forward.

Cotterman said they assessed their skills and divided the work necessary to get a program up and running quickly.

Bailey got to work on the financial end, estimating costs, developing menus and ordering the commercial equipment they’d need.

Cotterman started recruiting volunteers and started a publicity campaign, including setting up a St. Andrew’s Kitchen Facebook page and developing flyers to distribute around town.

Lackey said a parishioner made a $10,000 gift to buy equipment, like a commercial freezer and extra shelving, and another donated $2,000 to purchase food.

By Dec. 3 they were ready, and

Left: Naomi Long (left) and Colleen Mitchell prep items for fruit and vegetable salads.

Above: Deborah Cotterman, the lunch coordinator, washes commercialsized pots before the start of the meal.

they’ve been serving every Saturday since then, from noon to 1:30 p.m.. preceded by a short worship service led by Lackey.

Depending on the menu, some

volunteers come in on Friday evening to start the preparations in the church’s kitchen, which must meet health codes for commercially prepared food.

Every meal has an eye toward nutrition as well as taste and always include hot items. Cotterman said they are careful to save any leftover ingredients that can be used in future meals.

Dining community

Already the lunch regulars have formed a sense of community. Chris and Louann have been there almost every Saturday, walking the 10 blocks from their home since they don’t own a car. They now serve as greeters, helping first-timers sign in (first names only, just to keep a count) and making them feel welcome.

The couple comes, they said, because the food is “really good” and because they like meeting new

people. They’re telling others in town about St. Andrew’s Kitchen, too, and have handed out flyers where they can.

“It’s a way to help people who can’t afford enough food to last a month,” Louann said. “They can come here and have a brunch.”

On a Saturday in January the parish hall tables were filled with diners ranging in age from senior citizens to families with young children, including one with a three-week-old baby daughter.

Cotterman said the church’s central location in the heart of downtown Emporia helps make the lunch more accessible and visible.

Some volunteers have come from other churches, too, including Sacred Heart Catholic Church and Mt. Olive AME. Cotterman said their presence just helps add to the “community building experience” the kitchen provides. v

MegaCamp 2012 June 3-9 at Camp Wood YMCA for grades 3-12 Each age group will have separate lodging, activities and schedules www.episcopal-ks.org/youth

January/February 2012 • The Harvest • 7

Tenth Miqra draws dozens of teens to Topeka

By Melodie Woerman Editor, The Harvest

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ozens of teenagers and their youth sponsors flocked to Topeka over the Martin Luther King, Jr., Day weekend for the 10th Miqra gathering.

The event is devoted to helping youth learn more about the Bible and includes them taking turns reading the Bible out loud, starting with Genesis and ending with a group reading of the final chapter of the Book of Revelation.

The event was the brainchild of the Rev. Kelly Demo, who in 2002 was diocesan youth officer, and it has taken place every year since then except one — an ice storm forced its cancellation in 2007.

Demo returned to Miqra for the first time this year since the 2002 event that she thought would be a one-time occurrence.

“It’s so much bigger and more than I ever dreamed it would be,” she said. “I was really, really excited to see how much it had grown.” She recalled that the first event had about 30 young people attending. This year the two sites hosted 85 youth and 34 adult sponsors from 19 congregations across the diocese.

Back in 2002, Demo said the idea for the weekend literally came to her in a flash.

“I think it just came from God,” she said, in an interview at the time with the diocesan newspaper, Plenteous Harvest.

She knew she wanted to include youth reading the Bible cover-to-cover in hour shifts but also knew it would take more to gather enough young people to

Small group discussion forms an important part of the Miqra weekend.

Photos by Melodie Woerman

Cara Wedeking, from St. David’s, Topeka, reads aloud from the biblical book of Nehemiah during the Miqra weekend at Grace Cathedral, Topeka, Jan. 13-16.

make it work.

Thus the workshop-filled retreat format that continues to this day was born. The event now takes place at two locations, with senior high student at Grace Cathedral and middle schoolers at St. David’s across town.

Demo was asked to address the senior high group about the origins of Miqra and why the Bible

is important to their faith.

“I told them to be proud to be Episcopalians,” she said, “because we read the Bible in a particular way that’s different from the literal way a lot of Christians do.”

10 years of impact

Michael Funston, who served as this year’s Miqra coordinator prior to being named interim di-

ocesan youth missioner, attended that first Miqra as a teenage participant. She said the weekends that have taken place since 2002 have had an important impact on the youth program of the diocese.

“It means 10 years of inviting youth to sit and read the Bible for an hour at a time, possibly for the first time in their lives, and coming away with a better understanding of their faith’s story,” she said.

Funston said that every Miqra she attended has offered something new.

“I always gain new insight about the word each Miqra, whether it is from a workshop about women in the Bible, a clergy speaker talking about the importance of forming a Bible study, or youth having a conversation at dinner time that begins, ‘I read this part in the Bible today about…’”

Based on some preliminary inquiries, Funston said that Teresa Rogers, who serves as a

youth sponsor from St. Stephen’s, Wichita, is the only person to have attended all 10 Miqra events.

This year’s 10-year commemoration was joined by one with a little longer time line — the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James Bible.

A workshop on that influential Bible translation was offered, and Funston said the group together read the first chapter from Genesis and the last chapter of Revelation together using the King James version.

This year’s event featured new technology that wasn’t around in 2002.

The reading at the cathedral was live streamed on the Internet, thanks to a camera, microphone and laptop set up near the reader.

A flipbook of Bible chapter names helped those watching keep track of where the youth were in the 64 books of the Bible, plus the Apocrypha. v

Seabury senior helps make prom memorable for others

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Photo by the Rev. Patrick Funston

Charlotte Burch (second from left), a senior at Bishop Seabury Academy in Lawrence, on Feb. 27 hands over one of the 39 prom dresses she helped collect for the Prom Dress Express program at Grace, Winfield.

With her are (from left) Dr. Don Schawang, Seabury’s Head of School; Elin Bloedel, a Grace parishioner who helps with Prom Dress Express; and the Rev. Betty Glover, the church’s rector.

harlotte Burch, a senior at Bishop Seabury Academy in Lawrence, used her service project requirement to help make prom a reality for girls she’ll never meet in a county hundreds of miles away.

She collected 39 formal dresses for the Prom Dress Express program operated by Grace, Winfield, which makes formal dresses and accessories available to girls in Cowley County near Wichita who may not have the attire they need to attend their high school prom.

Burch said she learned about the church’s project through faculty at Seabury, including chaplain the Rev. Patrick Funston. She knew she had formals she wasn’t planning to wear again, and she suspected others did too, So she got busy spreading the word. She made announcements at school, sent out mass text messages to her friends and distributed flyers around town. Word even went out to Seabury parents, who also donated.

In less than three weeks she had collected 39 dresses in a variety of styles from about 15 people.

All were very willing to donate, she said, although she did have to send out a lot of reminders and “nag a few.”

All were especially willing to help, “knowing they were going to people who would really appreciate them,” she said.

And prom is too important for people to skip because they don’t have something to wear. “These dances are always lots of fun, and you don’t want to miss out,” Burch said.

The Rev. Betty Glover, Grace’s rector, called Burch’s efforts “just amazing” and said the dresses she’d collected are current and very stylish. “These dresses are just spectacular,” she said.

Burch delivered the dresses to Glover on Feb. 27 at the school, just days before the Prom Dress Expresses opened for this year.

Glover said they never before had received so many dresses at one time.

“We had 11 come in, and that was a record,” she said. “But 39 was unbelievable. I had to get a bigger car to pick them all up.”

— Melodie Woerman v

8 • The Harvest • January/February 2012

Around the diocese St. John’s, Abilene donated $475 to the Abilene Area Food and Clothing Center, representing the proceeds from its All Saints Day chili supper.

Trinity, Arkansas City members were among those who helped provide some Christmas Eve cheer to area emergency personnel by bringing homemade cookies with them to church that evening. Goodies then were sent to police, fire and hospital personnel in Arkansas City and Winfield.

Trinity, Atchison provided willing workers to cook and serve lunch to more than 70 people Jan. 14 at the city’s Loaves and Fishes ministry.

St. Mark’s, Blue Rapids was one of seven churches on a citywide tour in late December sponsored by the Blue Rapids Historical Society. Parishioner Jack Haller spoke about the church’s history and about Episcopal customs and rituals to the 32 people who participated.

Grace, Chanute hosted a citywide Solemn Choral Evensong Dec. 18 in conjunction with First Presbyterian. The choir included singers from six area churches, and the offering went to local and overseas efforts to help pregnant mothers and newborns.

St. Paul’s, Clay Center continued its annual Christmas “random acts of kindness” by collecting small gifts and leaving them around town for unsuspecting recipients, accompanied by a note from the church.

St. Paul’s, Coffeyville observed the church’s patronal feast day, the Conversion of St. Paul, on Jan. 29 with two services.

St. Andrew’s, Derby in January welcomed Sister Mary Kevin Rooney for a daylong presentation, “Listening for God; Hearing with our Hearts.” She is a member of the Sister Adorers of the Precious Blood of Jesus.

St. Martin’s, Edwardsville enjoyed a Christmas presentation

by Sunday school students and teachers entitled “Room for a Little One.” St. Andrew’s, Emporia mem-

ber Colleen Mitchell was named a 2012 Master Teacher by the Emporia chapter of the National Education Association. Mitchell has taught elementary school for 28 years and currently serves English language-learner students.

St. Thomas, Holton continues to support the local area food bank by collecting nonperishable food items each month.

Covenant, Junction City offers a Taize-style service one Sunday evening each month.

St. Paul’s, Kansas City hosted a full house for a fundraiser featuring the “Wild Women of Kansas City” singing group. The meal was catered by students of Culinary Cornerstones, a program of Episcopal Community Services.

St. Margaret’s, Lawrence raffled a handmade quilt in January, with the items going to a quilt collector from Oklahoma City.

More than $3,000 was raised, all going toward debt relief.

Trinity, Lawrence members of the Trinity Environmental Stewardship Team sponsored an “Eagle Day” Jan. 21, when parishioners could view bald eagles and learn more about their behavior and habitat.

St. Paul’s, Leavenworth is starting a “Threads of Faith” group for those who knit, crochet or do cross stitch. Items made will go to people in a variety of major life events, ranging from birth of a child to death of a loved one.

Parishioners are asked to donate materials and pray for the ministry’s launch.

St. Paul’s, Manhattan Sunday school students made Christmas cards that were delivered by the parish pastoral care ministry to shut-ins or members who were unable to attend services.

St. Paul’s, Marysville members were asked to sign up for volunteer slots at the Marshall County Helping Hands Food Pantry during March, the congregation’s designated month to help.

St. Michael’s, Mission offers a discussion group called “The News and the Good News,” which offers parishioners the chance to

Shawnee woman gets volunteer award

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athy Bagby, a member of St. Luke’s, Shawnee, on Feb. 8 was named Volunteer of the Year by the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence. The award recognizes her 12 years of service to the Kansas City-based Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault, including rewriting the group’s training manual and organizing fundraising events.

For the past six years Bagby has helped staff her local agency’s crisis telephone line, taking 10 or more 24-hour shifts each month.

In that time she has answered more than 5,000 calls and has provided more than 20,000 hours of volunteer service.

Joyce Grover, executive director of the statewide organization, said, “Volunteers like Kathy are more valuable than gold. So many survivors positively touched by this one woman, it’s breathtaking.” v

Photo by Peggy Gerber

Ecumenical soup night aids Newton payee program (From left) Eloise Mueller, Jennifer Floerke and Irene Sommerfeld, all members of Zion Lutheran Church in Newton, serve soup Feb. 10 at the church to raise funds for the payee program at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church. The two congregations joined forces to aid the program that provides free financial oversight to some people who receive government assistance benefits, to make sure their money is managed wisely.

Members from both congregations donated the ingredients to make more than 15 types of soup, including Beef Provencal, Potato Sausage and Southwest Chicken Chowder, as well as a variety of desserts.

The benefit raised more than $1,600, and the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans company added another $500. Another effort already is planned for next year, and many diners asked to be notified about it so they can participate again. v

talk about items in the headlines in the light of the gospel. Participants are asked to bring in a current newspaper article (no opinions or editorials) to begin the conversations.

St. Matthew’s, Newton undertook many avenues of outreach at Christmas, including providing gifts to a family of four, collecting warm woolens for the Salvation Army, and provided money for gifts and goodies tor the parish’s payee program.

St. John’s, Parsons notes that its “Laundry and Latte” outreach to students at nearby Labette Community College now draws more than 20 students each week for free coffee, some quarters for a washing machine and conversation with church members.

St. Peter’s, Pittsburg hosted the Pittsburg State Chorale Jan. 29 for a concert. The parish hopes this will be the first of many musical performances to take place in the 19th century nave.

fire, sheriff and emergency room workers.

Good Shepherd, Wichita sponsored a family game night Jan. 28 for all parishioners in the Fellowship Hall. The fun-for-all event followed the Saturday evening service.

St. Bartholomew’s, Wichita maintains an active prayer chain, with half a dozen members receiving phone calls to pray for special needs.

St. Aidan’s, Olathe again took up a HUGS collection — hats, gloves, underwear and scarves — for children who are served through the church’s BackSnack ministry. Items were donated in time for Valentine’s Day.

St. Luke’s, Shawnee collected bottles of vitamins and pain relievers to send with member Ashrita Abraham, who along with others from the KU Medical School is going to Guatemala on a mission trip in March.

St. James’, Wichita announced that one of the church’s Lenten studies would be a look at the book My Soul in Silence Waits, written by Kansas native and Episcopal priest the Rev. Margaret Guenther.

Grace, Ottawa women’s study group meets each month at the home of member Dottie Wellington.

Grace Cathedral, Topeka noted that its ministry of providing sack lunches to people in need on Saturdays — when no other agencies are serving meals — provided 1,173 meals during September, October and November, 2011.

St. John’s, Wichita provided Christmas stockings to 30 young adults who previously were in foster care but “aged out” when they turned 18. They now work and attend school through the efforts of the Wichita Children’s Home “Bridges” program.

St. Francis, Overland Park celebrated the end of the Christmas season with a Louisiana-style Epiphany cake. Holden Williamson found the small porcelain baby charm baked inside, making him this year’s Epiphany king.

St. Thomas, Overland Park members have been invited to write a reflection for this year’s Lenten meditation booklet, based on a favorite piece of scripture.

The effort is overseen by the Rev. Kelly Demo.

St. Luke’s, Wamego collected food items and paper products during January to help restock two local food pantries by encouraging every parishioner to bring a box or can of something to church.

St. Jude’s, Wellington received so many cookies from parishioners that the church was able to give two boxes each on Christmas Eve to local police,

St. Stephen’s, Wichita conducts a service twice a month at Wichita’s Larksfield Place senior retirement community.

Grace, Winfield hosted a spaghetti dinner fundraiser Jan. 21 to aid the Episcopal church in Joplin, Mo., as it helps those affected by last summer’s devastating tornado. v

January/February 2012 • The Harvest • 9

People Guard chaplaincy switch involves two Episcopalians

I

n a Jan. 8 ceremony in Topeka, the mantle of state chaplain of the Kansas National Guard was passed from the Rev. Don Davidson to David Jenkins.

What made the event so unusual is that Jenkins is a member of St. David’s, Topeka, where Davidson serves as rector.

Jenkins, who is a lieutenant colonel, was ordained in the Disciples of Christ Church but currently is in the process for ordination as an Episcopal priest in the Diocese of Kansas.

Davidson, who holds the rank of colonel, retired from his service to the Guard on that day after more than 27 years. He had served as state chaplain since 2007.

Both men have been deployed overseas as chaplains as part of their Guard service. Davidson served 11 months in Bosnia in 2003 and was sent for three weeks to New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.

Jenkins has been deployed with the Kansas Guard to Bosnia and Kuwait, and he also was command chaplain during a tour of duty in Kosovo. He most recently has served as command chaplain of the Kansas Army National Guard’s 35th Infantry Division.

He also is bereavement coordinator for Grace Hospice in Topeka.

Strong chaplaincy

Jenkins said of his new position service Guard members and their families, “I hope to use my

Photo by Phil Anderson, Topeka Capital-Journal

David Jenkins (left) took over as state chaplain of the Kansas National Guard from the Rev. Don Davidson on Jan. 89. Jenkins is a member of St. David’s, Topeka, where Davidson is rector.

experience from multiple deployments in ways that will continue to strengthen our chaplaincy.”

Davidson began his career with the National Guard upon ordination. His first job after seminary was at St. John’s Military Academy in Salina, where he said he being around soldiers helped him fall in love with “the bare-bones ministry” of military chaplaincy.

“Pastoral care can be as simple as a candy bar, a bar of soap or a cup of coffee,” all offering the chance to talk, he said.

“Even 25 years later, I have soldiers coming up to me and asking me if I remember chatting with them. That connection — that’s what it’s all about.”

Jenkins said that he assumes

KU intern picked as part of special UN delegation

A

bby Olcese, relating specifithe diocesan cally to women. campus inOlcese said, “I tern who is serving am really excited at the Canterbury and a little bit nerHouse at the Univous. People say versity of Kansas in it will be a really Lawrence, has been great experience selected as one of 14 but emotionally Abby Olcese young adults who will intense because of represent the Episcopal Church the topics covered. But I’m lookat this year’s meeting of the ing forward to learning more United Nations Commission on ways to help people and carry the Status of Women in New out the gospel.”

York.

She’s also eager to share what Olcese is one of 10 women she learns with the students she and four men who participated works with on campus. “The in the meeting Feb. 24-March 2. students at Canterbury House They were joined by 20 Angli- are very knowledgeable about can delegates from around the world issues and eager to find world and young adult delegates out how they can get involved. from other denominations.

I want to share what we as a Olcese applied last fall about ministry can do to help.” the opportunity from campus Participants have to pay for missioner the Rev. Susan Terry. their own airfare and some She said she and other mem- meals, and she’s received assisbers of the church’s delegation tance from people in Lawrence were to be in meetings every day and Pittsburg, her home town. designed to learn more about a — Melodie Woerman v variety of social justice issues

command at a time of strength, thanks to Davidson’s efforts. “The Kansas National Guard chaplaincy is stronger than it has been in years. Chaplain Davidson has left a solid legacy to build upon,” he said.

At his retirement service Davidson noted that it’s the duty of chaplains to serve the needs of soldiers above all else.

“The call of the chaplain is to bring the soldier’s God to the soldier,” he said. “It’s not my God, it’s the soldier’s. There are many chaplains who see the military as a mission field. It’s not., We meet the soldiers where they are.”

Contributing to the article were the Rev. Patrick Funston and Melodie Woerman. v

People needed to help agency welcome refugees

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he Episcopal Wichita Area Refugee Ministry (EWARM) is seeking assistance from church members across the Diocese of Kansas to help welcome soon-to-arrive refugees. EWARM, a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas, is one of the 34 affiliate agencies of Episcopal Migration Ministries.

Refugees, who have fled religious or political persecution in their home country, pass rigorous screenings before entering the U.S. Sponsoring agencies provide six months of support, and they then are expected to become self-sufficient taxpayers.

Donations needed

Shannon Mahan, EWARM’s executive director, said the agency is seeking donations of both goods and time to help refugees feel at home in the United States: purchase of household goods needed for a refugee family (see accompanying box); greeting arrivals at the airport and helping them learn how to shop in an American grocery store, use the bus system, etc.; helping refugees learn English by talking with them an hour a week in their home; or providing transportation to appointments for new U.S. arrivals.

If interested in volunteering or providing needed items, contact Mahan at (316) 977-WARM or shannon.mahan@ewarm. org. v

Items needed for a family of 4 Home furnishings:

bed frames and mattresses with box springs; a set of drawers; a lamp per room; a kitchen table with one chair per person (approximate value, $1,500)

Kitchen goods:

a set of dishes and silverware for each person; a saucepan, frying pan, stock pot and baking dish; mixing and serving bowls; kitchen utensils (sharp knife, wooden spoons, spatula, etc.); a can opener (approximate value, $180)

Bathroom supplies:

bath towel for each person; nine rolls of toilet tissue; two bottles of shampoo and conditioner; two bars of soap; a toothbrush per person; two tubes of toothpaste; other hygiene items (razors, deodorant, etc.) (approximate value, $140)

Bedroom needs:

a set of sheets and a blanket per bed; a pillow and pillowcase per person; an alarm clock (approximate value, $220)

Cleaning supplies:

dish soap; bathroom/kitchen cleanser; laundry detergent; two wastebaskets with trash bags that fit them; broom and mop; dustpan and floor cleaning solution; sponges, paper towels and cleaning rags (approximate value, $80)

Other needs:

clothing; shoes; baby items; culturally appropriate hot meal upon arrival; extra food (approximate value, $220)

Lawrence food pantry leader steps down after five years

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arry Molineux stepped down Dec. 31 from his leadership role with the Interfaith Food Pantry of Trinity, Lawrence, and was honored with a special parish reception Dec. 18.

Although his title for the past five years had been “volunteer coordinator,” Molineux actually served as the pantry’s de facto director, according to information provided by the parish.

He helped revitalize the pantry’s ministry, and he served as

the point person for its joint efforts with other area churches, other food agencies in town, the Harvesters food bank in Kansas City, community groups, and donor groups and individuals.

Molineux also handled all the pantry’s publicity efforts and helped secure a number of outside grants for its operations.

He also did coordinate the pantry’s volunteers, of which he was one — he has served a minimum of four shifts each month. v

Barry Molineux

Clergy news The Rev. Bill Wolff has been appointed by Bishop Dean Wolfe as dean of the Southeast Convocation. He succeeds the Rev. Jerry Adinolfi, who retired on Dec. 31. Wolff has been rector of St. Peter’s, Pittsburg, since 2007 and was priest-in-charge of the parish for two years before that. He served from 2000-2005 as deacon at Grace Cathedral, Topeka. He is in his second term as a member of the diocesan Council of Trustees and the Commission on Ministry. He is a member of the faculty of the

Kansas School for Ministry, and he also serves on the school’s Oversight Committee.

The Rev. Bill Horn has been appointed priest in residence at St. Bartholomew’s, Wichita, effective Jan. 15. He is a pastor with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

The Rev. Shawn Streepy has been called as assisting priest at St. Luke’s, Shawnee, effective Jan. 15. He previously had been rector of Grace, Chanute. v

10 • The Harvest • January/February 2012

National and international news Anglican news briefs Episcopal News Service and Anglican Communion News Service

Special needs are no hindrance to acolytes at Georgia church

 Two KC priests are in bishop elections: Two priests who currently serve congregations in Kansas City, Mo., have been nominated for election as bishop in two dioceses. The Rev. Canon Sue Sommer, subdean and canon pastor at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral, is one of six nominees for suffragan bishop of Virginia.

The Rev. R. Stanley Runnels, rector of St. Paul’s Church, is one of four nominees for bishop of Pittsburgh. That diocese has been without a diocesan bishop since a majority of diocesan members and its leadership voted in October 2008 to leave the Episcopal Church. Both elections are scheduled for April 21.  National Cathedral names interim dean: The Rev. Francis H. Wade has been named as interim dean of the Washington National Cathedral, effective Jan. 6. Wade has been called on a part-time basis to focus on spiritual guidance and support to the cathedral during its search and transition to a new dean. Canon Kathleen A. Cox, the cathedral’s executive director and chief operating officer, will continue to oversee the day-to-day operations of the cathedral. Wade has been an ordained Episcopal priest for 45 years, having served as rector of St. Alban’s Parish on the grounds of the cathedral from 1983 until his retirement in 2005. He is an adjunct professor at Virginia Theological Seminary.  Wales’ stained glass goes online: More than 2,000 stained glass windows from hundreds of churches in Wales now can be viewed online. From medieval to modern, the windows have been photographed and catalogued in a project by the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies. The windows can be searched thematically by date, artist or location.

The catalogue covers stained glass from medieval times up to the present day, including the fine collections of medieval glass, imported continental glass, work by the large Victorian firms and artists of the arts and crafts movement, as well as more recent windows by artists trained and based in Wales from the second half of the 20th century up to the present day. It can be seen at http://stainedglass.llgc.org.uk/  New Zealand cathedral’s fate is still uncertain: The fate of the earthquake-damaged ChristChurch Cathedral in Christchurch, New Zealand, will be decided in the coming weeks. Bishop Victoria Matthews said in an advertisement in the newspaper The Press that the cathedral is “a very dangerous building” and that buildings are “secondary to our concern for people.” She insisted her statement was not preparing the public for possible demolition of the cathedral. “We are not preparing for a certain outcome.

We need to tell people what we know,” she said. “That is not the point. The point is to share what we do know. It is not to prepare the ground for what we don’t know.” Bishop Matthews said engineering reports on the building would be received by the diocese early in March and peer-reviewed by the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority and the Historic Places Trust.  First Episcopal iPad app released: The Episcopal Church Office of Communication has launched its first iPad app, called Wayfarer. It’s available as a free, quarterly download on iTunes, and all the content also can be viewed on a companion website, http://wayfarerstories.com/. The first issue is about the village of Kivalina, Alaska, and tells the story of Indigenous Alaskans faced with having to move their entire village to higher ground because of rising sea temperatures. “Wayfarer features compelling stories told through video, photographs and words,” said Lynette Wilson, Wayfarer’s producer. The name was chosen, Wilson said, “because we intend to tell a wide spectrum of stories about people, possibilities and action across a broad landscape.”  Caribbean Anglicans conclude anniversary celebrations: The Anglican Diocese of the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands concluded its year of celebrating 150 years as a diocese with a special service of solemn evensong, sermon and benediction Feb. 5 at Christ Church Cathedral, Nassau. The closing service brought together clergy and lay people from all over the diocese as well as representatives from all the functioning diocesan ministries. The service marked the end of 13 months of celebration thanking God for 150 years of diocesan status and more than 360 years of Anglican presence in the islands. v

Photo by James Pettit for ENS

Acolytes at St. Aidan’s, Milton, Ga., include several young people with special needs, including being unable to walk, having ADHD, having a form of autism and having muscular dystrophy.

Another acolyte, who came to be known as “Victor’s buddy,” could push the wheelchair from behind with one hand and use the other hand to steady the ictor Catanzaro can’t see, and he can’t walk. cross.

When Victor was on the rota to serve, members of And he doesn’t have a lot of strength in his the acolyte team took turns being his buddy. upper body. But he can serve as an acolyte “But one Sunday, a relatively new acolyte named in an Episcopal church.

Patrick was serving with Victor and came up after the How can this be? Well, it takes a parish. service to find out if he could be Victor’s buddy the About three years ago, Betsy Jones, who serves as next time he served. In fact, acolyte master at St. Aidan’s, he said, he wanted to know if Milton, Ga., approached Reche could be Victor’s permator Rob Wood with a quesnent buddy. ‘No problem,’ I tion.

St. Aidan’s expansive said. ‘You’ve got the job!’”

She already was used to welcome extends Victor is not the only acothe demanding role in which lyte with special needs. St. she supervises 65 acolytes to children who have Aidan’s expansive welcome who serve liturgically at the extends to children who have Alpharetta-area church on been diagnosed with been diagnosed with ADHD, Cogburn Road. What’s one ADHD, there’s one there’s one on the Asperger’s more challenge? spectrum and another with “Do you think it would on the Asperger’s muscular dystrophy.

“We be possible for Victor to join make accommodations for the acolyte corps?” she asked spectrum and all of them so they can fully Wood. another with participate,” Jones said.

Acolytes at St. Aidan’s One Sunday recently usually spend their first year muscular dystrophy. when Victor and Patrick serving as torch bearers, were serving, it was time for observing what the more exVictor to receive the sacraperienced acolytes are asked ments.

Patrick had been told to do: carry the cross, banners that part of his job was to guide Victor’s hand to and alms basins, assist at the altar, and other tasks. receive the bread.

The chalice bearer would guide Victor’s four sisters already were on the team.

“Rob sat quietly, thinking it over,” recalled Jones. the cup to Victor’s lips.

This time, however, the chalice bearer couldn’t “Then he said, ‘Sure,’ and with a twinkle in his eye reach over the altar. “So Patrick took the cup,” said added, ‘But he can’t carry a torch!’”

Jones, “and without a second thought gave it to It was determined that Victor’s primary roles Victor, saying softly, ‘The blood of Christ, the cup would be to carry the cross in procession and receive of salvation.’” the alms basins at the offertory. The challenge was “After that, there wasn’t a dry eye in the first three to come up with a method for attaching the cross rows,” Jones said. “Like I said, we’ve got some really to his wheelchair; after some intense web surfing, special kids in our acolyte ministry.” none was found.

Nan Ross is director of communication for the Then a parishioner came up with a plan to insert Diocese of Atlanta. This article first appeared in a holder for the bottom of the cross in the center of the Winter 2012 edition of Pathways Journal, the a piece of wood that would fit under the arms of diocese’s quarterly magazine. v Victor’s wheelchair.

By Nan Ross For Episcopal News Service

V

January/February 2012 • The Harvest • 11

PB tours ministries in Japan, preaches in Korea Episcopal News Service

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residing Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori continued her visit to churches in Asia Feb. 13 – 19, touring ministries of the Nippon Sei Ko Kai (NSKK), the Anglican Church in Japan, before proceeding to Korea, where she preached on Feb. 19 at the Cathedral of Saints Mary and Nicholas in Seoul.

The presiding bishop began her trip to Anglican Communion provincial churches on Feb. 9 with a visit to the Anglican Church of the Philippines and the Philippine Independent Church.

After her stop in Korea, she was set to visit China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, which is a diocese of the Episcopal Church.

Traveling with her were Peter Ng, the Episcopal Church’s global partnership officer for Asia and the Pacific; the Rev. David Copley, mission personnel officer; and Richard Schori, the presiding bishop’s husband.

On Feb. 14, Bishop Jefferts Schori and her traveling party, accompanied by representatives of the NSKK, traveled to Hiroshima, where they met with Bishop An-

Photo by Richard Schori

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori rings the Bell of Peace at Hiroshima’s Freedom Park on Feb. 14 during a visit to Japan and the Nippon Sei Ko Kai, the Anglican Church in Japan.

drew Nakamura of the Anglican Diocese of Kobe and visited the Roman Catholic cathedral and the Anglican Church of the Resurrection At the city’s Peace Memorial

Park, she laid a wreath and offered prayers at the monument for the victims of the atomic bomb dropped on the city by American forces at the end of World War II. The group also visited the

Peace Bell and a monument to Koreans who died in the atomic bomb blast.

The presiding bishop’s party then traveled to the Sendai area, site of much of the damage caused

Churches, sacred spaces — easy targets for thieves?

Episcopal News Service

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ecent thefts of copper wiring, mostly from outdoor air conditioning units, as well as other less frequent instances of break-ins, have taught church officials a painful lesson — that even sacred spaces may be easy targets for experienced thieves.

St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in New Orleans was targeted not once but twice last year by copper wire thieves, according to the Rev. Steve Craft, rector.

“They stole the copper wiring out of the office air conditioning units at first,” Craft said in a telephone interview from his office.

A week later the thieves returned, this time stealing copper wiring from a school air conditioning unit.

“They came back in the middle of the night,” Craft said. “Within a week, we had about $10,000 worth of damage. They even took out the security lamp lighting in the school buildings.”

When local authorities told him that the thieves would net at most $100 to $150, he hung a sign that said, “If you need money, knock on the door, please.”

Insurance coverage offset some of the losses, and the church has started beefing up lighting around the property and restricting access to the parking lot. They are now raising funds to purchase protective covering for the air conditioning units.

The ordeal amounted to “a whole lot of mess for a little bit of money,” Craft said. “It’s a very sad thing when people feel they have to desecrate a church or any other building, and to cause so much trouble for such a little bit of money. It really is amazing, and not in a good way.”

‘The 4 a.m. call every priest dreads’

Similarly, St. Paul and St. James Church in New Haven, Conn., ramped up security after vandalism and break-ins last year, according to the Rev. Alex Dyer, rector.

While a cross was stolen and a candlestick dating back to the early 1900s was taken, Dyer said a troubling aspect of the incident was “that a Bible was ripped, all the sacred spaces were disrupted or attacked,” including the stained glass windows, prompting his call for forgiveness for the perpetrator.

“I got that 4 a.m. call that every priest dreads. My first thought was, who would rob a church?” Dyer said.

“But I guess it is becoming more common.”

by the earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011.

They visited a cookie factory that employs handicapped young people ages 18 to 26, a project of “Let Us Walk Together,” an earthquake recovery agency of NSKK. They also toured the Kiyosato Educational Experiment Project, which was founded by Paul Rusch, a native of Kentucky and missionary of the Episcopal Church, who went to Japan in 1923. Today it is a church retreat center, experimental farm and environmental educational facility, as well as an international conference center.

It also includes the St. Francis Discovery Center, a nature school that can accommodate up to 130 children or 90 adults, and St. John’s Nursery School, a popular day-care program that serves 69 children.

Accompanying the group at this stop were two volunteers from the Young Adult Service Corps of the Episcopal Church: Katie Young from Abilene, Texas, and Nicole Groome from Williamsburg, Va. Richard Schori also contributed to this article. v

Visitors to London Olympics to get help from ‘games pastors’ Ecumenical News International

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Photo by Ryan DeLoach

Several stained-glass windows at St. Paul and St. James Church in New Haven, Conn., were damaged by vandals during a break-in in 2011.

The church had taken some security precautions to protect office space but not in the sanctuary, he said.

After his public call for forgiveness, the cross and candlestick were returned. Still, the church consulted a local private security firm and has “since done a huge upgrade to our security system. We put in more motion detectors, contact strips on doors and an upgrade around the church in general. This is the age we live in. It’s unfortunate, but we are trying to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves, to quote Jesus.”

Afterwards, he conducted a liturgy from the Book of Occasional Services to restore things profaned, “not a service you want to have to do,” he said. But, Dyer added, while he feels the church is better protected, “no place is really protected. You do what you can, basically, but nothing is perfect.” v

ore Than Gold, an ecumenical charity originally launched during the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, is recruiting and training 1,000 volunteer “Games Pastors” to serve during this summer’s Olympics in London.

The volunteers will be deployed at airports and bus and railway stations to help the estimated 4 million visitors who will be in London.

“They will be there to serve, whether people need directions, advice or simply a listening ear,” said Jon Burns, U.K. director of More Than Gold. “We’re not doing this to evangelize, but we want to show people the love of God by the support we give them.”

The organization began recruiting last year, when it launched a countrywide “Get Set” tour, visiting churches and other Christian communities, running workshops and information evenings.

They also have produced materials suggesting practical ways churches can engage with the Games, including festivals, street parties, children’s games, sports quizzes and competitions.

“The response has been terrific,” Burns said. “Thou-

sands of events are being planned and hundreds of people have signed up as Games Pastors. We are fortunate in the U.K. already to have a large number of trained sports chaplains who work with the 75 football clubs, rugby, cricket and other sports teams.”

Festivities to greet torch relay

On May 18, the Olympic torch relay will begin at Britain’s southwestern tip. During its 70-day tour throughout the country, which ends in London, it will come within 10 miles of most U.K. churches, and many are planning welcome parties.

“We will be decorating the church ourselves. People are getting very excited,” said Philip Horsington of the Ilchester Church of England Parish Council in Devon.

In Cardiff, Wales, the relay will be met by a male choir. In Glasgow, Catholic and Protestant pipers will welcome the Olympic flame.

On July 22, the Sunday before the Olympics begin, the Church of England has prepared prayers and readings for the Olympics and Paralympics. On July 27, the day the Games begin, all churches are being asked to ring their bells for three minutes at 8 a.m. local time. v

12 • The Harvest • January/February 2012

Reflections on faith and life

Sharing the Good News

Lent is a time to help those in need around the world The Presiding Bishop’s Lenten message

I

greet you at the beginning of Lent.

In this year I’m going to invite you to think about the ancient traditions of preparing in solidarity with candidates for baptism, to think about the old disciplines of prayer and fasting and alms-giving and study, through the focus on those beyond our communities, in the developing world, who live in abject poverty.

I invite you to use the Millennium Development Goals as your focus for Lenten study and discipline and prayer and fasting this year. I’m going to remind you that the Millennium Development Goals are about healing the worst of the world’s hunger.

They’re about seeing that all children get access to primary education. They’re about empowering women. They’re about attending to issues of maternal health and child mortality. They’re about attending to issues of communicable disease like AIDS and malaria and tuberculosis.

They’re about environmentally sustainable development, seeing that people have access to clean water and sanitation and that the conditions in slums are alleviated.

And finally, they are about aid, foreign aid.

They’re about trade relationships, and they’re about building partnerships for sustainable development in this world.

As you pray through the forty days of Lent, I encourage you to attend to the needs of those with the least around the world.

I would invite you to study, both about how human beings live in other parts of the world and our own responsibility as Christians.

What the Bible says more often than anything else is to tend to the needs of the widows and orphans, those without. Jesus himself says, “Care for the least of these.”

I invite you to consider your alms-giving discipline this Lent and remember those in the developing world who go without.

I wish you a blessed Lent and a joyful resurrection at the end of it that may be shared with others around the world.

God bless you.

The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori Presiding Bishop and Primate The Episcopal Church v

Diocesan Calendar March 2012

April 2012

9 Kansas School for Ministry, Bethany Place Conference Center, Topeka (through March 10)

1 Palm Sunday, Bishop Wolfe at Grace Cathedral, Topeka

11 Bishop Wolfe at St. Michael and All Angels, Mission 14 Bishop Wolfe at spring House of Bishops meeting, Camp Allen, Navasota, Texas (through March 21) 27 Council of Trustees meeting, Room 205, Grace Cathedral, Topeka 28 Bishop Wolfe at St. John’s, Wichita 31 Commission on Ministry meeting, Bethany Place Conference Center, Topeka

3 Chrism Mass, Grace Cathedral, Topeka 8 Easter Day, Bishop Wolfe at Grace Cathedral, Topeka 13 Kansas School for Ministry, Bethany Place Conference Center, Topeka (through April 14) 14 Diocesan budget hearings, Bubb Room, Grace Cathedral, Topeka 17 Council of Trustees meeting, Room 205, Grace Cathedral, Topeka 22 Bishop Wolfe at St. Francis of Assisi, Overland Park 28 Clergy Planning for Tomorrow conference, Overland Park 29 Bishop Wolfe at St. Luke’s, Shawnee

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