The Harvest, November-December 2010

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Inside The Harvest From the bishop Bishop Wolfe describes the efforts of the Crossroads Campaign, and unprecedented early pledges, in his address to Diocesan Convention. Page 2

Paper for The Har ves Harv estt Curious about the heavier paper on which this newspaper now is printed? Find out more. Page 3

Food pantries Two large pantries in the diocese recently have seen increases in the number of people seeking aid. As the economy stays sluggish, there’s no sign that will change anytime soon. Page 5

ECW president Lonnie Isaak thanks the Episcopal Church Women of the diocese as she completes her three-year term as president. Page 6

Mega cam p camp Episcopal church camp will be extra special next summer, as all age groups will be together at Camp Wood for one week of “mega camp.” Page 6

Homecoming a ward aw

Con ws spirit of cooperation Convvention sho shows By Melodie Woerman Editor, The Harvest

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he 151st meeting of the convention of the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas Oct. 22-23 in Topeka was marked by a spirit of cooperation, preaching that had usually staid churchgoers saying “Amen!” and an announcement by Bishop Dean Wolfe of the largest fundraising total ever reached by the diocese. That amount — $2.2 million — represents initial pledges to the Crossroads campaign designed to provide adequate space and funding for the Kansas School for Ministry. Echoing KSM’s mission to provide clergy and lay leaders for parishes in the diocese, Bishop Wolfe asked in his convention address, “Does anyone here really doubt that we stand at a crossroads? Can anyone here seriously doubt this is the moment to decide? The question is this: Will the Episcopal Church in Kansas fade from prominence and become a mere archival memory, a historical footnote? Will we close church after church after church, unable to continue offering a supportive sense of community, our soaring worship and a passion for caring for others?”

Photo by Deacon Bob Hirst

Bishop Michael Curry of the Diocese of North Carolina preaches at the opening Eucharist of Diocesan Convention Oct. 22. The service took place at Topeka’s Grace Cathedral.

He then offered the delegates and clergy assembled another question to ponder. “Or will we reassert our holy ways of following Christ and grow into the vibrant church we were created to be and be the inviting tradition so many spiritually inclined persons are desperately seeking in this age?” In announcing the amount pledged so far, the bishop said he is certain the remainder of the $6 million goal can be raised

Canterbury House at K-State took home a third-place award during a recent homecoming activity. Page 7

St. Timothy’s, Iola, generated more than $6,500 for Episcopal Relief and Development this fall. That’s quite an accomplishment for a church of 30 people. Page 7

Around the diocese

VTS reco vering from fire recov Virginia Seminary is making plans for temporary worship space after an accidental fire in October that destroyed its 129-year-old chapel. Page 10

Special needs kids Special worship services have been designed to serve special-needs children and their parents. Page 11

Please see Convention, page 3

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Two parishioners at Trinity, Arkansas City, wanted to start a resale store to benefit the church. Five years later, it’s raised more than $40,000. Page 7

Annual awards for exemplary service to the diocese by a lay person, a deacon and a priest were awarded at Diocesan Convention to four women. Page 9

The convention got off to an invigorating, even rousing, start as the Eucharist celebrated at Grace Cathedral came

By Melodie Woerman Editor, The Harvest

Trinity TTreasures reasures

Con vention a wards Conv aw

A rrousing ousing star startt

Crossroads campaign to reach parishes in Lent

Small c hurc h, big hear churc hurch, heartt

A new banner filled with saints graces a Wichita church, St. Nicholas and his horse visit in Mission — and there’s lots more going on. Page 8

before the 152nd convention in September 2011. (The full text of the bishop’s address can be read starting on page 2.)

The diocesan website — www.episcopal-ks.org — has a new look after being completely redesigned in early December.

Diocese launches new website The Episcopal Diocese of Kansas

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he web address for the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas is the same — www.episcopal-ks.org — but everything else about it is new after a revamped site was launched the first week of December. The design was created by River City Studios in Kansas City, Mo., with the creation of the pages and their content the work of Melodie Woerman, diocesan director of communications. Photos of sunflowers, wheat and the Flint Hills are at the top, and they ro-

tate as different pages are clicked. The Flint Hills image was taken by Tom Pott of St. John’s, Wichita.

Easier tto o ffind ind things The site is designed to be easier to navigate, and it puts links to frequently used items, including the diocesan calendar and the cycle of prayer, on the front page. It includes information with lots of links to aid people who are exploring the Episcopal Church, and it also provides background information about Please see Website, page 3

arishioners across the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas will have the chance to learn more about the Crossroads campaign in Lent, as parish-based information is made available. Diocesan Director of Development and Stewardship Char DeWitt said a program to describe the efforts of the Kansas School for Ministry and how Crossroads will support that work will be provided in every parish in March and April. At the end of that time, people will have the opportunity to make a three-year pledge to support the effort. Information to rectors and vicars will go out in early January, she said, with parish representatives selected and trained in each convocation. The diocese will supply that person and clergy leaders with turn-key materials to enable them to share the information with members of their congregations. Crossroads seeks to raise $6 million to endow KSM and its mission to educate lay and clergy leaders for parishes across the diocese, and to build a Leadership Center to house it and diocesan offices. Bishop Dean Wolfe in his address to Diocesan Convention in October announced that initial pledges totalling $2.2 million already have been received. (His convention address is printed beginning on page 2 of this issue.)


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