May 2 , 2008

Bulletin insert explains online survey

Bishop Dean Wolfe has announced that all members of the diocese are invited to participate in an online survey about a proposed diocesan-wide fundraising campaign – and a bulletin insert explaining the survey is now available for parish use. The insert, in a PDF format, is attached and also can be downloaded from the diocesan web site by clicking here.

The survey is operational from May 8-21, so the insert is suggested for use in parishes on two Sundays: May 11 and May 18.

Two 5.5 x 8.5 inch inserts are printed on a single page that, once printed, can be copied and placed in parish bulletins or handed out to parishioners.

If you have questions about the insert or have trouble accessing it, contact diocesan Director of Communications Melodie Woerman at mwoerman@episcopal-ks.org or (800) 473-3563.

Presiding Bishop comments on the process for deposing bishops

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has written to the House of Bishops, in which she reviews and comments on the process related to deposition, inhibition, renunciation and resignation of bishops.

She explains what the term “abandonment of communion” means as it relates to bishops leaving the Episcopal Church and how the process for voting on deposing bishops takes place.

She said in her April 30 letter, “ Some have misunderstood the impact and intent of deposition. It is this Church's formal way of saying to the world that the deposed cleric is no longer permitted to act as a sacramental representative of this Church. If vows to uphold the doctrine, discipline, and worship of this Church are not voluntarily renounced, how otherwise can a cleric take up new vows to uphold the doctrine, discipline, and worship of another Church?”

The text of the letter can be read in full at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/79901_96792_ENG_HTM.htm.

First-timers at summer camp to get a discount

As if fun, friends, faith and community weren’t enough to entice youth to attend diocesan summer church camp, Youth Missioner Chad Senuta has announced one more incentive – a $50 discount for first-time attenders, as well as for experienced campers who get a friend to attend.

New campers, as well as previous campers who recruit them, will have their fees reduced to $235.

Camp for senior high youth (grades 9-12) is June 1-7; the registration deadline is May 12. Camp for junior high youth (grades 6-8) is June 8-14; the registration deadline is also May 12. Intermediate camp for elementary children (grades 3-5) is June 15-21; the registration deadline is May 19.

More information about summer camp, along with a YouTube promotional video about all that camp has to offer, is available at http://www.episcopal-ks.org/youth/summercamp.html.

For any information about summer camp, contact Senuta at csenuta@episcopal-ks.org or (913) 362-1470.

Ordinations set for June 7

God willing, four people will be ordained by Bishop Dean Wolfe as transitional deacons in a service at Grace Cathedral, Topeka, on Saturday, June 7 at 10:30 a.m. Those being ordained are:

Philip Ray Hubbard , who is graduating from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, Calif. He is a member of St. Thomas, Overland Park.

Laurie Ann Lewis , who is graduating from Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Va. She is a member of St. James’, Wichita.

Paul King McLain III , who is a 2007 graduate of the Berkeley Divinity School at Yale University in New Haven, Conn. He is a member of Good Shepherd, Wichita.

Sarah Knoll-Williams , who also is graduating from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific. She is a member of St. Margaret’s, Lawrence.

Clergy will vest (alb and red stoles) and walk in the procession. They should arrive by 10 a.m.

Clergy news

The Rev. John Goddard has been called as interim pastor at St. Margaret’s, Lawrence, beginning June 1. He most recently has been an interim in Reno, Nev., and Boise, Idaho.

The Rev. Ashley Masoni , an ELCA pastor who has been serving at St. Margaret’s, will conclude her time at the parish on May 25.

The Rev. Kelley Lackey , rector of St. Andrew’s, Emporia, is recovering from a severe leg fracture. A full recovery will take about three months, although he is back at work and conducting services.

Celebrations of New Ministry have been planned for these rectors in coming months:

The Rev. Andrew Grosso at Trinity, Atchison, 7 p.m., Wednesday, May 21;

The Rev. Gail Greenwell at St. Michael’s, Mission, 7 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 1; and

The Rev. Eric Anderson at St. Matthew’s, Newton, 5:30 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 18.

EFM mentor training planned for June

Mentor training for Education for Ministry (EFM) will take place at Bethany Place Conference Center and Grace Cathedral in Topeka on June 12-14. It will begin at 10 a.m. on June 12 and end at noon on June 14.

The class for basic training is nearly full, but there is still space for formation training. If you are interested in basic training, contact Mike Morrow, and he will see about either obtaining a second trainer or will assist you with other nearby training.

The cost for the training is $75. You can stay at Bethany Place for a nominal charge. If interested, or if you have any questions, call Morrow at (316) 269-6146 (work) or (316) 686-0956 (home). His e-mail address is mmorrow4@cox.net.

Stimulus checks are an opportunity to give

The $600-per-person economic stimulus checks will start arriving in mailboxes and bank accounts soon.

Why not consider donating a portion of yours to an organization that reflects the Millennium Development Goals? There are many worthy projects available, and you might just make a dent in the spiraling consumer culture.

Diocesan MDG grants this year went to two agencies you might want to consider:

• Maison de Naissance, a birthing home in Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere. Information about this project that helps reduce maternal and infant mortality is available at http://www.maisondenaissance.com/.
• Comfort the Children International, an agency started by native Kansan the Rev. Zen Wilemon to work with the people of Kenya. It provides direct services to some of the nation’s poorest people and seeks to build relationships between Kenyans and Americans. More information is available at http://www.ctcinternational.org/new/index.html.
• The diocese also is planning to partner with Habitat for Humanity in 2009 to build homes in flood-damaged Coffeyville. You can help provide some of the funds needed to get this project off the ground by sending checks to the Diocese of Kansas, marked for “Coffeyville Habitat houses,” to 835 SWE Polk, Topeka, KS 66612.

For more ideas of where your money can go, check out the “Give It 4 Good” pages of Episcopalians for Global Reconciliation at http://www.e4gr.org/.

Welcome to newest diocesan staff member

Gisela Bartling is the newest member of the diocesan staff, serving four afternoons a week as receptionist. Hers will be the first voice callers to the diocesan offices usually will hear on Tuesday through Friday afternoons. She also will assist diocesan staff with a variety of duties.

She can be reached by e-mail at gbartling@episcopal-ks.org.

She shares the receptionist position with Tania Sudduth, who works on Mondays and on Tuesday through Friday mornings. Tania’s e-mail is receptionist@episcopal-ks.org.

Dates to note

Saturday, May 3: The 4th annual Evening of Art and Poetry at Trinity, Lawrence, 6:30- 9 p.m. at the parish, 1011 Vermont in Lawrence.

Sunday, May 4: Southeast Convocation meeting, 2:30 p.m. at St. John’s, 1801 Corning, Parsons.

Sunday, May 4: Cursillo Ultreya, 5 p.m. at St. Luke’s, 700 Lincoln, Wamego.

Sunday, June 1 and Monday, June 2: Concerts by Hector Olivera, world renowned organist, on the new Rodgers digital organ at St. Luke’s, 5325 Nieman Rd., Shawnee. Each concert will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets for each performance are $20 and must be purchased in advance. Call the parish office at (913) 631-8597 or e-mail secretary@stlukes.net for more information.

England trip offers peek into world of C.S. Lewis

The Stewardship and Development Committee of the diocese is sponsoring a trip to England this fall, with a special emphasis on the places important to the life and work of noted Anglican author C.S. Lewis.

The trip will take place Sept. 6-15 and will include stops in London, Canterbury, Oxford, Bristol, Epworth, York, Lincoln, Cambridge, Olney and Bedford. Along the way travelers will see Westminster Abbey; St. Paul’s, London; Canterbury Cathedral; York Minster; Lincoln Castle and other important places in English church history.

The trip will depart from either Kansas City or Wichita, runs 10 days and will cost $3,273 per person, double occupancy. All travel arrangements are through Sunflower Travel of Wichita.

To reserve your spot, or for more information, contact Bobbi at Sunflower Travel at (316) 634-1700 or (800) 445-0563 or bhansen@sunflowertravel.com. The agency’s web site is www.sunflowertravel.com.

For more information, you also can contact committee member and trip organizer Jerry Malone at jmalone17@cox.net.

Two ways to experience Benedictine spirituality offered

Dallas Benedictine Experience – June 18-22, at the Catholic Conference Center in Dallas, Texas. Participants will form a temporary monastic community to experience the rule of life of St. Benedict. There also will be two classes each day on Benedictine spirituality. E-mail dallasbenedictine@yahoo.com for more information.

Benedictine Experience in Collegeville, Minn. – Sept. 23-28. Participants will take part in an ordered day of prayer, study, work and leisure. E-mail saintbenedict@prospect-tech.com or visit www.benedictfriend.org for more information.

Anniversaries of ordinations

Congratulations go to these people as they celebrate the anniversaries of their ordination in the next two weeks:

May 2: The Rev. Conrad McNeer, retired
May 4: The Rev. Don Davidson, St. David’s, Topeka
May 5: The Rev. Arleigh Lassiter, retired; the Rev. Grant Clowers, non-parochial

Next DioLog

The next edition of DioLog will be sent to subscribers on Friday, May 16.

Information to be included should be sent to Melodie Woerman, diocesan director of communications, at mwoerman@episcopal-ks.org, no later than Wednesday, May 14.

Parishes are free to excerpt anything printed in DioLog; attribution is appreciated. Feel free to copy this and make it available to parishioners in whatever way is most useful.

To subscribe, send and e-mail to Melodie Woerman with the subject line “subscribe DioLog.”