The Harvest, January-February 2013

Inside The Harvest From the presiding bishop Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori in her Lenten message calls Episcopalians to remember the hungry this Lent, and eat accordingly. Page 2

K2K fundraiser A medieval feast is planned for April 6 as a special fundraiser for the Kansas to Kenya ministry, to support projects in that African nation. Page 4

Volf at Tocher Lecture Noted theologian and author Miroslav Volf will be the speaker at the next Tocher Lecture, set for April 25 at St. Thomas’ in Overland Park. The event is free and open to the public. Page 4

Miqra For more than a decade, Miqra has brought youth from across the diocese together to read and study the Bible, this year with an emphasis on the Old Testament. Page 5

Ashes to Go Clergy from three churches in the diocese offered Lent’s mark of repentance to people outside the church walls this year in a movement known as Ashes to Go. Page 6

Campus ministry

It’s been a busy start to the first semester for young adults involved with campus ministry, as they engaged in urban mission work and gathered for a retreat to better plan their work. Page 7

Around the diocese Read how teddy bears from Kansas are making life just a little easier for victims still recovering from last fall’s Hurricane Sandy, and about a small church that never gave up on a project to create a new banner. Page 8

Topeka piano whiz In addition to being an acolyte, dancer and all around “amazing kid,” 12-year-old Daniel Mangiaracino of St. David’s recently won two piano competitions. Page 9

Inaugural prayers Washington National Cathedral was the site for the traditional inaugural prayer service that marks the start of a president’s term. More than 2,000 worshippers gathered for the service Jan. 22. Page 11

New archbishop begins The new Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, took office after his confirmation ceremony Feb. 4 at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. His enthronement is set for March 21. Page 11

Latino leaders help launch weekly Spanish service in K.C. parish

By Melodie Woerman Editor, The Harvest The visit of a well-known Latino priest and an accomplished musician helped launch the start of a weekly Spanish service at St. Paul’s, Kansas City.

The Rev. Alberto Cutié and Julio Cuellar spent time at the parish Feb. 23-24 as part of a joint effort by the Episcopal Dioceses of Kansas and West Missouri and the Central States Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, through the denominations’ commitment to Latino ministry in the greater Kansas City area.

The appearance of Cuellar and the well-known Cutié, a Miami priest whose ministry included radio and television shows when he was in the Roman Catholic Church, came just nine months after St. Paul’s had its first outreach efforts to the growing Latino community in its neighborhood.

According to the Rev. Dixie Junk, St. Paul’s priest in charge, the visit of Cutié and Cuellar resulted in attendance of about 100 people at the weekend’s Saturday afternoon Spanish-language service, many of them new to the church. There was a crowd of 140 at the dinner and fiesta that followed, and Junk said about 100 of them also were first-time guests at St. Paul’s.

Since last summer, Spanish-speakers have begun attending St. Paul’s, in part through neighborhood outreach efforts, and Junk has worked with the congregation to prepare them for the launch of a

Photo by Melodie Woerman

The Rev. Alberto Cutié preaches at a Spanish service Feb. 23 at St. Paul’s, Kansas City.

Cutié, a priest in Miami, was in Kansas City to support the launch of a weekly Spanish service at St. Paul’s to serve the growing Latino congregation in the metropolitan area.

Joining Cutié in the visit was Julio Cuellar, a musician from Washington, D.C.

weekly Spanish service starting March 3.

In recent months they have also observed several church customs of Latino origin, including a Day of the Day remembrance in November and a celebration of the Virgin of Guadalupe in December.

Junk said these festive activities have

Women’s Summit to explore cultural and scripture images of women

By Melodie Woerman Editor, The Harvest

Women’s Summit April 19 - 20

St. James’, 3750 E. Douglas, Wichita Women constantly are bombarded with $40 per person registration images of themselves that emphasize only an intergenerational event for Episcophysical beauty, so some women in the pal women high school aged and up diocese decided it was time to see what they could do to change those perceptions.

That topic will form the basis of for all women in the diocese, conversations at the not just those in traditionally first-ever diocesan women-centered organizaWomen’s Summit, tions like Episcopal Church set for April 19-20 at Women groups, Daughters of St. James’, 3750 East the King or altar guild.

Douglas in Wichita.

“Bring your high school The event’s theme is daughter, your 30-something “Women and Girls: daughter, your aunt,” she Made in the Image of said, and “come talk together God.” about how we can provide Ellen Wolfe, one of positive images of who God the event’s organizers, wants us to be.” said that images of Dr. Deirdre Good will be The event begins on Friwomen in our culture the keynote speaker at the day, April 19 with a gathertoo often “aren’t help- first-ever diocesan Women’s ing time and light dinner at ful and constructive,” Summit April 19-20 in Wichita. 5:30 p.m., followed by the but the Christian faith keynote address. Events on Saturday helps women “to contrast and counteract will include three discussion topics, some of the images that we see.” Wolfe, with time for small group reflection, as a member of Grace Cathedral, Topeka, is married to Bishop Dean Wolfe.

She said this intergenerational event is (Please see Summit, page 2)

been warmly embraced by the existing congregation, with several telling her the Guadalupe service was “one of the most beautiful” they had ever seen.

(Please see Latino, page 3)

Wichita refugee agency expands its services

By Melodie Woerman Editor, The Harvest The work to help refugees from Burma (Myanmar) find a new life in Wichita is expanding as the agency that assists them finds itself on more secure financial footing.

Episcopal Wichita Area Refugee Ministry (EWARM) since July 2012 has welcomed 25 people in eight families — 16 adults and nine children — to new homes. Shannon Mahan, EWARM’s executive director, had her work cut out for her just getting the basics set up for families who arrived at the Wichita airport often with little beyond the clothes they were wearing.

But volunteer sponsoring organizations, usually churches, have helped provide funding and support volunteers, and as the program had grown it is starting to celebrate new milestones and expand how it helps its families.

The agency’s financial outlook was enhanced with nearly $30,000 in (Please see Agency, page 3)

2 • The Harvest • January/February 2013

Stand with those who are hungry A Lenten message from the Presiding Bishop

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 email) 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 Justin Welby Lambeth Palace, London WE1 7JU, United Kingdom www.anglicancommunion.org Episcopal seat: Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury, England

I wish you a blessed Lent.

Lent is the ancient season of preparation — preparation for Baptism at the Easter Vigil and a season of solidarity with those who are being formed to be disciples of Jesus and missionaries in God’s mission.

We form people in a sense that God dreams of a healed world, a world restored to peace with justice, and some of the ancient images of that healed world are those of the prophets.

One of the famous ones from Isaiah is an image of people having a picnic on a mountainside, enjoying rich food and well-aged wine.

That image of being wellfed is particularly poignant in a world like ours where so many go hungry.

Lent is a time when we pray, when we fast, when we study, when we give alms. It’s a time of solidarity, and it is particularly a time to be in solidarity with the least of these.

As you prepare for your Lenten season and your Lenten discipline, I’d encourage you to think about consciousness in eating. That’s really more what fasting is about than giving up chocolate. Being conscious of what you eat, standing in solidarity with those who are hungry, whether it is for food or shelter or peace or dignity or recognition or love.

When we stand in solidarity in terms of eating, we might consider what we are eating and how we are eating it and with whom we are eating, and I’d invite you to consider some of the challenges that are around us.

Many leaders in this United States part of the church have engaged in an act of solidarity with the poor by trying to live on a food stamp budget for a week.

That’s about $4 a person per day.

And it’s very, very difficult to find adequate calories and reasonably nutritious food for that kind of a budget, but it would be an act of solidarity with those who do go without every day and every week.

An act of solidarity like that might increase your consciousness about those who go hungry, it might increase your own consciousness about what you eat, and it might provide an opportunity to share some of your largesse, some of what you save from that kind of eating with those who go without.

The violence in our country, the violence around the world, is most often an act in response to those who don’t have enough — those who are hungry, those who ache for recognition and dignity, those who struggle for peace.

Your and my preparation for the great Easter festival can be an act of solidarity with the least of these.

A community of 2 million members in 109 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 more than 11,000 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

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

Summit: Planners hope women leave conference with a sense of reaffirmation (Continued from page 1) well as a closing Eucharist. The summit will conclude by 5 p.m.

The cost to attend is $40 and includes meals.

Wolfe said that the St. James’ parish hall seats up to 160 people, and she said she expects to have it filled for this event.

Professor will be keynote speaker The Episcopal Church

As you engage this Lent, I would encourage you to pray, to fast, to act in solidarity with those who go without.

Learn more, give alms, share what you have. Be conscious about what you eat.

A blessed, blessed Lent this year.

Highlighting the summit will be a keynote address on Friday evening by Dr. Deirdre Good, professor of New Testament at the General Theological Seminary in New York.

She’ll discuss what it might mean to be created in God’s image and likeness (as described in Genesis 1:26) and how this is realized — or not — particularly as women, and men, in non-Western cultures.

She also will explore ideas and images of Jesus in Christian traditions of both east and west, and in contemporary culture.

Dr. Good holds a Doctor of Theology degree from Harvard University Divinity School, as well as master’s degrees from Union Theological Seminary in New York and St. Andrew’s in Scotland. She has been a professor at General Seminary since 1992.

Three topics to be discussed

Wolfe said the first of three conversation topics on Saturday will be “What does contemporary society and the media say to us about who we are as women?”

Leading that will be Jodie Simon, an instructor in the Women’s Studies Department at Wichita State University.

She will use some of the “Killing Us Softly: Advertising’s Image of Women” materials developed

by Jean Kilbourne, a noted researcher on the connection between advertising and public health issues such as eating disorders, violence against women and addictions.

Following that will be a look at “What does the Bible say to us about who we are as women?”

That section will be led by Dr. Melissa Tubbs Loya, a Hebrew scripture scholar who is an adjunct faculty member at St. Paul School of Theology (Methodist) in Kansas City, Mo., as well as an instructor at the Kansas School for Ministry. Her husband is the Rev. Craig Loya, the diocese’s canon to the ordinary.

Participants then will have the chance to talk about the third topic, “What do we say to each other about who we are as women?” in small groups.

Next steps Wolfe said she hopes women who attend will leave with “a positive sense of themselves” and a “reaffirmation of what our faith and our sisters in this journey say to us about who we are and who we are meant to be.”

She expects that those who are there will come away knowing they’d been part of a helpful conversation and will want to continue it.

“I hope there will be enough enthusiasm to lead to another summit in the future,” she said.

Wolfe is joined as cochair by Deacon Fran Wheeler of St. Aidan’s, Olathe. They are part of a 21-member planning committee that includes women from 10 different congregations. They are sharing news of the event by speaking in churches and distributing flyers.

A registration form with information also is on the diocesan website, http://www.episcopal-ks.org/ news/ . v

January/February 2013 • The Harvest • 3

Latino: Service attracts many new worshippers an outsider, you don’t really know what it means to be welcomed,” she said.

(Continued from page 1)

Surprised by the welcome Junk said many of the Latino guests who came to the Feb. 23 service that featured Cutié and Cuellar made a point to speak to her afterward and express their thanks for such a warm welcome. “They came up to me to tell me how much they enjoyed the service and the fellowship time,” Junk said. “The warmth, openness, accessibility, fun — they couldn’t get over it.”

Two families were overjoyed at the chance to take communion, since they hadn’t been able to receive the sacrament in a Roman Catholic church for years because the parents aren’t married, Junk said, and they promised to bring other friends in coming weeks.

Some women expressed their delight at being in a church where the leadership of women was so evident, Junk said. Several people asked her about baptism or confirmation for themselves or a family member, and others wanted to know how they could join the congregation.

That service also included the baptism of Marco Valadez, a teen-aged friend of the Diaz family who have been attending since last summer.

When the regular, weekly Sunday afternoon Spanish service began on March 3, Junk said there were 19 people, with 21 present a week later.

All but a small handful of those people are new to the congregation, and some from the first week’s service brought people to the second one. Junk said that based on what people told her, she expects that trend to continue.

Because Junk herself doesn’t speak Spanish, other clergy who do are celebrating the Eucharist and, along with lay leaders, are preaching the sermons. About half of the Sunday afternoon worshippers are English speakers who prefer to worship in Spanish, she said.

Heart is most important In an interview with The Harvest, Cutié said the lack of Spanish-speaking clergy shouldn’t stop any congregation from reaching out to its Latino neighborhood.

The most important elements, he said, are an open heart and a radical welcome.

Something special to offer

Photos by Melodie Woerman

Julio Cuellar, a musician who hails from Bolivia and now works at four Episcopal churches in Washington, D.C., plays his guitar for the Feb. 23 Spanish service. He also offered a workshop on Latino worship music.

He has seen fluent Spanish speakers who didn’t connect with Latinos because “they don’t have much of an open heart to that type of ministry and to the needs of the specific community.”

The most effective ministers to a Latino congregation, he said, are people who care about people and their needs, who understand issues of immigration and economic struggles, and who are genuinely interested in people.

“Not every congregation can have a Spanish-language service right away, or a Spanish language minister to preach in Spanish, but every congregation can be radically welcoming,” he said.

Junk said that during Cutié’s visit, his validation of her ministry in spite of the language barrier was very important to her.

She said, “He told me, ‘With the right heart they will forgive you for not speaking the language.’”

She said she is beginning to understand why a sense of welcome is so important to Latinos who have come to St. Paul’s.

“If you don’t know what it’s like to be

Cutié said that many people make the mistake of assuming all Latinos are members of the Roman Catholic Church.

“They’re not all in the Roman church because there is a high percentage of them who aren’t worshipping anywhere.”

To them, he said, the Episcopal Church has a lot to offer. “When people understand our Eucharistic theology, our openness, our mentality that this is God’s table, not ours, I think they connect very well with that.”

As the number of Latinos in the United States continues to grow, Cutié said the church would be committing “spiritual malpractice” by not reaching out to them.

It takes some work to understand the Latino culture, he said, as well as a willingness to see that the church “is about bringing the gospel to those who need it most.”

But, he said, “We don’t think about whether we should feed the hungry or not.

We say, ‘No, let’s feed the hungry because they need food.’ Spiritually, we also need to feed those who are there.

“And if feeding them in English is only getting a certain group of people in the door, then we should think about feeding them in Spanish, because we are feeding them spiritually with God’s word, and with the liturgy and with the sacraments. No one can argue that there’s a great need, a great void, for that type of food.”

Music aids ‘party with Jesus’

The Rev. Dixie Junk (left) speaks at a service for volunteers at the Saturday morning hot breakfast at St. Paul’s, Kansas City, while the Rev. Alberto Cutié looks on.

Cuellar, a recording artist and composer from Bolivia who now works with four Episcopal churches in the Washington, D.C. area, provided the music for the Feb. 23 service with Cutié.

He also led a workshop on Latino church music, in which he described the service, “La Missa,” as a “party with Jesus,” so the music should reflect that — lively as people gather, building to a high point at the Peace, and then softening for communion hymns before a festive send-off that fills people up “like your car at the gas station,” he said.

Accessible music is the goal in Latino worship, but he said the most important part isn’t found on notes on a page. “Most of it comes from the heart,” he said. v

Agency: $30,000 in donations received in December (Continued from page 1) donations during the month of December. Half that amount came from a local private foundation, as well as contributions from other groups and individuals.

Some of this will be used for staff expansion, to include a part-time development specialist to provide for long-term funding needs.

EWARM also has added two part-time case workers, including Saw Moe, one of the first refugees to arrive last fall, who also is helping with translation needs of other families.

Celebration, and jobs In January, the refugee families planned a special Jan. 13 celebration for Karen New Year. Karen is one of the many ethnic groups within Burma, and a number of the refugees themselves are Karen.

The event is a major celebra-

Saw Moe (right), his wife Naw Shar and their infant son dress in native attire for the Karen New Year celebration Jan. 13 planned by the EWARM refugee families. Karen is an ethnic group in Burma.

tion in their native Burma.

According to Deacon Peg Flynn, who provides volunteer help to EWARM, the families planned the entire event, including videos and speeches about the

history of the Karen people and culture, accompanied by mountains of food they had prepared.

The event was another example, she said, of the community the families have formed. Flynn

said they provide support for one another in many ways — sharing their material goods with each other, as well as committing to welcoming new families when they arrive.

The entire group heads to the Wichita airport to greet a new family as they arrive, to greet them in their native language.

They also make sure a homecooked Burmese meal is waiting for them in their new apartment when they first arrive at their new home.

Besides fun, the good news extends to jobs for a growing number of the new Wichitans.

By February three heads of the first seven households had found employment, an seven more are in the process of being hired by an Arkansas City meat processing facility.

One of the biggest challenges has been finding jobs for the refugees, since many of them don’t

yet speak enough English to make employment easy to come by.

English classes to start The transition to their new language will be made easier starting March 25, when EWARM begins to offer English language classes in their offices adjacent to St. John’s Episcopal Church near downtown.

The agency has hired an English-as-a-second-language instructor who is developing a curriculum to fit their needs.

Classes will take place Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings, as well as Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.

Flynn said EWARM has been recruiting volunteers to staff a day care center on the campus for the preschool-aged children whose parents will be in class.

She said this may develop into an on-going preschool experience for the youngest refugees. v

4 • The Harvest • January/February 2013

Miroslav Volf will be speaker at Tocher Lecture

Photo by Melodie Woerman

Four are ordained in January

Bishop Dean Wolfe ordained four people in a service at Grace Cathedral in Topeka on Jan. 5.

They are (pictured above, from left) the Rev. David Lynch, the Rev. Lavonne Seifert, Bishop Wolfe, the Rev. Adrianna Shaw and the Rev. David Jenkins.

Lynch, Shaw and Jenkins were ordained as priests; Seifert was ordained as a transitional deacon and, pending approvals and necessary consents, she will be ordained a priest later this summer.

Lynch, whose home church is St. Michael and All Angels in Mission, is serving as curate at St. James’ in Wichita. He graduated in May 2012 from Virginia Theological Seminary.

Seifert, also originally from St. Michael’s, is serving as an intern at St. Aidan’s, Olathe, while studying for a year at the Kansas School for Ministry. She earned her degree from the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, Mass.

Shaw, who is from St. Paul’s, Leavenworth, is a resident in Clinical Pastoral Education and also is assisting priest at St. David’s, Round Rock, Texas. She is a graduate of the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin.

Jenkins, from St. David’s, Topeka, is priest in charge at the Church of the Covenant in Junction City. He is a former ordained minister with the Disciples of Christ and also attended KSM. He also is state chaplain for the Kansas National Guard, with the rank of colonel. v

A Medieval Feast A fundraiser for the Kansas 2 Kenya ministry Saturday, April 6, 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 “Medieval Feast” in the memo line. Mail ticket order with check 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 support K2K projects in Kenya.

This year’s Tocher Lecture religious books of the 20th will feature noted theologian century); After Our Likeness Dr. Miroslav Volf, who will (1998), in which he explores speak on develthe Trinitarian oping a culture nature of eccleof respect and sial community; Allah: A Christhe nature of tian Response relationships (2011), which between people looks at whethwho are divided er Muslims by strong disand Christians agreements. have a comThe public mon God; and lecture will take A Public Faith: place on ThursOn How Folday, April 25 at 7 p.m. at St. Theologian Dr. Miroslav Volf lowers of Christ Thomas’, 12251 will be the speaker at this Should Serve the year’s Tocher Lecture at St. Common Good Antioch Road in Thomas, Overland Park on (2011).

Overland Park. April 25.

He is actively This event is free and open to all who are in- involved in many top-level terested in attending. A reception initiatives on Christian-Muslim relations and is a member of the and book signing will follow.

An invitation-only event for Global Agenda Council of the clergy will take place that same World Economic Forum.

In addition to his service day at 3 p.m. at Yale, Volf has taught at the Evangelical Theological SemiProfessor at Yale Volf is an internationally re- nary in Osijek, Croatia, and at nowned theologian who serves Fuller Theological Seminary in as Henry B. Wright Professor Pasadena, Calif. of Theology at Yale Divinity School and Director of the Yale Sponsored by KSM Center for Faith and Culture.

The Tocher Lecture is an He was educated in his na- annual event sponsored by the tive Croatia, the United States Kansas School for Ministry. and Germany and completed his The lecture is named for the doctoral studies at the Univer- Rev. George Tocher, a priest sity of Tübingen under Jürgen who had served at St. James’, Moltmann.

Wichita, prior to his retirement He is best known for his ef- in 1971. forts to demonstrate the role of After his death, a memorial religious faith as it relates to so- bequest established a diocesan cial, political and cultural issues. endowment fund in his name for His writings also include the benefit of clergy continuing theological explorations of the education. nature of work, ecumenical The Tocher Lectures have relations, globalization and rec- broadened that desire, and now onciliation. members of the general public He has written or edited 15 attend from across the diocese. books and more than 70 scholInformation about the public arly articles. lecture, as well as reservations His books include Exclusion for the clergy afternoon event, and Embrace (1996), the winner are available from KSM Coorof the Grawemeyer Award in dinator the Rev. Andrew Grosso Religion and one of “Christian- at (913) 367-3171 or rector@ ity Today’s” 100 most important trinityks.org. v

KSM to offer summer session on English mystical theology This summer, the Kansas School for Ministry will offer a special one-time session on the English mystical tradition.

This course will provide participants with an opportunity to become more familiar with the sources and figures of English mystical theology, including the anonymous but influential text The Cloud of Unknowing and medieval writers like Richard Rolle, Julian of Norwich and Margery Kempe.

The class will meet at the Bethany Place Conference Center in Topeka on June 8-9 (beginning Saturday morning and running through Sunday afternoon) and will be led by Dr. Jim Lewis.

The cost for the course is $100, which covers instruction, lodging at the conference center and meals, but not books or travel.

This summer course is open to anyone who is interested; one need not be a regular KSM student to participate.

For further information or to register for the course, please contact KSM’s Coordinator, the Rev. Andrew Grosso, at (913) 367-3171 or rector@trinityks.org. v

January/February 2013 • The Harvest • 5

Page after page The Bible is the subject of the annual Miqra weekend for youth of the diocese Story by Melodie Woerman Photos by Miqra staff Miqra is the popular Bible-based youth event that takes place every January over the Martin Luther King weekend. For a decade it has offered the chance to learn about the Bible through educational workshops and the event’s signature piece — reading the entire Bible out loud in hourly segments over the course of the weekend.

This year’s version added a theme, the Old Testament, which helped shape the weekend’s content. The New Testament will take the spotlight in 2014.

Karen Schlabach, diocesan youth missioner, said having a theme helped guide presentations and workshops

and even the games and movies that were offered. “It enabled us to really delve into one topic and feel like we learned a more cohesive amount of information,” she said.

This year the concluding joint

reading of the final chapter of Revelation was followed by a return to the beginning — reading the first chapter of Genesis. That. Schlabach said, represented “that we should continue reading the Bible year-round, and that

Besides Bible reading and lots of informational workshops, students had time for fun and games, too. Here junior high students get to know each other through a game of cards.

Above: The Bible reading by senior high students was streamed live on the Internet, prompting a sign letting viewers know the current book being read.

Right: Music that got students up and moving was an important part of the junior high section of Miqra.

while we finished and were done, we started again.”

With 84 youth attending, the event again took place in two Topeka churches: senior high at Grace Cathedral and junior high at St. David’s.

They were guided by a team of 37 adult sponsors and Miqra staff members, as well as eight people who made presentations.

They included Bishop Dean Wolfe, who focused on the prophets, and Dr. Melissa Tubbs Loya, who described the contents of the Hebrew scriptures.

Other presenters were diocesan Campus Missioner the Rev. Michael Bell, the Rev. Kelly Demo, the Rev. Art Rathbun, Deacon Sandy HortonSmith, Dan Kuhlman and Anne Hechl. v

6 • The Harvest • January/February 2013

‘Ashes to Go’ takes mark of repentance to the streets Three Diocese of Kansas churches participated in Ash Wednesday event

By Melodie Woerman Editor, The Harvest Clergy from three parishes took the symbols of Lent outside their church buildings when they offered to place ashes on the foreheads of shoppers and others on Ash Wednesday.

Participants came from St. Paul’s, Kansas City; St. Paul’s, Leavenworth; and St. Michael and All Angels, Mission.

Their effort is part of a movement known as “Ashes to Go,” which began in St. Louis in 2006 and since has spread to dozens of congregations across the Episcopal Church and a few other denominations.

The premise is simple. Clergy and lay leaders, often in vestments, stand on street corners, near shopping centers, on train platforms or in other places where people gather, and offer to impose ashes in the shape of a cross on the foreheads of anyone who desire it.

it’s because the church is making the effort to go to them.”

Junk said that some of the pantry visitors left her with the impression that they felt they’d not be welcomed in her church, and many seem burdened.

“I get the sense it really impacts them to hear that God forgives and that God hates nothing that God created,” Junk said.

St. Michael and All Angels, Mission

St. Michael’s sent out two teams of two clergy each, with one group visiting a local hospital and another at a shopping center near the church.

The Rev. Gail Greenwell, rector, and assistant rector the Rev. Bill Breedlove, greeted shoppers outside a local grocery store as well as people in a nearby coffee shop.

She said they encountered “everything from suspicion to pure delight — pretty much what we had anticipated.”

She said a young mother hurrying into the grocery store was so moved by her encounter with the clergy that she broke into tears. The woman said, Greenwell noted, that children’s dentist appointments and basketball practice would keep her from church.

“Thanks for bringing it to me,” the St. Paul’s, Kansas City This was the second year the woman said.

Breedlove stopped into StarRev. Dixie Junk, priest in charge at St. Paul’s, Kansas City, offered bucks, and baristas leaned over ashes to people who stopped the counter to receive the ashes, Greenwell by to visit the said, and then church’s popureturned to lar food pantry, “I get the sense it making lattes which is open for customers. on Wednesday really impacts them Greenwell afternoons. said she and She offered to hear that God Breedlove a brief explanation to those forgives and that God passed many people with gathered in the hates nothing that ashes on their waiting room foreheads and provided God created.” from visits each with a to churches. small bro—The Rev. Dixie Junk W h e n t h e y chure that insaw the two cluded prayers c l e r g y, s h e from the Ash Wednesday liturgy as well as a said, “There were little nods of schedule of Holy Week services. acknowledgement that we were She then went around the room experiencing Ash Wednesday as one-by-one and offered ashes, the Body of Christ.”

She said the clergy who were at prayers or anointing for healing.

She said only one person de- the hospital offered ashes throughclined any interaction, and some out the building, including staff requested anointing because they offices. “People were thrilled to were unfamiliar with the tradition see them,” she said. of ashes to mark the start of Lent.

She said some pantry visitors tracked her down to receive ashes or prayers. In total she said about 65 people participated.

Beyond offering the church’s tradition in this unexpected setting, Junk said the experience “opens up a conversation” that offers people an opportunity to ask questions about the Episcopal Church or faith.

“People seem to be much more open and seem to feel freer to ask questions in this forum,” she said.

“I don’t know if it is because of the nature of the one-on-one contact, and that it’s fairly informal and engaging, that opens this up, or if

Photo by Drew Vining

The Rev. Bill Breedlove (center), assistant rector at St. Michael and All Angels, places ashes on the forehead of a woman about to enter an area grocery store on Ash Wednesday. St. Michael’s was one of three Diocese of Kansas churches that participated in a movement known as “Ashes to Go.”

He noted that while God is “great and awesome … we forget that our God is a God of small things.”

Widespread in 2012

Photo by Richard Klein

The Rev. Dixie Junk, priest in charge of St. Paul’s, Kansas City, marks a cross of ashes on the forehead of a man at the church’s food pantry.

Greenwell said the parish will participate in Ashes to Go again next year, and she plans to get more clergy involved so they can be in more locations around the busy noon hour.

St. Paul’s, Leavenworth The Rev. Michael Munro, rector of St. Paul’s, Leavenworth, stood on a street corner near the church and offered ashes to those

passing by. Those who stopped, he said, “were genuinely grateful” for them and were not merely “skimming the surface of faith.”

He noted that Episcopalians are proud of the church’s heritage and liturgy and want to share that with others, but some have labeled Ashes to Go a superficial encounter of little consequence.

“The encounter with God is never inconsequential,” he said.

A reporter from Kansas City television station WDAF-TV, the local FOX affiliate, interviews the Rev. Gail Greenwell about her experience offering Ashes to Go in front of a local grocery store.

Photo by Drew Vining

While Ashes to Go originated seven years ago, an organized effort in the Diocese of Chicago in 2010 brought the practice to the attention of many Episcopalians, and by 2012 it had spread to more than 80 churches in 21 states.

Often the comment those clergy receive is similar to one Junk and Greenwell heard: “I can’t believe you’re taking the ashes outside the church and bringing them to us here.”

Photos and stories of clergy offering ashes last year dotted the front pages of many newspapers, including USA Today.

That trend continued in 2013, with clergy in many dioceses featured in photo essays, newspaper stories and television interviews..

Drew Vining, communications director at St. Michael’s, said that WDAF-TV, the local FOX affiliate, covered Greenwell’s and Breedlove’s efforts, including an interview with Greenwell.

The Ashes to Go website said that ideally people would receive ashes in the context of a full church service but many people, either can’t get to church that day, or they are unaware that church exists for people who aren’t already right with God. That’s where Ashes to Go comes in. “Our actions speak louder than our words,” the FAQ section of the website states. “If you aren’t ready or able to come to church, then the church is willing and able to come to you with God’s invitation to relationship, repentance and healing.”

More information about Ashes to Go is online at www.ashestogo. org. v

January/February 2013 • The Harvest • 7

Young adults in campus ministry start a busy semester Young adults from across the diocese who are involved with campus ministry have been part of two major events since the start of the year.

Ten people, including several adults, participated in the second offering of “thelo,”an urban social service mission experience in Wichita Jan. 6-11. The first “thelo” offering took place in May 2012.

The Rev. Michael Bell, diocesan campus missioner, said the event offers young adults the chance to learn about urban poverty, volunteer with area social service agencies and reflect on their experiences.

The title is taken from a Greek word meaning “I am willing.”

As in May, participants stayed at the Magnificat Center, a retreat facility operated by the Congregation of St. Joseph, an order of Roman Catholic nuns. They also shared daily prayer and worship with the sisters.

Work sites included the offices of Episcopal Social Services, a diocesan social service agency; Breakthrough Club, a services and support organization for people with mental illness; Green Leaf Café, an ESS-operated restaurant that teaches culinary skills; and the Episcopal Wichita Area Refugee Ministry, which resettles refugees from Burma (Myanmar).

Bell said the campus ministry program encourages young adult to participate in mission opportunities, either at home or abroad. This helps them, he said, “remain mindful of our interconnected humanity and call to serve all while being especially compassionate toward the poor, hungry sick and otherwise vulnerable.”

Another “thelo” event is planned for Aug. 4-9.

Peer minister retreat Twelve students who serve as peer ministers at six campuses in the diocese attended a retreat on Jan. 26-27 at the Bethany Place Conference Center in Topeka to make plans for the coming semester.

Campus peer ministers gathered for a retreat in January: (from left, front row) Olivia Divish, Claire Howard, Andrew Leigh-Bullard and Caroline Howard; (middle row) Hannah Clayton, Sadie Price, KU intern Abby Olcese, Naomi Cunningham and Ashley Petty; (back row) Deacon Jeff Roper, Ben Allman, Austin Stapleton, Tyler Kerr, Tristan Holmberg, K-State intern Taylor Mather and the Rev. Michael Bell.

They were joined by campus missioner the Rev. Michael Bell; campus interns Abby Olcese, who serves at the University of Kansas; Taylor Mather, who works at Kansas State University; and Deacon John Roper, coordinator of the Episcopal Campus Ministries of Wichita, which includes students from many Wichita-area schools.

The diocese has peer ministers for the spring semester serving on these campuses: Kansas State University the University of Kansas Emporia State University; Wichita State University; Pittsburg State University; Baker University; Newman University; and Labette Community College.

Pending their applications, peer ministers also will be serving this spring at Friends University and Butler County Tristan Holmberg (left) sorts through items in a storage closet at Episcopal Social Services, Community College. with the help of the Rev. Laurie Lewis, assistant rector at St. Stephen’s, Wichita, as part — Melodie Woerman v of the young adult “thelo” experience in Wichita Jan. 6-11.

MegaCamp 2013: “Found, Known, Loved”

June 2-8 Camp Wood YMCA Grades 3-12

Fun, worship and friends Volunteer counselors also needed

Register now! www.episcopal-ks.org/youth

8 • The Harvest • January/February 2013

Around the diocese St. John’s, Abilene celebrated Epiphany with a king cake. Ben Shafer found a coin in his slice so was named “King for a Day.”

munity volunteers provide a hot lunch on Saturdays to anyone who wants to come and eat.

Trinity, Arkansas City hosted the pancake supper for Episcopalians in Cowley County on Shrove Tuesday, with pancakes augmented by eggs and bacon.

Epiphany, Independence is asking for donation to help match a $1,000 grant toward the amount needed to pay for tuck pointing.

The stone walls and connecting mortar were deemed in serious need of repair.

Trinity, Atchison discussed a proposed strategic vision for the church during adult forum times in December and January.

St. Mark’s, Blue Rapids earned $270 for youth activities, including summer camp, by staging a holiday bake sale at a local grocery store Dec. 15.

St. Paul’s, Clay Center saw the award-winning movie “Lincoln” Jan. 14 in Manhattan during the annual parish movie night.

St. Andrew’s, Derby provided a list of do-it-ourselves projects needed to complete the expansion of the church’s guild hall and kitchen, including adding cabinets, installing flooring, painting walls and staining trim.

St. Martin’s, Edwardsville has purchased oil-filled candles for the altar candlesticks, to save money and eliminate dripping wax. Memorial funds were used for the project.

Trinity, El Dorado heard from Dr. Barbara Andres, executive director of Episcopal Social Services in Wichita, who preached at the 10:30 a.m. service. She focused on the ministries of ESS and the way people can respond to God’s love.

St. Andrew’s, Emporia marked the first anniversary of its Loaves and Fishes ministry in December. Members and com-

Covenant, Junction City hosted two receptions in January for clergy — Jan. 6 to mark the ordination the day before of priest in charge the Rev. David Jenkins, and Jan. 13 to honor the work of the Rev. Art Rathbun in providing services in recent months.

St. Paul’s, Kansas City had an all-parish luncheon Jan. 6 to celebrate not only Epiphany but the visitation by Bishop Dean Wolfe.

Three kings, arrayed in costumes, were part of their Dia de Reyes (Day of King) observance.

St. Margaret’s, Lawrence will look at the way Myers-Briggs types affect preferred habits of spirituality during the Wednesday evening Lenten series.

Trinity, Lawrence hosted a sale of crafts and jewelry by African Team Ministries on Sunday, Feb. 3, to benefit the Anglican Diocese of East Africa, which has to provide care for many AIDS orphans.

St. Paul’s, Leavenworth offered a night out for kids (and free night for parents) on Saturday, Feb. 5. The evening included dinner and activities appropriate for participants from age 3 to 12.

St. Paul’s, Manhattan stepped up to keep the weekly Tuesday Happy Kitchen (La Cocina Allegreo) breakfasts humming while college students were away on

Photo by the Rev. Jan Chubb

Bears bring comfort to Hurricane Sandy victims St. Timothy’s, Iola, has sent dozens of teddy bears to a partner church in New Jersey that was hit hard

by Hurricane Sandy, with more now on the way. The latest sleuth of bears is destined for Long Island, to comfort storm victims there.

The Iola church sent bears to St. Elisabeth’s by the Sea in Ortley Beach, N.J. before Christmas, accompanied by gift cards, cookies and boxes of Russell Stover candy. Each one wore a sunflower-themed bandana, made by parishioner Joyce Roath. The bears were purchased by St. Timothy’s.

The latest batch of fuzzy ambassadors is being shipped from Kansas to Otley Beach and will be delivered by youth from the Diocese of New Jersey to their counterparts in the Diocese of Long Island.

These latest bears also sport Kansas neckwear and come with a variety of gift cards, provided by members of St. Timothy’s and St. Paul’s, Coffeyville. v

Christmas break. They took the place of usual student volunteers by cooking, serving and cleaning up.

St. Paul’s, Marysville is alternating with St. Mark’s, Blue Rapids in hosting weekly Lenten Bible study classes. The topic will be the gospel of Mark.

St. Michael’s, Mission said farewell to Deacon Suzi Drury who retired from active parish ministry on Jan. 6. A festive Evensong with Bishop Dean Wolfe, followed by a reception, marked the occasion.

Ascension, Neodesha received a thank-you note from a local Alcoholics Anonymous group for the use of church space for meetings.

St. Matthew’s, Newton is following up on its Advent challenge of walking from Nazareth to Bethlehem with a more ambitious Lenten goal — waking the equivalent of the 7,200 miles from Newton to Jerusalem. Led by parish nurse Sandra Herder, parishioners will track miles walked or run, as well as other exercise that will be converted to mileage equivalents.

Photo by Deacon Kitty Shield

Banner is three-year project Three years ago women at St. Jude’s in Wellington began what they thought would be an easy project — making a new processional banner for their church. But while the effort went through what Deacon Kitty Shields called “many starts and stops,” it is nearing completion.

Shields said banner-makers are adding final stuffing to the project, which she calls “beautiful,” The banner features the parish name and city, along with a depiction of St. Jude, one of the 12 apostles, surrounded by wheat, representing Kansas. v

St. Aidan’s, Olathe Daughters of the King chapter invited all women of the parish for a brunch on Feb. 2 to learn more about the group and to consider joining.

Grace, Ottawa welcomed the choir from Bishop Seabury Academy in Lawrence for the church’s service of Lessons and Carols before Christmas St. Thomas, Overland Park offered a pre-Lenten soup lunch

on Sunday, Feb. 10, as well as the chance to make an Anglican rosary for use in Lenten prayers.

St. John’s, Parsons participated in the annual Souper Bowl of Caring Feb. 3, by bringing nonperishable food to church to aid the Labette Assistance Center. A special offering aided the SafeHaven Homeless Shelter. The event coincided with football’s Super Bowl.

St. Peter’s, Pittsburg is gathering in a different member’s home Wednesdays during Lent for Eucharist, dinner and study.

Various parish groups provided the food.

St. Luke’s, Shawnee offered a two-part class that explored the connection between the gospels and the popular musical-turned movie “Les Miserables.” The Rev. Shawn Streepy was the class leader.

St. Francis, Stilwell observed “Plow Sunday” on Jan. 13, following an old English church custom of bringing a plow into church to be blessed in advance of the coming planting season. The parish substituted members’ garden implements for a plow.

Grace Cathedral, Topeka hosted the city’s annual “Whose Dream Is It” celebration of the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on Jan. 21. Sponsored by the Topeka Center for Peace and Justice, the evening included a soup supper and a speech by an officer of the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Ala. St. David’s, Topeka youth par-

ticipated in a “sound of silence” retreat Feb. 9, for an evening without the noise of TV programs, iPods or text beeps. Dinner was followed by exercises that encouraged prayer and silent meditation.

St. Luke’s, Wamego took part in the “Chocolate Fantasy Night” Feb. 9, in support of Wamego’s Community Health Ministry. The church’s entry was one of several that highlighted the evening’s theme of chocolate and coffee Good Shepherd, Wichita combined the start of Chinese New Year and the annual stewardship effort with a hot pot and lettuce wrap stewardship dinner on Feb. 9. All members were invited to participate in the kickoff event.

St. Bartholomew’s, Wichita had a pre-Valentine’s Day party on Feb. 10, featuring lasagna and fun.

St. James’, Wichita has begun a new handbell choir, with the group’s first rehearsal taking place Feb. 7. Slots for interested ringers still are available.

St. John’s, Wichita is sponsoring its 42nd annual Lenten luncheon and speaker series Wednesdays during Lent. Speakers included the Rev. Richard Schmidt, author and former editor of Forward Movement. Others were Bishop Dean Wolfe, Canon to the Ordinary the Rev. Craig Loya, Grace Cathedral dean the very Rev. Steve Lipscomb and St. John’s rector the Rev. Earl Mahan.

Grace, Winfield has a Daughters of the King chapter, which met for its regular monthly meeting on Feb. 18. v

January/February 2013 • The Harvest • 9

People

Mission rector named to task force on marriage “This is going to be very interestThe Rev. Gail Greenwell, recing work, and I am grateful to the tor of St. Michael and All Angels President of the House of Depuin Mission, is one of 12 people ties and the Presiding Bishop for named to a new Episcopal Church thinking of me.”

Task Force on the Study of MarPresiding Bishop Jefferts Schriage. Her appointment was made ori said of the group’s work, “This jointly by Presiding Bishop Kathtask force is charged not only arine Jefferts Schori and President to take the pulse of our current of the House of Deputies the Rev. theological understanding of the Gay Clark Jennings on Feb. 14. meaning of marriage, but to asThe task force was created sist the faithful in conversation by a resolution adopted at last and discernment about marriage, summer’s General Convention in particular what the Church and was to include “theologians, The Rev. Gail Greenwell is might hold up as ‘holy example’ liturgists, pastors, and educators one of 12 people appointed to identify and explore biblical, to a new Episcopal Church of the love between Christ and his theological, historical, liturgi- Task Force on the Study of Church.” cal and canonical dimensions of Marriage.

Jennings noted, “The Episcopal marriage.”

Church’s theology and practice of According to a news release from the Episcopal marriage has changed significantly over the centuChurch Office of Public Affairs announcing the ries, and we need to understand more clearly what appointments, the group “is expected to consult we as a church mean when we use that word. I am broadly across the Episcopal Church and the An- grateful to the 12 leaders who have offered their glican Communion, develop tools for theological time and expertise to help the church have a widereflection and discussion, and make a report to the ranging discussion about marriage and respond to the issues raised by the marriage debate in civil 78th General Convention in 2015.”

In accepting the appointment Greenwell said, society.” v

Submitted photo

St. David’s youth wins piano prizes Daniel Mangiaracino, a member of St. David’s, Topeka,in recent months has received several area awards recognizing his classical piano performance expertise.

In January he placed first in the junior category at the 2013 Ovation Young Artist Piano Competition in Kansas City, Mo. He also received the competition’s special award for artistry.

He also was recognized as first place alternate in the national piano competition sponsored by the Music Teachers National Association, which took place in Topeka in November.

Daniel, who is 12 and a seventh grade student at Bishop Seabury Academy in Lawrence, began studying the piano when he was 6. He now takes lessons twice a week from Scott McBride Smith, a University of Kansas professor of piano, and says that he practices from three to five hours a day.

He also studies dance at a Topeka studio.

At St. David’s he serves as an acolyte and has performed liturgical dance pieces on special occasions, according to the Rev. Don Davidson, the parish’s rector, who calls Daniel “an amazing kid.” v

School chaplain goes drop by drop to spur on blood drive Students and faculty at Bishop Seabury Academy in Lawrence were encouraged to sign up for the school’s blood drive on Feb. 16 by their chaplain, the Rev. Patrick Funston, wearing a costume resembling a smiling drop of blood.

The first blood drive in three years at the diocese’s secondary school prompted 61 people to sign up, including eight students, 10 parents and five faculty members.

The rest were community members.

Funston said local residents appreciated the chance to give blood during a Saturday blood drive.

He said the school is thinking about having another blood drive in early December. v

Topekan picked as new chaplain to Kansas Senate The Rev. Don Davidson, what he describes as “a totally rector of St. David’s, Topeka, non-partisan way.”

That non-partisanship extends has added a ministry task to his days this spring that puts him to the prayers he offers, Davidson said, noting that in contact with he does not pray some of the most about specific isinfluential politisues nor does he cians in the state discuss them with of Kansas. the senators.

He is the new “I try to pray chaplain to the as inclusively as Kansas Senate, possible, rememone of the two bering our heritage branches of the of religious freeKansas Legdom,” he said. islature, which While his work meets for 90 days is reverential, Daevery year beginThe Rev. Don Davidson vidson said that ning in January.

This role requires Davidson once in a while, often on Fridays, to provide a daily prayer as the he tries to lighten the mood a Senate begins its work or to little.

One recent prayer was for schedule a guest chaplain to serve the legislators’ “soles,” he said, in his place.

He also provides a pastoral referring to the amount of time presence to the 40 senators in senators and their assistants are

on their feet, moving from one meeting to another.

Davidson took over on the second day of this legislative session, following the retirement in 2012 of the Rev. Fred Holloman, a Baptist minister who had been Senate chaplain for more than 30 years.

Davidson said that Senate President Susan Wagle of Wichita had heard about Davidson from other senators and from former Kansas Representative Lee Tafanelli, who now is the state’s Adjutant General.

Davidson retired in 2012 as state chaplain for the Kansas National Guard, which is under the Adjutant General’s jurisdiction.

Beyond that, Davidson said, being selected to provide a pastoral presence under the iconic dome of the Kansas Capitol “is a bit of a mystery, really.”

— Melodie Woerman v

El Dorado members help set Guinness record

Bishop Seabury Academy chaplain the Rev. Patrick Funston dressed as a drop of blood to promote a blood drive at the school.

Members from Trinity, El Dorado helped set a Guinness world record on Feb. 16 in a category that is obscure but life-saving.

They, along with nearly 2,000 other volunteers, helped assemble the most hunger relief meals ever packaged in no more than one hour.

Within 32 minutes, 479,034 meals were packaged, eclipsing by more than 120,000 packages the old mark set by the University of Guelph in Canada in 2012.

All the food will be shipped to Haiti to provide a year’s worth of nutrition for 800 school children in Borde and Lambert.

The event took place at Wichita’s Kansas Coliseum Pavilion and was sponsored by Numana,

Inc., a nonprofit charity with its headquarters in El Dorado. Numana organizes meal-packing events across the country to provide food for hungry people around the world.

Volunteers at the Wichita event gathered around 115 packing stations and scooped food products from large bins into 12-ounce containers that Numana will ship to Haiti.

Edie Howard, Numana’s Director of Corporate Development, attends Trinity.

This event took place in partnership with Wichita Downtown Rotary and Volunteer Kansas Volunteers also were asked to bring canned goods for the Kansas Food Bank, and approximately 1,305 pounds of food was collected. v

10 • The Harvest • January/February 2013

National and international news Anglican news briefs Episcopal News Service  Churchwide conversation focuses on human trafficking.

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori hosted an hour-long, churchwide conversation on human trafficking March 6 highlighting a problem of immense human proportions. There are twice as many people in bondage today as there were at the height of the slave trade, and they work in conditions of forced labor and sexual servitude in what is a $32 billion a year business, second only to the illicit drug trade. The church-sponsored event, streamed online from the Episcopal Church Center’s Chapel of Christ the Lord in New York, was one of many off-site gatherings scheduled to coincide with the 57th annual United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. This year’s theme is the elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls.  Injunction sought to protect South Carolina Episcopal diocese. A motion filed March 7 asks the U.S. District Court to grant a preliminary injunction to stop Mark Lawrence from using the name and marks of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina and from representing that his activities are associated with the diocese. The Rt. Rev. Charles G. vonRosenberg, who is recognized as the bishop of the diocese by the Episcopal Church, also filed a complaint on March 5 asking the federal court to declare that only he has the authority to act in the name of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina. In October 2012 Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori restricted Lawrence from exercising his ministry. In response, Lawrence announced that he and the diocese had disassociated from The Episcopal Church. After the presiding bishop accepted Lawrence’s renunciation of ministry, she convened a special convention of the diocese on Jan. 26, where Bishop vonRosenberg was elected and invested as provisional bishop.  Episcopal Relief & Development assists Mozambique flood response. Episcopal Relief & Development is supporting emergency flood response and recovery efforts in Mozambique through two dioceses of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa.

The region experienced severe flooding due to rains that started in October and have continued since then. Reports indicate that around 100 people have died as a result of the flooding, and the country’s infrastructure has suffered greatly. An estimated 250,000 people have been affected. The church’s response will provide immediate relief to approximately 2,200 displaced families and assist with replanting after flood waters recede.  New archbishop elected by Anglican Church of Tanzania.

The Church of the Province of Tanzania on Feb. 21 elected Jacob Chimeledya, bishop of Mpwapwa Diocese in Tanzania, as its new archbishop and primate. Chimeledya takes over from the Most Rev. Valentino Mokiwa, who has been archbishop since February 2008. He will be installed in May at a service at the Anglican Cathedral in the Tanzanian capital, Dodoma.  Executive Council decries gun violence, trafficking. The Episcopal Church’s Executive Council Feb. 27 took a stand against gun violence and gun trafficking, and called on Episcopalians to “repent of our own roles in the glorification and trivialization of violence.” The resolution adopted by the Council expresses “profound sorrow at the epidemic of gun violence” and urges Episcopalians to work toward “comprehensive social responses that seek to stem the cycles of violence that fuel gun crime.” It affirms a number of previous General Convention resolutions related to gun violence and the easy availability of weapons.  Pakistan’s only Anglican college receives $3.1 million government grant. Edwardes College in Peshawar, Pakistan, has received a development grant equal to $3.1 million in U.S. currency from the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Edwardes College, an Anglican-founded undergraduate and graduate institution, is located in the troubled border region of northwestern Pakistan. The oldest institution of higher education in the region, Edwardes was founded in 1900 by the Church Mission Society. Since 1956, it has operated under the auspices of the local church, which in 1970 joined with Lutherans, Methodists, and Presbyterians to form the Church of Pakistan, a full member of the Anglican Communion. v

‘Cardboard cathedral’ nears Easter completion Episcopal News Service

Two years after a magnitude-6.3 earthquake decimated Christchurch, New Zealand, and its suburbs on Feb. 22, 2011, the diocese is nearing completion on what has been dubbed its new “Cardboard Cathedral” to replace one so badly damaged by the quake that it had to be razed.

The six-story building earned its nickname because it is being made of cardboard tubes about 23.5 inches wide and as long as 75.5 feet, as well as timber, steel and plastic. It sits on a concrete pad or raft embedded with about 131,000 feet of steel that is designed to keep the building solid if the land underneath becomes compromised during a quake.

The officially named Transitional Cathedral is meant to be a temporary building, but in this case “temporary” means it is designed to be used for 20 years or more.

The cathedral was designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban, who is known for such buildings and, especially, for developing effective, low-cost disaster-relief shelters. He and his firm are donating their time to the project, the largest he has designed.

The cathedral will seat 700 and be used for civic events as well as worship.

“It will be an iconic structure in its own right,” said the Rev. Craig Dixon, cathedral marketing and development manager. “I think it’s

Work is progressing toward an Easter completion of the Diocese of Christchurch’s Transitional Cathedral, also known as the “Cardboard Cathedral” because it is being constructed of large cardboard tubes.

going to be hugely important for the city just in terms of helping the city get back on its feet.”

The cathedral also may become symbolic of the South Island diocese’s multi-year journey toward recovery that includes rebuilding churches and restructuring the shape of the diocese itself, even as the city and surrounding suburbs are reshaping themselves.

For instance, nearly 7,000 homes in the Canterbury Region

have been or will be demolished.

Another report says 18,500 homes need repairs but only 20 percent have been fixed or had their loss covered with an insurance settlement. Some people are still living in garages and converted buses.

It is estimated that Christchurch’s central business district may not be able to be occupied for five to 10 more years. Some buildings still are being demolished. v

Rector requests during service, ‘please use your cell phone’

By Luke Blount For Episcopal News Service Upon entering a church, many Episcopalians are accustomed to signs asking worshippers to turn cell phones off or place them in silent mode, but one church turned that conventional wisdom on its head.

On March 3, leaders at St. Andrew’s, Pearland, Texas, asked congregants to “Please use your cell phone.”

For weeks leading up to the event, dubbed “Bring Your Cell Phone to Church Sunday,” St. Andrew’s leaders encouraged everyone to bring their cell phones and take photos of the service.

Their e-mail newsletter read, “Take at least one photo of our worship and post it on Twitter and/or Facebook and/or your Pinterest account.”

“We are just trying to find ways where people are comfortable inviting friends, and so we thought this would be a good way of doing it,” said rector, the Rev. Jim Liberatore.

Liberatore encouraged the congregation to post photos or status updates that referred back to the church’s Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest account.

Liberatore said it was hard to tell exactly how many people mentioned St. Andrew’s in social media on Sunday, but the parishioners were excited,

including those who attend the more traditional 8 a.m. service.

The movement is part of a larger re-branding effort from St. Andrew’s. Earlier this year, the church unveiled a new logo featuring a pumpkin, which references their wildly successful pumpkin patch, which earned them the nickname “pumpkin church” within the community.

Underneath the church name is the slogan “people … in progress.”

“It’s meant to mean more than one thing,” Liberatore said. “Basically, we are progressing as individuals, but we are also works in progress. So, it’s OK to be you.”

The church’s new mission focuses on growing the church at a rate of 10 percent per year for the next five years. In order to accomplish this, the members of the church will need to be open and welcoming to their friends and acquaintances, even those known through social media.

Liberatore hopes that his members will now feel free to share their church experiences more freely through social media, although there won’t always be time set aside to promote the use of cell phones.

“We’re not going to advertise it every Sunday, but we hope people will use it in church,” he said.

Luke Blount is a staff writer and communication specialist for the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. v

January/February 2013 • The Harvest • 11

Justin Welby is confirmed as archbishop of Canterbury Anglican Communion News Service The former bishop of Durham, the Rt. Rev. Justin Welby, officially became the archbishop of Canterbury on Feb. 4 at a ceremony known as the “Confirmation of Election,” which took place at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.

The ceremony was part of the legal process that put the appointment of the new archbishop of Canterbury into effect.

It was presided over by Archbishop of York John Sentamu with the assistance of the bishops of London, Winchester, Salisbury, Worcester, Rochester, Lincoln, Leicester and Norwich.

All were commissioned for this purpose by Queen Elizabeth II, who is the supreme governor of the Church of England.

The confirmation ceremony had several components: recital of the mandate from the queen, authorizing the appointment; introduction of the new archbishop;

spiritual jurisdiction over the diocese and province.

The new Archbishop of

Queen’s appointment

Canterbury,

Welby’s name was put forward to the queen several months ago by the church’s Crown Nominations Commission. The appointment then had to be formalized by legal steps taken in accordance with the Appointment of Bishops Act of 1533.

In January he officially was elected by the dean and canons of Canterbury Cathedral. That election then had to be confirmed by the wider Church of England, which took place in the Feb. 4 ceremony.

A few steps remain in the process of Welby becoming archbishop. He still has to undertake an act of “Homage” to the queen.

The public inauguration of his ministry, called “the Enthronement,” will take place at Canterbury Cathedral on March 21. It will be broadcast live on the BBC. As archbishop of Canterbury, Welby now wears a multitude of ecclesiastical hats.

Justin Welby, greets wellwishers outside London’s St. Paul’s Cathedral after officially taking office in a special ceremony Feb. 4.

Photo by Arnaud Stephenson

certification of the steps taken in his election by the dean and canons of Canterbury; his Declaration of Assent to the historic doctrines and worship of the Church of England;

a charge by the archbishop of York, based on the needs of the diocese and province perceived by those involved in his appointment; and a “sentence” conferring on him

He has become diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury, although much of the day-to-day oversight of the diocese is carried out on his behalf by the bishop of Dover. He also has jurisdiction of the Province of Canterbury, 29 dioceses in the South of England and the Diocese of Europe that all fall under his general oversight For centuries the archbishop of Canterbury also has held a special role within the Anglican Communion, having a primacy of honor and respect among the college of bishops in the Anglican Communion as first among equals (primus inter pares).

In that role the archbishop serves as a focus of unity within the communion. He convenes and works with the Lambeth Conference (an every-10-year gathering of all the bishops of the Anglican Communion) and Primates’ Meeting (annual gatherings of the primates and presiding bishops of the communion), and presides at the Anglican Consultative Council, the communion’s main policymaking body. v

School shooting prompts prayers and new security reviews

By Sharon Sheridan Episcopal News Service

Photo by Donovan Marks, courtesy Washington National Cathedral

President Barack Obama is joined (from left) by First Lady Michelle Obama, Dr. Jill Biden and Vice President Joe Biden at the Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service at the Washington National Cathedral Jan. 22, the day after he was sworn in for a second term as the 44th president of the United States.

Washington National Cathedral hosts inaugural prayer service Episcopal News Service The 57th Presidential Inaugural Prayer Service, held Jan. 22 at Washington National Cathedral, was the official finale to the events marking the second inauguration of President Barack Obama.

The interfaith service was attended by approximately 2,200 invited guests and included 23 representatives of several Christian denominations, as well as of Islam, Judaism and Sikhism.

Episcopal churches and Episcopalians played large roles in spiritually supporting the beginning of the president’s second term.

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori offered a prayer for the nation during the service.

The Very Rev. Gary Hall, dean of the cathedral,

joined Diocese of Washington Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde in welcoming the congregation, in English and Spanish, to “your house.”

The Rev. Adam Hamilton, senior pastor at United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kan., was the preacher.

The prayer service is a tradition dating back to the inauguration of George Washington and is considered the conclusion of the official inaugural events.

On the morning of the inauguration the Obamas, joined by Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill, attended a prayer service at St. John’s Church in Lafayette Square across from the White House. The Episcopal parish has hosted 11 such inauguration morning services, beginning with one for Franklin Roosevelt. v

In the three months after the shooting death of 26 people, including 20 children, at a Connecticut elementary school, Episcopal schools have been examining their security measures to keep students safe.

“In general, the reaction has been … a review of safety procedures,” said Ann Mellow, National Association of Episcopal Schools associate director. “In some cases, depending upon the school, they haven’t changed anything because they feel very confident that they are doing the best they can to reasonably react to situations, knowing you can’t be prepared for everything all the time.”

At some schools previously touched by violence, security measures already were under discussion before the fatal shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

In Florida on March 6, 2012, a Spanish teacher fired from his job earlier in the day killed Episcopal School of Jacksonville head Dale Regan and then himself on campus.

Following that shooting, said the Very Rev. Kate Moorehead, “the school has done a series of pretty serious security audits.”

The school is always upgrading and looking at its security measures, but that was true even before the tragedy, said Moorehead, dean of St. John’s Cathedral in Jacksonville, which started the school, and vice chair

of the school board of trustees.

At St. John’s Parish Day School in Ellicott City, Md., the Newtown shootings prompted another round of review of security that already had been reassessed following a tragedy in that community seven months earlier.

The school and the church with which it shares a campus, St. John’s Episcopal Church, provided support after a shooter shot and killed administrative assistant Brenda Brewington and critically wounded the co-rector at nearby St. Peter’s Episcopal Church and then killed himself near the church on May 3, 2012.

The Rev. Mary-Marguerite Kohn died two days later.

“That was just a devastating thing for the entire community.

The staff of the church [at St. John’s] certainly felt vulnerable at that point,” said Steve Harrison, head of the day school. “It made us very mindful of security issues here on campus.”

While Episcopal schools reviewed their security after the Newtown shootings, they also responded pastorally.

“There’s been a very, very strong pastoral response and the notion of really drawing upon the strength of our community and our core principles as Episcopal schools, to not simply have it all be about fear,” Mellow said. “It’s a blended response.”

Much of the schools’ focus “has been on pastoral care of families and children and faculty and sort of prayerful reflection,” she said. v

12 • The Harvest • January/February 2013

Reflections on faith and life

Sharing the Good News

Ingredients for church growth By the Rev. Tim Schenck

April 2013

May 2013

6 Youth commission meeting, St. Andrew’s, Emporia

5 Bishop Wolfe at St. Michael and All Angels, Mission

11 Kansas School for Ministry, Bethany Place Conference Center, Topeka (through April 12)

New Beginnings staff day, St. Andrew’s, Emporia

12 Deacons Retreat, Spiritual Life Center, Bel Aire (through April 14) 13 Kansas School for Ministry, Bethany Place Conference Center, Topeka (through April 14)

12 Bishop Wolfe at Grace Cathedral, Topeka 18 Anti-racism training, Bethany Place Conference Center, Topeka

14 Bishop Wolfe at St. Stephen’s, Wichita

19 Bishop Wolfe at St. Thomas’, Overland Park

16 Council of Trustees meeting, Bethany Place Conference Center, Topeka

21 Council of Trustees meeting, Bethany Place Conference Center, Topeka

19 Women’s Summit, St. James’, Wichita (through April 20)

New Beginnings youth event, St. Michael and All Angels, Mission (through April 20)

21 Bishop Wolfe at St. Jude’s, Wellington 25 Tocher Lecture, featuring Miroslav Volf, St. Thomas’. Overland Park 28 Bishop Wolfe at St. Peter’s, Pittsburg

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It means looking outward, rather than exclusively inward.

It means reaching out to others — the less forIn light of our recent Annual Parish Meeting, tunate and those in need.

I’ve been thinking a lot about church growth. If It means communicating in creative ways beyou know me, you’ll recognize this isn’t anything yond the four walls of the church building. new — it’s one of my passions.

It means flinging open the doors to welcome But the Annual Meeting always provides that people and being intentional about incorporatextra opportunity to take a step back, get out of ing them into the life of the the fray of daily ministry, and parish. examine the broader view.

For me, growth comes It means thinking entreOut of curiosity, I ran preneurially about liturgical some numbers for the three down to a passion for alternatives to Sunday mornand a half years that I’ve been ing worship that may look rector at St. John’s. Anecdotal sharing the Gospel of and feel and sound different evidence aside, I was stunned Christ. We’re called to but still reflect the core values to see that our Average Sunof the community. day Attendance has increased share this Good News with It means preaching engag35 percent, pledging is up 50 percent and we’ve doubled which we’ve been entrust- ing sermons that connect and relate rather than judge and the size of the staff. ed not horde it. And when deny.

That’s a lot of growth in It means music that uplifts a short period of time and, we share the Gospel — and inspires. while there are many contribIt means listening for the uting factors, I do think there boldly, radically, creatively still, small voice within rather are some basic transferable — the church can’t help than cowing to the anxietyingredients to church growth. ridden, strident voice without.

Of course it all starts with but grow!

It means leaving room for leadership — both lay and questions and mystery rather ordained. I’m increasingly than providing simplistic convinced that, to our mutual detriment, Episcopal Church culture minimizes the answers.

It means joyfully inviting people to partake in importance of strong clergy leadership. the peace of Christ that passes all understanding.

No, it’s not all about the priest. But show me a These are hardly prescriptive. But if you’re growing, vibrant, healthy congregation with poor ready to move forward into a new way of being clergy leadership — it doesn’t exist. church, I encourage you to reflect upon these, Granted, strong leadership is all about encourperhaps with your vestry or parish leadership. aging, nurturing and empowering members of the You may have others to add to this list, and I’d be congregation to share the responsibility of leaderdelighted if you would share them. ship. But poor leaders are unwilling or unable Is it “all about the numbers?” Of course not. to do this, thus stunting the ministry of all the You can’t measure spiritual growth with statistics. baptized and the potential for growth.

But they can be important indicators of congregaFor me, growth comes down to a passion for sharing the Gospel of Christ. We’re called to share tional health and vitality. And when more people are hearing and responding to the gospel, we’re all this Good News with which we’ve been entrusted, living more deeply into our calling as Christians. not horde it. And when we share the gospel — The Rev. Tim Schenck is rector of the Episcoboldly, radically, creatively — the church can’t pal Parish of St. John the Evangelist in Hingham, help but grow!

Mass. He also is the creator of Lent Madness.

So if sharing the gospel is the key to church This first appeared on his blog, Clergy Family growth, the next logical question is, what does it Confidential. v mean to share the gospel?

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The mission of the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas is to gather, equip and send disciples of Jesus Christ to witness to God’s reconciling love.