8 • The Harvest • May 2014
Around the diocese St. John’s, Abilene is making new plans on how it can use a house the parish owns adjacent to the church, looking to turn it into a parish house for meetings, classes, outreach and fellowship activities.
Trinity, Atchison donated $310 in proceeds from its Shrove Tuesday pancake supper to the Atchison County Food Pantry. A box of food accompanied the contribution. St. Mark’s, Blue Rapids and St. Paul’s, Marysville each hosted pancake fundraisers to help with medical expenses of member Maggie Holle, who was diagnosed in November with a severe heart condition. The suppers brought in more than $4,000. St. Paul’s, Clay Center has made upgrades to its kitchen to support the church’s food ministry. Two new stoves were provided by a donation from members Bob and Donna Long. They put them to use making pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. St. Paul’s, Coffeyville collected diapers for babies and adults during Lent, given to Genesis, a local social service agency. St. Martin’s, Edwardsville had a spring work day April 5, with an emphasis on organizing the church archives. Lunch was provided for all the helpers. Trinity, El Dorado Vestry and clergy participated in a planning session and retreat on April 26. The event was led by Dave Seifert from St. Paul’s, Clay Center, who is a church consultant in goal setting and strategic planning.
west Missouri. The event provided time for worship, spiritual growth and fellowship. St. Matthew’s, Newton member Scott McCloud on Easter began service as a verger, a lay liturgical minister who assists with the ordering of services. He studied during the past year with Kent Wingerson, verger at Grace Cathedral, Topeka, and with the Rev. Michael Bernard.
Parsons priest gets second bowling Hall of Fame selection
Grace, Ottawa has begun collecting loose change as “coins for Christ,” to benefit a variety of outreach projects. The first will help with expenses of the family of a sick infant. St. Thomas’, Overland Park hosted a book drive during Lent to benefit first and second graders at Comanche Elementary School, where the parish assists with BackSnacks. Members were asked to donate new or gently used books suitable for that age group, as well as bilingual books to aid Spanish-speaking families. St. John’s, Parsons is refurbishing the area around the church altar, thanks to a generous donation from a member. The walls have been returned to a rose color from previous decades, and woodwork has been restored to its natural brown color. St. Luke’s, Shawnee collects travelsized versions of soap, shampoo, lotion and other toiletries, to benefit those who use the shower facilities at Cross-Lines Community Outreach. Grace Cathedral, Topeka displayed
PHOTO BY MICHELE MOSS
fabric art made by members in its Cloister Gallery display area during the month of April. Each month the gallery displays a different art exhibit, just outside the entrance to the church. St. David’s, Topeka hosted a suicide prevention workshop for middle and high school youth April 6, led by several mental health professionals. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for 15 to 24 year olds.
St. Andrew’s, Emporia on Fridays during Lent offered the Stations of the Cross with the nearby Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church. The parishes alternated locations each week.
The Rev. Sharon Billman, vicar of St. John’s, Parsons, now is a member of two Kansas bowling Halls of Fame. On April 12 she was inducted into the Kansas State Women’s Bowling Association Hall of Fame during the group’s annual meeting in Lansing. This follows her induction in 2009 into the Kansas State Bowling Association’s Hall of Fame, and she remains the only woman to be a member of that hall. Both of the selections, she said, were in recognition of her contribution to the sport of bowling. Billman, who has been a bowler for 41 years, worked for 12 years for the Kansas State Bowling Association and then another 16 years for the national association. She said, “It is an honor to be part of any Hall of Fame, and it’s humbling to be in two.” v
St. Luke’s, Wamego continues its Wednesday evening program time, and in Lent added a children’s music ministry to its fellowship time and children’s garden. Evenings start with potluck at 6 p.m., followed by programs for children and adults. Good Shepherd, Wichita is preparing to celebrate the church’s 25th anniversary later this year. Co-chairs of the committee that is planning events are Deacon Carmen Anderson and Gee Petrosky. The church was formed in 1989 by the merger of St. Mark’s and St. Matthias’. St. Bartholomew’s, Wichita continues its monthly clothing give-away, to benefit people who need it, on the first Saturday of the month.
Epiphany, Independence helped people celebrate the 100th anniversary and opening day of Riverside Park and Zoo on April 12 by staffing a stand that sold hot dogs, chips, cookies, water and soft drinks. Proceeds benefitted the church.
St. James’, Wichita noted that color sketches of Kansas water wild life made by students in its After School Program had been sent to the Great Plains Nature Center’s art competition. There are 24 children enrolled in the program.
St. Margaret’s, Lawrence spent Lent engaged in a “spiritual fitness” course entitled “Christ Walk,” written by Anna Fitch Courie. The program is described as “a journey of spiritual contemplation through physical activity.”
St. John’s, Wichita hosted its 43rd annual Lenten Luncheon Series, with speakers and lunch available very Wednesday during Lent. v
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Trinity, Lawrence on March 1 celebrated all the babies born to parish members or baptized in the church in 2013 with a benefit baby shower. Those attending were asked to bring baby-related items to aid the local Willow Domestic Violence Center. St. Paul’s, Leavenworth has a FIST group (Friends in Service to St. Paul’s) that meets one Saturday a month for breakfast and then tackles needed work projects around the church. St. Paul’s, Manhattan member Carol Connizzo announced her retirement as parish treasurer after many years of service, effective April 30, in order to spend more time with her family. She also has provided bookkeeping service to the church’s Encore thrift shop. St. Michael’s, Mission hosted its annual men’s retreat in early March at Conception Abbey, a Benedictine monastery in north-
PHOTO COURTESY OF ST. MARGARET’S, LAWRENCE
KU honors St. Margaret’s musician Stephen Ilardi, an associate professor of clinical psychology who plays the keyboard at the 10 a.m. service at St. Margaret’s, Lawrence, was selected as the 2014 recipient of the HOPE Award at the University of Kansas. The “Honor for an Outstanding Progressive Educator” Award is given annually by the senior class to the person they consider the most outstanding educator. In a news release from the university, Ilardi said, “For our graduating seniors to say that my classes have had a positive impact — I take that as the highest possible praise, and I’m deeply honored to have been named among the hundreds of talented instructors we have here at KU.” Ilardi, who has been on the faculty at KU for 17 years, earned his doctorate in clinical psychology from Duke University in 1995, and he has since published more than 50 research articles on serious mental illness. Over the past decade, he was worked with his research team at KU to develop a promising new treatment for clinical depression. v
Items for this column are taken from church newsletters, either print or electronic, that are sent to the editor of The Harvest, diocesan Director of Communications Melodie Woerman. If you produce a newsletter, please make sure she is on your mailing list. Send print copies to 835 SW Polk St., Topeka, KS 66612. Electronic versions should go by email to mwoerman@episcopal-ks.org. If your church doesn’t produce a newsletter, you still can be featured. Just send items of note to Woerman at either of the addresses above. Feature story ideas about your church’s activities also are encouraged. You always can find deadlines for upcoming issues in the masthead of the current issue, on page 2, far left. If you have questions, contact Woerman at (800) 473-3563 or (785) 235-9255. v