T H E
E P I S C O P A L D I O C E S E W E S T E R N K A N S A S
O F
THE PRAIRIE SPIRIT SP RING
2017
ISSUE
Paschal Homily St. John Chrysostom (died 407 ad) (This homily is read each Easter morning in the Orthodox Churches of the East)
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: From the Bishop
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St. Francis Community Services
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Around the Diocese
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CONTACT US 1 North Main, Suite 418 Hutchinson, KS 67501 Phone: 620-669-0006 Email:
tec.wks2011@gmail.com
Website: www.diowks.org
Diocese of Western Kansas
Episcopal Di of WKS
diowks
If anyone is devout and a lover of God, let them enjoy this beautiful and radiant festival. If anyone is a grateful servant, let them, rejoicing, enter into the joy of his Lord. If anyone has wearied themselves in fasting, let them now receive recompense. If anyone has labored from the first hour, let them today receive the just reward. If anyone has come at the third hour, with thanksgiving let them feast. If anyone has arrived at the sixth hour, let them have no misgivings; for they shall suffer no loss. If anyone has delayed until the ninth hour, let them draw near without hesitation. If anyone has arrived even at the eleventh hour, let them not fear on account of tardiness. For the Master is gracious and receives the last even as the first; He gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour, just as to him who has labored from the first. He has mercy upon the last and cares for the first; to the one He gives, and to the other He is gracious. He both honors the work and praises the intention. Enter all of you, therefore, into the joy of our Lord, and, whether first or last, receive your reward. O rich and poor, one with another, dance for joy! O you ascetics and you negligent, celebrate the day! You that have fasted and you that have disregarded the fast, rejoice today! The table is rich-laden: feast royally, all of you! The calf is fatted: let no one go forth hungry! Let all partake of the feast of faith. Let all receive the riches of goodness. Let no one lament their poverty, for the
universal kingdom has been revealed. Let no one mourn their transgressions, for pardon has dawned from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Savior's death has set us free. He that was taken by death has annihilated it! He descended into Hades and took Hades captive! He embittered it when it tasted His flesh! And anticipating this, Isaiah exclaimed: "Hades was embittered when it encountered Thee in the lower regions". It was embittered, for it was abolished! It was embittered, for it was mocked! It was embittered, for it was purged! It was embittered, for it was despoiled! It was embittered, for it was bound in chains! It took a body and came upon God! It took earth and encountered Ηeaven! It took what it saw, but crumbled before what it had not seen! O death, where is thy sting? O Hades, where is thy victory? Christ is risen, and you are overthrown! Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen! Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice! Christ is risen, and life reigns! Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in a tomb! For Christ, being raised from the dead, has become the first-fruits of them that have slept. To Him be glory and might unto the ages of ages. Amen.
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FROM THE BISHOP There are several new and notable things going on in Western Kansas these days…. In St. John’s, Great Bend and Holy Apostles, Ellsworth, Canon Phyllis Flory and stepped aside and has been replaced by Fr. Basil Price. Mother Phyllis has served faithfully for a number of years at St. John’s and Holy Apostles, but with the demands of her duties with St. Francis Community Services, and wanting to spend more time with her family, she felt it was time to resign and let another assume leadership. Also, at St. John’s, after a hiatus of about 20 years the Rev. George Martin has been fully restored to the Sacred Order of Deacons. George will now be assisting Fr. Basil with the ministry at St. John’s and Holy Apostles. The Rev. Carolyn Ballinger is now the Vicar of the Southwest. Mother Carolyn has oversight of St. Andrew’s in Liberal, St. John’s in Ulysses, and St. Thomas in Garden City. From time to time Mother Carolyn will be assisted by Fr. John Seatvet who is assisting in Dodge City, and Mother Rita Stockton who is the Vicar of the Church of the Upper Room in Lakin. Later this summer we hope ordain Mr. Jeff Mitchell, from Liberal, to the Sacred Order of Deacons, and Jeff will join the clergy mix in the southwest. As many of you will recall, at the last diocesan convention I announced my intention to resign as the Bishop of Western Kansas on the last day of 2018 (I will reach the mandatory retirement age of 72 in March of 2019). While that is still more and a year and a half away, nevertheless the process to search for, elect and consecrate a new bishop must begin now. To that end the Diocesan Standing Committee will be meeting with Episcopal Church’s Bishop for Pastoral Development, the Rt. Rev. Clay Matthews, via internet in the week following Easter. At that time Bishop Matthews will outline, in broad strokes, the process leading to the next bishop for Western Kansas. Following that meeting I will assume that the Standing Committee, in conjunction with the Diocesan Council, will select a Search Committee and outline the assessment, search, selection and election process. We will keep you informed. Early this year the Rt. Rev. Dean Wolfe, the Bishop of the Diocese of Kansas, resigned his diocese to accept the position of Rector of St. Bartholomew’s Church in New York City. Of course this means the Diocese of Kansas must begin a process of searching for a new bishop. In the interim the Council of Trustees of the Diocese of Kansas, working in conjunction the Presiding Bishop’s Office of Pastoral Development has asked if I would serve as the Assisting Bishop of Kansas (in addition to my ministry as the Bishop of Western Kansas). And I have agreed to help them. Basically, my role would be to be celebrate the Rites of Confirmation and Ordination several times in the course of a year. In addition, I would spend one day a month in the diocesan office in Topeka. Finally, I could be called upon to deal with any issues of clergy discipline or any issues between clergy and congregations. Let me make it clear, however, that Western Kansas is, and will remain, my first and foremost priority. My work in Kansas will be over and above what I am currently doing. To that end, I would ask for your ongoing prayers. In closing please let me express my admiration and sincere thanks for the hard work all our people and churches do to proclaim the Risen Christ on the plains of Western Kansas. As I have said so many time, we may have small churches, but we have no insignificant churches! Thanks be to God!! Yours in Christ, Bishop Milliken
The next ingathering will be on Mother’s Day, Sunday May 14, 2017. You can find out more about UTO or order materials at: h p://www.episcopalchurch.org/page/united‐thank‐offering
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SAINT FRANCIS COMMUNITY SERVICES LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS FOR THEIR MILITARY MENTORSHIP PROGRAM Many at‐risk children don’t have responsible, caring adults in their lives. This is o en the case with children in foster care. They struggle with the same adolescent issues that other kids face, but they have to do it separated from their families, o en while dealing with trauma. That’s why Saint Francis Community Services is looking for volunteers for its Military Mentorship Program. The program pairs foster youth, ages 12‐16, with a member of the armed forces to provide a posi ve one‐on‐one rela onship with an adult. Mentors in the program can be an ac ve duty, reserve, Na onal Guard, or veteran member of any branch of the armed forces. Although the program currently serves children in only the Wichita area, there are plans to expand throughout the state. Men‐ tors, however, can come from any community if they’re willing to travel to Wichita once a month to spend me with a young person. An interview and training are required in order to qualify. To learn more, contact Volunteer Coordinator Jae Hedrick at 316‐831‐0330 or email mmp.ict@st‐francis.org.
Planning for the Future: The Minister of the Congregation is directed to instruct the people, from time to time, about the duty of Christian parents to make prudent provision for the well-being of their families, and of all persons to make wills, while they are in health, arranging for the disposal of their temporal goods, not neglecting, if they are able, to leave bequests for religious and charitable uses. From The Book of Common Prayer
Due to circumstances out of our control, the Diocesan offices will be moving the week after Easter (April 17-21). We will still remain in the First National Bank Building, but will be moving from the 5th floor to the 4th floor. This information will be going out in the current edition of the Prairie Spirit next week. Please update our contact information. The first part of the week (April 17-18) our phone lines will be transferred over. If for some reason you cannot get a hold of us by phone, we should have access to email and will check it frequently. New Address: 1 North Main, Suite 418, Hutchinson, KS 67501. Phones and emails will not change.
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YOUTH MINISTRY The next YYAM (Youth and Young Adult Ministries) meeting will be Saturday, April 22, at Saints. Mary and Martha in Larned. The meeting will be at 10:00 a.m. and they will be planning some upcoming events. Anyone interested in youth ministry participate. Mark you calendars for of upcoming events: April 22 (sat): YYAM Meeting - Larned 10:00 a.m. June 4-10 Mega Camp at Camp Wood. July 10-14 E.Y.E.in Edmond, Oklahoma August 19 (Sat) Acolyte Festival at Saints Mary and Martha in Larned. (Open to all Acolytes not only youth.) August 25-27: Youth Convention at Camp Wajato in Lyons.
ANNUAL AUDIT It is that time of year again! Audit packets will be sent out after Easter and due into the office by August 15, 2017. Have you filed yours? If not please do so.
DID YOU KNOW? There is an exemp on from sales tax on certain u li es sold to churches or religious en es that are 501C3 organiza ons. This exemp on applies to sales tax of electricity, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas or other fuel for hea ng and/or ligh ng. A er some research, one of our churches discovered they were paying sales tax on their u li es. They applied for the exemp on and the electric company is refunding three years sales tax back to them. Check your u lity bills. Your telephone, internet and other u li es may be exempt as well. Contact your providers to get a sales tax exemp on.
Per National Canon 1.7, Sec.1. (5) Requires that all accounts of parishes and missions “be audited annually by an independent Certified Public Accountant or Independent Licensed Public Accountant, or such audit committee as shall be authorized…”. This means all Churches must perform an annual audit no matter its size.
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Father David Hodges New Provost at the Cathedral Christ Cathedral is pleased to announce that Father David Hodges as their new provost. Father David's ministry started on Sunday, February 26th, when he celebrated with them. Christ Cathedral will begin the search process for a new Dean. Prayers and congratulations to Father David!
On February 26, Cynthia E. Vander Meer was confirmed by Bishop Milliken at St. John’s in Great Bend. Also pictured is The Rev. George Martin, The Rev. Basil Price and The Rev. Canon Phyllis Flory. On February 26, in Great Bend, Rev. George Martin was fully restored to the Sacred Order of Deacons by Bishop Milliken George will now be assisting Fr. Basil with the ministry at St. John’s.
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS In light of the devasta ng fires in Hutchinson and in the Western part of our state we would like to give you a gentle reminder about crea ng a disaster plan for your church. A church which finds itself unprepared during a disaster will inevitably miss valuable opportuni es to minister to human need both within their congrega on and surrounding it. A church without basic emergency communica ons plans and ready contact informa on along with basic scenario informa on may end up doing more harm than good in its rush to work in a disaster among other churches which have done this kind of prepara on. “It will never happen to us,” is not a disaster plan! You can find more informa on on our website at: h p://www.diowks.org/disaster‐preparedness
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SPRING
2017
On March 26, Bishop Milliken was at St. Mark’s in Medicine Lodge. He Confirmed and Received Diana Brittain and Andy Hansen. Also pictured is Mother Terry Deokaran.
The youth from Saints Mary and Martha in Larned reenacted the Stations of the Cross.
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St. Thomas, in Garden City is preparing for Holy Week and Easter with some Spring Cleaning. The Altar sparkles after a thorough cleaning!
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Mother Katie from Dodge City, helping with the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper.
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Folks at St. Cornelius in Dodge City enjoying some fun during the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper.
Have a blessed Holy Week and Easter! DIOCESAN CALENDAR April 9: Palm/Passion Sunday– Bishop at St. An‐ May 8‐12: Administrator at Health Benefits Confer‐ drew’s in Liberal ence at Camp Allen April 11: Bishop at Chrism Mass in Topeka May 10‐21 Bishop on vaca on April 13: Maundy Thursday– Bishop at Cathedral June 2‐3: St. Francis Board Mee ng April 16: Easter Bishop at Cathedral June 4‐10: Mega Camp at Camp Wood April 17‐21: Diocesan Office Move June 4: Pentecost April 22: Diocesan and Standing Commi ee Mee ng June 10: Leadership Conference in Great Bend with Steve Ro gers Larned 10:00 a.m. April 22: YYAM Mee ng Larned 10:00 a.m. June 24: Diocesan Council and Standing Commi ee April 23—28: Bishop Mee ng (Loca on TBD) April 29: Bishop Kemper Board Mee ng April 5‐7: Bishop with Presiding Bishop in West Missouri
Episcopal Diocese of Western Kansas 1 North Main, Suite 418 Hutchinson, KS 67501 Return Service Requested
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