PRAIRIE SPIRIT Summer 2021
FROM THE BISHOP
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One thing that I have learned over the years is that being the church is a constant process of growth and change. It is never an accomplishment, and it is never accom-
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plished. If I come to your church on a visitation, and I ask you
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"What is the most important thing for me to know here?" and the
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only responses I receive are all about sunshine and rainbows, then I am going to be worried. It isn’t that there should not be joy
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and fellowship and love; there absolutely should be, but as the
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world is not yet perfect, neither is the church . We have much more to do, and that means change. It means work. Sometimes it means discomfort. If we look at scripture, particularly at the letters of Paul to the churches he planted, we will see that in each of these churches there was change, there was growth, there were challenges that he often addressed in his letters. Most likely, there were other
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challenges that he did not address. My point is that there is no letter to a church wherein Paul says “Great Work. You are done. You can stop and relax now.” Seems that never happened. Instead, these churches he planted, the ones to whom we look for inspiration and to which as examples all experienced change, experience growth,
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and all encountered challenges and difficulties. As I said, church is never done, and it is never perfect. If, instead, when I come for a visit and ask the question and people respond by shouting about things that they want to see grow or change or things that need to be
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fixed or renewed, well, that is a good sign to me. It is a good sign because it shows that the people are invested and hopeful, it shows that they are thinking and praying about the Body of Christ in that community. And finally, if I come to your church where I had previously found a half dozen people and where we did a pleasant, comfortable service, and find instead on this visit a room full of families and with screaming
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children, a service that is interrupted and somewhat unfamiliar to everyone there, and the service is held in the parish hall because it is cheaper to cool than the huge and empty sanctuary, and where the people are smiling amongst the chaos, laughing at how the plans made two years ago have come to naught, then I will be absolutely delighted because you are really doing it right. These people are, in short, doing church.
+Bishop Mark
Diocese of Western Kansas
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Items Returned to Japan You may have remembered in our last issue of the Prairie Spirit, that the Diocesan Canon Theologian, Ashley Null, who had plans to travel to Japan to be the chaplain at the Tokyo Olympics and return the walking stick and cigarette case given to James McDonald Gardiner, who was Bishop Shirley Nichols father-in-law. Bishop Shirley Nichols (Fourth Bishop of the Missionary District of Salina 1943-1955) married the daughter of Mr. Gardiner, a very famous mission architect as well as the first President of St. Paul's Anglican University in Tokyo. When Ashley tracked down the son of Shirley Nichols, he found instead his widow, Donna Nichols of Tulsa. She is the last living member of the Gardiner/Nichols family, and was very concerned about what she should do with two treasured family items in her possession. These items are going to be delivered to the Museum at St. Paul’s Anglican University in Tokyo.
Unfortunately the Covid-19 Virus has kept Canon Null from attending the Olympics and teaching at Rikkyo University (formerly St. Paul's) the Anglican university in Tokyo and returning the Kyoto copy of the 1928 Standard Book of Common Prayer that Bishop Nichols brought with him when he, along with all foreign missionaries, were kicked out of Japan in 1940. For many years it was kept on the bishop's prayer desk at Christ Cathedral until the coming of the 1979 BCP. It was then placed in the Cathedral Library.
Donna Nichols holds the walking stick and cigarette case from the Czar
The walking stick and Cigarette case to be delivered to St. Paul’s Museum.
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Save The Date! October 15-16, 2021 The 51st Diocesan Convention
Ascension Church, Colby, St. Paul’s, Goodland, St. Francis, Russell Springs and St. Luke’s, Scott City will be our hosts for the Fifty First Convention! Honoring the Past. Treasuring the Present. Shaping the Future will be our theme. Information will be mailed out to delegates by August 1.
THE BISHOP CUP IS BACK! It has been many years since the Bishop’s Cup Golf Tournament has taken place. This year, on the Thursday afternoon before the Diocesan Convention, October 14, 2021.The Bishop’s Cup will begin at 1:00 pm at Meadow Lake Golf Course, in Colby. The Bishop’s Cup is open to all delegates to convention.
"St. Mark's in Medicine Lodge turns 130 years "young" in 2021 . . . stay tuned for further updates and celebrations. And, Buddy the Episco-pup is still waiting to see who his Episco-pet pals are in the diocese of Western Kansas. Send your pet pal pictures to the Diocesan Office.
Our convention hosts, Ascension, St. Paul’s, St. Francis and St. Luke’s are planning a pre-convention gathering that evening, at 6:00 pm. This will be the perfect opportunity of clergy and delegates to get in a round of golf! Registration fee $80.00 includes green fees and cart, a contribution on your behalf to the Latino Ministries in Dodge City and even some golf swag! You can register on our website at : https://www.diowks.org/bishop-cup-registration On May 15th, The Diocese of Western Kansas proudly had three graduates from the Bishop Kemper School For Ministry. Todd Ray, Hutchinson, Scott Mentzer and Pat Schiefen from Goodland. Congrats!
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2021 Youth Convention "A Heart For God" is this years Youth Convention Theme! Join us!
On Easter Sunday at St. John’s in Great Bend, Mother Teresa Lahar Baptized Evangeline Freund, daughter of Barret and Chelsea Freund.
Youth convention is a fun-filled weekend of worship, music, and activities for youth in 5th-12th grade. Youth will also elect two delegates to attend the 2021 Diocesan Convention in Colby, KS. October 15-16. Youth Convention is held at Camp WAJATO at 1518 Kansas 14, Lyons, KS 67554. Cost to attend is $20. Register by August 10, 2021 and get a free t-shirt! Convention begins at noon on Saturday August 28th and ends at 1pm on Sunday, August 29th. Meals included - Saturday lunch and dinner, Sunday breakfast and lunch. Lodging – air-conditioned cabins with bunk beds (please bring a sleep bag or bed roll).
Register Here: https://www.diowks.org/youth-convention-registration You can contact Mother Amy or Brandon Long with any questions: amylaurellong@gmail.com
Planned Giving 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. BCP-Page 445
Mother Shay Craig, Vicar of our Hays churches, found this prayer that was penned by the late Bishop Mize and minor changes were made by Bishop Arnold Lewis.
You really care about some things. In fact, you care about them so much that you would like them to continue and to develop and to thrive even after you are gone. You want to make sure that they are around for the future. That is why we fund future ministry by making planned gifts – gifts that we have thought about ahead of time, and planned for, so that they will make difference in the future. That way, the things that we really care about will develop and thrive. You can find out more information about planned giving on the Episcopal Church Foundation Website: https://www.episcopalfoundation.org/give/planned
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My Grandmother Gave that Bell! Bishop Milliken
“If you are not going to use that Missal Stand on the High Altar, given by my family, then I will just come and get it and give it to St. Swithen’s!” These were the words of a parishioner of many years ago spoken in my office. My response was, “If you do, I will have you arrested for theft!” “The Missal Stand does not belong to you, it belongs go the parish.” Some people, even though they give things to the church, still believe that they
still have some ownership over the gift or donation. The reality is they don’t. These, most often, are gifts. When a gift is given the giver relinquishes ownership of the gift. These days across the larger church small congregations are disappearing, closing down, restructuring or reimaging their ministry and community presence. Sometimes this involves the letting go of a building and many of its contents. But some want to know who now has control over these assets? This question is addressed quite clearly in the Canons of the Church (the Church Law under which the Episcopal Church operates). While there are 3 Canons dealing with this issue, they basically
reference the primary Canon which says, in part: “All real and personal property held by or for the benefit of any Parish, Mission, or Congregation is held in trust for this Church and the Diocese thereof in which Parish, Mission or Congregation is located” (Canon I.7.4). However, if you are concerned about your grandmother’s bell, then you might want to chat with the Bishop and I am sure some sort of equitable disposition can be achieved. Blessings!
Canons, Rubrics & Liturgy A Seminar on Canon Law, the Rubrics of the Book of Common Prayer, Liturgy, and how they affect our life in the Church. Led by Bishop Milliken This seminar is mainly for recently ordained Deacons and Priest, and those soon to be ordained. But anyone is invited to attend. NOVEMBER 5 & 6, 2021 Heartland Center for Spirituality Great Bend Information on costs and registrations will come later. MARK YOUR CALENDARS
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The Rev. Todd Ray Ordained at Grace Church in Hutchinson On Saturday, June 19th (Juneteenth) Todd A. Ray was ordained to the Sacred order of Deacons, by Bishop Cowell. Todd is a retired teacher at Hutchinson High School and is looking forward to his new ministry.
Dean David Hodges Is Called To Missouri The Very Rev. David Hodges has announced that he has been called to St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in St. Louis, where he will be their next Rector. His last Sunday is August 29th. We wish Fr. David many blessings with his new ministry. The Rev. Bobby Smith will be the provost at Christ Cathedral as they discern the search for a new Dean. You can see all the photos from Deacon Todd’s ordination on our Flickr page at: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmW5zSxP
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CAMPUS MINITRY NEWS Going to college and living on your own for the very first time can be scary - not only for incoming students but also for their parents. The Diocese of Western Kansas can help. If you would like to send your student, who will be attending a college in the Diocese of Western Kansas, a care package this Fall full of goodies and information concerning local faith communities and resources, contact Lindsey Kepka: lindsey.kepka@gmail.com
On the evening of May 1, 2021, Bishop Cowell visited St. Paul’s in Goodland where he received Jenifer Charles. Also pictured is Fr. Don Martin.
DIOCESAN CALENDAR July 22-27: Administrator Vacation
July 26-31: Bishop Cowell Vacation August 1-9: Bishop Cowell & Youth to N.J. August 14: BKSM Convocation September 1-8: Bishop Milliken Vacation September 6: Labor Day-Office Closed September 18: BKSM Board Meeting September 20-24: House of Bishops October 5-6: Admin to EBAC Conference
October 14: Bishop’s Cup Golf in Colby October 15: Ordinations of Mentzer/Schiefen October 15-16: 51st Convention - Colby November 5-6: Clergy Event—Great Bend On Sunday, May 2, 2021, Bishop Cowell was a Ascension-on -the-Prairie Church in Colby. Maren Molstad was baptized. Also pictured the parents of Maren, Kyle and Emily, Grandfather Steve Molstad, Bishop Cowell and Fr. Don Martin.
November 9-10: Bishops' Conference-NY November 25: Thanksgiving—Office Closed