Diocesan News
Bishop offers guidance for Ash Wednesday
Old land, new ministry at Bethany Place
Minsters
The Kansas Minster Project proposes a collaborative way of organizing ourselves for God’s mission in the Diocese of Kansas in the 21st century — it is a vision of our “branching pattern” for the Jesus Movement, a way of structuring to bear the Way of Love with new vigor.
Each of the diocese’s 11 minsters is a group of churches designed for mutual support and sharing of resources, so they can reach out to serve their neighborhoods and communities. They also ensure that every congregation is sacramentally cared for by the priests and deacons within each minster.
Task Forces
Seven task forces currently lead the diocese’s efforts to support action within our congregations and outwardly toward those in our neighborhoods, communities and beyond.
The seven task forces are Care of Creation; Children’s Ministries; Evangelism; Global Partnerships; Liturgy, Music and the Arts; Outreach; and Justice and Racial Reconciliation.
Covid Information
On Jan. 21 Bishop Cathleen Bascom effectively transferred her guidance about Christmas services, from her letter of Dec. 7, to services on Ash Wednesday. For churches in a county that shows “double red” on the diocesan Covid-tracker spreadsheet, she will allow one in-person service, lasting no more than 30 minutes and with a maximum of 25 people attending. She also offered thoughts on the actual imposition of ashes.
Otherwise, guidance of her letter of Jan. 5 remains in effect.
Through Palm Sunday, March 28, indoor worship and activities will be governed by the level of virus spread in each county within the diocese. Every Wednesday the diocesan office is posting a spreadsheet with the latest coronavirus statistics for every county in the diocese, which will guide what indoor activities are permitted.
She also provided a sample for “special rules” for churches that want to conduct their required Annual Meeting online or as an online/in-person hybrid. All Kansas churches must have an Annual Meeting during January.
Since the pandemic began in March 2020, the bishop has issued a series of guidelines and other messages, all of which are available at the link. There you also will find resources and a list of online church services.
"Old Saints for New Days" Monday service
Every Monday at 12:10 p.m., Bishop Cathleen Bascom and clergy members of the diocesan staff offer a service from St. Mary’s Chapel in Grace Cathedral, Topeka.
Called “Old Saints for New Days,” it includes lessons for one of the people featured in Lesser Feasts and Fast during the coming week. Sermons tie themes from the lives of these saints in the past to current issues.
The service is livestreamed to the diocesan YouTube channel, and it also can be viewed later on demand.
The weekly sermon in video format and mauscript form can be downloaded for use in parish Sunday services from the diocesan Dropbox.
Justice and Racial Reconciliation Task Force
The Justice and Racial Reconciliation Task Force was created to help the diocese live into its role as the Episcopal Branch of the Jesus Movement in eastern Kansas, especially regarding issues of racial reconciliation, one of the three Jesus Movement areas of focus articulated by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry.
The task force supports the bishop and the Diocese of Kansas as we learn and grow in our awareness of the dynamics of racism and white supremacy in the church and our nation.
Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministry
The mission of the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministry is to gather, equip, and send disciples of Jesus Christ to witness to God’s reconciling love.
We strive to accomplish this mission by providing quality programs and events that are biblically based for the entire diocese. Events and programs are designed for young people to experience opportunities in evangelism, spiritual formation, Christian leadership, mission, fellowship, Scripture, discernment and the Episcopal Church.
Bethany House and Garden
Bethany House and Garden is an innovative ministry of the diocese, centered in the historic building that has served over time as a laundry for a girl’s school, a private home, the bishop’s residence and the diocesan offices.
It offers garden space for prayer and meditation, spiritual direction, pastoral care and outdoor worship. Through community listening and engagement, it seeks to be a part of positive change. It also is in the planning stage of imagining what else it might be: demonstration gardens, prairie restoration or a patchwork quilt of ideas?
835 SW Polk St.