by Chad Senuta
The Episcopal Diocese of Kansas celebrated the Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening of Bethany House & Garden at its 163rd Annual Diocesan Convention on October 21 following the opening business session. Over 200 people attended. The ceremony recognized the individuals who helped the garden project become a reality as they stood with banners representing the various groups: the Diocese of Kansas, community leaders and partners, educators and students, and donors and garden creators. Each of the four garden areas were blessed with prayer and holy water during the outdoor service that culminated with words of gratitude from Bishop Cathleen Bascom and Mother Jenn Allen, Diocesan Missioner. The ceremonial ribbon was cut by Scott Bingham, the Landscape Architect who designed the garden, and Ann Palmer of St. David’s, Topeka who provided oversight for the project during construction and also served as a source of education for the garden interns.
Following the ribbon cutting, all participants were invited to attend the Convention Eucharist at Grace Cathedral and processed into the service. In her sermon, Bishop Cathleen Bascom explained how the convention theme of “Message Love” was being lived out through the garden by sending a message of love to the local community, the diocese, and beyond. She then invited community members and leaders to share about their involvement and their hopes for its future. City Councilwoman Karen Hiller praised the diocese and the cathedral for creating and sharing a space for the community that honors the past as it welcomes and engages neighbors, community members, and students in the present. Rebecca Morrisey, Principal of Topeka High, shared how impressed she was that the project had been completed in such a short time frame, considering the ambition of the initial vision and how beautifully it had come together. She explained her excitement for the students and faculty of Topeka High and the faculty to use the space and how she imagined that classrooms with a view of the garden would become the new favorites on campus. Meadows Elementary school will also use Bethany Garden for outdoor classroom space, especially in relation to monarch butterfly and water cycle studies. Principal Dustin Dick spoke on behalf of Topeka Center for Advanced Learning and Careers High School (TCALC.) TCALC teacher Chef Livingston of culinary studies and Mark Richards of building arts were also present. TCALC has been a very engaged partner and plans to use the garden for outdoor learning regularly. Michael Spadafore, President of the Historic Old Town Neighborhood Association thanked the diocese and the cathedral for including the neighborhood in the project, saying he was happy because the neighborhood was “sorely lacking in green space” and that the garden is an “amazing addition to one of Topeka’s oldest neighborhoods.”
The next morning during her Diocesan Convention Keynote Address, Bishop Bascom invited ShaMecha King Simms, St. Simon’s Justice and Advocacy Community Coordinator, to present about the role of Bethany House and Garden as the diocese seeks to “Message Love” to the local community and beyond. In her presentation to the convention delegates, ShaMecha shared of her experiences living in the neighborhood near the cathedral. She explained the lack of resources such as a grocery store and the prejudice that many experience for simply living in the area. With tears in her eyes, she explained that community members had been working with civic leaders for “20 years” to bring green space to the neighborhood, repeating “20 years” slowly to emphasize how long the community had yearned for a basic need that many take for granted. She went on to explain her joy when she initially learned about the Bethany Garden project and her elation that it was now completed, giving members of the community access to recreational outdoor space and healthy food through the culinary garden. When her presentation concluded, diocesan convention delegates and attendees responded with a standing ovation.
Read more for a full summary of the 163rd Annual Diocesan Convention business.
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