Since the beginning of the year, at St. Andrew’s Parish Church in Emporia, we’ve been asking ourselves a question that goes beyond doing: How can we become a community that doesn’t just act, but one that welcomes—one that cultivates the soul of encounter? And in that quiet heartbeat that precedes every transformation, a few simple yet deeply human spaces have begun to take root.
Together is one such seedling. Once a month, on a Saturday evening from 5 to 8 p.m., the Parish Hall becomes an extended home where dinner, music, and life stories weave together the paths of people from Colombia, Korea, China, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Argentina. This group of working professionals, having migrated to the United States, learned the English language but miss their home cultures. This is an opportunity to share those stories with others on a similar path of being the Stranger. During the 3 hours of Together, there is no Stranger, only a welcoming community and an appreciation for the rich cultural diversity that each person brings to the gathering. What began as a parish initiative has started to blossom into something co-created. Planning and preparation are done collectively by attendees from Korea and Colombia, with support from parish members, Sarah Harbaugh and Mark Remmert, accompanying this dance of cultures with grace and attentive presence.
We also launched the Círculo de Mujeres (Women’s Circle), a six-week Saturday morning series from 9 to 11 a.m., where Spanish-speaking women from Colombia, Ecuador, the United States, and Mexico gather around themes of self-knowledge and personal growth. Guided by Mercedes Tarragona and parish member Susan Steffen, this space becomes a luminous pause—a moment of shared intimacy in one’s heart language.
Since Pentecost, we’ve also begun exploring a new way of celebrating our faith: the Spanish-language Prayer Service. Every Sunday at 11:30 a.m., the Episcopal liturgy opens itself to the Latin spirit, embracing the richness of cultures eager to belong. We pray, share the Eucharist, engage in dialogue afterward, and once a month, share a meal. People from the U.S., Colombia, and Mexico are shaping this new fabric of community. Rather than fixed forms, we are guided by the desire to birth something new and to be surprised by the Spirit. The growing attendance—17, 34, 20, 36—doesn’t just count heads; it whispers of an emerging presence, a call taking shape. On June 29, Bishop Cathleen Bascom joined us for the celebration—her presence was a sign of encouragement. Bishop Daniel Genovesi, with support from parish lay ministers, continues to nurture this ministry, reminding us that the community gathered around Jesus is not imposed: it is discovered, celebrated, and gently tended. Perhaps what’s emerging among us isn’t just a set of programs, but a renewed and expanding awareness of what it means to be community: as we allow ourselves to be transformed by one another, we celebrate difference as a gift, set the table for everyone, and learn to speak the language of the heart. And so, perhaps the question we started with remains alive, like a seed: What other forms of hospitality are still waiting to be dreamed into life?
by the Rt. Rev. Daniel Genovesi
835 SW Polk St.