by Chad Senuta & the Rev. Fran Wheeler
The Mission and Outreach Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas invites parishes and congregations within the diocese to participate in the Alleluia Fund Grants to fulfill their baptismal covenant, serving as Christ’s hands and feet in the world. Every year parishes and congregations are invited to submit a proposal for a one time project with a maximum of $3000 to be awarded per grant. Those parishes that apply also pledge to match the grant, providing an equal or greater amount to the project. The Alleluia Grant Fund was initially established with money designated in the Crossroads Capital Campaign for outreach efforts.
The 2023 grant cycle will begin this spring with an invitation to parishes and individuals to make contributions to the Fund to ensure it can continue beyond the life of the initial allocation. The grant application process for 2023 will open in May. Contact The Rev. Fran Wheeler with questions or to learn more. The recipients of Alleluia Grants for 2022 are listed below.
St. Jude’s, Wellington ($3000) – Kansas State Troopers Emergency Blanket Ministry
This ministry will provide approximately 600 blankets to Highway Patrol troopers to distribute to who find themselves in need due to extreme weather or emergency situations. The blankets will be distributed to 100 Interstate Troopers, 400 Highway Troopers, and 16 Roadside Assistance Vehicles. St. Jude’s will provide small messages of love to be included with each blanket.
Grace, Winfield ($3000) – Grace’s Blessing Box
As a response to assistance with immediate needs has grown, Grace, Winfield has recently put up a box filled with food and hygiene items. Installed in August, people in the community began using it the very same day. The Grace community believes that this is a ministry of love and respect for their neighbors, recognizing and helping to meet their needs and providing their parishioners a way follow Jesus’ basic teaching to Love your neighbors as yourself.
St. Thomas the Apostle, Overland Park ($3000) – Godly Play Training
Based on the success of the Godly Play program and the rising interest of this Montessori-based program, St. Thomas will be providing a Godly Play Core Training in the early Spring of 2023.
The Godly Play program brings children into deeper relationship with God and the “wondering” of what God’s Word is calling them to do. This project would bring a trainer to the suburban Kansas City area to assist Children’s Ministry teammates from the Diocese of Kansas, Western Kansas, and West Missouri to dig deeper into the foundations of the Godly Play philosophy, as well as develop skills in biblical storytelling and working with a variety of learning types.
Church of the Covenant, Junction City ($3000) – Community Dinners and Commercial Range
This new community dinner ministry started last year and has provided nearly 17,000 hot, healthy, and homemade meals for those in need. Guests consist of the elderly, homeless, families with young children, those struggling with addiction and mental illness, and individuals recently released from jail. Through the close relationships developed, additional needs in the community have since been identified and supported with the addition of a blessing box constructed by one of the young people in the congregation, as well as a pet pantry to support those who struggle to feed both themselves and their pets.
Covenant’s current range, which is approximately 30 years old and designed for home use, is no longer large enough to support cooking for 200 weekly meals. A new commercial range will provide better efficiency to prepare meals.
St. Stephen’s, Wichita ($1219) – Winter Care Bags
St. Stephen’s will provide “Winter Care Bags” before Thanksgiving to 48 beloved children of God who are residents at a low-income retirement home who do not have families who visit them. By serving the poor and largely forgotten, they hope the impact and feeling of being loved will be tenfold. Items to be included are reusable bags filled with a daily devotional book, throw blanket, stocking cap, gloves, slipper socks, playing cards, puzzle books & pen, bookmark, dominoes, tissues, lotion, chapstick, and a pack of pre-stamped holiday cards for them to mail. In addition, each of these bags will contain a blessing card created by the children of the parish.
835 SW Polk St.