News and notes from the congregations of the diocese.
Trinity, Arkansas City, hosted the Chamber Coffee Thursday, July 10, and twenty nine people attended. Mother Kathy welcomed the attendees and invited all to stop by and put food in the church’s Blessing Box. Harrison Taylor played the keyboard in the nave providing wonderful background music throughout the meeting, after which some went into the nave to see the church and the stained glass windows.
Trinity, Atchison celebrated the church’s strong connection to Amelia Earhart during the Amelia Earhart Festival held in Atchison July 18-20 to commemorate the birthday of the world-famous aviatrix. The church presented several visitors with historical tours, a parish gathering for the community firework show on Saturday evening, and a historical church service on Sunday, featuring liturgies from the 1892 Book of Common Prayer. Amelia Earhart was baptized at Trinity Episcopal on October 10, 1897. And her grandparents were founding members of the parish.
St. Paul’s, Coffeyville welcomed The Rev. Canon Lisa Senuta as quest celebrant and homilist. At coffee hour afterward, she shared about events in the diocese and conducted a COMAP training, resulting in 2 new lay ministers to join the rotation.
St. Mary’s, Galena marked the end of Mother Caroline Howard’s Curacy with St. Mary’s and the beginning of Lynne Powell’s service to St. Mary’s as Curate on July 6 with a pizza party along with a house and grotto blessing for St. Mary’s parishioners Ena and John Smittle.
St. Timothy’s, Iola paid for the first 50 swimmers at the city pool on three different occasions this summer. Leaders from the parish also gave away hot dogs, chips, cookies, and water to anyone who came to the table. The pool is located near the city park, so families at the park were also served.
The church did a fundraiser for the SEK Pregnancy Resource Center. Parishioners filled baby bottles with spare change or paper money. When the bottle was full they were returned it to the church. St. Timothy’s raised approximately $400.00, and Bishop Bascom blessed the bottles during her visitation to the parish.
Epiphany, Independence was able to host the first Episcopal vacation bible school the area had seen in a long time thanks to the gracious time, talent, and treasure of The Rev. Kelly Demo and youth and young adult interns from St. Thomas the Apostle in Overland Park. Held June 17-18, the event was supported by all three Little Churches on the Prairie congregations.
Canterbury Houses of Lawrence and Manhattan participated in Camp Canterbury at Camp Wood YMCA where 14 young adults gathered for activities and fellowship. They did Archery, played games like “Friends in the Bible” Jeopardy, made s’mores, and worshipped together.
St. Margaret’s, Lawrence hosted a Vacation Bible School for children the week of July 7 that ended with a Family BBQ Celebration on July 11. The theme for the week was “Magnifying the Greatness of God.”
St. Paul’s, Manhattan is launching a Choral Scholars Program and hopes to invite four student singers to join the church’s choir as choral scholars, adding their voices to the volunteer choir.
Church of the Ascension, Neodesha celebrated it’s Feast Day on May 29 with a festive Eucharist followed by fellowship and barbeque. The Rev. Canon Lisa Senuta was the guest homilist. At dinner she shared with attendees more about the Bethany Community as well as other activities around the diocese.
Grace, Ottawa completed renovations, installing two new handicap accessible bathrooms and a lift that goes from the main floor to the church’s parish hall located on the basement level.
St. Thomas’, Overland Park embraced the summer with a wide range of programs and activities for children and youth including Vacation Bible Camp, Summer Arts Camp, Reaching out to the Community, and a Mission Trip to Austin, Texas where students in grades 6-12 helped with a variety of ministries and organizations that serve those who are houseless in the area.
St. Luke’s, Shawnee recently celebrated the 100th birthday of member Sally McCulley with a tea party fit for a queen. Sally is a treasured member of St. Luke’s and one of the last WWII veterans in Kansas City. Sally, a native of Great Britain, joined the Royal Signal Corps at 16, after lying about her age, because she said she had to do something for her king and country. Her amazing life story has been covered by the Kansas City Star and other television affiliates in the Kansas City Area. Sally is a remarkable woman and we are so grateful to have her as part of St. Luke’s. Read the Kansas City Star article about Sally’s amazing life here.
Grace Cathedral, Topeka held a 4th of July celebration service with patriotic hymns, readings, and prayers for our nation. Eric McHenry, Professor of English at Washburn University, was the guest speaker. Music included a mass community choir, handbells, and brass. An ice cream reception was offered following the service in Bethany Gardens. Active and retired military and scouts were encouraged to wear uniforms. All others were encouraged to wear red, white, and blue.
St. David’s, Topeka recently received a custom designed and built credence table, created by the brother of parish deacon, Susan Byler. Her brother, Gary Rexroad, is a hobbyist woodworker.
The table, which is 8 feet long,was crafted from live edge quartersawn white oak. The wood is both hard and stable, ensuring its endurance for generations. The center of the table features an inlaid cross made from aromatic cedar. One end of the trestle base is adorned with an inlay of the Episopal shield, crafted from maple, cherry, ad padauk. The opposite end bears an inlay depicting a leek and daffodils, made from cedar, redheart maple, and purpleheart woods. These symbols honor the church’s patron, St. David of Wales. Along each side of the treslte, the words “Do this for the remebrance of me” are engraved.
According to the builder, Gary Rexroad – “I believe organic things have an energy and for me, that energy is a connection to God. I also believe that like love, energy is shared when in contact with others.”
St. Luke’s, Wamego parishioners Gerry Schmanke and Dave Warnow completed wall restoration in the church’s 100 year old Guild Hall. The rest of the great hall had been repainted, but roofing work needed to be done to stop the leaking that was damaging the remaining wall. The Guild Hall has been returned to its former glory.
Senior Warden, Denise Thornton, was excited to be part of the Communion in the Absence of a Priest team with Deacon Sandy Horton-Smith, Gerry Schmanke, Scott Weber, and Susie Lunas. The five members served on some of the Sundays when the parish was without its priest, the Very Rev. Casey Rohleder, who was on sabbatical over the summer. Denise found it to be a powerful and moving experience.
The church also wishes to thank Tara and Gerry Schmanke, who have a stocked Little Free Library which Gerry constructed and painted to resemble St Luke’s. The Little Library resides in front of our church.
Good Shepherd, Wichita supported the Laundry Love ministry with donations and volunteers from the parish, The ministry helps approximately 50 clients with 125 loads of laundry at the Spring Clean Laundromat in west Wichita.
St. James’, Wichita’s Outreach Commitee worked with the Kansas Children’s Service League to support their month-long Prevent Child Abuse campaign. The committee published relevant articles in the church’s enewsletter, contributed a $500 donation from its Pocket Change Ministry, distributed fliers (“The Importance of Fathers,” “Preventing Child Abuse,” “Keeping Your Child Safe Online,” and “Family Communication”), toured KCSL, and celebrated a Pinwheel Sunday. The pinwheel is KCSL’s symbol for their Prevent Child Abuse campaign.
St. Johns, Wichita hosted a Pet Wellness Clinic on July 11 with the help of veterinary students from Kansas State University. In K-State’s Wellness on Wheels (WOW) vehicle, fourth-year veterinary students bring care to pets that would never visit a veterinarian otherwise due to cost, location, or a lack of information about basic pet care. This could be individuals who are elderly, experiencing homelessness, living in a remote location, or people with serious illnesses.
St. Stephen’s, Wichita began ground work to prepare for a new playground on August 16. The church plans to complete the playground by early September. The existing playground equipment was donated to a new home.
Grace, Winfield hosted the annual “Holey Jesus Cornhole Tournament” with Trinity Episcopal Church on Sunday, July 27. A hot dog lunch was served. Various table games were also played. Members invited friends and family to share in the fun and fellowship of this annual event.
835 SW Polk St.