From May 30th to June 2nd, St. Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church, Mission, Kansas enjoyed the privilege of hosting the Very Reverend Dr. Robert Willis, Dean Emeritus of the Cathedral in Canterbury, England – the mother church of the Anglican-Episcopal Communion.
When Dean Willis and his partner arrived, he was entertained by Bishop Bascom with a dinner in Prairie Village, Kansas restaurant.His official visit kicked off with a first-of-its-kind gathering of all-metro Episcopal clergy from both the Diocese of Kansas and Diocese of West Missouri. Dean Willis presented a message of encouragement and self-care to them based on Scripture readings supporting the need for self-love and love of others.
Dean Willis served as Dean of Canterbury from 2001 to 2022, but he is most widely known for his “Garden Congregation” YouTube videos of him celebrating Morning Prayer in the garden joined on occasion by his four cats and a menagerie that he and Fletcher kept including a rooster named Russell Crow, tortoises, pigs and more. Many people in the U.S. and the world credit him with getting them through the pandemic.
His visit continued with his presentation of a forum for members of the GC from the region and of St Michael’s parish and culminated with preaching on Sunday.
Dean Willis and his partner Fletcher Banner came to the U.S. to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the founding of the St. Augustine of Canterbury Episcopal church in Oklahoma City where they were presented with the Freedom of the City by the mayor in recognition of their work.
Their trip started in Houston, Texas, where they experienced a tornado, having already experienced a 4.8 earthquake, a hurricane, a blizzard and the eclipse on one of various previous US trips earlier in the year.
From the Diocese of Kansas they will journey to St. Louis, followed by Louisville, Indianapolis, Peoria and then depart from Chicago to spend two weeks at the new Episcopal pilgrim centre in Santiago de Compostela, Casa Anglicana, of which they are both trustees.
by the Rev. Monte Giddings
835 SW Polk St.