July 31, 2014
Materials for Diocesan Convention now are online
Clergy, lay delegates and others who will be attending Diocesan Convention Oct. 24-25 can find forms and other information they need on the diocesan website at It also can be accessed from a link on the home page,
New this year – online registration! No more handwriting delegate information onto paper registration forms. All who will attend Diocesan Convention now will register through our online form: Each person is asked to complete his or her own form; there is no provision for bulk online registrations.
The deadlinefor all convention registrations is Friday, Sept. 26.
Payment will still be by check, so after registering, be sure to send in your payment! Please make your check payable to "Episcopal Diocese of Kansas" with "Diocesan Convention" in the memo line, and mail toMichele Moss, Episcopal Diocese of Kansas, 835 SW Polk St., Topeka, KS 66612
> A note about hotel reservations: If you want to reserve rooms at the Capitol Plaza Hotel at the convention rate, we now have a link that takes you directly to the diocesan group reservation page:
This uses our online group code DIOCESE. (A mix-up at the hotel provided us with a different online code that was shared in packets mailed last week. DIOCESE is the correct online group code.)
If making hotel reservations by phone, call (800) 579-7937 and indicate you are with group EDOK, which is the phone group code.
Nominations, resolutions and amendments are due by Aug. 8
Aug. 8 has been set as the deadline to submit a variety of items for action by this year’s Diocesan Convention, Oct. 24-25 in Topeka.
This information also is on the diocesan website’s convention page,
Nominations
Elections will fill several positions on the Council of Trustees, the diocese’s governing body between conventions:
- One at-large member of the Council of Trustees, lay person (three-year term) Note: The incumbent is Margaret LaRue, and she is eligible for reelection.
- One at-large member of the Council of Trustees, clergy person (three-year term)Note: The incumbent is the Rev. Laurie Lewis, and she is eligible for reelection.
Nominations should be sent to the chair of the Nominating Committee, Ashley Petty, 654 S. Poplar Wichita, KS 6721; or .
A form required from all nominees is posted on the convention page of the diocesan website. It, plus a high-resolution digital photo, should be sent to Petty by the Aug. 8 deadline.
In addition, Convention will ratify the election by convocation boards in September of one clergy member from each convocation to serve on the Council of Trustees.
Debatable resolutions
Any proposed debatable resolutions should be sent before the deadline to the chair of the Resolutions Committee, the Rev. Jan Chubb, 1329 Grand Ave., Parsons, KS 67357-4256; or .
Amendments to the canons or constitution
Any proposed changes to the diocesan constitution or canons should be directed to the chair of the Constitution and Canons Committee, Frank Taylor, P.O. Box 550, Olathe, KS 66051; .
Prayers asked for campus peer ministers retreat this weekend
Students who serve as Episcopal peer ministers on Kansas college campuses are meeting this weekend for a planning retreat at Upton Hall in Topeka, and they ask for prayers as they gather.
They will receive training on “Pastoral Care from a Peer Minister’s Perspective,” led by the Rev. Ben Varnum of St. Thomas, Overland Park, along with Campus Missioner the Rev. Stephanie Jenkins.
They also will engage in planning as a peer ministry team for the coming year and for individual campus ministry sites. Along with K-State intern Ashley Petty, the group also will share meals, conversation, worship and fun.
Peer ministers meeting on-site are Ben Allman, Alex Kezar, Sadie Pile, Austin Stapleton, Tyler Kerr, Molly Weaver and John Olson. Joining virtually for portions of the weekend will be Olivia Divish and Naomi Cunningham.
Youth Peer Ministry applications are due Aug. 1
The diocesan youth peer ministry program currently is accepting applications to join the eight current peer ministers. The deadline is Friday, Aug. 1.
The peer ministry program seeks to provide an opportunity for high school students in the Diocese of Kansas to grow in their faith, receive training in ministry and life skills, assume roles of liturgical leadership, welcome other students into the body of Christ, and develop other young leaders.
If you know youth in your parish who would fit this position or be interested in this position, invite them to apply to be a peer minister.
Applications are available on the youth website at
If you have questions about the peer ministry program, contact Peer Ministry Coordinator Michael Funston at or diocesan Youth Missioner Karen Schlabach at .
St. Luke’s, Shawnee, seeks youth leader
St. Luke’s, Shawnee, is starting a youth ministry for grades 7-12. They are looking for a leader who enjoys working with young people and has relevant experience and/or educational background. This part-time position pays $15 an hour for 10 hours a week. E-mail resumes to .
Youth news
Register for Fall Fun Fest now.Sept. 20-21 at St. Thomas in Overland Park. For youth in grades 6-12.Start the year off right with the first diocesan youth event of the school year. There will be music and games, including an inflatable obstacle course, human hamster ball races and sumo wrestling. There are opportunities to make friends with youth from all over thediocese and learn about Christian spirituality. All youth are encouraged to invite a friend to this welcoming event. Cost is $40 with some scholarship assistance available. Registration forms are available online at
Youth can be pages and acolytes at Diocesan Convention. Youth in grades 8-12 are invited to be pages at Diocesan Convention. Pages pass out ballots or other handouts during the business sessions. Youth also are needed to serve as acolytes and assist with a Taizé-style Compline service on Friday night. Interested youth should register by Sept. 22. There is no cost to attend and forms can be printed on the Diocesan Youth web site the forms page.
Episcopal Church Women plan special day in Topeka
The board of the Episcopal Church Women of the diocese invites women in every church to attend “A Day at the Cathedral” on Saturday, Sept. 27, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Registration will begin at 10 a.m.
The event will include a worship service, tour of the cathedral, organ presentation and a tour of the Bethany Place property. Lunch will be included.
The cost will be $15 per person. Checks to reserve your spot should be sent no later than Sept. 15 to ECW Treasurer Sharon Atherton at 10206 West 20th Street North, Wichita, KS67212.
Campus ministry still is accepting names for fall intern position
Are you – or do you know – a graduating college student passionate about the life of faith and looking to engage in a year of service offering ministry to others, while gaining leadership skills before embarking on their next chapter of life? If so, consider applying or encouraging this person to apply to become a Campus Intern and staff member of the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas.
This position offers the ministry opportunity to deepen one’s own faith and share formation, leadership, and pastoral skills at one of the diocese’s two Canterbury Houses by working with college-aged peer ministers. It also offers the space to explore more deeply the intern’s own vocational discernment.
The internship has the potential to be a two-year internship. Compensation includes a monthly stipend and lodging.
For more information regarding this opportunity please see the job description online at contact Campus Missioner the Rev. Stephanie Jenkins at (785) 766-7435 .
Next Cursillo weekend takes place Aug. 7-10
The next Cursillo 3-Day Weekend will take place at the Heartland Retreat Center on Aug. 7-10. Half of the team and the majority of the attendees will be from Kansas parishes – 11 from the Northwest and Southwest Convocations. Please support them by sending letters and notes to Joy Bower, 8332 Delmar Lane, Prairie Village, KS 66208.
New this year – email or text greetings!If you have a friend attending the weekend, you can send greetings directly to them. Or, you can send general greetings via Joy Boyer at .
Everyone is invited to attend the closing Celebration Eucharist on Aug. 10. Please arrive at the Heartland Center by 2 p.m. To join in the pre-closing Serenade, arrive no later than 1 p.m.As always, there will be snacks. To get to Heartland, take I-435 north on the west side of Kansas City. Exit at Hwy 45 toward Weston. The retreat center entrance is about 1 mile ahead on Hwy 45 on the south (left) side.
Episcopal hospital in Gaza City sees worsening conditions
The Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, run by the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, reports conditions worsening after weeks of shelling in that area of the city. Many hospital personnel cannot get to work, and those who are there cannot leave but have served around the clock for the past two weeks to treat an increasing number of patients.
With severe damage to the territory’s only power plant, there not only is no electricity but no running water or sewage treatment, and the hospital needs money to buy fuel to keep its generators running to serve patients.
A full update is provided by the groupAmerican Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem:
Episcopal responses to unaccompanied children are compiled
The humanitarian crisis of thousands of unaccompanied children crossing the United States’ southern border has prompted a number of Episcopalians to issues statements. The Episcopal Public Policy Network has compiled them on a single website:
The Diocese of West Texas, where many of the children first entered, is offering aid through their churches in McAllen and Laredo, and they have asked for funds to help. You can read their request at
ENS list showcases 40th anniversary of the ordination of women as priests
Episcopal News Service has compiled a list of a variety of celebrations and articles about the 40th anniversary of the ordination of the first women as priestsin the Episcopal Church.
It is available online at
The ordination of the “Philadelphia 11,” later deemed irregular by the House of Bishops but eventually declared valid, took place on July 29, 1974.
You can read a variety of articles, see a video of a special anniversary service at which Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori preached, and use an interactive timeline about the ordination of women across the Anglican Communion.
Deadline nears for submitting Christmas card artwork
The Aug. 15 deadline is approaching for submitting original artwork that will be used for the 2014 Episcopal Church Christmas card. The original artwork should express a local understanding of God’s incarnation for the celebration of Jesus’ birth.
Almost two dozen entries have been submitted to date.
A printable PDF of the card with the winning artwork will be made available online to all congregations. The greeting inside the card will appear in English, Spanish, French, Creole and Navajo.
Information on making submission is available at
Anniversaries of ordinations
July 31: The Rev. Stephanie Jenkins, Campus Missioner (4 years)
Aug. 6: The Very Rev. Bill Wolff, St. Peter’s, Pittsburg (9 years)
Stay in touch via Facebook and Twitter
You can find news, features and updates from the diocese on social media. We’re on Facebook – EpiscopalDioceseofKansas ( – and Twitter – @EpiscoKs.
Next DioLog
The next edition of DioLog will be sent to subscribers on Thursday, Aug. 14. Information to be included should be sent to Melodie Woerman, diocesan director of communications, at , no later than Tuesday, Aug. 12.
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