April 16, 2015
Resource offered to help with Vacation Bible School
Gaye Lynn Huddleston, who has an extensive background in Christian education, has prepared a resource to help parishes evaluate and select curricula for use in Vacation Bible School.
She includes information on a variety of publishers, as well as criteria to help in selecting material.
The three-page Word document is attachedand also is posted on the diocesan website at
Youth news
> Adult volunteers and youth ministers – register for Recharge now! Recharge is a one-night retreat for youth ministers and volunteers in the diocese. This year there will be multiple mini-sessions covering topics such as relational youth ministry, moving from chaperones to shepherds, and cooperative work with parents. We also always have a resource sharing and problem-solving time.
May 1-2 at Upton Hall, Topeka; cost is just $15.
Get more information or sign-up online at
>Register for Episcopal Summer MegaCamp now! Camp is May 31-June 6 at Camp Wood YMCA. The cost is $420 for the week. Registrations are due by May 8.
The volunteer Episcopal staff provides solid Christian education, featuring worship, music, small group discussions and prayer. Camp Wood features a variety of activities such as horseback riding, archery, climbing tower, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, water slide, mudslide, arts and crafts, and sports.
Camp is open to those currently in grades 3-12, and their friends.
For registration forms and more information see
Find out why youth love Mega Camp by watching the camp commercials:
We currently have 32 requests for scholarships, and were only able to budget for 20. We are trying to raise additional funds to ensure that every family who wants their children to attend camp is able to do so.
> Space is still available for youth and college students to attend General Convention. In partnership with the Episcopal Diocese of West Missouri, we will be taking a delegation of 33youth, college students and adults as guests to the 78th General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Salt Lake City, Utah.This year's General Convention will be extra exciting, as we will be there to witness the election of the next Presiding Bishop! We will spend four days at Convention and one day site seeing.
Open to students who have finished grades 9-12 and college-age students. June 22-29; cost is $400 per person, plus food expenses.
See for more information.
EFM mentor trainingscheduled for June
EFM mentor training will take place on June 4-6 at Bethany Place and Grace Cathedral in Topeka. Both basic/in-service and formation training will be offered. The formation training topic is spirituality.
We have room for up to eight persons for the basic group, and up to 12 persons for the formation group.
Training will begin promptly at 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 4. Please arrive no later than 9:45 for orientation. Training will continue through noon on Saturday, June 6. All those attending the training must complete 18 hours of training, so those who arrive late may not be allowed to participate in the training. Be sure to allow yourselves plenty of time for arrival.
The cost to attend the training is $90. Checks should be made out to “EFM” and sent to Mike Morrow, 9550 E. Lincoln St., Apt. 112, Wichita, KS 67207. Lunch and dinner will be provided on Thursday, and lunch will be provided on Friday. We will eat out on Friday night at a local restaurant, which will be at your own expense.
If you need a place to stay, you can stay at Upton Hall for $40 a night (you can stay Wednesday night if you wish to arrive the night before). Make your reservations for Upton Hall with Mike Morrow.
However, depending on how many stay there, you may have to share a room and you will likely share a bathroom. The Senate Luxury Suites are very nice and only two blocks away: (800) 488-3188.
To register or for more information, contact Mike Morrow at (316) 258-4834 or
Book reading in Wichita April 26 to feature author Lauren Winner
Author Lauren Winner will read from her new book, Wearing God: Clothing, Laughter, Fire, and Other Overlooked Ways of Meeting God, at Eighth Day Books on Sunday, April 26 at 5 p.m.
The bookstoreis located at 2838 East Douglas Ave. in Wichita.
Each chapter of Winner’s book explores a single biblical image of God.
An interview with her about the book is online at
Winner, who teaches at Duke Divinity School, will be in the area to conduct an event the day before with the Episcopal Church Women of the Diocese of Western Kansas (information follows).
Western Kansas ECW invites all women to an event with Lauren Winner
The Episcopal Church Women of the Diocese of Western Kansas invites all women to an event with author and historian Lauren Winner on Saturday, April 25 at Grace Episcopal Church in Hutchinson.
Winner is assistant professor of Christian spirituality at Duke Divinity School in Durham, N.C.
The day will begin at 9:30 a.m. with registration and ends after a Eucharist that begins at 2:15 p.m.
The cost is $45, which includes lunch.
More information, including a downloadable registration form, is online at
Cathedral hosts piano concert on April 26
PianistChristopher Atzinger will perform in concert at Grace Cathedral, Topeka on Sunday, April 26 at 3 p.m. as the next installment of the Great Spaces Music & Arts Series.
Along with familiar works by Johann Hummel, Chopin and Jalbert, Atzinger will perform Richard Danielpour’s “The Enchanted Garden” Book 2.
A chocolate and champagne reception will follow the performance, which is offered in partnership with Kansas Public Radio.
More information is online at
Special concert of Welsh music planned for June 21
A performance of works by Welsh composer Paul Mealor – known worldwide for special music composed for the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton – will be performed at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 21 at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral, 415 West 13th Street in Kansas City, Mo.
The concert, “Sounds of a Sacred Land,” will be performed by the Te Deum Chamber Choir, a group dedicated to performing a diverse sacred choral repertoire.
The cost to attend is $10 per person, and tickets are available online at
The concert is sponsored by the St. David Welsh Society of Greater Kansas City, which will host a light tea reception after the performance.
The Rev. Evan Ash, locum tenens at Trinity, Atchison, is serving as producer for the event. For more information, email him at .
Bishop Kemper School offers summer classes for Christian educators and youth leaders
This summer Bishop Kemper School for Ministry will offer two special courses designed for current and potential Christian educators and youth leaders.
- June 13-14: Mini 340: Christian Education Leadership Survey
Participants will learn about “big picture” issues in leading Christian education programs, including engaging clergy and vestry support; developing mission, vision, goal and objectives; budgeting; safety guidelines; gift discernment; recruiting, training, supporting and appreciating volunteers; exploring cultural issues; and self-soul care. Deadline to register is May 14. - July 18-19: Mini 350: Christian Education Children & Youth Teaching Survey
Participants will learn teaching logistics and best practices, including human growth and development; welcoming and hospitality; effective teaching and behavior management; curriculum evaluation and selection; designing, adapting and implementing lessons; and relational ministry with children and youth. Deadline to register is June 18.
The June class is a prerequisite for the July class.
Classes will take place at Upton Hall Conference Center in Topeka (just south of Grace Cathedral).
The cost is $125 per person for each weekend, which includes meals and lodging at Upton Hall.
Both classes will be taught by diocesan Youth Missioner Karen Schlabach, M.S. in Student Counseling and Personnel Services; and Sue Crew, M.S. in Adult and Continuing Education and Director of Christian Formation at St. Michael and all Angels, Mission.
More information, along with a registration form, is on the BKSM website,
Scholarship applications now accepted for Episcopal Church grants
Applications are now being accepted for the 2015-2016 awarding of educational scholarships from The Episcopal Church.
Scholarships are available for ethnic communities; children of missionaries, bishops and clergy; and other particular wide-ranging eligibility for education and training.
The amounts of the scholarships vary according to the availability of payouts from the funds. The maximum is $5,000.
The lists of trust funds and scholarships, as well as key information, are online at
Applicants are strongly encouraged to read each trust and identify in the application those trust funds that best fit their own profile.
Requirements for applying for the scholarships include that the applicant be an Episcopalian and must have the endorsement of his/her bishop.
The deadline to apply is April 30.
Are you headed to Sturgis in August?
If you or someone you know will be traveling in August to Sturgis, South Dakota, for the city’s major motorcycle rally, you may be interested in a special opportunity from the Diocese of South Dakota.
The diocese’s camp, about 20 miles from Sturgis, is providing cabins or tents plus a hearty breakfast for rally-goers, in a quiet, semi-rustic, alcohol-free atmosphere in the pines of the Black Hills.
There also will be opportunities for worship.
More information is on the camp’s website,
Anniversaries of ordinations
Congratulations go to these people as they celebrate the anniversaries of their ordination in the next two weeks:
April 17: The Rev. Charles Schneider, retired, Diocese of Western Kansas (16 years)
April 25: The Rev. Avelino Baguyos, retired (49 years)
April 29: The Rev. Susan Sawyer, retired (29 years)
April 30: The Rev. Ron Peak, retired (35 years); Deacon Jim John, retired (33 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, April 30.
Information to be included should be sent to Melodie Woerman, diocesan director of communications, at , no later than Tuesday, April 28.
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DioLog is a publication of the Office of Communications of the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas, 835 SW Polk Street, Topeka, KS 66612.