October 12, 2011

Still time to register for the Oct. 22 workshop on ‘conversational evangelism’

With a few spaces remaining, registrations still can be accepted for the “Conversational Evangelism” workshop for lay and clergy leaders of the diocese – but they must be received no later than 4 p.m. this Friday, Oct. 14.

The workshop will take place Saturday, Oct. 22 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. Andrew’s, 828 Commercial in Emporia. A follow-up workshop is set for Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., also at St. Andrew’s.

The cost is $15 per person and includes lunch and all materials.

Registrations may be made by phone with Michele Moss in the diocesan office by calling (800) 473-3563 or emailing . Payment may be made at the door.

Participants will learn the fundamentals of engaging non-churched people in environments such as social gatherings or the workplace. The speaker will be Margaret Lawrence, a member of the faculty of Bishop Seabury Academy in Lawrence and the former director of worship arts for Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in Menlo Park, Calif.

Have you completed the diocesan communications survey?

If you haven’t yet filled out the online diocesan survey, please do so: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/KsCommSurvey

The 22 questions should take fewer than 10 minutes to complete. So far 70 people have completed it, but many more responses are needed so we can make our communications efforts the best they can be.

Please share this link with members of your parish or group. We want lots of feedback from all portions of the diocese.

Bonhoeffer scholar to speak in Lawrence

Dr. Ferdinand Schlingensiepen, a founding member of the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Society and author of a biography of Bonhoeffer, will offer a public lecture on Thursday, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1245 New Hampshire, in Lawrence.

The title of his presentation is “Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Martyr, Thinker, Man of Resistance.” It will focus on the life and work of the noted German scholar and pastor who was killed by Nazi Germany after plotting to help assassinate Hitler, as well as the Confessing Church movement in Germany during World War II.

The lecture is sponsored by Lawrence’s Theologian in Residence program, which is an ecumenical group of local clergy. There is no charge, but a free-will offering will be taken.

“Greening your faith” clergy workshop offered in Mission

A workshop for clergy, “Greening your faith: preaching, teaching and leading your congregation in earth care,” is set for Tuesday, Oct. 25 from 9-11:45 a.m. at Old Mission United Methodist Church in Mission.

It is sponsored by Kansas Interfaith Power and Light, and the Sustainable Sanctuary Coalition and will explore a variety of issues related to creation stewardship. Among the speakers will be the Rev. Gail Greenwell, rector of St. Michael and All Angels in Mission.

The cost to attend is $20, payable at the door. Pre-registration is needed by Oct. 22. More information is at http://sustainablesanctuary.org/events

Youth news

Happening #86. Nov. 18-20 at St. David’s, Topeka. For high school youth,

Happening is an event by youth for youth. It's a weekend retreat, focusingon Jesus and what he taught. This is a great opportunity for youth to take a break from their busy schedules and talk with peers about owning their faith.Registration forms can be found online at http://www.episcopal-ks.org/youth/happening.html

Miqra 2012. Jan. 14-16, 2012, at Grace Cathedral and St. David's in Topeka. For youth in grades 6-12.

MIQRA (meek-rah) is a weekend retreat that focuses on the Bible and allows teens to discover what's in it, why we should care and how to read it. Registrations are available now online at http://www.episcopal-ks.org/youth/miqra.html

Animal blessing photos still needed

If your church has offered a Blessing of the Animals in recent weeks, the Office of Communications would like to have a photo.

Send a high resolution, in-focus jpg (as close to 1MB in size as possible), along with information about who is in the photo (including the pet’s name), to Director of Communications Melodie Woerman at for possible inclusion in the next issue of The Harvest.

KSM fall classes now accepting enrollments

Enrollment now is open for Kansas School for Ministry classes during the upcoming academic year. KSM offers one or two classes each month, based at the Bethany Place Conference Center adjacent to the diocesan offices near downtown Topeka.

According to the Rev. Andrew Grosso, KSM’s coordinator and the diocesan missioner for theological formation, students this year will fall into four categories:

·  Those studying for ordination as a deacon;

·  Those studying for ordination as a priest;

·  Those working toward a lay ministry certificate (congregational leadership, worship leader, lay preacher, sacramental minister or prayer minister); and

·  Those taking courses for their personal continuing education and enjoyment.

The tuition is $150 per course for those in the ordination and lay ministry certificate tracks, and $100 per course for those studying for personal enrichment.

Students must pre-register by contacting Grosso at (913) 367-3171 or .

Upcoming fall courses, with instructors, are:

·  Oct. 14-15: Christian spirituality (the Rev. Tom Wilson); British Christianity (the Rev. Bill Wolff)

·  Nov. 11-12: Old Testament survey (the Rev. Bill Breedlove); homiletics (the Rev. George Pejakovich)

·  Dec. 9-10: pastoral theology (the Rev. Lisa Senuta); doctrine of the incarnation (the Rev. Andrew Grosso)

ER-D’s “Gifts for Life” catalog is available for holiday gift-giving

The annual “Gifts for Life” catalog from Episcopal Relief and Development now is available, to enable Episcopalians to use their holiday purchases to benefit people in need around the world.

Information is online at http://www.er-d.org/giftsforlife/

The catalog “sells” everything from livestock to water wells, allowing the purchaser to donate in the name of someone, who then receives a special acknowledgement card.

Gift categories for 2012 include animals and agriculture, basics for life, green gifts, health and wellness, economic opportunities, create a community, and inspiring your community.

ELCA sponsors anti-malaria concert in Lawrence Oct. 30

Peter Mayer, lead guitarist for Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefers Band, will headline a concert Oct. 30 in Lawrence to raise money to fight malaria in Africa. It is set for Sunday, Oct. 30 at 7:30 p.m. at Abe and Jake’s Landing, 8 E. 6th St., in Lawrence and is sponsored by the Central States Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

It will feature the Peter Mayer Group, which plays an eclectic mix of musical styles.

Tickets are $20 if purchased in advance through www.stopmalariaconcert.org or $25 at the door. Because of the large number of concert underwriters, the entire ticket price will go to malaria prevention.

Clergy notes

Deacon Patty Minx has been assigned by Bishop Dean Wolfe to serve at St. Paul’s, Kansas City.

Anniversaries of ordinations

Congratulations go to these people as they celebrate the anniversaries of their ordination in the next two weeks:

Oct. 13: The Rev. Barbara Bloxsom, retired (21 years); the Rev. Richard Brooks, retired, Diocese of Western Kansas (13 years)

Oct. 14: The Rev. Dale Plummer, non-parochial (10 years)

Oct. 15: The Rev. Ty Petty, non-parochial (39 years)

Oct. 16: The Rev. Lisa Senuta, St. Michael and All Angels, Mission (10 years)

Oct. 19: Deacon Cliff Davis, non-parochial (13 years)

Oct. 21: Deacon Karen Wichael, retired (11 years)

Oct. 23: Deacon Jane Ware, Trinity, El Dorado (15 years)

Oct. 24: Deacon Harry Craig, St. David’s, Topeka (25 years); Deacon Deedee Evans, St. James’, Wichita (25 years)

Oct. 26: Deacon Kitty Shield, St. Jude’s, Wellington (21 years)

Oct. 27: The Rev. Gail Davis, non-parochial (10 years); Deacon Carolyn Graham, retired (18 years)

Next DioLog

The next edition of DioLog will be sent to subscribers on Thursday, Oct. 27. Information to be included should be sent to Melodie Woerman, diocesan director of communications, at , no later than Tuesday, Oct. 25.

DioLog is a publication of the Office of Communications of the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas.

Parishes are free to excerpt anything printed in DioLog; attributionthat material is reprinted from DioLog is appreciated. Feel free to copy this and make it available to parishioners in whatever way is most useful.

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