Latest Diolog

 

Jan. 23, 2020

 

Bishop Bascom issues policy on communion in the absence of a priest

Bishop Cathleen Bascom has issued a policy, along with a trial liturgy, that will permit congregations to provide communion from reserved sacrament in the absence of a priest, in certain circumstances.

The policy allows deacons, licensed worship leaders and lay people who have undergone special training to officiate at a liturgy that provides communion from Eucharistic elements that previously had been consecrated and have been reverently reserved for this purpose (as well as to provide communion for the sick and others).

One of the primary changes from the authorized rite, which has been used by some previously designated parishes, is that two people will lead the liturgy together. A deacon always can be one of the two. Additionally, the liturgy is to take place from the side or front of the altar, not behind it, to distinguish it visually from a Eucharistic celebration.

The bishop spoke about this topic at length with priests and deacons at last fall’s Gathering of Clergy, and she has refined aspects of the policy, as well as the trial liturgy, with input from the diocesan Liturgy, Music and the Arts Task Force.

The LMA task force hopes to have its required training, to be used by churches within their minsters, available by Eastertide.

A copy of how this to be implemented is included in a document on the diocesan website at http://www.episcopal-ks.org/resources/documents/Communion-in-Absence-of-Priest-Notes-2020.pdf.

The trial liturgy is available at http://www.episcopal-ks.org/resources/documents/Communion-in-Absence-of-Priest-Liturgy.pdf.

Any church that wants clarification about the policy, or that wants to request authorization, should contact the bishop’s office.

Feedback about the new liturgy from those parishes that have been authorized to use it may be sent to Liturgy, Music and the Arts Task Force co-chair the Rev. Mary Schrom Breese at [email protected].

 

Reminder about filing parochial reports

All congregations of the diocese should note that beginning this year, the only way to file the required Parochial Report is online. No paper copies will be mailed as in past years.

1.       Each congregation already should have received information on the new process. If your church did not receive this, please contact Comptroller Jay Currie at [email protected], (800) 473-3563 or (785) 235-9255.

2.       Each church must locate its Unique Episcopal Identified (UEID); it can be found in the list online at https://sites.google.com/view/episcopal-eparish-lookup/need-your-ueid/k-dioceses?authuser=0

3.       The form will be filled out online at this URL: https://reports.dfms.org/

4.       Your log-in must include a working email address.

5.       If you cannot file online, please contact Jay Currie and he will assist you. [email protected], (800) 473-3563 or (785) 235-9255.

Need help understanding what is supposed to go in each section of the report?

·         An instruction sheet is available: https://extranet.generalconvention.org/staff/files/download/26436

·         A line-by-line workbook with instructions is available: https://extranet.generalconvention.org/staff/files/download/26437

Diocesan supplemental forms still are required. Hard copies of the required supplemental forms have been mailed to all churches, and online versions are available on the diocesan website, in the Forms section: http://www.episcopal-ks.org/resources/forms.php.

Questions about these supplemental forms should be directed to Michele Moss at [email protected], (800) 473-3563 or (785) 235-9255.

 

General Convention opens nominations for elective office

The Episcopal Church Joint Standing Committee for Nominations for General Conventionhas issued a call for nominations for Episcopal Church positions, committees and boards.

Positions to be filled are:

·      Member, Court of Review

·      Member, Disciplinary Board for Bishops

·      Member, Executive Council

·      Member, General Board of Examining Chaplains

·      Member, Joint Nominating Committee for the Election of a Presiding Bishop

·      Trustee, Church Pension Fund

·      Trustee, General Theological Seminary

·      Secretary, House of Deputies

·      Treasurer of General Convention

An application form and links to job descriptions are available on the General Convention website, https://www.generalconvention.org/nomineeapplication2021.

Applications can be submitted electronically, and for the first time, nominees are able to apply for multiple positions on the same application.

The deadline to submit application is March 31, 2020. 

Elections will take place at the 80th General Convention, to take place in Baltimore, Md., June 30 – July 9, 2021. 

 

Register now for the Episcopal Youth Event; space is limited

The Episcopal Youth Event (EYE) involves 1,500 people (high school students, their adult mentors and bishops from around the church) who all stay on a college campus and learn, laugh and serve.

EYE20 programs focus on helping develop leadership skills, spiritual practices and early stages of vocational discernment. The theme for EYE20 is “Unite! ¡Unámonos!”

EYE20 will take place at the University of Maryland in College Park, July 7-11. Those attending from this diocese will be flying as a group from Kansas City to Washington, D.C. Scholarships are available to cover airfare if you need it. We ask participants to pay the $400 registration fee, which includes lodging, most meals and a t-shirt. Payment plans are available when you sign-up, but you must be paid in full by the start of the event.

Participants must have turned 15 and be no older than 19 by the start of the event. Current freshman who are 14 will have an opportunity to attend EYE2023, since the Episcopal Youth Event is on a three-year cycle.

Register: https://tinyurl.com/EDOKEYE20

 

Upcoming youth events

>> Music weekend registration now is open. This weekend includes leadership games, hang-out time and most importantly, time to practice worship songs and maybe even record a few. The Mustard Seeds will provide the music for the 9 a.m. service and will play the offertory anthem at the 11 a.m. service.

·         When: Friday, Feb.  21, 7 p.m. to Sunday, Feb. 23, noon. Note: New or younger musicians who want to try us out may choose to attend for Saturday only, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (or if you can’t attend the whole weekend, this is also an option).

·         Where: Good Shepherd, 8021 W. 21st St. North in Wichita

·         Who: High school students who are interested in playing at youth events (junior high students may attend with Youth Missioner permission)

·         Cost: $25 ($30 after Feb. 15); $15 for Saturday only

·         Registration form: https://www.ultracamp.com/info/sessiondetail.aspx?idCamp=986&campCode=1sC&idSession=252574

>> Episcopal Summer Mega Camp registration now is open. New this year:

1.       Jones Lodge will be completely renovated

2.       There will be a new amphitheater in front of Ritchie Lodge

3.       All cabins and yurts will be air conditioned

4.       Payment plans

5.       Learn more about camp in our new Episcopal Camp Parent Handbook (PDF): https://edokyouth.files.wordpress.com/2019/12/episcopalparenthandbook.pdf

·         When: Sunday, May 31, 2:30 p.m. to Saturday, June 6, 11 a.m.

·         Where: Camp Wood YMCA, Elmdale, Kansas

·         Who: Students in grades 3-12 for the 2019-20 school year (you must have finished third grade to attend). Camp is not restricted to Episcopalians or regular churchgoers. All are welcome, so feel free to invite friends and family.

·         Cost:$465 through April 1. There is a $50 non-refundable deposit required at the time of registration, and the remainder is due by Friday, May 8.

·         New this year ... payment plans! You can divide your camp registration fee into equal payments each month until camp begins.

·         Those needing scholarships should register for camp by April 1. The diocese has 20 scholarships for $150 available for those with extreme financial need. You can apply for scholarships on the registration form. Information about your household income will be required. Scholarships are awarded by a committee. Your parish should also be able to provide some scholarship money.

·         Register online: https://tinyurl.com/EDOKCamp20  

 

2020-2021 campus peer ministry application now is available 

If you are passionate about deepening your own faith and taking a leadership role in cultivating the faith of students on campus, we invite you to consider becoming a peer minister in the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas.

Applications for Fall 2020 are now open and are due by July 15. Apply online at https://edok.formstack.com/forms/peerminapp

 

United Thank Offering grant applications are due Feb. 6

The focus for the 2020 United Thank Offering grants is “Bless: Share faith, practice generosity and compassion, and proclaim the Good News of God in Christ with hope and humility.”

The deadline for UTO grant applications to be submitted to the diocesan office is Feb. 6. The completed grant application form and a proposed project budget are required.

From among applications submitted, the diocese will select one to forward to the United Thank Offering board for possible funding.

Information, including a link to the application form, is on the UTO grant website, https://www.episcopalchurch.org/uto-grants

Submissions should be addressed to Bishop Cathleen Bascom, [email protected]. 

 

United Thank Offering offers grants for young adults and seminarians

The United Thank Offering board now is accepting applications for up to five young adult grants and up to five seminarian grants for 2020. Seminarian grants are open to any ordination track Episcopal students at any school or training program approved by the person’s sponsoring bishop or diocese. 

Grants will be up to $5,000 each to fund start-up costs for new ministries or new projects/programs within an existing ministry program.

The deadline to submit applications to the diocesan office is Feb. 3.

Information about the grants is online at https://episcopalchurch.org/uto-young-adult-and-seminarian-grants.

 

Diocese of West Missouri Hispanic ministry offers a Lenten retreat

People from the Diocese of Kansas are invited to take part in a Lenten retreat sponsored by the Hispanic ministry of the Diocese of West Missouri. It will take place Friday, March 20 from 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, March 21 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The location is the Church of the Good Shepherd, 4947 NE Chouteau Drive in Kansas City, Mo.

To register, contact the Rev. Jose Palma at (417) 358-4631.

 

Minutes of Council of Trustees meeting now are online

Minutes from the Dec. 18 meeting of the Council of Trustees have been approved and now are posted on the diocesan website: http://www.episcopal-ks.org/news/Council-of-Trustees-minutes.php.

Clergy news

The Rev. Jonathan Brice has accepted a call to become rector of St. Luke’s, Shawnee, beginning Feb. 1. He most recently was rector of Christ Church in Aspen, Colo. He was ordained in the Church of England in 1992 and served parishes and schools there before moving to the United States. Brice and his wife Shara have two adult children, Crichelle and Joel.

 

Anniversaries of ordinations

Our apologies go to the Rev. Kathy Swain, whose ordination anniversary of Jan. 12 was omitted in the previous edition of DioLog.

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

Jan. 23: The Rev. Jerry Rankin, St. John’s, Abilene (35 years)

Jan. 25: The Rev. Steve Lipscomb, St. Paul’s, Leavenworth (28 years)

Feb. 2: Deacon Suzi Drury, St. Michael and All Angels, Mission (23 years)

 

Stay in touch with the diocese on social media

You can find news, features and updates from the diocese on social media. We’re on Facebook – EpiscopalDioceseofKansas (https://www.facebook.com/EpiscopalDioceseofKansas), Twitter – @EpiscoKs and Instagram – @EpiscoKs.

You can find diocesan youth and campus ministries on Instagram, too:

·         Youth: @edokyouth

·         Canterbury House of Lawrence: @canterburylfk

·         Canterbury at K-State: @canterburyatkstate

 

Next DioLog

The next edition of DioLog will be sent to subscribers on Thursday, Feb. 6. Information to be included should be sent to Melodie Woerman, diocesan director of communications, at[email protected] no later than Tuesday, Feb. 4.

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

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