Diolog Nov 21, 2019

Advent begins Dec. 1

With the start of the new church year, the Episcopal Church is offering an updated offering of resources for use by congregation during Advent, including:

·         A Way of Love digital invitation kit

·         “Journeying the Way of Love” Advent calendar and curriculum

·         AdventWord 2019

·         A compilation of Advent and Christmas sermons from “Sermons That Work”

·         Advent reflections from Episcopal Migration Ministries

·         Bulletin inserts

All are available on the Episcopal Church website at https://episcopalchurch.org/advent-and-christmas-resources

There also will be links on that page for people to watch livestreams of Christmas Eve services.

 

Registration remains open for diocesan Advent Quiet Day

As part of its commitment to the Way of Love, the diocese is offering a diocesanwide Advent Quiet Day on Saturday, Dec. 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at St. David’s, 3916 SW 17th in Topeka. It is open to anyone in the diocese who wishes to attend.

The cost is $10 per person to cover lunch.

The retreat leader is the Rev. Ted Blakley, rector of Grace, Hutchinson and formerly of St. John’s, Wichita. The theme for the day will be “Creating Space for God” and will feature meditations on creating space in order to hear the voice of God, as well as time for personal reflections, group sharing and a closing Eucharist.

The registration form is available at https://edok.formstack.com/forms/advent2019. A link also is on the main page of the diocesan website, www.episcopal-ks.org.

 

Start reading now for the Advent Bishop’s Book Series

The diocese is being invited to read The Power of Love by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry during Advent 2019.

An online discussion will take place on Thursday, Dec. 12 from 7 – 8 p.m. The platform for the discussion will be announced soon.

The date and time in mid-December for an online discussion of the book, open to everyone in the diocese, will be announced soon.

Here are places to purchase the book:

·         Penguin Random House: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/604756/the-power-of-love-by-bishop-michael-curry/9780525542896/

·         Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Power-Love-Sermons-reflections-inspire/dp/0525542892

·         Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-power-of-love-michael-curry/1129244872#/

·         Audio book by Penguin Random House: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/604756/the-power-of-love/

 

This Friday is the priority registration for youth confirmation retreat

All youth are invited to attend a weekend retreat using the book My Faith, My Life to learn more about their faith, church and life. Participants also will have fun activities, hang out with friends and enjoy great food. This retreat can also prepare young people for confirmation in the Episcopal Church.

Students, if they choose and pending approval from their rector, may then be confirmed in their home parish or at a special Easter Vigil service.

The registration fee includes a copy of the book My Faith, My Life.

·         Who: Grades 8-12

·         When and where: Dec. 6-8 at Grace Cathedral, Topeka

·         Cost: $55, register by Nov. 22

·         Register: https://tinyurl.com/EDOKYCR19

·         Questions? Contact Michael Funston, Associate for Youth and Campus Ministry, [email protected].

 

Upcoming youth events

>> Miqra registration now is open. MIQRA (meek-rah) is a weekend retreat that focuses on the Bible and allows teens to discover what’s in it, why they should care and how to read it. We read the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation in 72 hours. The reading is voluntary, and participants take turns reading in shifts around the clock.

So many fun things happen at MIQRA. We play wacky games like Church Commandos and Nave Olympics. We have a movie night. We worship with the Mustard Seeds, our diocesan youth band. Participants attend engaging workshops on various biblical topics and hear clergy speak about the Bible.

Those who attend also meet with a small group several times to make friends and talk about what they’re discovering about the Bible through the event.

·         When and where: Jan. 18-20, 2020, Grace Cathedral, 701 SW 8th Ave., Topeka

·         Ages: Grades 6 – 12

·         Cost: $55 ($70 after Jan. 5) includes meals and t-shirt

·         Register: https://tinyurl.com/EDOKMiqra20

 

>> Mini-Miqra retreat for young adults has opened registration. All college-aged Episcopalians and others interested in exploring the Episcopal faith are invited to a one-night retreat to kick-off the Miqra weekend. We will read the Bible, learn more about it and how to read it, worship, and enjoy yummy food together. Pre-registration is required.

Miqra continues as a youth event for the rest of the weekend. If you’d like to volunteer as an adult for Miqra, register for that, too.

·         When and where: Jan. 17-18, 2020, Grace Cathedral, 701 SW 8th Ave., Topeka

·         Time: It will officially start at 10 a.m., but please come whenever you can

·         Ages: Ages 18 – 25ish

·         Cost: $15 includes meals and t-shirt

·         Register: https://tinyurl.com/EDOKmini-miqra20

 

Episcopal Youth Event registration is now open

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, 2020. 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

 

Episcopal Relief & Development offers year-end match up to $1 million

Episcopal Relief & Development again is offering supporters and donors the opportunity to double their impact with a donation. For a second year, contributions to Episcopal Relief & Development until the end of the year will be doubled, dollar for dollar, up to a total of $1 million.

The Million Dollar Match will benefit the organization’s Global Needs Fund, enabling work around the world with local partners, helping communities overcome poverty, hunger, disaster and disease.

Contributions that are eligible for the match include those made online, by mail or over-the-phone. Donations through the popular “Gifts for Life” alternative giving catalog also are included.

Contributions can be made securely online at https://support.episcopalrelief.org/2019match/?ID=191200RWMHC0100&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=fy19holiday&utm_source=191200RWMHC0100.

The Gifts for Life catalog is available at https://support.episcopalrelief.org/gifts?ID=180000GX0000400&utm_medium=Undefined&utm_campaign=Undefined&utm_source=180000GX0000400.

 

Minutes of Council of Trustees meeting now are online

Minutes from the Oct. 19 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.

 

Anniversaries of ordinations

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

Nov. 25: The Rev. Laird MacGregor, non-parochial, Diocese of Western Kansas (13 years)

Nov. 30: The Rev. Joe Bayles, retired (52 years); the Rev. James Cox, retired, Diocese of Western Kansas (13 years); the Rev. Bruce LeBarron, retired, Diocese of Western Kansas (64 years)

Dec. 1: The Rev. David Cox, St. Michael and All Angels, Mission (7 years); the Very Rev. Jerry Jones, canon to the ordinary, Diocese of Western Kansas (54 years)

 

Diocesan office to be closed for Thanksgiving

The diocesan office in Topeka will be closed Nov. 28 and 29 in observance of Thanksgiving. The office will reopen on Monday, Dec. 2 with regular office hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

We wish all our readers a very happy Thanksgiving.

 

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, Dec. 5. Information to be included should be sent to Melodie Woerman, diocesan director of communications, at[email protected] no later than Tuesday, Dec. 3.

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.

If you do not wish to receive this publication, you may unsubscribe from DioLog by sending an email to [email protected].