December 2014 | Volume 6, No. 6

SPIRITLEADERSHIP BOOT CAMP | LIFTING UP LEADERS

Diocese of West Missouri

2 SPIRIT | December 2014

ON THE COVERConvention 2014 - Preparing to process in

for the Annual Convention ordinations and

Eucharist.

Photograph: Gary Zumwalt

3Editor’s Letter Impressions of my first dioc-

esan convention.

By Gary Allman

4Keeping WatchBishop Marty brings 2014 to

a close.

By The Right Rev. Martin S. Field

5Every Person is a Child of GodGod made all human beings in

God’s image...

By The Rev. Kenneth L. Chumbley

6Bishop Marty’s Report to ConventionEpiscopalians, friends and

partner agencies around the

globe are joining together to

celebrate Episcopal Relief &

Development’s 75th Anniver-

sary.

By The Right Rev. Martin S. Field

8Leadership Boot CampYou might have heard about

it, but do you know what it is?

Now’s your chance to find out.

By The Rev. Dr. Steve Rottgers

9Lifting Up LeadersA new initiative to help con-

gregations find leaders and

develop leadership.

By The Rev. Dr. William Fasel

PUBLISHER

The Right Rev. Martin S. Field

EDITOR

Gary Allman

Spirit is published by the

Diocese of West Missouri

420 West 14th St.

Kansas City, MO 64105

EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS

Gary Allman, Communications Director

Angela Crawford, Communications Assistant

The Rev. Dr. Steven Rottgers, Canon to the Ordinary

SUBMISSIONS/LETTERS

Spirit welcomes submissions of news articles, photographs

and letters to the editor on topics of interest to the diocese.

Submissions should include the writer’s name, e-mail and postal

addresses and phone number and are subject to editing.

PHONE

(816) 471-6161 ext. 17

E-MAIL

communications@ediowestmo.org

WEB SITE

www.diowestmo.org

FACEBOOK

www.facebook.com/diowestmo

10Diocesan Youth GatheringOver 90 youth and volunteers took part in this year’s youth gathering.

By Kim Snodgrass

12Saint Matthew’s OzarkAll about the newest orga-nized congregation in the diocese.

By The Rev. Laura Hughes

13BotswanaFr. Sid is off to spend three

months teaching theology in

Botswana.

By The Rev. Sidney Breese

14Growth at Trinity, LebanonExcellent news; Trinity is

growing!

By Patti Brayfield

14Church of the Resurrection’s Celebrations ContinueHow the Church of the

Resurrection has celebrated,

and plans to continue

celebrating its 50th anniver-

sary.

By Kitty Hampton

15The AgendaEvents and activities around the diocese.

SPIRIT | December 2014 3

I signed off my contribution to the previous edition of Spirit with a brief take on what Convention is all about. I thought I’d start this time by giving some of my thoughts about the 125th Diocesan Convention that now it’s all over.

I was honored to be there and see my friend and fellow EfM student Laura be ordained into the priesthood. I was proud to be a small part of the team that made Convention possible, and proud of my stepdaughter Lanie, and her co-master of ceremonies Hannah for the great job they did at the evening’s awards. I was very pleased to see Kim Snodgrass (Diocesan

Youth Ministry Coordinator) receive an award after so many years of handing them out. You can read more about the youth awards on page 10. I was also pleased that my communications colleague and friend Walker Adams received a Bishop’s Shield for all his voluntary efforts. That’s not to devalue all the others involved, and awards received that I haven’t mentioned, but to mark those who personally touched me. You can read about the Bishop’s Shield Award recipients on page 4, and the Leadership Boot Camp graduates on page 8.

I’ve heard a lot of positive feedback about the Gathering Presentations, which is very good but also a tad irritating, as I was too busy with various preparations to actually attend any of them myself.

The Bishops’ Panel was informative, and I wish we had recorded it. Speaking of which, I have several hours of record-ings to go through and edit - hopefully once this edition has been sent to the printers.

The business session started with morning prayers led by some of the youth, followed by various reports including the Bishop’s Presentation which included his dream for our diocese. (Should that have been vision?) You can read an abridged ver-sion on page 6. The resolutions passed with very little debate or discussion, a fact I have heard lamented. My take on it was that the lack of discussion reflected on the effectiveness of the vari-

EDITOR’S LETTER | Gary Allman

Convention 2014Impressions of my first diocesan convention.

ous management and leadership structures in place to deal with issues prior to convention, leaving only the approval and rati-fication of the entire membership to be sought. Here’s a short summary of the resolutions passed at convention.

Resolution 1-2014 – “Celebrating the Diocese’s Quasquicentennial by Changing 125 Lives”

In this resolution all constituencies of the diocese are asked to celebrate our 125th anniversary by bringing positive change to at least 125 lives during the next year.

Resolution 2-2014 – “Memorial to General Convention 2015”

That the Diocese of West Missouri will draft and submit a resolution to next year’s General Convention which, if passed, will authorize presbyters to confirm persons 16 years or older at the liturgies at which such persons are baptized.

Resolution 3-2014 – “Admission of St. Matthew’s, Ozark, as an Organized Congregation of the Diocese of West Missouri”

This resolution admitted St. Matthew’s, Ozark, MO (for-merly a satellite of St. Mark’s, Kimberling City and before that St. James’, Springfield) as a member and organized congregation of the Diocesan Convention.

Resolution 4-2014 – “Request for an Episcopal Statement on the Theology and Meaning of the Sacrament of Confirmation”

In this resolution the Diocesan Convention asked the Bishop, his staff and advisors, and others to develop a theo-logical and teaching statement on the sacramental rite of Confirmation and to submit this statement prior to the 2015 Convention.

You can read the full wording of the resolutions on the dioc-esan website (link at end). Of the above, Resolution 3 was the most charming - as soon as the resolution passed representa-tives of Saint Matthew’s paraded in to the tune of ‘When the Saints...’ You can read more about Saint Matthew’s on page 12.

Events didn’t finish there. While convention wrapped up Saturday afternoon to give all the clergy a chance to get back to their parishes ready for Sunday’s services - the youth kept on going. When I arrived at Christ Episcopal Church in Springfield on Sunday morning I found over 90 youth and volunteers at the Diocesan Youth Gathering - a very impressive turnout.

It is a great shame that only a few people get to see all this activity for themselves. I’m very lucky, because of my job and my volunteering I’m in the thick of it. I found it all inspiring and energizing. I’m looking forward to being able to post a whole lot of pictures online very soon. +

Convention Resolutions As Adopted: http://goo.gl/N1ww3g

Working with Walker Adams (left) in the AV Booth at ConventionPhotograph: Gary Zumwalt

4 SPIRIT | December 2014

KEEPING WATCH | The Right Rev. Martin S. Field

Catching Up & Closing Out The YearTHIS IS THE SPIRIT’S LAST ISSUE OF 2014, SO I AM TAK-ING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CATCH UP ON ODDS AND ENDS OF INFORMATION THAT NEEDS TO BE SHARED OR BROUGHT TO THE DIOCESE’S ATTENTION.

Just before our Annual Convention (Nov. 7-8), I had the privilege of hosting a conversation of 5 Bishops, 4 Episcopalians, including me, and 1 Lutheran. They are the Episcopal Bishops of Western Kansas, Kansas, and Missouri; the Lutheran Bishop of the Central States Synod; and me. We five are the Bishops of the jurisdictions in Missouri and Kansas of the Episcopal Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church

in America (ELCA). Our ELCA colleague, Bishop Roger Gustafson, whom many met at convention, is bishop of two full states, territory that the Episcopal Church divides into 4 dioceses. Therefore, Bishop Gustafson has 4 Episcopal colleagues with whom to work and partner. That partnership was the crux of our recent conversation, and at the end of our day together, we released a communique in which we pledge to further our burgeon-

ing partnership(s) and to model partnering for our diocese and synod. To that end, we are joining together through the weeks of Lent 2015 to study scripture together, which is possible due to modern technology. We will video-conference and, I trust, enrich one another’s Lenten journey by breaking open the Word of God with one another. I commend this same practice to all the parishes and diocese of West Missouri in order to begin or to further build partnerships with ELCA parishes in your communities.

Also at convention, many diocesan members were intro-duced to several other bishops who came to be with us as we opened the celebration of our 125th anniversary as a diocese: Bishop Wayne Smith of Missouri, Bishop Dean Wolfe of Kansas, and Bishop Metlhayotlhe Beleme of the Diocese of Botswana, our companion diocese. Bishop Beleme, who was accompanied by his wife, Thapelo, certainly took the prize for traveling the farthest to help us celebrate, and it was a pleasure to host them around the diocese for the days following conven-tion. I thank our Companion Diocese Commission for making and executing the dizzying arrangements for Bishop and Mrs. Beleme’s visit.

The following persons were awarded the Bishop’s Shield for their significant and sustained servant leadership in the life of our diocese: Cheryl Moon (St. Stephen’s, Monett), Mother Marty Byer (Christ Church, Boonville), Deacon Larry Allen (St. Michael’s, Independence), Mother Pat Miller (St. Michael’s, Independence); Walker Adams (St. Paul’s, Kansas City), Jim Gilligan (Church of the Resurrection, Blue Springs); and Walt George (Church of the Redeemer, Kansas City). To know the

whys and wherefores of their receiving this honor, please go to the diocese’s web site to see the comments I made at the award ceremony.

Also at convention, five people were ordained to either dia-conal or priestly orders: Laura Hughes and Paula Lively were ordained priests and Donna Stanford, Bruce Bower, and Chas Marks were ordained Deacons (Chas as a transitional deacon). When space allows, you will be introduced to them more fully in these pages.

Lastly, the Annual Convention adopted a resolution put forward by the diocese’s ad hoc 125th Anniversary Celebration Committee. The resolution challenges each congregation, par-ish, or diocesan constituency to celebrate our 125 years as a diocese by bringing positive change to at least 125 lives in the next year. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate. You’ll be hearing about this more and more as we roll into 2015, but start now to think, brainstorm, muse, ponder, and dream: “How can we make that real?”

I write this just after the 1st Sunday of Advent; you will probably not be reading it until the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Christmas Day) is passed. I hope your Advent preparations were sacred and formative, but remember! Christmas is a season of 12 days. Celebrate the gift of God, not on one day but for the season. And let me say that I always find it meaningful that New Year’s Day – the beginning of the next year – always falls into the midst of Christmas. Christmas is, in many ways, God’s gift of newness. Redemption, reconciliation to God, rebirth in the Spirit, all these things and more begin at Christmas. It is a time for newness and renewal. New Year’s is also a time when, with the turning of the calendar, things begin anew. This Christmas and into the new year, 2015, reflect on the new things God is doing in your life. Think of the new ways you can serve God and his missional, militant Church. And embrace the opportunity of transformed newness in your own life as well. “Behold, I make all things new!” (Revelations 21:5) Be blessed, my brothers and sisters! Be blessed. +

(L-R) The Rev. Chas Marks & The Rev. Donna Stanford - Diaconate, and The Rev. Laura Hughes and The Rev. Paula Lively - Priesthood.

SPIRIT | December 2014 5

GUEST COLUMN | The Rev. Kenneth L. Chumbley

Every Person is a Child of GodWhile vacationing in Scotland in August, people would

sometimes ask me, “Where are you from?”“Missouri,” I would answer.“Oh, Ferguson!” they would say. “It’s tragic. What’s wrong

with America?”The Scots had heard and had read all about the shooting

death of Michael Brown and about the protests and arrests that followed.

Today, Ferguson is still in turmoil. Protesters and arrests are still occurring.

What is wrong in Ferguson? In America?I might have a partial answer. I remem-

ber hearing two African-American pastors describe their experiences as people of color in Missouri.

One pastor said that she had attended a meeting in her white neighborhood. She was the only person of color present. Someone used the N-word in referring to her. I was horrified that a fellow pastor and human being had been treated with such contempt.

Another pastor told of being the only black shopper in a department store full of white shoppers. The white employees followed him around the store until he left. White shoppers shopped without an escort.

Racial profiling is real. I am guilty of it myself.One day I was reading in a bookstore cafe. A man in a mili-

tary uniform entered. He was black. Immediately, I assumed he

was an enlisted man. He sat down at the table next to mine. I saw his captain’s bars. Over coffee, we talked, and I learned that he was a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and that he had been a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University, where he had earned a master’s degree. He is now a college president.

After this epiphany, I am less inclined to judge people because of the color of their skin. To paraphrase Martin Luther King Jr., it is not color that counts, but character.

I believe that God made human beings in God’s image, that every person is a child of God, that each of us is precious in God’s sight. As God does not discriminate against God’s chil-dren, so I should not, if I want to be faithful to God. Instead, I seek to treat people as individuals.

My hope for Ferguson is that the full truth of Michael’s Brown’s tragic death will be known soon and that justice will be done for all concerned.

My further hope is that we Americans, whatever our race, will turn from angry, sometimes bloody confrontations to calm, respectful conversations.

We are talking here. The Greater Springfield Race and Faith Collaborative, through its “Courageous Conversations” on race and racial relations, seeks to promote racial understanding and cooperation for a better community.

When I return to Scotland one day, I hope to hear people say, “Oh, Springfield. You’re learning to live and work together.” +

This article was originally published in the Springfield News-Leader on October 21, 2014. The Rev. Kenneth L. Chumbley is rector of Christ Episcopal Church, Springfield. He is a founder of the Interfaith Alliance.

The diocesan clergy at the 125th Annual Convention.Photograph: Gary Zumwalt

6 SPIRIT | December 2014

Report to ConventionBishop Marty’s report to convention. Remembering, giving thanks, and looking ahead:125 years of dedicated service to God.By The Rt. Rev. Martin S. FieldON THE MORNING OF NOVEMBER 8TH, IN THE MIDST OF THE BUSINESS SESSION OF WEST MISSOURI’S 125TH ANNUAL CONVENTION, I HAD THE HONOR TO PRESENT MY YEARLY REPORT TO THE DIOCESE. If you, gen-tle reader, did not attend the convention that morning – in all humility – I hope you still might be interested in what I had to say. Unfortunately, a full tran-script of my speech would be too long for the format of this magazine; so I hope a synopsis of the main points will suffice.

After speaking first of the larger church, I narrowed my focus to our dio-cese. My staff and I continue to focus on pursuing our diocese’s 5 priorities: grow-ing congregations, growing personally, growing in community, growing leaders, and growing in compassion.

One of the feature initiatives of the last year has been the merger of St. Peter’s Church and All Saints’ Church, both of Kansas City. The coming together of these two faithful bodies of members has been a joy to behold. One journey is almost over, but their journey into a new missional future is just beginning. Final actions of the Missouri courts (on the matter of the consolidation of corpora-tions) and of the 2015 convention (on the matter of parochial status) have yet to be finalized, but the new, combined membership is off and running. I pray God’s blessing on the new parish which will be named St. Peter and All Saints’ Episcopal Church.

After the first of the year, I will be dis-seminating a new pattern for Episcopal Visitations (that’s when the Bishop comes to your church) and for celebrating the sacrament of confirmation. First, about Episcopal Visitations.

Visitations are intended (according to the canons of the Church) to be a time for the Bishop and parochial leadership to take council on the life, health, and mission of the congregation. This basic

purpose seems to me to have been bur-ied under confirmation celebrations and receptions for the Bishop and/or local confirmands. Time for vital dialogue has been cut virtually to nil. Our current practice does not comply with the letter or spirit of the canons.

When the Bishop visits it is not intended to be about a single liturgical act (no matter how important or cel-ebratory) but about the whole life of the entire parish or congregation. Therefore, going forward, confirmations and visita-tions will be separated. The sacrament of confirmation will be celebrated in clusters of churches with locations being carefully selected so driving distances are not overburdening. These will happen at times other than Sunday mornings, often on a Saturday afternoon, which will allow the faith community to welcome and celebrate the newly confirmed in the community’s liturgies the next day, Sunday. Supplemental liturgical forms can be used to provide a liturgy of wel-come to those who have made their con-firmation commitment.

Episcopal Visitations, being separated from confirmations, will take place more frequently, and should happen at least once each year, sometimes on a week-end, which will include sharing with one another in worship, and sometimes on a weekday or maybe a couple of evenings in a week. All this will be arranged with each community’s leadership.

Remember, this is all about paying closer attention to each community’s needs and marshalling resources (dioc-esan or other) that may assist the com-munity in living more fully into its part in God’s mission.

One of the pressing needs in the Episcopal Church and in our diocese is to become intensely serious about the life-long formation of Christians. Too often, hearing a sermon on an occasional Sunday is the extent of the formational

or educational undertaking of an adult Episcopalian. How can we model our lives on Christ’s life if we make such puny efforts to learn and to be formed into Christ’s moral image? We need to do better.

I also proposed reconfiguring our diocese’s Deanery structure, reducing from 4 deaneries to 3. I proposed that each Deanery Council be entrusted, empowered, and resourced to carry out those ministries that are more appropri-ately accomplished at a level between the parochial level and the diocesan level. The areas of ministry that jump readily to my mind are Christian formation train-ing and sharing of best practices, and stewardship training and sharing of best practices, but there are others. Deanery Councils will be charged with becoming communication conduits, developers of whatever cooperative initiatives each Council decides its Deanery needs, and thus they will decide their own program-ming objectives. What they should do is what they decide they need to do so that the congregations and parishes of their Deanery may thrive and be faithful.

And I concluded my address with the following, which I offer in full text:

“Dr. Martin Luther King, in deliver-ing his most famous speech, his “I Have a Dream’

speech, didn’t start with ‘I have

a plan’, but with ‘I have a dream.’ He then went on to describe the dream in a way that lifted people’s spirits, caught their imaginations, and opened the possibil-ity of making the dream reality. Well, I too, have a dream, and like Dr. King’s, it is about the character of community — about community and communities liv-ing out their core values and deepest held convictions and beliefs.

I dream of a diocese of vital, vibrant, faith communities that form Christians, not nice people or good citizens or kind hearts. (Those are serendipitous side-benefits to Christians being formed into

SPIRIT | December 2014 7

the moral likeness of Christ, but not the main point.)

I dream of congregations and par-ishes that have to hand out crash helmets to newcomers so the power of the Spirit, when it sweeps them up, will do them no harm.

I dream of communities living in harmony of purpose and vision and in partnership across parochial boundaries, communities that instinctively ask: “How can we do this with others...together?” instead of trying to go it alone. Who look to ecumenical partnerships, regional partnerships, community partnerships, and build “networks for Jesus”.

I dream of a diocese that knows — after enjoying the fruits of the 125 years of ministry of those who came before us, of those who laid the foundation of the diocese — that it’s our turn to build the new Church of the 21st century and, per-haps beyond: to lay the foundation upon which those who celebrate the diocese’s 200th birthday will build. We stand, as they say, on the shoulders of giants. Will the next generations think of us as giants or as paltry people to whom service of self was paramount, whose busy-ness was pointlessly all-consuming, and whose legacy is rubble?

I dream of a diocese of parishes and congregations where leaders lead and as they lead also lift up and form the next leaders. Where followers follow, but not like sheep, instead creatively, vigorously, and faithfully, in full partnership with and in support of their leaders, lay and further ordained.

I dream of faith communities where the Bible is studied by all persons from the cradle to the grave — a whole life long — and where adults as well as youth and children work at growing into the moral likeness of Jesus Christ. I dream of communities that are centers of forma-tion and beacons to show others where they may find light, wholeness, welcome, and a glimpse of the joys and kinship of heaven right here on earth.

I dream of a diocese whose parishes and congregations reach out to those who need a hand up, not just a hand out. I dream of a diocese that does what we

do now (that is give hungry people a fish each day) but which does so only until they are ready to learn to fish for themselves, a diocese that has ministries beyond feeding, that helps people achieve the dignity of not needing to be given a fish each day. And I dream of a diocese that helps the voiceless learn and rightly use their voice in society.

I dream of a diocese that serves those most centrally involved in life formation, our young adults, and does so beyond formal education, because, I assure you, the moral and vocational forma-tion of young adults does not end at the point of gradua-tion. For our young adults to have an affective experience of what God’s dream for their life and vocation might be, I dream of our diocese building and operating an Episcopal Service Corps House or Center, similar to the one now up and running in St. Louis, maybe 2 eventually, one in Kansas City and one in Springfield. I dream of a diocese where our young people are challenged to do more than focus on a good career after their educa-tion, but are encouraged — by every faith community — to explore what God is calling them to do with their lives.

I dream of a diocese that reaches out even more to the new Americans, to the cultural and language populations who have come to the communities in the diocese in such numbers: to the Hispanics and Latinos, to the Sudanese and the Bhutanese. There’s more we should do, especially in Hispanic/Latino ministry in the Kansas City area. So I dream of our diocese laying the founda-tion (in concert with our partners) of a Hispanic Community in Kansas City.

In short, I dream of a diocese that accepts the challenge of being Christians, in Christian community, doing God’s mission.

During the next year we will have a year-long celebration of the 125th anni-versary of the founding of the diocese in 1889. I can imagine no more fitting celebration than the challenge given us by our 125th Anniversary Celebration Committee. You’ll see it later in the form of a resolution, which the committee asks the convention to adopt as its own. The challenge is this: every congregation and parish is challenged to bring positive change to 125 lives during our 125th year. I dream of the kind of diocese where that becomes an every year challenge for every congregation, every parish, every diocesan commission, committee, or constituency.

That’s my dream. Can you dream that dream too?

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. +

The Right Rev. Martin S. Field is the eighth Bishop of the Diocese of West Missouri.

Bishop Marty joins the delegates on the convention floor to enjoy one of the morning’s presentations.

Photograph: Gary Zumwalt

8 SPIRIT | December 2014

HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT LEADER-SHIP BOOT CAMP? This article explains what Leadership Boot Camp is and invites you to take part.

Could you be a candidate for the diocesan Leadership Boot Camp? If you are in any position of Lay leader-ship regardless of age, you are! If you are a recently ordained deacon or priest or have just moved to the diocese from somewhere else in the Episcopal Church, you are! If you are a Junior or Senior in High School or attend a nearby college campus and interested in leadership, you are!

Bishop Marty and I initiated Boot Camp, as a means of passing along tools, models, theories, and a common vocabu-lary of Leadership. Our work with the leaders of diocesan congregations high-lighted the need for words and images to communicate “Best Practices”. It seemed there was a need for “Operational Language and Images” to frame the theo-ries and information the leaders need.

From this perceived need, Leadership Boot Camp was initiated in January of 2014. Boot Camp is a scheduled course on the key dynamics of Leadership that were passed on to Bishop Marty and I when we were classmates in our Doctoral Studies at the Seabury Institute in Evanston, Illinois, and through our years of study.

Boot Camp takes place one weekend each month, and we provide attendees with an option of attending either on Fridays or Saturdays. This allows for flex-ible scheduling. The day starts at 10 a.m., includes an optional catered lunch ($10 per session - if eating) and ends before 3 p.m. RSVP registration is done on a month-to-month basis with the expecta-tion that the candidates will attend and complete the readings for each session over the 8 months that we meet.

The overall cost of the course is only the lunch fee, which is optional,

and the cost of the books assigned. The books cost less than $100, so, with the (optional) lunches costing $80, the total cost should be below $180.

Boot Camp is also currently being offered as an adjunct study course for graduates of Bishop Kemper School for Ministry, and for leadership in the Evangelical Lutheran Church.

The first three topics - January to March - cover the stages of “Self-Awareness.”

• “Self-Awareness of I AM”

• “I AM Part of a Family, a Community, A System”

• “Challenges to Differentiated Leadership”

The two topics studied in May and June cover “EQ vs. IQ, Leadership Styles & Congregational Systems”

• “Emotional Intelligence”

• “Sizing Up Your Congregation for Growth”

Finally the last two topics offered from September to October are “Systemic Lenses and Change.”

• “Church Dynamics seen through Systemic Lenses”

• “Leadership and Management: The Differences are People and Change Dynamics”

Candidates are expected to produce a concluding paper to help assimilate the course study material with its applica-tion to their current leadership role and context.

The graduating class of 2014 was cel-ebrated at the Banquet of our Diocesan Convention where each of the 19 can-didates was awarded a Certificate of Completion and given a memento of the Leadership Boot Camp experience.

Recent Graduates are: Mrs. Jeanette Apton, Mrs. Elizabeth Barns, The Rev. Tim Coppinger, Mrs. Diane Craig, Mr. Jim Craig, Mrs. Cosette Hardwick, The Rev. Laura Hughes, Mr. John Hurst, The Rev. Mike Kyle, The Rev. Paula Lively, The Rev. Jerry Miller, Mrs. Karen Miller, Ms. Sandy Miller, Mrs. Carol Pryor, Mr. Austin Rhymer, Mrs. Jennifer Rhymer, The Rev. Frank Sierra, The Rev. Charles Uhlik and Mrs. Allene Wright.

Leadership Boot Camp You might have heard about it, but do you know what it is?By The Rev. Dr. Steven R. Rottgers

Graduates of the 2014 Leadership Boot Camp ProgramPhotograph: Gary Zumwalt

SPIRIT | December 2014 9

IN THE PAST, MOST CHRISTIANS ASSUMED THAT THEY KNEW WHAT TO DO, AND THEIR MAIN QUESTION CONCERNING MISSION AND MINIS-TRY WAS, “HOW DO WE IT?” Today we no longer make that assumption. The main question today seems to be, “What are we supposed to do?” A new Voca-tionCARE program being piloted by the Commission on Ministry is designed to help us answer that question.

The VocationCare program comes through a partnership with the Beecken Center of the University of the South (Sewanee), the same people who offer Education For Ministry (EFM). The pro-gram is centered around contemplative practices designed to aid communities in discerning mission and vocation (call-ing). The CARE part of VocationCARE stands for:

C – Create space to explore (our call-ing) together;

A – Ask self-awakening questions together;

R – Reflect theologically on self and community; and

E – Enact the next faithful step.

By engaging in the practices of VocationCARE, church congregations develop a vision of their ministry call-

ing, and begin designing the first faithful steps to help make that vision a reality. Individual members also develop a sense of their own calling within the larger vision of the church; that is, what their roles might be in the developing vision of ministry.

The Commission on Ministry’s goal is that all congregations of our diocese will eventually use this tool to help discern their particular mission and ministry, and help all of their members to discern something about their calling.

The church can no longer passively wait for individuals to step forward as leaders. We need actively to look for the leaders we need to achieve the mis-sion to which we are being called.. The Commission expects VocationCARE to be a tool for helping churches iden-tify their future leaders both lay and ordained.

The pilot program will commence this coming Lent. Each participating church will be asked to name three mem-bers to receive training in facilitating VocationCARE in January.

When the pilot starts the churches taking part will meet weekly over six ses-sions to engage in story-telling and holy listening, meditation and theological reflection. In Holy Week, they will form design teams that will design their “next faithful step” during the Easter season. Near the Day of Pentecost, they will participate in a day-long “commitment retreat” to present their designs and reflect on the overall experience.

Lent starts on February 18th, and training of the facilitators will need to start early in January. Churches inter-ested in participating in this project should contact Fr. Bill Fasel as soon as possible. +

The Rev. Dr. William Fasel is Ministry Developer for

the Northeast Episcopal Regional Ministry (NERM).

He also acts as the Bishop’s Staff liaison to the

Commission on Ministry.

Contact The Rev. Dr. William Fasel email: frbillnerm@hotmail.com

VocationCARE website: www.vocationcare.sewanee.edu

Lifting Up Leaders A new initiative to help congregations find leaders and develop leadership.By The Rev. Dr. William Fasel

Leadership Boot Camp 2015 begins the weekend of Friday, January 23rd or Saturday the 24th at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church in Lee’s Summit, Missouri near the intersection of I-470 and Rt. 291. There is no limit to the class size. If you are interested in being enrolled as a recruit or if you have questions please contact me. +

The Rev. Dr. Steven R. Rottgers is Canon to the

Ordinary at the Diocese of West Missouri

Contact The Rev. Dr. Steven R. Rottgers: email: Canonord@ediowestmo.org Phone: 816-471-6161 ext. #12 Leadership Boot Camp 2014, meeting earlier this year at St. John’s Springfield

10 SPIRIT | December 2014

Diocesan Youth GatheringThe Diocesan Youth Gathering, 125th Anniversary celebrations and youth awards.By Kim Snodgrass

THERE IS SOMETHING UNIQUE ABOUT EACH OF THE YOUTH MINIS-TRY EVENTS OFFERED BY OUR DIO-CESE, but the Diocesan Youth Gathering – DYG is a personal favorite of mine because it focuses on both celebrating and learning.

The AwardsEach DYG is a little bit different

from the year before, and this year was no exception as we began the weekend by helping to host the Diocesan 125th Anniversary Celebration on Friday eve-ning. The dance floor, in the center of the room, was surrounded by tables full of youth and adults. The 125th Celebration was a perfect opportunity to present

awards and recognition to those out-standing individuals identified by their peers as having inspired, educated and empowered youth throughout the past year. Beginning in August, nomina-tions were welcomed from all youth, youth ministers, parents, parishioners and clergy for the Outstanding Youth, Outstanding Adult, Outstanding Youth Ministry Commission Member and Outstanding Clergy (Purple Cross) awards.

This year’s Outstanding Youth Awards were presented to Caroline and Ryan Bennett (Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral, Kansas City) and Travis Zimmer (St. Anne’s, Lee’s Summit). The criteria for this award included

recognition as an inclusive and engag-ing individual; living out the gospel and being pro-active in the development of their own faith. The Outstanding Adult Leader Awards were presented to Alexandra Connors and Duchess Wall, both of whom exemplify someone who goes “above and beyond” continually in an effort to help youth feel connected to God and their congregation. In this category, an outstanding adult may teach Sunday School, take you out for ice cream or help with a project; the point being to connect with youth on a regular basis and help them to know they are a part of the universal church.

An Outstanding Youth Ministry Commission member demonstrates

Bishop’s Shield recipient Walker Adams (rear left) managed to get in this picture! Alongside him is Alexandra Connors, Fr. Marcus Halley, Lauren Birkeness and Travis Zimmer. On the front row we have (left to right) Kim Snodgrass, Caroline Bennett, Duchess Wall and Ryan Bennett.

Photograph: Gary Zumwalt

SPIRIT | December 2014 11

The WorkshopsMeanwhile back at Christ Church, the seventy-plus additional youth were just get-

ting ready for a day of workshops. This year, we offered twelve workshops on offer, covering a whole range of inter-

esting topics: Stereotypes, God in Movies and Music, World Drumming, Discovering Your Faith Story, Singing, Human Trafficking, Spread the Word, Bracelet/bookmark making, Faith in College, Ethics and Conflict Resolution Round-Table discussion and an opportunity for outreach by making mission bags which were donated to both Springfield and Kansas City organizations that minister to homeless teens.

The workshops took place from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., finishing just in time for dinner and an evening choice of either a movie and popcorn or ice-skating and broomball at a nearby rink.

many characteristics of Christian leadership; a caring individual who takes responsibility seriously. This year’s award went to Lauren Birkeness, a member of Grace Church, Liberty. And finally, the Purple Cross Award was presented to Fr. Marcus Halley in recognition of his pri-ority to connect as a clergy person with young people. Recipients of this award participate in youth group activities and take the time to not only get to know the youth, but to ensure that the youth are aware that they are cared for. They offer words that encourage faith; inspiring, educating and empowering others in their faith.

All in all, it was a great and late night of dancing and fun.

Morning came quickly and early for the seven individuals heading back to the convention center to lead morning wor-ship and present an overview of the past year’s youth events to Convention.

Somehow Kim forgot to mention that the youth wanted her wonderful contribution to the dio-cese’s youth ministry recognized. Here we see a surprised Kim at the podium after Josh Trader announced her award.

Photograph: Gary Zumwalt

What a fantastic turnout of youth and volunteers!

One of the many workshops offered to the youth on Saturday November 8.

All in all, DYG offered a full, fun, learning opportunity for the 90+ youth and adults in attendance! We are exceedingly thankful to the clergy and members of Christ Episcopal Church, Springfield for their hospitality and to the many volunteers and chaperones whose presence made great things happen. +

Kim Snodrass is Youth Ministry Coordinator for the Diocese of West Missouri.

12 SPIRIT | December 2014

When you think of an Episcopal church, you often think of a church with a steeple, rows of pews in the nave, a par-ish hall, and a big red door. But, what is more important than the building you encounter, are the people you will find inside and the presence of the Holy Spirit that dwells among them.

St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church is a little more than a block from the town square in Ozark, Missouri. Nestled between the Ozark Police Department and the Ozark City offices, this seems an unlikely place for a church - let alone the thriving ministry found there.

The humble beginnings of this con-gregation began in September 2001, when a few families from St. James Episcopal Church in Springfield, led by Bill McKnabb, decided to start an unor-ganized mission in Christian County. These dedicated families met as a house church until the congregation grew too large. In 2003 The Rev. Anne Cheffey was assigned to help lead the church as a deacon.

After moving locations twice, St. Matthew’s settled in its current location on Brick Street in 2004. Fr. Reid served as priest for the congregation until 2007.

St. Matthew’s became a member of Episcopal Churches of the Ozarks (EChO) a few years ago, which is over-seen by Fr. Tim Coppinger. EChO exists to assist rural church growth and to create common ministry resources. St. Matthew’s is currently served by myself. I started as a Deacon in May, and since my ordination into the priesthood, I serve as Priest in Residence.

Today, St. Matthew’s has a thriving ministry and connection to the Ozark community. Our building is used nearly every night of the week for either out-reach or worship, and sometimes both.

On Sunday mornings, we gather for the Eucharist and Bible Study. Once a month, we have a potluck after the Sunday service, so we can spend time in fellowship with one another. Also, once a month, we have a women’s group that meets on Saturday mornings for breakfast.

When the economy took a turn for the worse in 2008, the congregation decided that it needed to provide a feeding min-istry. Since that time, every Wednesday night from 5 p.m.

- 6:30 p.m., this congregations feeds din-ner to 40-85 people in need. Menus are planned every couple of months and sign up sheets are posted. People bring food items for the current week’s menu, and the dinner appears to magically happen, when in fact, it is put together week after week by lots of coordination and some very hard work.

People arrive to help with the Community Dinner sometime in the late afternoon. Just before 5 p.m., the work-ers gather together for prayer (and some-times song). We ask the Lord to bless all those that come through our doors and we pray that others will be strengthened by our ministry. Sometimes, it’s a fam-ily that has had a difficult time because of the loss of a job. Sometimes, a family has a special needs child and has a hard time making ends meet. Sometimes, it is an elderly person on a fixed income. And, sometimes, it is someone who has just been released from prison who is in desperate need of a fresh start.

Everyone is welcomed through our doors and into our hearts. We not only serve them food, we listen to them, ask them if they have any prayer requests, invite them to stay for worship, and share our stories with them. After all the work is done for the evening, we gather together in the sanctuary for worship, prayer and song.

Saint Matthew’s, Ozark The Diocese of West Missouri’s latest organized congregation.By The Rev. Laura Hughes

Members of Saint Matthew’s Ozark at Convention after the resolution to accept them as an organized con-gregation was passed.

Photograph: Gary Zumwalt

St. Matthew’s: “Nestled between the Ozark Police Department and the Ozark City offices.”

SPIRIT | December 2014 13

Botswana Four months teaching theology in Botswana.By The Rev. Sidney Breese

Back in June, I saw an article in the Spirit magazine about a “visiting scholars” program in Botswana. It sounded interesting, so I asked Bishop Marty about it. I ended up in discus-sions with our Companion Diocese Committee and with the Bishop’s office in Botswana. After several emails, I was invited to teach for four months begin-ning in January 2015. I will be teach-ing the Pentateuch, Biblical exegesis, Christian education and church manage-ment. In addition, I will be presiding at the Eucharist and preaching to many of the congregations in the Diocese of Botswana.

Among the goals of our companion relationship with the Anglican Diocese of Botswana are establishing links and offering opportunities for Christian friendship, education, support, and to explore the spiritual and companion needs of two diverse populations while developing interactions for mutual sup-port and Christian growth.

The Anglican Diocese of Botswana is in dire need of well-trained priests and lay ministers to meet the needs of an ever-growing church and the expectations of its people in the 21st cen-tury. To address this need, in February 2012, the Diocese launched the St. Augustine Theological School located in the capital, Gaborone. The leadership of the school is under the direction of the Rev. Canon James Amanze, who somehow manages to fit in being the Principal of the school alongside his work as a Professor of Theology at the University of Botswana and as a parish priest.

St Augustine’s has been set up to enable people to study alongside their normal working lives, a model similar to The Bishop Kemper School of Ministry.

The students in Botswana attend after work for two hours on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings; a huge and inspiring commitment of both time and self to the task of preparing for ministry.

The “visiting scholars” program brings experienced clergy (mainly from other parts of the Anglican Communion) to teach at the school; providing exper-tise, spiritual direction and coursework to the students.

I am excited about this opportunity which will enable me to spend time in a different culture and provide assistance to an effort which will make a big dif-ference to the church in Botswana. The school and diocese provide an apart-ment and access to an automobile, but all other expenses are borne by the “visiting scholar.” I am grateful to the diocese, congregations and individuals who have contributed to this effort. I will be blog-ging (Internet connections permitting) on the diocesan website, and I’ll also post updates on the diocesan Facebook page.

Please remember me in your prayers. +

The Rev. Sidney Breese is retired and serves on

Bishop Field’s staff as Ministry Developer for Sacred

Hills Regional Ministry.

Fr. Sid’s Botswana Blog: www.diowestmo.org/our-work/botswana.html

Fr. Sid Breese (right) on an earlier visit to Botswana

It is an amazing gift from God that we can provide so much to help so many with so little.

Four nights a week, local AA groups meet here. These groups are truly grate-ful to have access to our space and to have a safe and consistent place to meet

as they recover from addiction. Some have expressed that we have helped them save their lives.

We also offer our worship space, in the spirit of ecumenism, for use by a local Lutheran congregation several times a month. Periodically, we prepare a snack for their group as well.

Our outreach doesn’t stop with our

building. We collect food and other items for the local food pantry, Least of These, each week. We gather school supplies at the beginning of the school year and provide them to children in the community whose families cannot afford to buy what they need. We also sponsor at least two families for Christmas.

We are very pleased to begin this new chapter in our lives as a organized congregation. We are currently examin-ing where we want to go next and how we might get there. We look forward to our worship community being continu-ally transformed by Christ and to bring Christ into the world. +

The Rev. Laura Hughes was ordained into the dia-conate in May and into the priesthood at this year’s Diocesan Convention.

Sunday morning service at St. Matthew’s

14 SPIRIT | December 2014

Church of the Resurrection’s Celebrations ContinueThe Episcopal Church of the Resurrection celebrates 50 years of ministry and service.By Kitty Hampton

THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF THE RESURRECTION CONTINUED CELE-BRATING ITS 50TH YEAR OF MINISTRY AND SERVICE to the community of Blue Springs and eastern Jackson County with “Homecoming Sunday” on November 2.

Our rector, The Rev. Ronald Keel, welcomed former clergy and members who attended the Eucharist. The ser-vice was followed by a delicious brunch served by the Hospitality Committee. During the brunch, letters of greeting and congratulations from Bishop Marty, former Bishop Barry Howe and former rectors: The Rev. Robert Seay, The Rev. Robert Terrill, and The Rev. Charles Gilman were read. A proclamation from Mayor Carson Ross declaring the Sunday to be ‘The Episcopal Church of the Resurrection Day’ in Blue Springs was also presented.

Sunday afternoon we held a Choral Evensong presented by members of Resurrection’s and the Cathedral’s choirs.

A reception held after the service welcomed additional clergy and members who had been unable to attend the morning’s Eucharist.

In October, we held a 1960s-era Eucharist, with clothing, food and memorabilia reminiscent of our worship in 1964. +

Kitty Hampton is a long-time member of Resurrection. She serves on the vestry, altar guild, outreach pro-gram, pastoral care, and is a Eucharistic minister.

Growth at Trinity, LebanonNews of new members.By Patti Brayfield

GROWTH IS ALWAYS EXCITING, BUT IT IS EVEN MORE SO WHEN YOUR MEMBERSHIP IS SMALL.

Trinity Episcopal Church at Lebanon had 35 members. In an excellent spurt of growth, Trinity has just added seven new people. The new members were added by recognition of baptism and one adult baptism.

Welcome to Trinity’s new members and congratulations! +

Patti Brayfield is Treasurer at Trinity and also

Left picture: Deborah Kenady, Tanner & Tristan Mueller, Rachel Mueller, Daniel Mueller and Tyler Mueller. Right picture: Maryann Campbell and Susie Shelton

Choral Evensong congregation on Homecoming SundayAll photographs: Gary Zumwalt

serves on the Bishop’s Committee. She has been an Episcopalian since 1960 and a member of Trinity for two years.

SPIRIT | December 2014 15

Events

Central Deanery ClericusJanuary 20. Venue: To be confirmed.

Leadership Boot CampJanuary 23 / 24. Venue: St. Anne’s in Lee’s Summit.

College of Presbyters11 a.m. January 27. Venue: St. John’s in Springfield

Commision on Ministry10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. February 13. Venue: To be confirmed.

Online Diocesan CalendarFor the latest information on diocesan events don’t forget you can also check the diocesan calendar online at:

www.diowestmo.org/our-work/our-work.html

Send Us Your News & ArticlesWe welcome your news articles, photo-graphs and letters to the editor on topics of interest to the diocese. Submissions should include the writer’s name, e-mail and postal addresses and phone number.

Whenever possible we will share your sub-missions with the members of the diocese in the Spirit Magazine. The earlier you can get your news to us the better. To ensure inclusion please send in your news an abso-lute minimum of three weeks before the end of the month in each of January, March, May, July, September and November.

If you have an idea for an article please tell us.

You can contact us at:

communications@ediowestmo.org

Please note: because of space and time constraints we cannot guarantee to be able to always use your news material or pic-tures. Any supplied text and images may be edited.

The Spirit & eSpirit online:

www.diowestmo.org/spirit/spirit-magazine.html

www.diowestmo.org/espirit/espirit-newsletter.html

THE AGENDA | Upcoming events around the diocese

Eucharistic prayer

Communion

Trumpet voluntary - Phil Clark

Continued from page 14

16 SPIRIT | December 2014

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