April 2014
The Torchbearer
There’s a Place for you at the Table
A publication by, for and about the people of St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church
STRATEGERY
During the 2000 Presidential race between Al Gore and George
W. Bush, the comedy program “Saturday Night Live” would often open
its broadcasts with parodies of the presidential debates between the candidates. The comedian Will Ferrell would play Governor Bush. Although Ferrell did not look like George W. Bush, he had the speech patterns and the mannerisms of W. down pat. As a result, you were amused regardless of
your politics.
At the conclusion of one “debate,” the moderator asked both Gore and Bush to
summarize their best argument for their candidacy in a single word. Gore’s word, as I
recall, was “lockbox,” a reference to a plan regarding Social Security. When asked
the question, Will Ferrell as George Bush looked cockily at the moderator, and replied
“strategery.”
1
Strategery Continued...
April 2014
Although the word was a reference to George Bush’s tendency to mangle words,
it was quickly picked up by Bush’s campaign team, and Bush even used it himself in an
interview after he was elected. The term went viral in the age of the internet, and it has
been used by politicians, business people, and leaders to describe their plans. I love the
term because it has a sweet self-mocking tone to it. We can plan, we can scheme, we
can dream, but the future is uncertain: there are always surprises, disappointments, and
opportunities around the corner. The term “strategery” keeps our feet on the ground and
our heads out of the clouds.
So as we end the long and cold winter perhaps it is an opportunity for me to
share some of my strategery about Saint Aidan’s. Believe it or not, it has been eight
months since I first drove to St. Aidan’s on the first Saturday of August for a meeting of
the Stewardship Committee. During this time I have prayed, observed, prayed some
more, listened, prayed even more, made a few changes, and, when all else failed, turned
to prayer. And while I have been observing and listening and praying I have kept in
mind something one of the first members of a certain United Methodist Church in Leawood told me years ago.
When I was a federal prosecutor in Kansas I had the privilege of working with
Julie Robinson. Julie was first appointed a bankruptcy judge, and then she was appoint-
ed a United States District Judge by President Bush in 2001. Julie and her former husband Kevin were among the first members of the Church of the Resurrection in Leawood. I recall speaking about the church with Julie’s husband Kevin. He commented
that even at the very first worship gatherings, which were held in a funeral home, the
church emphasized two things: outreach and education. Kevin remarked that when the
formal worship was completed, they would rearrange their chairs into a circle and start
Christian education. Years later, when I was a seminarian at Saint Paul School of
2
Strategery Continued...
April 2014
Theology, my theology professor Dr. Chun made the same point: the Church of the Resurrection is built on a solid basis of two things: outreach and Christian education (Dr.
Chun’s comment was “Nobody does it better”).
So the template was set for me. The two key ingredients for a strong church are
outreach and education, and I have tried to apply this template in all the churches I have
served. My successes have not always been spectacular, and my failures have not always been dismal. At one church I pushed hard for outreach and education, at another I
had strong responses in both areas. Often my strategery involved starting with what was
already working and doing my best not to torpedo it. One of my churches held a community supper each month and donated all of the proceeds to a community food bank.
They were small and needed the proceeds probably as much as the food bank, but their
hearts were good and they blessed me as much as they blessed others.
My point, of course, is that the vital and heartfelt outreach at Saint Aidan’s is
something we all cherish as a blessing to the community as well as to us. There is no
need for me to reinvent the wheel or launch new outreach ministries myself. The Outreach Committee as directed by Deacon Fran – who embodies the ministry of the diaconate – have those responsibilities well in hand. That leaves the other half of the Church
of the Resurrection template – education – in my ballpark. And here is what I would
like to propose as my strategery for Christian education:
Adult Forum – the attendance at our Adult Forums has been great, and I hope to
see more people once the long and heavy hand of winter is off us. Look forward to programs featuring Bishop N.T. Wright, Timothy Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian in Manhattan (NY City), and Andy Stanley. I would also
like to start a book discussion and read C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters
during the summer.
3
Strategery Continued...
April 2014
Bible Study Groups – starting in May, I will be offering Bible study twice a
week; once during the day and an early evening program. The Bible studies
are designed to last no more than an hour; I would like to alternate between
reading through a book of the Bible (such as Paul’s letter to the Philippians)
and doing a topical study, such as how the Bible addresses certain issues. I
am always open to suggestions. I encourage suggestions. What would you
like to discuss?
Special Programs – the attendance (and food!!) at the Lenten Series had also
been great; please look for other special occasions for community, and
growth in knowledge and love of the Lord.
Youth Programs – I have been talking with Don Hutchinson about our youth
program and we hope to provide more information soon; suffice it to say that
quality education for youth is a priority, and we are blessed to have Don
spearheading our programs.
When I was ordained by Bishop Wolfe, he read from the prayer book that I was
expected to be, among other responsibilities as a pastor and a priest, a teacher (BCP, p.
531. I took this and all of my responsibilities very seriously, remembering daily the
trust committed to me as a priest of the Church of God. The Episcopal Church has a
strong tradition of education and empowerment of all people to learn, question, doubt,
struggle, and reach their own conclusions in community with other seekers. The best
example of that tradition is Education for Ministry, and we are blessed to have so many
EFM alumni (including me) and students here at St. Aidan’s.
4
Strategery Continued...
April 2014
their own conclusions in community with others. My dream is a church where I know I
have to bring my best to every sermon I preach or class I lead because critical and inquiring ears are going to be listening carefully. Teaching and learning are both life-long
journeys. Please join me as we begin the next stage of this journey together.
Fr. Shawn Streepy
RIDE MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES
Often we take for granted our ease of mobility in our sprawling communities. Many years past communities were closer in both proximity and familiarity
due to the physical restrictions and inconveniences of travel, but not so any more.
Therefore, people without easy access to convenient travel might seem to find
themselves in a different place and time, but they still want and need to worship
God in community. We have several people who wish to worship with us, but
need a friendly driver to give them a ride to church. Paul Griffith, who works at
the Rodeway Inn just west of I-35 and Santa Fe, needs a ride to Saturday afternoon worship (he can be reached at 913 271-3143), and Kermit Smith, who lives
at Cedar Lake Retirement Community, 15329 S. Lone Elm Road in Olathe, also
would like a ride to Sunday worship (he can be reached at 417 337-2802 [cell] or
913 397-6186 [home]). Please prayerfully consider taking just a moment and
going just a bit out of your way to share the gift of community and worship with
others. Do more than just pray about it.
5
BLOOD DRIVE
April 2014
Since 1958, the Community Blood Center has maintained a safe, adequate blood
supply for local hospitals. Today CBC collects over 500 units of blood a day to meet
patient needs at 70 hospitals, including every hospital in the Kansas City metropolitan
area.
St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church can help Save Lives Right Here Right Now by
sponsoring a blood drive in 2014. The church collected 25 units of life-saving blood at
its inaugural drive in September 2010.
Someone in the U.S. needs blood every two seconds and 1 in 3 people will need
a blood transfusion in their lifetime. Anyone weighing at least 115 lbs. and in good
health can give blood. 16-year-olds require signed parental consent. The process takes
an hour and every pint of blood collected saves two lives.
Demonstrate your support for a blood drive at St. Aidan’s by signing the interest
form on the bulletin board. You’ll never meet those who receive your blood, but they’ll
never forget you.
Parish Clean-Up
Saturday Morning April 5, 2014
We will be hosting the Spring Cleaning Saturday Morning on Saturday, April 6, 2014,
from 9:00 to noon (you are always welcome to arrive earlier). Our focus will be on
beautifying the narthex (church talk for “entryway”) and
Sifers Hall for Palm Sunday, Holy Week, and Easter Sunday. We want the church building to look its best for our
Easter regulars and visitors, so please join us as we spiff
up the narthex and Sifers Hall for springtime and the glorious celebration of Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday!!
6
April 2014
DAUGHTERS OF THE KING
The Order of the Daughters of the King® is a spiritual sisterhood
devoted to prayer, service and evangelism. It is an international religious
order for women who are communicants of the Episcopal Church. Our St.
Aidan’s Daughters Chapter is named after St. Bridget. Beginning in April of
each year, St. Bridget’s Chapter of the Order of the Daughters of the
King® offers discernment classes to ladies who are interested in joining
the Order.
In preparation for admission into the Order of the Daughters of the
King® new members to the Order at St. Aidan’s are led through a discernment process using the Daughters National Study Guide from April through
May culminating with a Service of Admission and receiving their cross on
Pentecost Sunday in June. Our discernment classes are scheduled to begin
April 5, 2014.
If you have an interest in learning more about the Order of the
Daughters of the King® please contact Carolyn Sturgeon, or come to our
Saturday, April 5 meeting at 1:00 p.m. in Sifers Hall. Ladies: You are invited!
7
April 2014
Holy Week Schedule 2014
Sunday, April 13: Palm Sunday at 10 am
We will celebrate the Liturgy of the Palms and the Liturgy of the Passion. Please join
us as we experience the full impact of the last week of Jesus’ earthly ministry from the
triumphant entry into Jerusalem to his betrayal, arrest, condemnation, and execution by
the Roman authorities.
Wednesday, April 16: Seder Supper at 7 pm
We gather on Wednesday of Holy Week to recall our roots and join Jesus and his disciples in their celebration of the Passover Supper. Please indicate your attendance by signing up on the “reservation” sheet on the bulletin board so we know how many people
will be there for our preparation of the meal and purchase of wine. Why is this night
different from all other nights? Come and find out.
Thursday, April 17: Maundy Thursday at 7 pm
On Maundy Thursday we remember Jesus’ great commandment given to his disciples
and to us during the Last Supper: love one another as I have loved you. Please join us
for a moving worship service which concludes with the solemn and moving stripping of
the altar; there will also be an opportunity after worship for the sacramental rite of The
Reconciliation of a Penitent (BCP, p. 447). We will then start our Prayer Vigil, which
begins at 9:00 pm and concludes the next morning at 7:00 am.
Friday, April 18: Good Friday noon and 7:00 (with Stations of the Cross)
At noon we will offer the Liturgy for Good Friday (BCP, p. 276), which includes the
Solemn Collects and the Anthems. At 7:00 pm please join us for the Good Friday Liturgy and the Stations of the Cross.
Sunday, April 20: Easter Sunday 10 am
We celebrate the glorious resurrection of Jesus and our reconciliation of ourselves with
God and each other in a festive Holy Eucharist at 10:00 am. After worship there will be
an Easter Egg hunt sponsored by the Daughters of the King and the youth, and a potluck luncheon for all.
8
Stewardship
April 2014
The Mystery of Malaysia Airlines flight 370
By the time you read this in april, surely at least some of the mystery surrounding the
missing Boeing 777 will be resolved. Or perhaps not.
As this is written, 7 days after the flight disappeared, the word mystery seems on the lips
of every newscaster. And that is understandable. For despite the personal tragedy of the
people on board the plane and their loved ones, most of us love a mystery.
Christian believers love a mystery too, but for a reason far different than that of other
people. Believers love a mystery, the mystery of Easter, because it speaks to us of God’s
unfailing love and attention to god’s people.
We may have various understandings and interpretations of what occurred on that first
Easter, but we are united in our acceptance of the words of St. Paul in 1 Corinthians:
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared
for those who love God.”
Even though our eyes, ears and minds are inadequate to the task of understanding God’s
eternal love and presence among us, the mystery of Easter invites our faith, our hope
and our love.
Happy Easter to all of you.
Article from...the Stewardship System
9
April 2014
Re-imagining Task Force Making Progress
Toward November Deadline
[Episcopal News Service] The Task Force for Re-imagining the Episcopal Church is on
track for reporting its recommendations and specific legislative proposals to the church
this November, according to the group’s co-conveners.
“I think we’re where we need to be at this point,” said the Rev. Craig Loya, dean
of the cathedral in Omaha, Nebraska, who leads the task force with Katy George, a
member of the Diocese of Newark. “I think we’re well on track to having a very thorough report that honors what our mandate was by the end of November.”
That mandate was set in General Convention Resolution C095, passed in July
2012, that called for a task force “to present the 78th General Convention with a plan for
reforming the church’s structures, governance, and administration.”
Loya and George spoke to Episcopal News Service March 18, three days after
TREC’s latest face-to-face meeting ended. The meeting, held at the Maritime Institute in
Linthicum Heights, Maryland, was conducted nearly exclusively in closed sessions (a
copy of the agenda is here). Also on March 18, the group released a summary of the
work it did during the March 13-15 meeting.
“I think we all felt that we’ve come a long way and are increasingly clear about
the big-picture vision that we’d like to help the church shape and we also are clear about
what some of the specific recommendations or legislative proposals may be,” said
George, an economist who runs the New Jersey office of global management consultant
McKinsey & Co and who has served on the board of Episcopal Relief & Development.
“We still have a lot of refinement and a lot of work to deliver on our ambition level, but
I think we feel like we’re on our way.”
TREC has released two papers to the church for comment thus far, one on networks in the Episcopal Church and one on governance and administration. George and
Loya said that revised versions of those papers, based on feedback the group has received, would be sent out to the church. Still due is one on leadership development
10
Re-imagining Task Force Continued ...
April 2014
in the church. The task force also has developed what it calls an “engagement kit” to
solicit feedback from the church.
During last week’s meeting “we spent a lot of time really reviewing all the comments and input that we’ve gotten,” George said.
“The whole task force is just really energized by the kind of feedback that we’ve
gotten, both the stuff that was really positive and the stuff that was a bit more challenging and critical,” she said, adding that the group is “very grateful” for the responses.
“There are some places where there are clear themes in the feedback we were
getting and other places where there was highly variable input, which was great,” she
added.
The group will “continue to evolve” its recommendations and draft proposals
using what has been gleaned from the church’s input, George said.
Loya added that the feedback is challenging to quantify because it has come to
the task force through a variety of different channels and by a variety of different methods, including “formal feedback” via the website and responses elicited from the engagement kit’s questions along with comments via individuals’ blog posts made in response to TREC’s work and what Loya called “informal conversations,” to name a few.
Still, he said, the variety of feedback has been “actually quite helpful” and the
task force plans to “continue to proactively engage people around the church, talk with
some of the leaders in the church and get their input and feedback on some of the specific proposals, particularly some of the folks we have not heard from.”
Meanwhile, the bishops on the task force plan to brief their colleagues on March
21 during the House of Bishops’ annual retreat meeting at Camp Allen in Texas. On the
day of that briefing, Loya said, the General Convention deputies on TREC will also
send “the same basic summary of where we are at this point” to their colleagues
throughout the church. While it may be assumed that the bishops will offer their reaction
to the TREC bishops during the Camp Allen meeting, a process for getting similar feedback from deputies is “in development” with House of Deputies President the Rev. Gay
Clark Jennings and others, George said.
11
Saint Patrick’s Day Celebration:
April 2014
12
April 2014
Thank you from the
Stewardship
Committee!
Thanks to
The generosity of
St. Aidan’s
donors and purchasers,
this year’s
St. Patrick’s Day
Silent Auction
raised nearly $3,200
in support of
our ministries!
13
A NO-THANK YOU BITE by Fr. Shawn
April 2014
Prior to my Lenten fast from Social Media, a friend and fellow seminarian posted on Facebook that the Christian Church had been rendered irrelevant and impotent by
its treatment of gay people. Really? Irrelevant and impotent? Although the church has
much it could have and should have done better regarding this matter, its treatments of
gay people certainly did not rival the burning of heretics by the medieval church or the
wholesale slaughter of religious adversaries through much of European history, yet
somehow the church survived those actual atrocities. Furthermore, I grew up in the
Methodist church (my FB friend referenced a case where a Methodist minister had been
defrocked in December for officiating at the gay marriage of his son, contrary to Methodist polity), and I cannot recall a single instance where we were admonished to hate
certain groups. Instead, in the town where I grew up, church was the one place in a
highly class-stratified society where I could get to know people I might never meet otherwise. For me, despite all of its blemishes, church was a positive experience, and I suspect it was a good experience for many people of my generation.
But this leads to a question I have pondered for a while: why all of the public
apologizing for the church and mutual condemnation of its motives and actions by, of all
people, church people? Why do they seem so quick to condemn themselves and agree
with anybody who might bear a grudge against the church? It seems at times that
church bashing has become a popular pastime among religious leaders. A recent email
from Patheos, a religious website I subscribe to, was boldly captioned “Does the Church
Even Deserve Women?” Of course the headline begs the answer: no, the bad, bad
church is not worthy of women. Much of the message of the church today can be summarized in two words: we bad. To a culture which already thinks the church is rotten
and worthless, we reply: we bad. We really bad.
And the sad part of the church’s relentless apologizing and self-condemnation is
that it is a misguided and failed strategy. The church seems to think if it approaches
groups with a history of animosity toward the institutional church with selfrecriminations and recidivist apologies that those groups will respond by flocking to the
closest Sunday worship. Nothing could be farther from the truth. If I have refused to
eat broccoli for all of my life because it looks yucky, a press release from the American
Broccoli Growers Association stating that broccoli causes unmentionable ailments is not
going to change my tune. It is only going to confirm my baseless prejudices and keep
me even farther away from broccoli.
14
A No-Thank You Bite, Continued
April 2014
Perhaps that is what the church has done: confirm the prejudices of people who
already do not like religion, and approved their abandonment of all of the benefits of a
life of faith in community. I realize that the church has made mistakes. I realize that the
church has made howling mistakes, and our culture seems to enjoy displaying and discussing those mistakes. Both the movie “Philomena” and the recent broadcast of
“Secrets of the Vatican” on PBS are dramatic presentations illustrating where the church
has fallen short of its mission and purpose. However, both programs could do that because the church has a mission and a purpose: to restore all people to unity with God
and each other in Christ.
Perhaps rather than denigrate the church for its shortcomings, we could and
should be proclaiming the church’s good side: providing the opportunity to become part
of a caring community, to love and serve others, to learn and grow in love of the Lord,
and to discover the truth that there is so much more to this life than petty resentments
and Sunday morning stops at Starbucks. The church even has a good institutional side:
traditionally, hospitals and shelters were founded by religious denominations. Try to
imagine any community without its Methodist, Lutheran, Roman Catholic, or even Episcopal hospitals. There is a lot of good the church does, despite its failures and flaws.
Perhaps it is time we started talking about these, instead of rushing to condemn ourselves and apologize.
My grand-daughter Nora attended a pre-school where they would not let the
children get away with refusing to eat any specific foods. If a child did not want to eat
her broccoli, she first had to take what was called a “no-thank you bite.” In other words,
a child had to try the food before she could refuse it. Of course, many children made
faces, swallowed the offending bite, and never took another taste. But there were those
who made a priceless discovery: sometimes the prevailing narrative has got it all wrong,
what we’ve heard is not necessarily the full story, and there are wonders and delights
out there if we just open ourselves up to them.
The culture is full of people who don’t like Christianity, but have never experienced it first-hand. Find somebody who has closed the door on church and invite them
to join us for our celebration of the Lord’s resurrection on Easter Sunday. Invite someone – a friend, a neighbor, a relative, the barista at Starbuck’s – to take a “no-thank you
bite” of church. Who knows, they just might taste and see that the Lord is good.
15
April 2014
Wildwood Boys to Play Dawg Days Festival on July 10
The Wildwood Boys, featuring Chris Spriggs, auditioned on March 22 for the Dawg
Days Festival this summer to be held on July 10, 2014, in Savannah, Missouri. The
Wildwood Boys took first place that evening, but they lost the K.C. slot for the festival
to another group which had more points from an earlier audition in February. Do not
despair, lovers of good music, for the Wildwood Boys were chosen to play at the Dawg
Days Festival as a result of the Producers' pick. They will play at the Dawg Days Festival in Savannah, Missouri, on July 10th at 3:00 pm on the Revolver Stage. Be there!!!
16
April 2014
AED TRAINING IN SIFERS HALL
On Sunday, March 30th, Amy Eickmann, Johnson County Med-Act employee,
trained 35 people on the use of the new Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) and
CPR. Over half of the people who worshipped on Sunday took time from busy schedules and beautiful weather to stay for the 45-minute training session.
Parishioners asked Amy questions about the AED and CPR, and she provided
helpful and informative answers. We all learned that when you perform CPR you sing
the Bee Gee’s “Staying Alive” to yourself in order to stay at the recommended rhythm
of 100 presses per minute. The goal in the Johnson County community is to train
25,000 people in CPR this coming year. To serve our community, we plan to register
our AED, so that emergency dispatchers know of the location in case someone in the
surrounding area also needs emergency attention. Special thanks to Amy and everyone who stayed for the training.
17
April 2014
SAINT LUKE’S HOSPICE VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Saint Luke’s Hospice is currently looking for new volunteers to serve in homes in
the communities we serve and in our Saint Luke’s Hospice House!
At Saint Luke’s Hospice, we pride ourselves on helping patients and families live as fully as possible, so that each patient’s final journey is filled with a rich sense of dignity.
Hospice provides support and care for persons in the last phases of incurable disease to
ensure a life of quality.
The volunteer opportunities for Saint Luke’s Hospice are endless. Volunteers in the
homes of our patients, provide social support and respite to hospice patients and their
families.
For the Hospice House, we are looking for volunteers to provide top notch customer service at the reception desk, provide hospitality to the families who join us, and in both,
volunteers who offer companionship, a listening ear, and a caring presence as a friendly
visitor. Many of our volunteer also put their unique skills to use through complimentary
therapies and other special projects (arts-n-crafts, quilting, photography, etc.).
If you are interested in becoming a Saint Luke’s Hospice volunteer please contact:
Melissa Tinklepaugh at mtinklepaugh@saint-lukes.org or call 816-502-8901
Bruce Leisy at bleisy@saint-lukes.org or call 816-360-8009.
The training program includes the following 3 evenings of instruction.
A light dinner will be provided each evening:
Tuesday, April 22, 2014 ~ 5:30pm - 9:00pm
Thursday, April 24, 2014 ~ 5:30pm - 9:00pm
Tuesday, April 29, 2014 ~ 5:30pm - 9:00pm
(MUST ATTEND ALL TRAINING SESSIONS)
The trainings will take place at the Saint Luke’s Hospice House
3516 Summit St.
Kansas City, MO 64111
As a new volunteer you would have the opportunity to be part of a dedicated team devoted to continuously improving the quality of our patient care. In addition, you would
have the wonderful opportunity to provide one-on-one support and caring that would
18
bring comfort to the patients and families that we serve.
April 2014
April 25-26 - Recharge - For Youth workers to meet with others and share
experience, tips and celebrate our youth. The topic is "Love and Logic."
June 1-7 - Mega Camp/Camp Wood - grades 3-12 separated into Intermediate, Middle, High School. We need female counselor volunteers and nurses. If
you want a life changing week, try this!!!
June 22-26 - St Mark's Vacation Bible School - We have partnered with
St. Mark’s for many years now to help staff and attend their VBS. There will be
more details coming but if interested in helping out, let the office or Don
Hutchinson (ddhutch@att.net) know and he can get you connected.
July 9-13 - Episcopal Youth Event - Youth National Convention is at
Villanova University, Philadelphia, PA, for grades 9-12.
July 21-27 - MissionPaloza - KS and WEMO (Kansas and West Missouri
Dioceses) come together to do missionary work right here. So if you want to "be
the hands and feet of Jesus to the World" consider this week of delighting in the
work the God places in front of us.
19
April 2014
Vestry Retreat
On Saturday, March 29, the hard-working Vestry of Saint Aidan’s Episcopal Church met at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Overland Park, for an
annual Vestry Retreat. The Vestry approved a change for the business affairs section
of its monthly meetings, brainstormed about parish needs and wants, and identified
the top three priorities for the parish. Look for more information soon about the retreat, but for now all three segments of the retreat are available as MP3 files for anyone who would like to listen.
20
April 2014
CENTER OF GRACE COMMUNITY MEALS
On Thursday, March 27, parishioners from Saint Aidan’s Episcopal Church
joined other volunteers at the Center of Grace in Olathe to help cook and serve a meal
for the community. Cooks arrive at 1:00 pm to prepare the meal, and servers and the
clean-up crew arrive at 5:00 pm to serve the meal. If you have not had a chance to
join us for this special ministry of food and hospitality, please see either Barb Belt or
Deacon Fran. The Center of Grace is located at 520 South Harrison in Olathe, and we
serve the fourth Thursday of each month. Special thanks to all of our cooks, servers,
and volunteers. “For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat.”
21
April 2014
‘Homeless Jesus’ finds a home in North Carolina
[Episcopal News Service] Downtown Davidson, North Carolina, has all of the idyllic,
small-town Southern charm a weekend visitor could want: old-fashioned brick sidewalks, quaint shops and lots of leafy trees. Residents of the town, known primarily for
its prestigious liberal arts college, are proud of their postcard-ready community, but
the recent installation of a sculpture outside of St. Alban’s Episcopal Church has reminded locals that not all members of the affluent community can afford to live in the
town’s beautiful homes – or in permanent housing of any type.
The sculpture, “Homeless Jesus” by Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz, is a life
-size bronze that depicts Jesus as a homeless man huddled in a blanket and sleeping on
a park bench. The blanket’s folds hide the man’s face, and the only clues to his identity are the crucifixion marks through his feet and a nearby plaque revealing the piece’s
name. From a distance, it is easy to mistake the sculpture for a living person. Situated
in front of St. Alban’s at the entrance to the upscale St. Alban’s Square neighborhood,
the artwork rests in stark contrast to its surroundings.
The sculpture is a memorial to late St. Alban’s parishioner Kate MacIntyre.
Her husband, former St. Alban’s senior warden Peter Macon, and family friend Martin
McCoy, who donated the funds for a piece of public art in MacIntyre’s honor, spent
years searching for the right memorial.
22
April 2014
Responses from across the country have poured in since the sculpture’s installation on Feb. 21. Interest from media outlets have ranged from Charlotte’s local NPR affiliate to the CNN Belief blog to the digital version of London’s Daily Mail. The Davidson Police Department reports receiving calls from neighborhood residents who believed the sculpture was a real person. One caller even expressed concern about the
sculpture’s bare feet and thin blanket and volunteered to take the man chili and water.
Staff members at St. Alban’s say visitors continue to snap photos, leave flowers and sit
on the exposed section of the sculpture’s bench.
“People we do not know have been walking into the church cold just to tell us
how much they appreciate the statue,” said the Rev. Greg McIntyre, associate rector at
St. Alban’s and Episcopal campus minister at Davidson College. “We’ve been getting emails from as far away in Oregon to support this.”
Some members of St. Alban’s felt the call to address the shelter needs of those in
their own community. The conversation around homelessness and housing insecurity
continued throughout the next year, but the lack of specific information about community needs slowed progress.
Then “Homeless Jesus” arrived.
“The Holy Spirit moved,” Yarbrough explained. “The sculpture’s presence has
started to accelerate the conversation.”
The clergy and parishioners of St. Alban’s hope the sculpture continues to provoke reactions and start conversations that lead to a broader recognition of Davidson’s
socioeconomic diversity and increased community support for homeless ministries.
“Our church has always believed that art is intrinsically related to spirituality, and we
have always been committed to social justice work,” the Rev. David Buck, rector of St.
Alban’s, said. “This combines the two, and it’s incredible. It reminds us that our work
among the poor and the marginalized is what gives our faith authenticity.”
23
April 2014
1
4
4
6
8
9
10
10
12
12
19
21
22
23
26
27
30
30
BIRTHDAYS
Katie Lynn Bohl
Sarah Smith
Stacy Rasmussen
Geoff Butler
Karen Hutchinson
Colin Johnson
Neil Powers
Ted Wheeler
Chris Burbach
Cindy Crouch
Barbara Crago
Gavin Stewart
Tabitha Spriggs
Grace Rasmussen
Joe Bush
Sally Broughton
Rob Coultis
Toby Johnson
Sr. Warden: Tim Tatlock
Jr. Warden: Tom Mencer
Treasurer: Jim Bush
Clerk: Carolyn Sturgeon
R
Rob Coultis
Denice Jayaram
Kathie Kleeman
Martha Lamoy
Tom Mencer
Sherry Suddarth
Tom Taylor
Martha Varzaly
Sunday
9 am
Adult Forum
Sunday School
10 am
Holy Eucharist
Children’s Church
& Nursery
Saturday
2
3
17
21
25
ANNIVERSARIES
Bill & Kathy Werner
Scott & Danae Stephenson
Tom & Kathy Mencer
Jeff & Karon Wintrode
Father Shawn & Marcia Streepy
5 pm
Holy Eucharist
Wednesday
Evening Prayer
Cancelled
The Torchbearer is published monthly by:
St Aidan’s Episcopal Church
14301 S. Black Bob Road, Olathe, Kansas 66062
E-mail: staidansolathe@sbcglobal.net
913-764-3050
Website: www.st.aidansolathe.org
Facebook Page: St. Aidan’s Episcopal Church in Olathe, KS
Robert Shawn Streepy, Priest-in-Charge; Fran Wheeler, Deacon
Editor: Sharon Seidel
Photography Credits: Father Robert Shawn Streepy, Joyce Moriarty, Carolyn Sturgeon
24