The Communicator. Weekly Service Schedule NOTES FROM FR. DAVID MAY N Adams (4 th & Adams) Fr. David Jenkins

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1 The Communicator MAY 2015 The Episcopal Church of the Covenant 314 N Adams (4 th & Adams) Fr. David Jenkins william.d.jenkins30.mil@mail.mil Junction City, KS Fax NOTES FROM FR. DAVID Weekly Service Schedule Sunday Mornings 8:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rt. I 9:15 a.m. Adult Study Class 10:00 a.m. Holy Eucharist, Rt. II 10:00 a.m. Sunday School for Children and Youth No Sunday School the last Sunday of each month Fridays 12:00 (noon) Healing Service With Holy Eucharist Mary Anna and I will be leaving this Friday afternoon for the annual Episcopal and Federal Chaplains Meeting with the Bishop Suffragan for Armed Forces and Federal Ministries that will be held at Kanuga in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina May 4-8. The focus of the meeting/training is on building Christian community among millennial age persons with the Rt. Rev. Mary Gray-Reeves who is the training leader. I am curious about the take-aways not only for the military chaplaincy, but also application here at The Church of the Covenant as we strive to build community in a world that is better connected and yet very isolated. Mary Anna and I will stop on our way to spend time with her sister and family south of Nashville, TN. We will return to Kansas in the afternoon of Sunday, May 12. During our absence, Deacon Rex will lead Morning Prayer on May 3 at both the 8:00 and 10:00 services. On Mother s Day, May 10, the Rev. Susan Sawyer will be celebrating at both the 8:00 and 10:00 services. May is always a busy month let s make sure we take time to build community in the choices we make and include the One Who Loves Us Most in all of our choices! Grace & peace, Father David

2 Remember to pray for each of these persons on their special day. Watch over your children, O Lord, as their days increase; bless and guide them wherever they may be. Strengthen them when they stand; comfort them when discouraged or sorrowful; raise them up if they fall; and in their hearts may your peace which passes understanding abide all the days of their lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen May 2 May 8 May 13 May 14 May 14 May 17 May 23 May 23 May 26 MAY BIRTHDAYS Steve Allen Christopher Cohen Arthur Cohen Georgia Cohen John Wright (Cohen) Sally Edwards William Scott Brown Haley Coffey Sidney Budinas May and June 2015 Schedule Acolyte, Chalice Bearer, Lay Readers May Acolyte Anne Collett Sidney Budinas Shelley Kite Mark Edwards Jed, Haley Chalice Bearer (10:00) Anne Collett Gery Schoenrock Shelley Kite Mark Edwards Richard Pinaire Lay Reader (8:00) Ken Andrew Joe Mitchell Vicky Budinas Debbie Fegan Ken Andrew Lay Reader (10:00) Keith Collett Patti Schoenrock Tom Kite Anne Collett Nancy Hubbard June Acolyte Sidney Budinas Anne Collett Shelley Kite Haley Coffey Chalice Bearer (10:00) Jolana Matney Anne Collett Shelley Kite Gery Schoenrock Lay Reader (8:00) Joe Mitchell Vicky Budinas Debbie Fegan Ken Andrew Lay Reader (10:00) Melanie Laster Mark Edwards Tom Kite Patti Schoenrock If you know someone that you would like to recognize as the Star of the Month, please call or the office, or leave a note in the plate and we will include them in the next month s Communicator. 2

3 Vestry Meeting May 17 th following the 10:00 a.m. service. MEN OF THE COVENANT BREAKFAST May 3, 2015 at 7:30 a.m. Covenant Calendar May 1 -- May 3 -- Fifth Sunday of Easter May 8 -- Registration for Episcopal Mega Camp due today. May May May Six Sunday of Easter Seventh Sunday of Easter Dillon s Cards We still have one month of school. Please do not forget to purchase your Dillon s card for Marty s kids. These families probably have utility bills that have stretched their finances and the children are in dire need of nutritional foods. These cards can be purchased in $20 increments. Please see Vicky after church to purchase cards. May May Day of Pentecost Whitsunday May May First Sunday after Pentecost- Trinity Sunday May 31-June 6 Episcopal Mega Camp, Registration by May 8, Discretionary Fund Sunday (Loose Offerings) First Sunday of Each Month ATTENDANCE: Year to Date Year to date If you have any questions or concerns about the parish, call Keith Collett, Senior Warden at (cell) and Keith s is keithcollett@sbcglobal.net. Please call Father David Jenkins for Pastoral needs. Fr. David is at the church on Fridays and Sundays and is willing to come to visit you at your home upon request. You can reach him at his cell number, or the church at His is william.d.jenkins30.mil@mail.mil or episcopaljc@gmail.com. If Fr. David is unavailable, please call, Deacon Rex Matney for Pastoral Care needs. His work number is , cell # is or him at rexmatney@gmail.com. 3

4 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ; Wheels of H.O.P.E. It has been a while since I last updated you on our outreach ministry here at the Church of the Covenant. Our feeding ministry, Wheels of Hope, which is done in collaboration with the Junction City 1 st United Methodist Church, Zion United Church of Christ, and many volunteer s completed our 9 th monthly food distribution at the end of March. We haven t even completed our first year yet and we have seen our ministry grow so much. There is such a need helping the Food Insecure and chronically hungry children of Junction City and with your generous help along with others we have been successful in making some difference to children and families who very often go to bed hungry. Just to think that a year ago at this time we were just a round table of ideas having just completed the necessary legal work to apply for our 501c3 status. Today we are a fully stocked pantry with nine and this week ten monthly distributions complete and have gained enthusiastic community support. Without your love, support, and generosity none of this would have happened. I and the board of Wheels of Hope thank each of your for the roles you play in bringing this valuable service to our city. We are truly blessed. To provide some statistics from our first 9 months of distributions we began by providing a three day supply of nutritious food to 18 families comprised of 73 persons. By age this represented 1 person over the age of 65; 21 adult females; 14 adult males; and 37 children under the age of 18. December was our largest distribution when we served 56 families comprised of 249 people. Age category included 5 seniors over age 65; 61 adult females; 49 adult males; and 134 children. At the end of our first nine months we have served 272 families comprised of 1,104 persons that include 26 seniors, 290 adult female, 222 adult male, and 565 children under age 18. The ethnic break down includes: African American 130; Native American 0; Hispanic/Latino 409; Asian/Pacific Islander 5; Caucasian/White 480; and Multi racial 79, The Kansas Food Bank published some alarming statistics this month that measure the Meal Gap throughout the U.S. on a state-by-state, county-by-county basis that is troubling to say the least. For example, in Kansas 14.5% of the population is considered food insecure. That s 419,330 people. For all or a significant part of the year, these people didn t have enough money to put meals on the table and Geary County is one of the highest food insecure counties in the state. The Food Insecurity rate for Geary County is 17.7% (3.2% higher than the state average). This is 6,300 people in Geary County. Additionally 22.3% of children in Kansas are Food Insecure. As the 2014 Hunger in America study revealed, people employ a lot of different coping strategies for stretching their pay checks, often sacrificing food in order to pay utility, transportation, or medical bills. What this study shows however, is that poverty is not a direct indicator of hunger and food insecurity. As we discovered, in Kansas, 35% of Food Insecure people have incomes above 185% of the Federal Poverty Level and in Geary County 32% have incomes above 185% of the Federal Poverty Level. In Geary County, 26% of these same people have incomes between 130% and 185% above the Federal Poverty Level compared to 16% State wide. Finally, in Geary County 41% of Food Insecure people have incomes below the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) threshold of 132% poverty level compared with 49% state-wide. These people likely do not qualify for state or federal assistance programs, food stamps, and their children likely do not qualify for free or reduced lunches. These working poor rely solely on the charitable response provided by organizations like Wheels of Hope who don t have an income guideline to restrict access to service. This news is troubling, to say the least, I know it was for me and for the members of the board for Wheels of Hope. What is more troubling is that the numbers continue to grow. I simply want to thank each and every one of you for all you do to help in this important ministry and I thank God each day for your untiring ministry to those in need. If you have questions or a desire to help with this outreach, please do not hesitate to talk to me, Shelley Hoyle-Kite, or Vicky Budinas. May God s Blessings be with each of you. Deacon Rex+ 4

5 HAPPENINGS IN THE DIOCESE BISHOP KEMPER SCHOOL OFFERS SUMMER CLASSES FOR CHRISTIAN EDUCATORS AND YOUTH LEADERS This summer Bishop Kemper School for Ministry will offer two special courses designed for current and potential Christian educators and youth leaders. June 13-14: Mini 340: Christian Education Leadership Survey-- Participants will learn about big picture issues in leading Christian education programs, including engaging clergy and vestry support; developing mission, vision, goal and objectives; budgeting; safety guidelines; gift discernment; recruiting, training, supporting and appreciating volunteers; exploring cultural issues; and self-soul care. Deadline to register is May 14. July 18-19:Mini 350:Christian Education Children & Youth Teaching Survey Participants will learn teaching logistics and best practices, including human growth and development; welcoming and hospitality; effective teaching and behavior management; curriculum evaluation and selection; designing, adapting and implementing lessons; and relational ministry with children and youth. Deadline to register in June 18. The June class is a prerequisite for the July class. Classes will take place at Upton Hall Conference Center in Topeka (just south of Grace Cathedral). The cost is $125 per person for each weekend, which includes meals and lodging at Upton Hall. Both classes will be taught by diocesan Youth Missioner Karen Schlabach, M.S. in Student Counseling and Personnel Services; and Sue Crew, M.S. in Adult and Continuing Education and Director of Christian Formation at St. Michael and All Angels, Mission. More information, along with a registration form, is on the BKSM website, SPECIAL CONCERT OF WELSH MUSIC PLANNED FOR JUNE 21 A performance of works by Welsh composer Paul Mealor known worldwide for special music composed for the wedding of Price William and Catherine Middleton will be performed at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 21 at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral, 415 West 13 th Street, Kansas City, Missouri. The concert, Sounds of a Sacred Land, will be performed by the Te Deum Chamber Choir, a group dedicated to performing a diverse sacred choral repertoire. The cost to attend is $10.00 per person, and tickets are available online at 5