Talk about a fun (and busy) filled week! From September 16 through September 20, the four Bishop candidates for The Diocese of West Missouri came to visit. Our candidates got to see several churches, speak with members across our diocese, and answered your questions so you could get to know them a little better. It was an exciting week that brought us closer as a church and gave us the opportunity to see the Holy Spirit at work firsthand. In case you missed it, or would like a recap, here are some of the things we did while the candidates were in town.
September 16
On our first day of the WESTMODIOlogue sessions, we started our day by having a clergy conversation at St. Peter & All Saints in Kansas City! After the clergy got to know our candidates a bit more, we headed south and stopped at All Saint’s Episcopal Church in Nevada. We got to meet the wardens, have lunch, and tour the church. Afterwards, we stopped by St. John’s Episcopal Church in Neosho and got to see the lovely park sitting next to the church and hear stories about ducks (yes, ducks) infiltrating the church. From there, we stopped by St. Philip’s in Joplin and got to explore the beautiful church before finally heading off to Grace Episcopal Church in Carthage for our first of many public general listening sessions (with tasty food, too!).
September 17
Our crew was raring to go for day two! After breakfast at the hotel, the candidates visited St. Matthew’s in Ozark and got to meet the Southern Dean and learn about the partnership that St. Matthew’s has with the Presbyterian Church. From there, the group stopped at St. John’s in Springfield and got a rich history of the church and the community from the Rev. David Kendrick. After that, and after stopping by a couple of the colleges in Springfield, the group made a pit stop to Bass Pro Shop for a much-needed break (and souvenir shopping).
After leaving Bass Pro Shop, the candidates stopped at St. James in Springfield for the second clergy conversation. Candidates visited with clergy from the south, heard their stories, and got to know each other better. Finally, the candidates swung by Christ Church in Springfield to speak with youth, and join the community in the second WESTMODIOlogue general listening session.
September 18
For the third day, it was time to start heading back north. Along the way, we stopped by St. Alban’s in Bolivar and got to see the beautiful space and the land the church was built on, and even hear about their planting efforts! After chatting and having coffee, we then stopped at Calvary Episcopal Church in Sedalia where we were greeted by the Rev. Anne Kyle, Vocations Missioner for the diocese. We got to chat with some of the members at the church, explore the nave, and had a delicious lunch. Once we wrapped up, our next stop was Lee’s Summit, where we first stopped at St. Paul’s and got to tour the church and rest before visiting St. Anne’s for the final clergy conversation and the third WESTMODIOlogue general listening session (not to mention the wonderful pizza we had that night!).
September 19
For day four, we started our morning at St. Andrew’s! We were greeted by the clergy, got to have a quick tour, and then headed over to HJ’s Youth and Community Center for free coffee, pastries, and got to hear all the wonderful things St. Andrew’s was doing in its community. After we charged up on coffee, we stopped at St. Augustine’s in Kansas City and met with the Transition Missioner, the Rev. Chas Marks, and other members of the church for a warm greeting. Then, we stopped by Trinity Episcopal Church in Independence for a tour of the grounds, and then lunch down the block at Ophelia’s Restaurant (complete with desserts bundled in a box with our logo!).
Afterwards, the candidates got to take a well-deserved break at the hotel before coming to Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral to meet with youth and youth leaders in a great discussion. Finally, the candidates got to meet with everybody at Founder’s Hall for dinner before starting the second to last WESTMODIOlogue discussion in the nave.
September 20
Our final day with the candidates had finally came. To start off, we stopped at St. Mary’s in Kansas City for morning prayer and a quick tour of the church and its history. After visiting and having pastries and coffee, we stopped at St. Luke’s Hospice for a wonderful tour of the facility and what it means to the community. From there, we stopped at Bishop Spencer Place and got to tour the building and visit with some of the residents before stopping at the Women’s Health Clinic at St. Luke’s Hospital.
After that, the candidates got to have lunch with the Cathedral and diocesan staff, followed by a conversation with the staff in the diocesan office. Bishop Bruce then gave a tour of the building before talking with them. When their conversation was over, the candidates stopped at Redeemer for food and conversation before answering questions for the final night of the WESTMODIOlogue sessions.
All of this to say; thank you! Thank you to our candidates for their time and passion as they traveled across the diocese. Thank you to our churches and leaders who hosted our candidates and for their generosity. And thank you to our Transitions Committee, and everyone else who helped support and make this week happen. A slideshow of pictures from the week can be seen below, and videos to each of the listening sessions are linked above.
With the WESTMODIOlogue sessions now at a close, let us come together as a diocese to discern and pray for our next bishop:
“O Creator God, giver of every good gift, look graciously on us in The Diocese of West Missouri and guide us as we discern our call of a new bishop. O Jesus, be present in our discernment, and lead us to a shepherd who will invite us to live out the Gospel every day. O Holy Spirit, inspire us with your wisdom, and kindle our heart with the fire of your love, that we may be renewed as we prepare to welcome the ministry of our next bishop. This we ask trusting in You. Amen.”
