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Faith news

To send in items for the Faith News, email information to news@g3f.1db.myftpupload.com or maryr@g3f.1db.myftpupload.com. Please include your name and contact information.

Holy Name Catholic Church cafeteria, 1007 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City, Kan., will be the site of the Ragin’ Sweet and Spicy Fest from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 6. The chili, soup and dessert cookoff is sponsored by the Holy Name Divas. Entries will be accepted in the school cafeteria from 4 to 5 p.m. “Stranded in the City” will provide music.

Judson Baptist Church, 8300 State Ave., will have an interim pastor preaching at Sunday services through March 13. Pastor Jim McCrossen will be preaching during January. The 8:30 a.m. service will be suspended during this time. Sunday School will be at 9:45 a.m. and the regular Sunday service will be 11 a.m.

A “Gospel Non-Violence” study group will be held from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8, at the Keeler Women’s Center, 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kan. The group is facilitated by Peg Burns Kerbawy, developer of “Our Golden Thread, Gospel Nonviolence Curriculum Materials.” For more information, call 913-906-8990 or register online at www.keelerwomenscenter.org.

“The Joy of the Gospel,” a two-part program, will be held from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Feb. 2 and 9 at the Keeler Women’s Center, 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kan. It will be presented by Jesuit novices, Orlando Portalatin, nSj, and Stuart Thomas, nSj. The program, through presentation and discussion, will look at the first teaching document of Pope Francis: a call for the church to choose missionary discipleship that transforms and serves. For more information, call 913-906-8990 or register online at www.keelerwomenscenter.org.

Living Water United Methodist Church, 3001 N. 115th St., Kansas City, Kan., will have a Cabin Fever Carnival from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 6, at the church. The family event is free and will include games, food and inflatables. It is open to the public. For more information, see livingwaterumc.net, Living Water UMC on Facebook, or call 913-400-7203.

Open Door Baptist Church, 3033 N. 103rd Terrace, plans a fundraiser, Super Bowl Sunday, on Sunday, Feb. 7. The Sunday School and Children’s Church will help purchase an automatic external defibrillator with this fundraiser.

Risen Lamb International Church of the Nazarene, located in the Turner area of Kansas City, Kan., has announced the opening of the Risen Lamb Prayer Room and Retreat Center. On location at their church at 5301 Metropolitan Avenue, the prayer room and retreat center is open to the public for daytime retreats. All individuals or small groups seeking a quiet, sacred space to gather, pray, meditate, journal or read resources about prayer are welcome. The prayer room provides a peaceful space for solitude or can be scheduled in advance for groups of up to eight people. Guests seeking spiritual guidance may schedule a time of spiritual direction with one of the pastoral staff, and groups may inquire about scheduling a member of the pastoral team to lead or speak at a retreat. Donations accepted but not required. For more information, or to plan a visit, contact the Rev. Philip Friday at pobfriday@yahoo.com or call 913-287-9418.

Herb White, a retired U.S. Postal Service worker and veteran community volunteer, is the new senior warden of the vestry at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 1300 N. 18th St., Kansas City Kan. White was chosen at St. Paul’s annual meeting Sunday, Jan. 31. Other new members chosen for the vestry, the official governing body of the parish, were Cathy Breidenthal and Tom Brown.

Stony Point Christian Church, 149 S. 78th St., will hold a preschool basket bonanza on Friday, Feb. 5. Items are being collected to help the preschool.

Faith news

To send in items for the Faith News, email information to news@g3f.1db.myftpupload.com or maryr@g3f.1db.myftpupload.com. Please include your name and contact information.

Holy Name Catholic Church cafeteria, 1007 Southwest Blvd., Kansas City, Kan., will be the site of the Ragin’ Sweet and Spicy Fest from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 6. The chili, soup and dessert cookoff is sponsored by the Holy Name Divas. Entries will be accepted in the school cafeteria from 4 to 5 p.m. “Stranded in the City” will provide music.

A “Gospel Non-Violence” study group will be held from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 25, at the Keeler Women’s Center, 2220 Central Ave., Kansas City, Kan. The group is facilitated by Peg Burns Kerbawy, developer of “Our Golden Thread, Gospel Nonviolence Curriculum Materials.” For more information, call 913-906-8990 or register online at www.keelerwomenscenter.org.

Members of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 1300 N. 18th St., Kansas City, Kan., will celebrate the Feast of St. Paul at 11 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 31. A potluck luncheon and the annual parish meeting will follow the service.

Stony Point Christian Church, 149 S. 78th St., will hold a preschool basket bonanza on Friday, Feb. 5. Items are being collected to help the preschool.

Wyandotte United Methodist Church, 7901 Oakland Ave., will sponsor a Women’s Bible study beginning Jan. 26. The topic will be “Set Apart: Holy Habits of Prophets and Kings.”

Still a long way to go in achieving justice, King Day speaker says

A capacity crowd of thousands gathered today to hear Bishop Lemuel F. Thuston speak at the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at the Reardon Convention Center, Kansas City, Kan.

Bishop Thuston, with a theme of “Reigniting the Dream: All Lives Matter,” briefly touched on some events of the past few years, such as protests following incidents in Ferguson, Mo., and other cities. He also briefly mentioned the upcoming presidential election.

There has been an awakening, a thawing, great stirring across the nation since the Ferguson, Mo., incident and a Florida incident, he said.

“There has been a cascading of incidents that have reminded us that we have come a long way, but we have a long way to go,” Thuston said.

Bishop Lemuel F. Thuston today said at the King Day celebration in Kansas City, Kan., there has been a cascading of incidents that have reminded us that we have come a long way, but we have a long way to go, (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)

There’s been a reigniting of the reality that there is yet much work to be done, he said. Racism, bigotry, high unemployment, fighting among the faith community, and an end to violence, are among the challenges that are faced.

About Martin Luther King Jr., Thuston said, “I choose to remember what he is doing, because one thing that is irrefutable: He did his part.”

Thuston noted that Martin Luther King Jr. came to Kansas City, Kan., and spoke at Sumner High School about 50 years ago.

Bishop Thuston said Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve, and the greatest is the greatest servant.”

The legacy of King is not just with big shots, leaders, the haves and the upper crust, he said.

“The legacy of King is there is a calling, there is an opportunity, there is a mandate and there is a chance for every one of us to do our part in Kansas City,” Thuston said.

He cited Martin Luther King Jr.’s message about becoming the best.

“If you’re going to be an artist, be a Picasso.” Thuston said. “Martin Luther King said if you’re going to be a scientist, be a Pasteur, be a Curie, be a George Washington Carver.”

But maybe you won’t be an artist, composer, or scientist, he noted. “Maybe you’ll just be a street sweeper,” Thuston said, citing a Martin Luther King Jr. message. “But if you become a street sweeper, sweep your street with all of your might. Sweep your street until the angels in heaven have to pause and see you and tell the Almighty, there goes the greatest street sweeper of all time.”

Thuston is the jurisdictional prelate of the Kansas East Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of the Church of God in Christ.

Bishop Lemuel Thuston was the keynote speaker at today's King Day celebration at the Reardon Convention Center, Kansas City, Kan. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert) — Bishop Lemuel Thuston was the keynote speaker at today’s King Day celebration at the Reardon Convention Center, Kansas City, Kan. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)

Mayor Mark Holland, in remarks at the King Day celebration, mentioned the public safety diversity task force of the Unified Government. He said the UG started its process nine months before incidents started in Ferguson, Mo. The task force considered how the UG could do a better job at recruiting, hiring and promoting women and minorities.

Kansas City, Kan., Mayor Mark Holland said many recommendations of the public safety diversity task force were approved and are in this year's Unified Government budget. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert) — Kansas City, Kan., Mayor Mark Holland said many recommendations of the public safety diversity task force were approved and are in this year’s Unified Government budget. (Staff photo by Mary Rupert)

Last May, 35 recommendations from Department of Justice task force on public safety diversity were approved that went into the UG budget for this year, he said.

“If we will just hire local, we will get the diversity we expect,” Mayor Holland said.

Youth from the Greater Pentecostal Temple performed selections at the event.

During the event today, funds were collected for scholarships for local students, and scholarships were presented.