ERD Responds to flooding in Pakistan

Episcopal Relief & Development will be contributing through the ACT Alliance's general appeal for those affected by the recent flooding in Pakistan. Disaster response activities will help vulnerable people in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa, Balochistan and Sindh.

After three weeks of what appear to be the heaviest monsoon rains in 35 years, over a third of Pakistan is now under water. This flooding is the worst natural disaster in the country's history. Beginning in the northern part of the country, the waters are continuing to move downstream, affecting major parts of the country in the south as well. According to recent estimates, nearly 14 million people are affected, and the figures are rising. The death toll has reached over 1,600 and around 2 million people are homeless.

Pease click here to read the rest of this story from the ERD website.

Just a bit of your time could truly help!

Come volunteer! Grace Hospice understands how precious time is to everyone. If you have just an hour a week or a few hours a month to share your time making a social visit (reading, writing letters, listening) with a patient, providing respite care for patient care givers or even some help in our office, your time would be a real blessing to all. Please contact Kim Harwood at 913-444-4611 for more information…and thank you for your time.

October Done in a Day

Please reserve Saturday, October 2, as a special family day on your calendars! We will do a "done-in-a-day" event to glean/gather food from farmers' fields on behalf of Kansas City Harvesters. This year, we’ll meet in Lexington, MO, to start picking apples at 9 a.m.; we plan to be finished by 1 p.m., then we’ll have a family picnic and use the rest of the day with a little sightseeing in historic Lexington. All are welcome; this is not just a Vestry thing, a Haiti thing, a Youth Group or OutReach or Evangelism or Stewardship thing… this event is a St. Andrew’s thing; everyone is needed to make the event a terrific success. Please confirm your participation on the team with me, Pete Vogt, no later than August 31 so I can plan the final timing and any late breaking details. My email address is  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it and my phone is 816-679-5921.

Freedom Fire Urban Ministries
Tutoring Program

Like all our small groups, the primary focus is always on relationships. Tutoring is a great way to build the relationship between a child and a godly, caring adult —while at the same time—assisting the child in a practical way. Volunteers usually work one-on-one with a child, emphasizing reading and math skills, once a week at our office (13th & Brooklyn) on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Thursdays, after school from about 4-6 p.m., although times are flexible (based on the availability of the tutor.) Again, relationships are important, so we have a lot of fun together during the tutoring; and training is available for tutors.

Groups or individuals can also provide snacks or sign up to prepare the sandwiches we usually serve. This is a super way to meet a number of our best kids!

To apply for this program as a volunteer, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 913-262-0762. 

Maison de Naissance Update

Here’s a snapshot of what’s been happening at the birthing center in Haiti we support, Maison de Naissance.  In addition, two of the Kansas City staff of Maison de Naissance recently spent a week there.  You can read about their trip (and see photos) at http://mnhaiti.blogspot.com.

Maison de Naissance Update / July Recap

In July we continued to focus on accurate and consistent use of systems for the pharmacy, the lab, the container and our medical storage area. Everyone involved understands the principles of the system and why we are doing it. This process may seem like a small, operational detail, but the long-term objective is to maximize our resources:  using our medications and supplies in the most cost-effective ways possible and thereby reducing our expenses for such.

The midwives, under the direction of Lead Midwife Odine, have begun monthly case review sessions.  They are all looking forward to the exercise, as they are eager to learn more about their field and enjoy discussing the patients they see.  We are also working with Odine to define topics for the midwife training workshops this fall.  This is a prime opportunity to make good on our promise to the midwives to provide more training opportunities for them.

Our new Administrative Assistant, Kenso, joined MN in July.  He has been a great addition and is enjoying his time at MN.  He is quite proficient on the computer and has been assisting with data entry and other support matters. 

Over the past couple of months we have been working closely with the promoters to increase their family planning knowledge and skills. The message of the value of family planning in reducing maternal and neonatal mortality is a frequent conversation between providers and administrative staff at MN, and the promoters are also becoming good advocates for this point of view in their communities.

July Clinical Statistics

Women's reproductive health visits:  43

Prenatal visits:  617                                  

Deliveries:  44

Postpartum visits:  33

Well baby visits:  188

2010 Year-to-Date Clinical Statistics

Women's reproductive health visits: 606

Prenatal visits:  3110

Deliveries:  347

Postpartum visits:  213

Well baby visits:  1725

We have surpassed 2009 numbers for this time last year in every category.  This positive growth indicates that women and families in our community have tremendous confidence in MN’s services, have embraced our principles of improving health for women and newborns and are spreading the word about MN to their relatives, neighbors and friends. 

This also means we must accommodate increased demand and strategically plan for growth.  At this juncture, financial support of MN is critical to our sustainability.  We hope you will consider making a gift to MN.  We, our staff and those we serve thank you for your support!

 June Done-in-a-Day
The BEST Free Store to date!

Tuesday June 15th, we held our third Free Store event this year at Grace and Holy for the benefit of the guests at KCCK. It was a great success - serving over 325 people – who were most appreciative of being able to come in and shop for the basic items that they needed. Our store this time included full size shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpastes, sunscreen, combs, lip balm, white socks, men’s and women’s underwear, deodorant, feminine products, new collared shirts and new t-shirts, new ball caps, kids socks and t-shirts, full size soaps and washcloths, large boxes of wipes and small notebooks and pens as well as sample size toiletries and books.

We had 11 wonderful volunteers, many of them new to the FREE STORE and we are sure that they received more than what was given on that day. Chuck Sweeney and Carol Williams were our expert bag handlers – and did a better job than the Wal-Mart greeters, Pete "the enforcer" Vogt was the keeper of the door - marking everyone's hand with an "X" as they came in, Margaret Heckendorn was on sock patrol, "two socks or one pair please"; Anne Renne was in charge of the Apple Red Shirts, Karen Crouch and Brigitte Miller held down the t-shirts and hats table, Pricilla Long - who we learned could sell ice to the Eskimos - peddled "cool summer washcloths without water,” (aka, baby wipes), Lynda Partee was our deodorant expert, Maddie Hoffman, niece of Julie Gilchrist, was on clean patrol handing out washcloths and soap, and Julie Gilchrist and Joy Krug kept the show running. We couldn't have been as organized as we were without the help of Anne Renne, Cathy Moseley, Margaret Heckendorn, Julie Gilchrist and Joy Krug on Monday (the day before the store event), who unboxed and sorted and sized and repacked hundreds of items and a special thank you to Jimmy, the driver for KCCK who came to our rescue with the Episcopal Community Services van and loaded it up from floor to ceiling, back to front with all of our items for the store.

THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HELPED MAKE THIS THE BEST FREE STORE YET!!!!  To see pictures from this fantastic event, visit our Flickr site! 

May Done-in-a-Day was GREAT at Rose Brooks!

On Saturday May 8, St. Andrew's parishioners volunteered their time to help children at Rose Brooks make a Mother's Day craft and card. For the craft, the children painted small flower pots then selected flowers to put in the pot. They also painted or drew pictures for a Mother's Day card. We also helped pack lunches for 100 children. Thanks to this month’s volunteers: Richard Moseley, Cathy Moseley, Chris Nazar, Peggy Lane, Sydney Backstrom, Beverly Rush, Michelle Rush, Fr. John Spicer and Kathryn Spicer. To see pictures from this fantastic event, visit our Flickr site! 

Rose Brooks is a shelter for women and their children who have been abused in a relationship. If you have questions about Rose Brooks or would like to help at our next Done-in-a-Day at this location, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it at 913-432-3430. 

St. Andrew’s Annual
Fools for Christ’s Sake Benefit Dinner was a MIRACULOUS SUCCESS!!!

Thank you to all those who contributed their time and talent that made our dinner on May 1^st so successful. The team was large and even included gracious contributors (Rose Ann Vogt, friend of Ann Renne) from outside our church; see the list of helpers and contributors below!

The Haiti Committee is so pleased to announce that the school lunch program for the children of Maniche has been fully funded for 2010 - 2011 by the generosity of all those who attended and assisted with the Fool's for Christ Sake Dinner.  We invite all those who feel called to help in the efforts in Haiti to join us as we plan upcoming activities in support of the educational opportunities that St. Andrew's provides.  Look for future updates in The Messenger.  To get involved call or email Kathy Shaffer at 913-262-8483 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 Pictures from this wonderful event have been posted onto our Flickr site!  

So, You Want to Volunteer?

St. Andrews Outreach Commission provides many opportunities to be of service in our community, please let us know you are interested in being on our email lists by clicking on the address links below for the opportunities you are interested in.  We will contact you by email ahead of time so that you can participate if you are available.

Done-in-a-Day Projects
usually on the weekend such as a day at Rose Brooks, and the Community Gardens

Contact  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Kansas City Community Kitchen

"The Soup Kitchen" serving meals to the homeless and working poor on Fridays from 12 - 2 p.m.

Contact  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The Free Store at the "Soup Kitchen"

The Free Store provides toiletries, miscellaneous clothing and seasonal necessities bi-monthly or quarterly.

Contact  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

BackSnack

The BackSnack program for the Banneker grade-school children in cooperation with Harvesters once a week for a few hours during the school year.

Contact  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Serving lunch to the children at Gordon Parks Elementary School

many opportunities, one day or multiples you choose what works for you during the school year.

Contact  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Do you donate containers for the Kansas City Community Kitchen?

First off...THANKS! Secondly...

Please follow these guidelines when donating containers to be used for takeout food at the Kansas City Community Kitchen (it will truly help the volunteer servers, employees and patrons!)

Please thoroughly clean the containers and lids of all food, if not they have to be thrown away

Tightly attach the lids to the containers they belong to, otherwise the volunteers have to search through the bin for the lids and this really slows up the serving line

Please only provide containers 1 pint or larger as this allows for 2 servings of food, smaller ones are usually discarded.

Thank you so much, this will greatly help with the carry-out service at the "Kitchen"!!

Your volunteer coordinator,
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Keep Saving those Samples for KCCK Free Store!

The "Free Store Day" at The Kansas City Community Kitchen (KCCK) in July was a great success! Fueled by the enthusiasm of the clients, and the capability of storing donated items at HJ's, the OutReach commission would like to make "KCCK Free Store" a quarterly event.

We would like to encourage the generous folks at St. A's to continue dropping their sample/hotel toiletries in the collection box in the Narthex, and also to pick up an extra deodorant next time they visit Costco, the Dollar Store, or the drug store.

Thanks so much to those who are helping this ministry become so successful.  If you have questions or need more information, please contact  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , 913 722 0058. 

Sponsored Midwifery Student

UPDATE: April 2009

Greetings in the name of Christ to you!  I have just returned from 2 weeks in Haiti, working with my staff at the Maison de Naissance birthing center.  We are very, very busy with mothers, babies and families.  More and more women are hearing about MN and coming from further away to received the free, quality care our staff offers.

While I was in Haiti, I spent a few days in Port-au-Prince and visited the Nurse Midwife students, Nicole and Guillnise. As you recall, Guillnise is the student that St. Andrew's is generously sponsoring to complete her midwifery education and then work at MN for the 2 years of her social service commitment.

Again, I want to express our deepest gratitude to the parish of St. Andrew's for this wonderful gift; it will literally transform Guillnise's life and professional future in Haiti.

Cindy Obenhaus
Program Director
Maison de Naissance Foundation
Sponsor of Maison de Naissance, a birthing home in Haiti

www.maisondenaissance.org
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
816-812-7100

St. Andrew’s OutReach Sponsors Student 
to Attend Midwifery School in Haiti

Maison de Naissance, the birthing home in Haiti that is sponsored by Healthy Mothers-Healthy Babies Foundation, is staffed with Haitian Nurse Midwives.  These are nurses who attend the National Midwifery School in Port-au-Prince Haiti for 18 months.  The school graduates approximately 30 students and these new graduates are in such high demand in Haiti that there is a shortage of them to staff the many maternity centers, hospitals and clinics throughout the country.

Due to this shortage of ISF’s (midwives), Maison de Naissance has initiated a scholarship program where capable, state-certified nurses are chosen to attend the National Nurse Midwife School with tuition and living expenses paid.  In return, the newly certified ISF’s agree to work for MN for a period of 2 years and will earn a regular ISF salary during that time.  MN worked in partnership with the National Nurse Midwife School in Port-au-Prince, the Ministry of Public Health in Haiti, and the Nursing School in Les Cayes, Haiti to make this scholarship program possible.

St. Andrew’s OutReach will sponsor one of the 2 students chosen (by interview and credentials) to attend the National School!

Her name is Gulnise Veillard, a nurse from Les Cayes.

She is thrilled to be able to have this opportunity to further her education, advance her nursing skills and work for Maison de Naissance.  Gulnise will start school October 1, 2008 along with the other student, Marie Nicole Dieuveiulle who is being sponsored by the Diocese of Maine.

Healthy Mothers-Healthy Babies Foundation wants to express our deepest appreciation for this generous donation by the Outreach Committee of St. Andrew’s.  It truly will transform Gulnise’s life, her family’s life, and the mothers and babies she will serve at MN in the future.

~  Cindy Obenhaus,Program Director, HM-HB Foundation

St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
Outreach Endowment Fund

Jesus tells us, whenever we care for those whom he calls
“the least of these my bothers and sisters,” we do it for Christ himself.
~ Matthew 25:40

St. Andrew’s and its parishioners have a long history of involvement in the world around us, both in our own neighborhood and in nations around the globe. Our social outreach involves giving time, talent and resources to programs that serve the poor. These programs are recognized for their assistance in meeting basic human needs and provide tools for self- empowerment. As we offer ourselves in social outreach, we live out one of our parish’s core values: Serving in God’s World.

Historically, requests for financial assistance have been accepted from St. Andrew’s parishioners who are personally involved in the program and are willing to act as a liaison to the parish and the Outreach Commission. The program must exist outside the confines of St. Andrew’s, it must promote Christian values and it is desirable for the program to offer opportunities for volunteer service.

In 2006, the Outreach Commission sought to build congregational awareness and enthusiasm for our outreach ministries. A total of $6700 was raised through two fund raisers and individual donations. To ensure that social outreach continues into the future, the Commission requested that the Vestry use these funds as “seed money” to establish a restricted endowment for outreach ministries and grants. In response the Vestry established a permanent endowment fund and resolved it “to be known as The St. Andrew’s Outreach Endowment Fund.

The purpose of the Fund is to enable St. Andrew’s to fulfill its mission more completely beyond what is possible through its annual operating funds, and therefore distributions from the fund shall be limited to (i) outreach ministries and grants, and (ii) such other outreach purposes as are specifically designated by donors to St. Andrew’s whose gifts are included in the Fund. The Fund shall be held as a separate ‘endowment fund for a specific purpose.’ As such, the principal thereof shall not be invaded and the net income there from shall be distributed periodically to or for such outreach ministries as are recommended by the Outreach Commission (or its successor(s)) and approved by the Rector and the Vestry. Distributions from the Fund shall not be made to the general operating budget of St. Andrew’s.”

Parishioners and friends of St. Andrew’s are encouraged to consider a donation to the Fund in thanksgiving, or in honor or memorial of a loved one. For more information, please contact the church office and they will put you in touch with a member of the Vestry Endowment Committee and the Outreach Commission.