Recent Advances in the Diocese

  • The George Herbert Institute was created to train and form within the diocese those persons who are seeking ordination to the Priesthood.  The importance of alternative education programs for formation for ordination is illustrated in the fact that this diocese has more postulants in GHI than in traditional seminaries. In 2008 the Commission on Ministry decided to establish an Advisory Board to GHI to assist in oversight, curriculum, budget and the guidance of postulants. The number of students is increasing, and proposals are being considered for meeting this need.
  • Bishop's Ball 2010The hiring of a Diocesan Youth Ministry Coordinator has led to a large and vibrant diocesan-wide ministry.  Approximately one hundred eighty persons attended the Bishop’s Ball in 2010; there have been several Happenings; MissionPalooza leads youth to provide hundreds of hours of community service every summer; and youth from the diocese attended General Convention and the Episcopal Youth Event.
  • Hispanic Ministry in the diocese has recently been invigorated by the hiring of a full-time Hispanic Missioner.
  • The new mission congregation of Saint Mary Magdalene is under construction at a beautiful site in south Kansas City.
  • BotswanaA new companion diocese relationship has been formed with the Diocese of Botswana.  Bishop Howe and members of the diocese have traveled to Botswana, and Bishop Mwamba and members of his diocese have travelled to West Missouri.
  • Assessments have been paid to the diocese at a rate of ninety-six to ninety-seven percent—and that was during a major recession when many congregations saw pledges drop.  The assessment to the national church has been paid at one-hundred percent.
  • Bishop Spencer Place, opened in 1995 at a cost of $15 million dollars, has more recently expanded and retains a close affiliation with the diocese and with Saint Luke’s Hospital.  The location of Bishop Spencer Place in the Plaza/Westport area in part demonstrates the diocese’s desire to retain strong institutions in the city when many other institutions were moving to the suburbs (the rebuilding of St. Paul’s Episcopal Day School in its midtown location after a fire in 1992, at a cost of $6.2 million, is another demonstration of this desire).  The Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of West Missouri serves as Chair of the Board of Bishop Spencer Place.
  • Saint Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City was named one of the top 125 hospitals in the United States.  It was recognized as one of Kansas City’s Best Places to Work by the Kansas City Business Journal. Saint Luke’s is in the top 10 percent of cardiac transplant programs nationally, and the health system was recognized as one of the top 10 large employers in Kansas City.  The Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of West Missouri serves as Chair of the Board of Saint Luke’s Hospital (but not of Saint Luke’s Health System).
  • St. Luke’s Nursing Center in Carthage was created as a 186-bed provider of long-term care and residential care and is a ministry of the Episcopal Church.