4A THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
NEWS
WEDNESDAY. OCTOBER 26, 2005
PEACE CORPS EXTRAVAGANZA! Information and Celebration!
Wednesday, October 26
7-9 pm
University of Kansas
Kansas Union, Kansas Room
www.peacecorps.gov
Ministry makes move New location is "T his is a time of great exploration and we would Bethany House just like to be able to be there for kids, and more kids
ORGANIZATIONS
BY ALY BARLAND
abarland@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
Melodie Woerman
After 10 years of partnership, the Lutheran Campus Ministry at the University of Kansas and the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas are going their separate ways.
The Lutheran Campus Ministry was located in Canterbury House, which is owned by the diocese. LCM paid rent to house students and conduct worship services. The diocese plans to renovate the house, and as a result the LCM is moving to Bethany House, which is owned by Trinity Lutheran Church, Shawn Norris, Lutheran campus minister, said he did not think Bethany House would be
LCM held its final worship service at Canterbury House, 1116 Louisiana St., Sunday night, followed by a procession down the hill to the new location at Bethany House, 18 E. 13th St. The LCM will now conduct all of its services, beginning this Sunday, at the new location until a permanent residence is found. In January, the diocese announced plans to change its approach to campus ministry. Instead of one chaplain assigned to the University of Kansas, the chaplain will work with other Kansas campuses as well. The chaplain's function will be to train peer ministers for the campus organizations, said James Upton, Episcopal archdeacon for southern Kansas.
Director of communications for the diocese
used permanently.
"It's probably a little far from campus for us for a permanent location." Norris said.
LaDonna Atchinson, Trinity Lutheran Church parish administrator, said Bethany House had been vacant since September. Initially, the church had planned to house hurricane evacues but after getting no response from local aid organizations, it was informed of the LCM's situation and offered the location for temporary residence. Atchinson said LCM would most likely pay a user fee instead of rent. This covers the cost of utilities and maintenance.
Melodie Woerman, director of communications for the diocese, said that the diocese planned to change its method of campus ministry in order to reach more students.
Previously, there was one chapleain assigned to the University of Kansas and one assigned to Kansas State University. Woerman said this ignored the Episcopalians at Wichita State University, Pittsburgh State University, Washburn University and Emporia State University, as well as community colleges.
In the future, the diocese will have one or two chaplains assigned to all the schools in the region, she said. The diocese will train college
students to act as peer ministers and try to incorporate local churches with campus ministries by gearing some services to students. Woerman said that later and less formal services would attract students to local church activities.
Woerman said that college years were formative and the diocese needed to reach more students.
"This is a time of great exploration, and we would just like to be able to be there for kids, and more kids in more places," she said.
Allyson Bedford, Tulsa, Oklah senior, was actively involved in LCM as an Episcopalian. She said she chose to worship with LCM because she felt welcome there. She said the break in partnership with the diocese would probably not have a large effect, and Episcopalians would continue to worship with the Lutherans.
"With this particular group I don't think it's going to change a lot," Bedford said.
Kevin Boatright, a board member and secretary for LCM, said there were no hard feelings and that the partnership had been good for everyone involved.
"We've had 10 very enjoyable years here together," Boatright said.
Edited by Kellis Robinett
POLITICS
D.A. switches parties
BY MARGARET STAFFORD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
OLATHE — Johnson County District Attorney Paul Morrison announced Tuesday that he will switch parties and seek the Democratic nomination for Kansas attorney general next year.
Morrison, a Republican, hopes to challenge Republican Attorney General Phill Kline, who won the office three years ago and is expected to run again, although he has not officially announced his plans. No one else has announced plans to seek the office in 2006.
Morrison said he is running because he is "deeply concerned about the direction the attorney general's office is headed," and made it clear that he was upset with the way Kline has conducted himself in the office.
Morrison said the office has too often deviated from its core mission and has divided the people of Kansas. He made several references to professionalizing the office and not using it to promote partisan political issues.
Under Kline, who is antiabortion, the office recently filed a lawsuit to block state-funded abortions under the Medicaid program, asking the court to declare that from conception, someone enjoys a fundamental right to life and liberty.
930 Iowa Street • Affordable Laser Hair Removal • 842-7001
1
1