We are a small congregation trying to put Jesus Christ at the center of our lives.  We use the liturgy of the Episcopal Church--usually the one called "Rite One"--to join together in worshipping the Lord of all Creation, though we use the liturgy to help us focus, not to force us. We are an inclusive group, and all who wish to try worshipping the Lord are welcome to join us.

Advent Message

This is a time of year when we all find ourselves busy with family, community events, and special food preparation. We try and accomplish a lot in such a short time before Christmas.  St. John the Baptist in his preaching asks us first and foremost to prepare the way of God in our lives. We need more to our lives than our busy schedules.  We need the name of Jesus on our lips.  Jesus will send us the Holy Ghost to fill us with inner resources to live our lives and make wise choices in this busy world. 

All of us need to evaluate our lives and think about just what is the most important priority of all.  That is God's love and how we extend love to others. Slow down, ask Jesus into your hearts, know that you are loved by God, spend time after church listening to others.  The love and care extended to others will always refocus us so that we turn our lives over to God and accept the Salvation Message.  Experience the Holy Spirit with you now as you ask Jesus into your hearts and extend the message to others.  

--Father Peter Nissen

Easter Message

During the Easter Season we remember Jesus' rising from  death.  Jesus' resurrection gives all of us hope that there is life for us beyond the grave.  This life is not all.  We will see our loved ones again.  BUT just the fact of Jesus' resurrection will do very little for us until we experience Jesus' resurrection in our lives.  Many people who are not Christian believers have said, "Yes, Jesus rose from the dead, but so what?"    St. Mary Magdalene first saw the empty tomb and Jesusi appearance while thinking Jesus to be the gardener.  This did very little for her.  It was not until Mary heard Jesus call her name that she grew beyond knowing the fact to sensing and knowing Jesus in her heart.  How can we grow beyond the fact of Jesus' resurrection to know at an emotional level Jesus with us:  I just read the back of a confirmation certificate printed by the Episcopal Church which can help us all grow in the the feeling of Jesus with us and communicate this feeling to others:

1.   Never neglect your prayers.
2.   Examine yourself carefully as to your thoughts, and manner of life, at all events once a week.
3.   Read every day and think over a few verses of the Bible.
4.   Come to church every Sunday, and at other times as you have opportunity. Take care not to be late; kneel when you ought to. Join in the service, say the responses and Amen's distinctly, take part in the singing. *Avoid all talking in church.
5    Come to Holy Communion. To neglect the Sacraments is disobedience and ingratitude to Him and loss and danger to your own soul.
6.   Let no one persuade you to neglect the services of the church and be led into schism.
7.   Avoid religious disputes and idle gossip; try to think and speak kindly to everyone.
8.   Watch and pray against all impurity in thought and word and deed.
9.   Be honest and truthful as "servants of Christ."
10. Do your best to help others.
11. Try do do some special work for God and His Church
 
Happy Easter!  May you experience Jesus' new life and your walking with Him! And may I add this counsel: practice church growth principles. We find Jesus as we welcome others. The newest child or person who walks into St. Andrew's Chruch is the most important person as we remain servants of Christ. 

Holy Week Message

During Holy Week we remember the events that led to Jesus' death.  The Epistle reading for Palm Sunday, which is Philippians 2:5-11,  tells us that this Jesus who suffered was from the beginning with God.  Jesus emptied himself, was a "slave," and entered into the depth of human suffering.  This was not all.  It led to resurrection and new life so that we too can walk through life with hope.  We can experience healing through Jesus' forgiveness and  the acceptance we find in our Episcopalian congregations.  So our hurts, pains, loneliness, resentments and uncertainties, if given to God, will lead to newness, joy, purpose and well being.  Our Episcopal Church is asking all of us to become ministers of Jesus' love to all in great kindness and gentleness.  This way we will be amazed at what will happen to and in our congregations.  We will experience the feeding of the 5000 before our very eyes.  There will be new people and new insights for all of us.

Thinking about the season of Lent

Jesus' cleansing of the Temple in Jerusalem is a familiar theme during the season of Lent.  You probably remember the story: Jesus threw the animal sellers, their animals, and the money changers out of the temple in anger.  (The Biblical passage is reprinted below.)  In the Gospel of John this account comes at the beginning of Jesus' public ministry, and it sets the focus of Jesus' ministry to people. You might think this is a story saying it is acceptable to show anger toward those who do not believe the way we do.  But it is not.  Rather, the story can be better understood as counseling us to take our worship of God in a serious manner.  The merchants and money-changers in the temple had turned worship into a commercial transaction.  But Jesus wanted them--and us--to put God and God's action at the center of our worship.


So the story of Jesus cleansing the temple is reminding us to put God in the center.  Is worship of God number one in our lives?  Do we need to be "shaken" up  in our lives so that we will think and evaluate our lives and worship?


May our worship grow away from something that is just as mechanical as the old sacrifices in the temple had become  and grow into a realization and invitation for God to come to our hearts.  May we surrender all with an attitude of gratitude, and may we realize that God is in every breath that we take. Jesus is Our Saviour!  God is on our Side!  We will truly experience this when we talk to others and read the Bible to them.  


Happy Lent!


* * * * *


Here is the account from John 2:13 - 17: 


When the Passover Feast, celebrated each spring by the Jews, was about to take place, Jesus traveled up to Jerusalem.  He found the Temple teeming with people selling cattle and sheep and doves.  The loan sharks were also there in full strength.


Jesus put together a whip out of strips of leather and chased them out of the Temple, stampeding the sheep and cattle, upending the tables of the loan sharks, spilling coins left and right.  He told the dove merchants, "Get your things out of here!  Stop turning my Father's house into a shopping mall!"  That's when his disciples remembered the Scripture, "Zeal for your house consumes me."


Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, The Message Remix Version, copyright © 2003 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.

2012 Minutes from Annual Meeting

2012 Annual Meeting

St. Andrew's of rural Hays held its annual meeting on January 15, 2112. Senior Warden Dennis Johnson presided. Those in attendance were Father Peter Nissen; Dennis and Denise Johnson; Dan and Gwen Johnson; Fred McIntosh; Frances Eichmann; Gretchen Banker; Theresa Geist; Dustin, Tanna, Maleah, and Weston Vine; Christiane and Robert Luehrs; and Paul, Jacinta, and Xan Faber.

The meeting opened with a statement of gratitude from Senior Warden Dennis Johnson, who thanked all the members of St. Andrew's for help and support over the past year.

The proposed minutes for 2011 were read and approved as proposed. The treasurer's report for 2011 was read and approved. In new business, the 2012 budget was proposed and discussed. The only significant change from the 2011 budget lies Father Nissen's pension status. Father Nissen has recently begun drawing a pension. The congregation will no longer make a contribution to his pension. Now that money will be paid to him directly as a salary. The 2012 budget was approved.

Chris Luehrs reported on the United Thank Offering. There will be an ingathering of donations on the first Sunday of June and again on the first Sunday of October.

Senior Warden Dennis Johnson thanked Dustin and Dennis Vine for repairing the front steps to the church.

The congregation discussed a number of items of concern including materials for Sunday school and ministerial outreach.

The congregational officers elected for 2012 are Dennis Johnson, Senior Warden; Dustin Vine, Junior Warden; Gwen Johnson, Treasurer; and Jacinta Faber, Clerk. Dan Johnson, Gretchen Banker, and Paul Faber will serve on the Bishop's Committee. The congregation expressed its deep debt of gratitude to Fred McIntosh for his many years of service as the Junior Warden.

Paul and Jacinta Faber will serve as contacts for the 2012 diocesan convention. The congregation will choose delegates later in the year as people's schedules become clearer.

The meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully submitted,

Jacinta Faber, clerk

Father Nissen's Christmas message

The beginning of the Gospel Of John can be seen as a  new creation story.  Jesus is the word which was present at the very beginning, and this word is like a bright light.  The light that Jesus' word gives us shows us the truth just as the sun and the moon show us God's  creation. Jesus' words will save us--they are mighty, life-changing, with healing for all of us.  These words will give us strength and courage in darkness and make our good times even more joyful as we put everything into God's keeping.  These words will be life-changing to us as we communicate them with others.  We will be able to experience the new creative life God has for our friends as we pray with them and read the Bible with them.  May your Christmas be truly merry!

AN ADVENT MESSAGE FROM ST. ANDREW'S


During the winter season there are great contrasts between warmth and cold, light and darkness which can even take us back to the primordial chaos from which our planet emerged.
 
The Advent Message tells us that Jesus' Good News is for all of us as the days become darker and in the darkness of our lives be it sickness, job loss, guilt, shame or any other woes that beset us.
 
We all need a message of hope which points to church growth principles for everyone as we remember that St. John the Baptizer's mission began with the outsiders and social misfits.
 
May we continue to have joy as we experience Jesus in our lives loving, listening, visiting and praying with all people especially as we listen to their hurts and invite them to walk with us in the church.  The light of Jesus' love will overcome the darkness in our lives and stop the chaos that can emerge if we walk with one another. 

2011 Annual Meeting

St. Andrew’s Church of rural Hays held its annual meeting on January 16, 2011.  Senior Warden Dennis Johnson presided.  Those in attendance were Father Peter Nissen, Dennis and Denise Johnson, Dan and Gwen Johnson, Fred McIntosh, Dustin, Tanna, Maleah, and Weston Vine, Christiane and Robert Luehrs, Bill and Joanne Morse, and Jacinta Faber.

The meeting opened with a statement of gratitude from Senior Warden Dennis Johnson, who thanked all of the members of St. Andrew’s for help and support over the past year.

The proposed minutes of 2010 were read and approved as proposed.  The treasurer’s report for 2010 was read and approved.  In new business, the 2011 budget was proposed and discussed.  The diocesan assessment has been lowered from 22% in 2010 to 15% in 2011.  Gwen Johnson explained the operation of St. Andrew’s Memorial Fund.  Chris Luehrs, who is in charge of the United Thank Offering (“UTO”), suggested that the congregational offering on each fifth Sunday of a month be dedicated to the UTO.  The congregation also agreed to a special expenditure, a donation of $75 for the fund dedicated to buying Bishop-Elect Michael Milliken a new crozier.

All congregational officers for 2010 were reappointed for 2011.  Dennis Johnson and Fred McIntosh will remain Senior Warden and Junior Warden, respectively.  Gwen Johnson will serve as treasurer, and Jacinta Faber as clerk.  Dan Johnson, Gretchen Banker, and Paul Faber will serve on the Bishop’s Committee.  Jacinta and Xan Faber will be delegates to the 2011 diocesan convention, which will be held October 20 through 22 in Dodge City.  Dan Johnson reported that the average number of people attending morning prayer during 2010 was thirteen, and the average for Holy Eucharist was eighteen.  Dan also paid tribute to Chuck Joy and Mark Leiker for doing the mowing for the church.  The congregation is also thankful to Stan Johnson for making sure that the church is warmed up in time for services on cold Sunday mornings.

Chris Luehrs has agreed to serve as a lay reader and to offer the prayers of the people on occasion.  Dennis Johnson is working on carving a stone to replace the crumbling stone by the entrance to St. Andrew’s.  Father Nissen thanked everyone and read a revised mission statement for the church, a statement written by Chris and Robert Luehrs.

Chris Luehrs, who was a delegate to the diocesan convention in October, 2010, reported that the atmosphere was very positive.  The convention emphasized the growth of the diocese.  By moving the diocesan office from Salina to Hutchinson, expenses have been slashed in half.  At the present there are two diocesan committees, the Standing Committee and the Diocesan Committee.  These committees will combine into one.  That united committee will work to collaborate with the Diocese of Kansas.  At the diocesan convention there was a call for younger people to serve as delegates to the convention.

The meeting was adjourned.

                                                                                          Respectfully submitted,

                                                                                          Jacinta Faber, clerk

Annual meeting; January 17, 2010

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2010

2010 annual Meeting

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church of rural Hays held its annual meeting on January 17, 2010. The meeting was presided over by Senior Warden Dennis Johnson. The annual meeting was combined with a light lunch. Those in attendance were Father Peter Nissen, Dennis and Denise Johnson, Frances Eichman, Dan and Gwen Johnson, Fred McIntosh, Gretchen Banker, Theresa and Kaelyn Geist, Tiana and Telia Rubio, Dustin and Maleah Vine, Christiane and Robert Luehrs, and Paul, Jacinta, and Xan Faber.

The meeting opened with a statement of gratitude from Senior Warden Dennis Johnson. He thanked all the members of St. Andrew's for their help and support in the past year.

The minutes of the 2009 annual meeting were read. Dan Johnson moved to accept the minutes of the meeting as submitted. Christiane Luehrs seconded the motion. The motion was approved. The treasurer's report for 2009 was read. The 2010 budget was read and discussed with Fred McIntosh voicing concern about dwindling funds in the treasury. It was acknowledged that though St. Andrew's continues to operate in the black, a few cost cutting measures would be implemented this year. Robert Luehrs moved to accept the financial statement and proposed budget. Dan Johnson seconded the motion. The motion carried.

In the new business, the first item on the agenda was the reappointment of all congregational officers. Dennis Johnson and Fred McIntosh were reappointed to the posts of senior warden and junior warden respectively. Gwen Johnson will continue serving as treasurer, and Jacinta Faber as clerk. Dan Johnson, Gretchen Banker, and Paul Faber were reappointed to serve on the Bishop's Committee.

Robert and Christiane Luehrs will serve as delegates to the 2010 diocesan convention, which will be held October 22-23 at All Saints Episcopal Church in Pratt.

Senior Warden Dennis Johnson addressed the poor condition of St. Andrew's driveway. He will research what surfaces are available and what it will cost to restore the driveway. Dennis Johnson also spoke about simplifying St. Andrew's mission statement.

Father Peter Nissen brought up the topic of starting a Bible study and training a few members of the church to assist with visiting homebound congregates.

The congregation gave Father Nissen a rousing round of applause for his excellent service to St. Andrew's.

Dan Johnson moved that the meeting be adjourned. Fred McIntosh seconded the motion. The motion was approved and the meeting was adjourned.

Faithfully submitted by Jacinta Faber, clerk.

Father Nissen's message for January 17, the second Sunday after Epiphany

The text for today comes from John 2: 1 - 11.  (Click here and then click on the blue arrow to hear a reading of this text from Eugene Peterson's contemporary version of the Bible, The Message.)

Today we read about the wedding in Cana of Galilee.  St. John calls Jesus' miracles "signs," which means they point beyond themselves.

The turning of the water into wine reminds us that Jesus can transform us and bring us joy.  We can have a profound sense of God's love as we accept Jesus into our hearts.  Being born again and living a day at a time makes all the difference in the world.

THANKS BE TO GOD!

Father Nissen's Christmas message

The text this year is from the Gospel of John, chapter 1, verses 1 through 14.

One of the themes of Christmas is that of light and darkness.  All of us have happy times--times of light-- but all of us also have times of sadness, pain, darkness.  For many Christmastime is a sad and difficult time, especially if there is not enough money for presents, a family illness, or a loved one who has died.

John's Christmas message tells us that there is light in the midst of darkness.  Jesus gives us hope and courage to go on.  Jesus--God himself who became one of us--show us there can be new life in difficult times.  And the difficult times can give us resurrection and new insight, if only we walk faithfully with our Lord.  We can get rid of self-pity and live in hope.  MERRY CHRISTMAS indeed!

Father Nissen's message for December 6, 2009

Father Nissen's message is presented in animated form (as an experiment).  You can go to it by clicking here.

Father Nissen's message for November 15

This is the 24th Sunday of the season of Pentecost.  The message is based on Hebrews 10: 31 - 39.

What does worship do for us besides bring us into a fellowship of people?

Through worship we become closer to God.  This is something we all need, and, as is said in Hebrews, we need  to hold firm and not drift away from it.  We gain in patience, and we surrender to life on life's terms with an understanding that God will see us through.  We have hope even when there is very little hope.

Through worship we affirm the character of God, who is merciful and gracious, approachable and abounding in steadfast love, as the psalm says.

Through worship we become better people.  We affirm again what we say in the creed: Jesus sits at the right hand of God the Father.  Then Jesus' way will win out in history, and good will triumph.  We gain a new start, enabling us to live creatively and triumphantly, with a good sense of humor and a dedication NOT to give up!

Father Nissen's message for November 1, All Saints Day

The message today is based on Psalm 24.

This time of year we remember the saints--and the assurance that all of us can become saints.

In this psalm, King David reflects on his worship of God, the creator of heaven and earth.  In his view, saints are those who have clean hands and pure hearts.  In other words, saints are good on the inside and the outside.  We are good on the inside only through God's forgiveness and the help God gives us.  And being good on the inside makes it possible for us to do good on the outside.

We go to Holy Communion to heal our hurts, angers, resentments.  This is urgent for the preservation of our planet, country, church, and parish.  And if we relate creatively with one another, our planet and parishes may be places of healing and wellness for everyone.

Let us all rejoice in the communion of the saints!

Father Nissen's message for October 18

Today's message is based on the Gospel reading, which is Mark 10:35 - 45.

In this reading the disciples wanted places of honor next to Jesus. This urge comes to all of us. We all want to progress, to be recognized, to know the right people for new opportunities.

But is this real success? Will this make us genuine human beings, persons who are helpful to ourselves and to others? I do not think so. True honor will come to all of us as we own up to our own weakness and let God his love through us.

Father Nissen's message on October 4, 2009

The message is based on the Gospel of Mark, chapter 10, verses 2 through 16.

In today's reading, Jesus was asked about divorce. In the Lord's day, divorce was permitted for infidelity, so it might have been easy to condemn a guilty party. But Jesus did not use this occasion to condemn people; rather, he used it to consider the deeper meaning of marriage.

The creation stories in Genesis can help us understand marriage. The second story states that man should not b e alone, and the first story tells us that we were created in the likeness of God. God is love, so marriage is--at its deepest level--to learn and to teach love.

People leave their parents to become married. For a child, the family relationship is "me-centered." But in marriage one enters the "we-centered" relationship of a new family.

This applies to church families, too. As we work at relating well with one another, we will find peace, joy, and healing in our congregation.

Father Nissen's message on July 26, 2009

The texts for today are two: John 6: 1 - 21 and Mark 6: 45 - 52.

Jesus came to the disciples walking on the water. Jesus would not leave his followers in a difficult time nor will he leave us.

This story ties into the feeding of the 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish. Jesus did not leave all those people, either. he fed them with teachings of God's love and healed the sick. He then fed them with food.

Jesus' feeding the 5,000 is a great miracle. It can also be said that Jesus inspired those people who probably were not so generous to share with others. Either thought is certainly a miracle. In this time of recession there is much hurt and uneasiness. We can feed each other be being interested in each others' welfare. This is food indeed: helping others live in hope.

This way Jesus will come walking to us from the altar of Holy Communion to our church gatherings as we share faith-filled words with one another. Just as he did when he walked across the water to meet his disciples in the boat.

28 June 2009--Father Nissen's message

The text for today's message is Second Corinthians 8: 7 - 15.

St. Paul, in the epistle reading for today, reminds the Corinthian church that they are rich in faith, speech, and knowledge. He also tells them that because of what God had given them, they must give generously to help the church in Jerusalem, which was going through a famine.

When we give to the church, how much we give is not as important as our attitude. Giving is first and foremost a spiritual matter. If we have an attitude of gratitude for all of our spiritual mercies in Christ Jesus our Lord, then we should be giving of our money according to our means. But even more important is the giving or our time each week to be involved in a visiting ministry, hospital ministry, music ministry, prayer ministry, listening ministry, greeting ministry, or reading ministry. Giving of our time will bring us healing so we will look better, feel better, act better, relate to people better, and have better self-worth. Miraculous healing will come true for us, just as it did for the woman and the daughter of the rule of the loacl synagogue in today's Gospel reading (Mark 5: 22 - 43).

Father Nissen's message for June 14

The text for June 14 is the Gospel reading, mark 4: 26 - 34.

Farmers understand that planting seeds in the fields and nurturing them will bring growth. Farming is difficult, but it is also very simple: plant the seed, nurture it, and GOD will bring the harvest.

We can plant the seeds of faith in Jesus. Don't underestimate yourself. God will bless you with ideas for St. Andrew's Church. Share them, and God will bless.

The only thing that God will not bless is your doing nothing!

May God bless the fields during these rogation times. May God bless our ideas and activities for the extension of the Church.