Category Archives: Church news

FS Aglow Lighthouse Meeting June 10

Fort Scott Aglow Lighthouse welcomes guest speaker, Patty McCullough, Thursday, June 10th, 2021.
Patty lives in Pittsburg, KS, with her husband of 45 years. They have two children and five grandchildren. Patty is a Christian artist in painting and music.
In 2013 she studied and graduated from Zola Levitt Institute of Jewish Studies. She attends Open Door Fellowship in Pittsburg and serves in the music ministry.
Come and hear about the Jewish Foundations of our Christian Faith and the Feasts of the Lord.
Guests are welcome to visit our Lighthouse monthly gathering at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, June 10th in the conference room of Fort Scott Inn, 101 State Street.
This is an interdenominational ministry opportunity for women, men and youth to worship, pray, fellowship and grow in unity. The goal of Aglow International is: Every nation touched, every heart changed.
Our Lighthouse desires the body of Christ to come together to meet the needs of those that cannot speak for themselves in Bourbon County. For more information contact Amanda Gilmore at (620) 215-0418 or Bob Reazin at (620) 363-0257.

10 Years of Ministry: Feeding Families in His Name

First United Methodist Church at Third Street and National Avenue,

Feeding Families in His Name celebrates 10 years of ministry on May 11, 2021.

 

 

“We started the ministry because of a seen need of school children being food insecure,” Jean Tucker, coordinator of the weekly meal, said.

 

 

“Tom Braker had the idea ten years ago and gathered a group of people who started the program on May 11, 2011,” she said. “The administrative board of the First United Methodist Church voted unanimously to start the program.”

 

 

The meal is offered each Wednesday evening at 301 S. National, the Fort Scott First United Methodist Church from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

 

 

“From May 11, 2011, until March of last year we served the meal in the basement Fellowship Hall,” she said. “This allowed us to visit with the families and get to know them and their needs other than a hot-home cooked meal. Now we must visit with them as they drive through.”

 

Feeding Families in His Name offers a meal to Fort Scottians each Wednesday evening.

 

 

“Since the beginning of COVID-19 restrictions, we have served to-go-meals only,” Tucker said.

 

 

“The ministry has extended past the serving of a meal,” she said.  “Some of our dinner guests have become our valued weekly volunteers. We believe that the meal is a delivery system for God’s love!”

 

 

 

Currently helping weekly are Tom Braker, Steve and Susan Cole, Tom Coyan, Joey Beerbower, Linda and Leroy Cox, Betty and Pat Galan, Koyle Link, Lisa Robertson, Phyllis Colthart, and Don and Jean Tucker, plus a group of 15-20 dessert bakers who bake one or two desserts every week, Tucker said.

 

St. Martin’s Academy students clean up after preparing and serving the meals for Feeding Families in His Name on May 5 . From left to right:  Oliver Stover, Jack Costanzo, Deneys Lategan, and Aidean Harris.  In the background is volunteer Tom Coyan,  who is responsible for FFiHN food inventory and kitchen. Submitted photo by Steve Cole.

 

A different group helps with the entrée and serving every week.

“The first Wednesday (of each month) is St. Martin’s Schoolboys; the second Wednesday during the school year, the Community Christian Church, under the direction of Gail Sackett, alternates with the First United Methodist Church; the third Wednesday is the Nazarene Church Small Group, under the direction of Gretchen Goodyear; the fourth Wednesday is the First Presbyterian Church under the direction of Alesha Martin and Sandra Cowan, and the fifth Wednesday is Pioneer Kiwanis under the direction of Kelly Collins,” she said.

 

The amount of meals served has grown.

In  March 2011, the ministry served 44 meals, on  March 10, 2021, they served 281 people a meal, Tucker said.

 

 

“The most we have served is 422 meals on a Wednesday last November,” Tucker said.

 

 

” I just did some math and the number of meals served since we began May 11, 2011, is over 98,000 and we have averaged 1,233 meals each month for the past year,” she said.

 

 

The ministry receives funding from the Fort Scott Area Community Foundation.

 

 

For more information, contact Jean Tucker, Coordinator of FFiHN at 620-223-4617 or church office at 620-223-1950

 

Knights of Columbus Fish Fry Is A Drive-Through This Year Through March 19

The men of Knights of Columbus Council #796 serve the Lenten meal in February 2020.

 

New this year because of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the annual Knights of Columbus Fish Fry planned a drive-through pickup of the food served.

There are only two dates left for the event, both on Fridays from 5-6:30 p.m. March 12, and March 19.

Because of the pandemic, all the workers will be wearing masks and gloves to serve the meals.

But as in the past, it will be at 702 Holbrook,  at Kennedy Gym, which is a part of Mary Queen of Angels Catholic Church.

 

The fish fry in 2016.

 

The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic men’s organization, that has a “great tradition of fish fry’s nationwide,” Mark McCoy, spokesman for the group said.

 

The meal had to be simplified this year because it is a drive-through, McCoy said.

 

“Meal #1 will be catfish, french fries and coleslaw, Meal #2 is catfish, cod, fries, and coleslaw and Meal #3 is baked cod with fries and coleslaw,” McCoy said.

 

There will be no home-made desserts this year that have been provided by the ladies of the parish in past Lenten fish fry meals.

A row of homemade desserts lines tables at the Knights of Columbus  Lenten Fish Fry in February 2020 at Kennedy Gym.

Logistically, it would not work, McCoy said, since the drive-through was new this year.

The annual Lenten fish fry is also a community event where lots of conversations happen between attendees, McCoy said.

“We look forward to going back to sit down dining” in the future, he said.

 

Spring Break Kid’s Camp At Uniontown Methodist Church March 15-19

The Uniontown and Hiattville United Methodist Churches are hosting a Spring Break Kid’s Camp “Mystery of the Messiah,” Monday, March 15 through Friday, March 19, 12 noon – 2:30 p.m. The camp starts with a free noon lunch, transportation will be provided if needed.

Children, in preschool through 6th grade, are invited to join us for a fun-filled mystery-themed week of games, crafts or science projects, music, and more. All this takes place at the Uniontown Methodist Church, 505 Sherman  Street, Uniontown.
Early registration is appreciated. Registration will be limited to 30 children. For more information contact Pastor Carl Ellis at the church phone 620-547-2469 or email [email protected]

St. Martin’s Academy Helps Feeding Families in His Name

Students from Saint Martin’s Academy are from left to right, Jack Duffy from Nebraska, Kenny Ritson from New Jersey, Deneys Lategan from South Africa. Submitted photo.

Saint Martin’s Academy joins a growing list of community organizations and churches that are contributing to the success of Feeding Families in His Name.

Feeding Families in His Name started Ten years ago on May 11, 2011, at the First United Methodist Church serving a free weekly meal to the community in the Fellowship Hall to about forty people.

The meal currently serves an average of three hundred meals a week.  Only to-go meals have been served since the first of March 2020 because of Covid-19 restrictions.

Each year the number of people who volunteer for the project has grown until now it encompasses more of the community.

The Bourbon County Network which includes United Methodist Churches of Fulton, Hammond, Uniontown, Redfield, Hiatville, West Liberty and St. John’s congregations have all supported Feeding Families.

Community Christian Church cooks and serves the Wednesday every other month; a small group of the Nazarene Church cooks and serves every third Wednesday; a group from First Presbyterian Church cooks and serves every fourth Wednesday; and Pioneer Kiwanis cooks and serves the fifth Wednesday of the month.  Many volunteers bake desserts for the meal every week.

Feeding Families in His Name is supported by private donations from churches and individuals, commodities from USDA through the Kansas Department of Children and Families, and a grant from the Fort Scott Community Foundation.

Submitted by Jean Tucker, Coordinator of Feeding Families in His Name.

 

Pancake Feed, Auction and Bake Sale at First Southern Baptist Church Feb. 6

 

JOIN US FOR OUR 3RD ANNUAL

ALL YOU CAN EAT PANCAKES (Regular & Gluten Free)

WITH A SERVING OF

GROUNDHOG FUNDRAISER,

SILENT AUCTION & BAKE SALE

Feb. 6, 2021, 8 a.m.- 2 p.m.

at First Southern Baptist Church

1818 South Main, Fort Scott, KS.

 

Children 7 and under FREE

8 to Adult $5.00 in advance

or

$6.00 at the door

purchase tickets at

Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce or

Contact Ida Ford 417-262-3948 or

Terri Williams 620-215-3202

Vera Norris 620-215-2066

**All proceeds go to the building fund

 

What does the Bible say about wearing a mask?

Pastor Kevin Moyer. Submitted photo.

Submitted by Pastor Kevin Moyers, Rinehart Christian Church

Mask wearing in 2020 has been quite a topic of discussion.  President-elect Joe Biden says “Wear a mask.”  Dr. Anthony Fauci says, “Wear a mask.”  Did you know that the Bible addresses the subject of mask-wearing?

You might be interested in knowing that Jesus condemned the Pharisees for wearing a mask.

Now before anyone gets all “up in the air” about what I just said, maybe you should keep on reading this article.  Please don’t go away and tell folks the preacher at Rinehart is saying something that I’m really not saying at all.

Fifteen times in the book of Matthew Jesus addresses the subject of “mask-wearing.”  He addressed it once in Mark’s gospel, and four times in Luke’s gospel.  Add all that up and you have 20 scripture references that address mask-wearing, and everyone of them is cautioning us against wearing a mask.

Did you know the word “hypocrite” in the NT means “stage-actor?”  Let me quote to you from Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Greek Words as it defines the word “hypocrite”:  “Pretender; it was a custom for Greek and Roman actors to speak in large masks with mechanical devices for augmenting the force of the voice.”  Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance defines “hypocrite” this way:  “an actor; stage-player; pretender; a dissembler.”

Jesus took this word from the Greek and Roman theater and used it in such a way that people understood perfectly what He was getting at.   A hypocrite was someone pretending to be what they were not.  They were “stage-acting” in a spiritual sense.  In the case of the Pharisees, they were portraying themselves as spiritual-minded men, when really they were not spiritual at all.   They were just putting on a show.  They sounded spiritual on the outside, and maybe they “dressed like they were spiritual,” but in reality, they were not spiritual at all. They were wearing a mask.

Jesus had strong words of condemnation for those who were hypocritical “mask-wearers.”   Check out some of these scriptures:  Matthew 6:;2,5,16; 7:5; 22:18; 23:15,23,25,27,29; 24:51; Mark 7:6; Luke 12:56; 13:15.  It appears that those who act like they’re a Christian, but really they are not, are in for a terrible awakening.

Jesus wants us to be sincere in our faith, and real.  He wants us to be true.  Don’t be that person who is a “Sunday Christian,” but has nothing to do with Him through the week.  Don’t be that person who sings praises on Sunday morning and curses your neighbor on Tuesday evening.  “My brethren, these things ought not to be this way” (James 3:10).

May we all take off the masks and be what He wants us to be.

Now the other masks that you see people wearing in 2020 to protect them from the coronavirus, feel free to wear them if you want.

“Night To Shine” For Special Needs People

“Night to Shine”, a prom night for special needs people over 14 years old, is being formed by a team in the Fort Scott community.
“This night is celebrating people in our community (and area) that have special needs,” said Clayton Whitson, operations pastor at Faith Church. “It’s nationally sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation. Fort Scott Nazarene Church was approved to host earlier this year.”
Michele Hudiberg is also a contact person for the event.
“Normally, this is a huge prom night experience with red carpet, paparazzi, great food, etc,” he said. ” Due to COVID and the health of this at-risk population, the foundation has opted to do a virtual experience this year, but we hope to continue this exceptional event year after year.”
How one can help with the event:
1. Share information – the date of the national virtual experience is Feb 12, 2021. The plan is to make this an annual event.
web: https://fsnighttoshine.wixsite.com/home
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FSNightToShine

 

2. Invite Honored Guests: The event is open to anyone in SEK with special needs and over the age of 14. They will receive an “at home virtual experience kit” this year and will be on the list of invitees for years to come.

To register:  https://forms.gle/DwvmUmqNR7aSdSdH7

3. Be a volunteer and/or financial sponsor: It will take a large team to build this event for years to come.

To volunteer: https://forms.gle/2pkkrYd7SRVawM1PA

Corporate Sponsors: Please email, [email protected]

Church Holiday Bazaar Nov. 14 at 1818 S. Main

The new Family Life Center at First Southern Baptist Church is the building to the right.

Fort Scott  First Southern Baptist Church is having a Holiday Bazaar and bake sale this Saturday, Nov. 14, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the new Family Life Center, 1818 S. Main.

Handmade and Creative Crafts and homemade baked goods!

Ornaments Baked Goods

Unique Gifts Gift Baskets

Wood Creations

Breakfast – 7 TO 10:30 A.M.

Biscuits & Gravy, Cinnamon Rolls

Lunch – Soup & Sandwiches 10:30 – 4:00 P.M.

Kraut Soup Chicken Salad

Taco Soup Hot dogs

Chicken noodle Soup BBQ Sandwich

Dine in or Carry Out

For more Info:

Contact: Ida Ford 417-262-3948 or

Terri Williams 620-215-3202

Hope to See you there!!!!!!

Fort Scott Southern Baptist Church Holiday Bazaar is this Saturday, Nov. 14 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the new Family Life Center, 1818 S. Main

Handmade and Creative Crafts and homemade baked goods!

Ornaments Baked Goods

Unique Gifts Gift Baskets

Wood Creations

Breakfast – 7 TO 10:30 A.M.

Biscuits & Gravy, Cinnamon Rolls

Lunch – Soup & Sandwiches 10:30 – 4:00 P.M.

Kraut Soup Chicken Salad

Taco Soup Hot dogs

Chicken noodle Soup BBQ Sandwich

Dine in or Carry Out

For more Info:

Contact: Ida Ford 417-262-3948 or

Terri Williams 620-215-3202

Hope to See you there!!!!!!

Prom For Special Needs People Is Feb. 12

Fort Scott Nazarene to Host Night to Shine Prom for People with Special Needs

Sponsored by Tim Tebow Foundation

FORT SCOTT, KS, Fort Scott Nazarene announced today that they will serve as one of many churches around the world already registered to host Night to Shine 2021, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation. This event will be hosted virtually, with partnerships through local churches across the globe simultaneously on Friday, February 12. Night to Shine is an unforgettable prom night experience, centered on God’s love for people with special needs ages 14 and older.

For 2021, due to the global circumstances of COVID-19, the Foundation has chosen to provide Night to Shine as a virtual event in 2021. We feel that the best way to honor and love our guests is to forego in-person proms in order to keep them as safe as possible. We are incredibly disappointed that we are not able to celebrate each amazing king and queen in person this year, but we are committed to throwing one spectacular, safe, virtual celebration in their honor.

While this year’s event will be virtual, Fort Scott Nazarene and partners are anticipating hosting this event for years to come. This is just the beginning for Night to Shine in our community and surrounding areas AND we are looking for sponsors to ensure a high-quality, high-impact evening for our honored guests. If you are interested in sponsoring, please visit our website or email [email protected].

We are looking to connect with Honored Guests, their families, and caretakers to make this a great celebration. Registration is NOW OPEN for Honored Guests 14 and older and is required to attend the Virtual Night to Shine experience.

Guest Registration: https://forms.gle/EPreA5pCm9A23b987

An event of this magnitude requires an army of volunteers to make it successful. The Night to Shine Steering Team is actively seeking people to help make this celebration a reality. Register to be a volunteer by using the provided link (you must be at least 16 years old to volunteer).

Volunteer Registration: https://forms.gle/7HFfz8KwqxcZ5RMt8

For additional information on the Night to Shine hosted by Fort Scott Nazarene, please visit our site or find us on Facebook. These will be the best sources of information as we approach Night to Shine.

https://fsnighttoshine.wixsite.com/

https://www.facebook.com/FSNightToShine

For more information on the worldwide movement of Night to Shine, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation, visit: http://www.timtebowfoundation.org/index.php/night-to-shine/

ABOUT TIM TEBOW FOUNDATION
The Tim Tebow Foundation exists to bring Faith, Hope and Love to those needing a brighter day in their darkest hour of need. This mission is being fulfilled every day through outreach in the fields of Orphan Care + Prevention, Special Needs and Children with Profound Medical Needs. To learn more about how the Tim Tebow Foundation is serving children and sharing God’s love by fighting for those who can’t fight for themselves, visit www.timtebowfoundation.org.  

Ken Ansell: New Pastor at First Baptist and Cherry Grove Baptist Churches

First Baptist Church, Fort Scott. Submitted photo.

Ken Ansell,56, is the new pastor at First Baptist Church in Fort Scott and Cherry Grove Baptist Church, Garland.

Cherry Grove Baptist Church, Garland. Submitted photo.

He is called to the churches to preach, counsel, equip, teach, servant-lead, and shepherd, he said.

Ansell has been in the full-time ministry for 20 years, serving at churches in Hereford, Waxahachie, Rockdale and Linden, Texas.

His hometown is Rockdale, Texas.

Ansell is married to his high school sweetheart, Jennifer and they have four adult children.

His tie to this area is his family.

Ansell’s parents were born in Iola and they still have family there and in Oswego, he said.

 

Why did you pursue this career?

“The ministry is kind of a second career,” Answll said.  “God called me to the ministry after a successful career in business and a not so successful career in farming (ha).”

“God put southeast Kansas on our hearts and Jennifer saw the two churches we serve were looking for a pastor on the Baylor-Truett Seminary website and here we are,” he said.

In his spare time, he plays tennis, golf, likes to fly fish,  run, and “I like to spend time with Jennifer and drink coffee,” he said.

Jennifer and Ken Ancell. Submitted photo.

About The Churches

First Baptist Church and Cherry Grove Baptist Church formed Cherry Grove/First Baptist Ministry Coalition in 2017  to meet the needs of both churches as they were seeking a new pastor at that time, according to information sent by Rita Tiegreen and Glenda Lalman, members of First Baptist.

 

Pastor Ken Ansell is the pastor for both churches.

 

“We are excited to have our new pastor,” Tiegreen said.  “Pastor Ken Ansell began his ministry with us on October 19th.  We are blessed to have him and his wife, Jennifer here with us.”

 

First Baptist Church is currently holding the following open services using safety guidelines:

11 AM Sunday worship service

11 AM Sunday Children’s Church

6:30 PM Wednesday night Youth Group

 

The church is  hoping to open up our Sunday School very soon, according to Tiegreen and Lalman.

 

The office hours are limited at this time.

” If someone needs to contact the church office, they may call 620-223-3080 and leave a message if there is no answer,” they said. “We will get back to you as soon as possible.”

 

First Baptist Church will once again be a drop-off center for Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes this year.

Collection Week is November 16-23.

The hours are:

Monday – Wednesday (16th-18th) 3 PM – 6 PM

Thursday-Friday (19th-20th) 4 PM – 6 PM

Saturday (21st)  10 AM – Noon

Sunday (22nd) 2 PM – 4 PM

Monday (23rd) 8 AM – 10 AM

If questions,  call 620-223-3080 and leave a message.

 

The church’s community outreach program is still active as they reach out to various organizations to supply needed items, the two said.

 

Cherry Grove Baptist Church is located at Hwy. 69 south and Calvary Road.

Their weekly schedule is:

9:15 am Worship Service

10:30 Sunday School

6:00 pm Bible Study

 

 

Pastor Ken Ansell can be reached at 972-921-4221.