On June 1, Kenneth Epperson assumed the pastorate of the Fort Scott First Southern Baptist Church.
Epperson has over 20 years of experience, following his education at Slidell Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisiana.
“That includes camps, evangelism work, and a singing ministry,” he said. “This is the closest I have been to my hometown, Butler, MO.’
The best part of pastoring is getting to encourage and give people hope, he said.
“Everybody needs encouragement,” he said. “We work hard at that. That’s my joy. God loves them and they will make it.”
When asked what one of the biggest challenges for a pastor is, he responded “Bringing people together. Bringing a people into unity and moving them forward in the kingdom.”
Tracy and Kenneth Epperson. Submitted photo.
Epperson and his wife, Tracy, have two married sons, two grandsons, with “one on the way,” he said.
Epperson said God called him at 14 years old to be a pastor.
“We had a guest speaker at our church,” he said. “I remember where I was sitting, when I heard the Lord say ‘You are going to do that someday.'”
“When I was ordained, my Mom told me when she was rocking me when I was young, she felt that I was going to be a pastor one day,” Epperson said. “That was powerful to me.”
The church, located at 1818 S. Main has Sunday School at 9:30 a.m. and worship at 10:50 a.m.
An upcoming event at the church is Vacation Bible School, which is August 4-8 from 9 a.m.to noon at the church.
For more information contact the church at 620.223.2986.
The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) began a project to replace a bridge on K-39 in Bourbon County in April, with a completion date in November 2021.
The bridge replacement is funded under the T-WORKS transportation program.
The bridge spans Pawnee Creek and is located approximately 7½ miles east of the east K-3/K-39 junction.
K-39 is closed to through traffic at the bridge.
A new signed state detour route is in effect around the project.
Eastbound traffic, from the west K-39/U.S. 59 junction, will travel south on U.S. 59 to K-47, east on K-47 to U.S. 69, and north on U.S. 69 to K-39.
Westbound K-39 traffic should follow the same route in the opposite direction.
KDOT awarded the $1.4 million construction contract to B&B Bridge Company, Inc., of St. Paul.
Weather permitting, the project should be completed by November 2021.
Persons with questions may contact Iola Area Engineer Troy Howard, (620) 901-6557, or Public Affairs Manager Priscilla Petersen, (620) 902-6433.
Midwest Showcase Tournament at LaRoche Baseball Complex
June 10th ~13th
UPCOMING CALENDAR OF EVENTS
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TROLLEY TOURS!
Every Friday & Saturday!
50-minute Narrated Trolley Tour
of Historic Fort Scott. Every hour on the hour. Depart from The Fort Scott
Chamber at 231 E. Wall St.
Friday hours: 11 am until 3 pm
Saturday hours: 10 am until 2 pm.
$6 Adults & $4 for 12 yrs & under.
6/10 thru 6/13 – Midwest Showcase Tournament II @ LaRoche Baseball Complex. Clickhere to see bracket & more details about this event.
6/11 & 6/12- St. Mary’s MEGA Garage Sale! Kennedy Gym Fri. 6:30 am – 6 pm & Sat. 7 am to 11 am. Click here for more info.
6/11 & 6/12- Fort Scott Christian Heights Country Store & Auction including 5K Run & 2 Mile Fun Walk, auction, supper & more. Click here for more info. Friday garage sale 9am-3pm, Saturday events start with Run/Walk @ 7:30am, country store 9am-3pm, supper 4-6pm, auction 6pm.
6/11 – Museum of Creativity Open Play session, 10am-2pm and 4pm-8pm, click here for more info., 102 S. National Ave.
6/11 – Friday Night Karaoke at The Boiler Room Bewhaus! 7 pm until 10 pm! 2 S. National St.
6/11 – Friday Night concert at the Heritage Park Pavillion presents Mike & Lita Miller from 7 pm to 8:30 pm. Click here for more info.
6/11 & 12th – ROCKBALLET Dance Recital by Kristin Lewis Gorman “A Red Carpet Debut” at The Bicknell Family Center for the Arts in Pittsburg, KS. Click here for more info.
6/11 & 6/17 – Fort Scott Cinema. Now showing: Petter Rabbit 2, In the Heights, Spirit Untamed & The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard. Click here for more info.
6/12 – Farmers’ Market, 8am to noon, Skubitz Plaza in front of the Fort.
6/12 – Kansas Conceal Carry Class, 8am, click here for more info. Sign up at Fort Scott Gun & Pawn by June 9th for $75.
6/12 – Cornhole Tournament at Holmtown Pub to benefit Care to Share. 206 National Ave. See flyer below.
6/12 – Eastern Kansas Swine Show Series @ Bourbon County Fairgrounds. Click here for more info.
6/12 – Mapleton Homecoming Celebration – Ice Cream Social & Dance. 7 to 11 pm
6/14- Downtown Retailer’s Shopping Spree, celebrating Flag Day!
6/15 – Lego Club hosted by Museum of Creativity, Tuesdays through August, 4:30-5:30pm, click here for more info.
6/19 – Jazz and R & B Violinist, Dominique Hammons Music Performance at The Liberty Theater. Fundraiser for Gordon Parks Museum. Click here to view more information.
6/19 – Fort Scott Paint in the Park by Creative Signs “USA Flag” Click hereto view more information.
When Claire was twelve years old, she visited Mazatlán with her parents who own at the same condominium complex as Dave and I.
Unlike us, however, they own a sprawling penthouse on the top floor where they stay when their busy California schedule allows. I met Claire at a get-together for all the owners.
To make small talk, I asked how she was. “Stressed,” she sighed. Since this is not a normal answer for a pre-teen, I asked if she was serious. She was. “And what is there to be stressed about?” I pressed, trying not to laugh. Primarily, it was her strict school schedule, plus some extra-curricular activities. Her communication skills were well beyond her years.
That was seven years ago. Claire is in Mazatlán this week, and I am learning that her maturity probably was attributable to her intelligence. She is a computer major at USC and scored a perfect 36 on her ACT. Most of her high school classes were Advanced Placement ones, and she is a bookaholic. Name a book; she has read it and can summarize it for you.
Last night her parents and two other couples came over to play Marbles and Jokers, a game introduced to Dave and me three years ago. Typically, people do not catch on to the game’s strategic moves before the third round, at which point they are addicted. We started at 2:00 in the afternoon and played until 9:00. Girls against Guys, and had the men not table-talked non-stop (I’m over that now), we girls would have won more than one game.
Claire and her boyfriend showed up around 8:00. She skimmed the instructions, asked a few questions and was ready to play. Now, NOBODY is ready to play M&J that quickly… NOBODY, apparently, except Claire. Dave and I have played with nuclear engineers, CEO’s, CPA’s, RN’s, Cyberwar specialists and Silicon Valley gurus, none of whom have understood the nuances of the game that fast.
Early on, Claire directed her mother to try an advanced strategy that beginners don’t use. Claire was the first of the eight of us to get her marbles into her home base, while we, her teammates, labored over which move to make and straggled around the board. Her brain clearly worked at a level I didn’t understand but certainly appreciated.
Over the next several days, it was not uncommon for several of us to be involved in marathon M&J games. Claire never lost. Which meant, of course, that we girls didn’t, either. She was a great one to have on our team. Teammates, as we all know, make a difference.
There’s another, however, a “must have” on our team, who is a total game-changer, and that’s Jesus Christ. No one has the wisdom to direct our paths and who pulls for our success like he does, and unlike Claire, there’s nothing in it for him.
Romans 8:34 tells us that he intercedes for us, so not only did he die in our place, but he continues to cheer for us to overcome sin and live a faith-filled life. I can’t imagine how many times a day he’s muttering to himself, “Come on, Patty. Nope. Don’t do that. Nope. Don’t say that. You can do it. I have confidence in you.” And then he turns to his Father and asks that I be forgiven because chances are, whatever he was pulling for me not to do, I did.
Jesus waits patiently for us to join his team. The winning team. Why would we choose anything else?
4-H Favorite Food Show Participants with their awards. Pictured in the back row (left to right) is Carly Kramer, Jenni Armstrong, and Henry Kramer. Front row is Kason Botts and Carly Taylor.
The Southwind District held the 4-H Favorite Food Show recently on June 5th at the Moran United Methodist Church. This event is a great way to learn the life-skills of menu planning and setting a table. To exhibit in the Favorite Food Show, youth must complete a few steps.
The very first step is the 4-H’er selects a favorite food recipe. This can be an appetizer, entree, dessert, or drink. It is important for them to practice this recipe a few times prior to the event so they are confident with the process. Along with knowing how to prepare their favorite recipe, they need to understand the nutrition that it contains and determine if it is something that is healthy.
Now, the 4-H’er makes decisions that are a little more difficult. They will consider a theme and a menu incorporating their favorite food. When they select the theme, they will work on gathering a proper table setting (including tablecloth, dishes, silverware, napkins, etc.), centerpiece, and a card table. The hardest part can be creating the menu. It is key to focus on making healthy additions to their favorite food. They will create an attractive menu to have on display at the show.
The 4-H’ers will practice putting their display together and working on questions about their display the judge may want to know more information about.
On the day of the show, 4-H’ers will be allotted a specific amount of time to set-up and prepare their table display for the judge. After the conference with the judge is complete, the 4-H’ers walk from table to table learning from each 4-H’er with a brief presentation. By this time, the judge has made the final selections for the top two winners in the Senior Division (ages 14-18) and Junior Division (ages 9-13) per county. There is also a Cloverbud Division (ages 5-8) receiving participation awards.
This year, there were five total participants ready to earn their spot at the Southeast Area Favorite Food Show on June 22nd in Emporia. The results for the Junior Division were Carly Taylor (Southwind-Yates Center) Top Junior, Kason Botts (Southwind-Iola) Top Junior, Carly Kramer (Southwind-Iola) Top Junior, and Henry Kramer (Southwind-Iola) Honorable Mention. For the Senior Division, Jenni Armstrong (Southwind-Iola) Top Senior.
For more information about the 4-H Favorite Food Show or 4-H in general, contact Jennifer Terrell, 4-H Youth Development Agent for K-State Research and Extension, Southwind District at [email protected] or 620-244-3826.
Jennifer K. Terrell
District Extension Agent
4-H Youth Development
Southwind District – Erie Office
620-244-3826
Pictured is the Bodyworks and Wellness ribbon cutting on May 27, facilitated by Uniontown Ruritan Club. From left Ruritan Members Mark Warren, Kevin Gleason, Raymond George, Joe George, Mauriel Whisenhunt-the owner, Henry Homan, and Mike Mason, stand in front of the business at 104 Sherman, Uniontown.
Mauriel Whisenhunt helped her grandfather, Clyde Brooker, when he was homebound and had edema.
“I would massage his feet, arms, and back,” she said. “He was the first who said God has given me a gift.”
This prompted her to begin a career in massage therapy.
Whisenhunt’s massage therapy is pain management, she said.
“I do pain management,” she said. “Everybody is different, I work to accommodate what the body may need.”
Whisenhunt said she is grateful for her clients.
She said many in the business don’t make it.
“Longevity in massage is five years,” she said. “It’s hard work.”
“I have so much gratitude for the personal relationships with people, watching client’s kids grow up, working in hospice,” she said. ” I have so much overwhelming gratitude. Every place I have been, it’s God’s timing.”
She is constantly learning, even after 20 years.
Her diploma from White River School of Massage.
“There is so much new coming out about science and massage,” she said.
Her constant challenge is trying to help people get out of pain and helping them with pain management, she said.
Mauriel Whisenhunt stands in front of her continuing education certificates at her business, Bodyworks And Wellness.
Whisenhunt has been a massage therapist for 20 years.
Last year, she moved her business, Bodyworks and Wellness, to Uniontown, where she lives.
“COVID (the pandemic of the last year) prompted me to open shop in Uniontown,” Whisenhunt said. “I think all small businesses had to reshape their business plan.”
“We were told by the (Kansas) governor that we couldn’t work,” she said. “I was quarantined five times, two weeks each time from different places of contact.”
“When you can’t work, you have no income,” she said.
She and her husband, Rick, live in Uniontown and in addition, own a large building there.
“We revamped a small portion of his hobby space,” she said.
The building is located at 104 Sherman, just off Uniontown square. For an appointment call 620-224-7251.
First Baptist Church, Fort Scott. Submitted photo.
Curbside Take-Home Vacation Bible School is offered on June 9 through 11 at First Baptist Church, 123 Scott Avenue, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The event is for ages 3-12 years old.
Join us for a mystery island adventure as we track down the One True God!
Everything that your child would normally do at Vacation Bible School can be picked up in a bag in front of the church building.
You can pull up and the bag will be handed to you through the car window, or you can get out of the car and pick up the bag.
To conclude VBS there will be a family day on June 12 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the parking lot across from the church. There will be a cookout and games for all to enjoy!
Please call the church office to enroll from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 620 223-3080.
Norman James “Shorty” Spencer, age 92, a former resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, and more recently of Prescott, Arizona, passed away Friday, May 21, 2021, in Arizona. He was born May 2, 1929, in Attica, New York, the son of Harold Spencer and Elsie Hanner Spencer. He grew up in New York where his family worked in the dairy business.
He later moved to Arizona and then to California prior to moving to Ft. Scott in the 1970’s. Norman worked as a truck driver for Mid-Western Distribution.
In later years, he worked as a driver for the Amish.
He first married Marion Drake on December 20, 1951, in Ithaca, New York. They later divorced.
He then married Juanita Fear on June 11, 1977, in Nevada, Missouri. She preceded him in death on July 2, 2012.
Survivors include his four daughters, Vicki Kilgore, of Glendale, Arizona, Janet Spencer, of Prescott, Arizona, Peggy Quintella of Welton, Arizona and Marianne Avett, of Ft. Scott, Kansas; six grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Also surviving are three sisters, Eleanor, Inice and Eloise.
In addition to his wife, Juanita, he was preceded in death by a son, James Edward Spencer, a grandson, a great-grandson, eight brothers and four sisters.
Rev. Gary Demott will conduct funeral services at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, June 12th at the Cheney Witt Chapel.
Burial will follow in the West Liberty Cemetery.
The family will receive on Saturday from 10:00 A.M. until service time at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Casual dress is encouraged.
Memorials are suggested to the Hammond United Methodist Church or Gideons International and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.
