Christian Education

Children & Youth Sunday School Program

This year we have introduced a new concept in Children’s Sunday School: The Rotation Workshop Model. Children, ages preschool-5th grade, have the opportunity to study and experience Bible stories and themes through different mediums and activities each week. Each story or theme is repeated for four weeks with the children rotating to encounter the story through arts and crafts, drama, music and interaction. The Children’s Sunday School wing has been completely remodeled for this curriculum.

Sunday School is also offered for youth in Middle School and in High School. Click here to see more about our Fall 2009 programs.

Youth Group

All teens in 6th - 12th grades are encouraged to become a part of Grace Cathedral's youth group. The Youth Group has occasional overnights, is involved with outreach ministries, and is also involved in Diocesan Youth Events like summer camp, Happening weekend retreats, and lock-ins 

For more information, contact the church office at 235-3457 or Caitlin Ballard.

Take a moment to visit the Youth Website Here!

Adult Education

Adult Education is offered on Sunday mornings at 9:30, as well as Wednesday evenings in the fall and during Lent. Click here to find a complete list of adult programs.

Education for Ministry (EFM)

EFM is a four-year course of study designed for laity seeking theological education.  The texts cover the Bible and the history of the church from earliest times to the present.  In addition, students examine the relationship between their own life experiences and the material studied.  Meets Mondays at 6:00 p.m.

Return to the TOP

Worship Ministry

The Worship Ministry Team is made up of all the worship ministry leaders in the congregation.  They meet with the clergy and staff monthly to evaluate and assist in the planning and developing of our worship services.

Acolytes

This ministry is for lay people who want to participate in the various liturgies of the Cathedral and assist with liturgical duties. Members are assigned to one of two teams, which serve every other week and on special occasions. Contact Kent Wingerson by clicking here.

Altar Guild

The Altar Guild is a group of parishioners responsible for preparing and cleaning the vessels, vestments and linens used in church services. Members serve on one of four teams, on duty for one week at a time.

Chalice Bearers and Lay Eucharistic Ministers

Chalists assist the clergy by serving the communion chalice during regular communion services. Chalists wear vestments and require some training.

The Lay Eucharistic Ministers (LEMs) are lay people of the congregation who assist the clergy and deacons in offering communion to those who cannot come to Sunday services. Lay Eucharistic Ministers are approved by the vestry and bishop and require some simple training.

Their service usually happens each Sunday following the 10:30 a.m. service. LEMs visit residences, nursing homes, hospitals and rehabilitation centers. LEMs are under the direction of the clergy and deacons and follow a specified mini-service format.

Oblationers

Oblationers are parishioners who carry the service elements to the altar and transfer them to the deacons during the service. Any parishioner can volunteer for this service; volunteers are scheduled and called for this service.

Lectors

Lectors are parishioners who read lessons at various services. They serve on a rotating basis and are scheduled by date and time of service.

Ushers

Ushers are parishioners who assist with the Sunday services by distributing bulletins, collecting the offering and giving assistance with seating and other needs. Each of six teams serves twice a year for one month.

The Worship Advisory Team

The Worship Advisory Team (WAT) is composed of appointed representatives from the various worship ministries. These leaders serve as an advisory group to the dean in matters pertaining to worship at the Cathedral. They meet as needed or requested by the dean. An executive committee functions between WAT meetings.

Return to the TOP

Outreach Ministry

The mission of the Cathedral’s Outreach Ministry is to respect and acknowledge Christ’s presence in all persons; to serve Christ by serving his people in our neighborhood, city and world; and to encourage others in this vision as we reach toward the kingdom of God. Many organizations and groups have benefited from this year’s Cathedral Outreach Ministry. To date, the following groups have received monetary and/or volunteer assistance from Grace Cathedral:

Marian Clinic
Let’s Help
Door Step
Topeka Rescue Mission
Let’s Help capital campaign
Cornerstone (housing)
Dean/Bishop’s Special Projects
Episcopal Relief & Development
Food vouchers for clergy to distribute
Washburn Campus Group
Topeka Police
Habitat for Humanity
Rescue Mission Warehouse Project
Haitian Homes for Widows
Warm Little Ones Coat Fund
Salvation Army
Faith Baptist Food Bank
Doorstep Health Kits
Christmas Family adoption
Empty Stocking Fund
St. David’s Youth

UTO United Thank Offering

“Invites people to offer daily prayers of thanksgiving to God.” One way of giving thanks for our blessings is to give back from what we have been given. UTO encourages a small monetary offering as an “accompaniment” to our prayers. Coins placed in a “Blue Box” are collected periodically and used for grants to organizations, groups and churches that provide ministry to those in need.

Pause for a moment. Think over your day. Count your blessings and give thanks. With hundreds of thousands participating, the small coins given with our prayers add up to a great blessing for many people. If you do not have a Blue Box, they are always available at the Cathedral.

Hunger Ministry

Nonperishable food items are collected on the first Sunday of each month in the Cathedral. These gifts are evenly distributed to Let’s Help and Doorstep.

Open Collection

The open offering from the 3rd Sunday of each month is designated for the Dean’s Discretionary Fund. Your generosity, continued prayers and support are appreciated.

Return to the TOP

Parish Life & Fellowship

This ministry group is responsible for planning, promoting and implementing meal and fellowship events for the Cathedral community. Annual events include Easter Sunday breakfast, the Pentecost Picnic, Sundae Sunday, Royals’ road trips, A Pig & A Prayer, Newcomer dinners and more.

Order of the Daughters of the King

The Order of the Daughters of the King (D.O.K.) is a spiritual order of lay women pledged to a life-long program of prayer, service and personal evangelism. Members deliver altar flowers to the sick and shut-ins and to those in nursing homes.

Meetings are preceded by worship and Holy Communion at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of the month except June, July and August.

Bridge Club

This is a group of Bridge players who come together for Christian friendship and fun on the fourth Thursday of the month.

Return to the TOP

Building & Grounds

This committee is responsible for the efficient, effective, and safe administration of all physical assets of the Cathedral. The group meets monthly with the dean to determine needs and report on the progress of projects underway.

Return to the TOP

Finance

This team is made up of parishioners and vestry members who have expertise in finance. Their responsibilities include general oversight of the Cathedral budget, budget planning and analysis, and recommending budgets to the vestry and the Annual Meeting of Grace Cathedral.

Return to the TOP

Stewardship

The Stewardship Ministry Team is responsible for planning and implementing the Annual Parish Pledge Campaign as well as providing year-round teaching about living as good stewards of what has been entrusted to us by God. At Grace Cathedral, this includes not only teaching principles of good stewardship but also practicing healthy living through improving the environment and caring for God’s creation.

The tithe and proportional giving are the standards of faithful stewardship and “Thanks Giving.” Financial support and gifts of time and talent are all important to God and Grace Cathedral.

Want to make a financial commitment to help support the ministries and programs of Grace Cathedral? Complete this pledge card and return it to the church office. Your support is most appreciated!

Download your PLEDGE CARD HERE.
The download requires Acrobat Reader - get it HERE for free.

Cathedral Endowment Trustees

The Cathedral Endowment Trustees are responsible for raising endowment funds to preserve the future ministry of Grace Episcopal Cathedral. Anyone can leave money to the Cathedral by specifying an amount in their wills, buying life insurance with the Cathedral as beneficiary, or establish a trust with the Cathedral as the beneficiary. Brochures are available upon request.

A gift may be given to the Cathedral at any time by contacting the Financial Administrator or one of the clergy. The Planned Giving Ministry Team encourages prospective donors to pray about a gift and discuss the matter with family, financial advisors,and your attorney.

If you have questions or would like to speak with the dean or any member of the endowment board, please call the church office for an appointment. (785-235-3457)

Remember the church in your will!

There are three ways to leave money to the church in your will. One is an unrestricted gift. This is when someone leaves a certain amount to the church but does not specify its use. In this case the vestry is authorized to put the money to use wherever they feel it is most needed.

A second way of leaving money to the church is through a restricted gift. In this case, your will specifies the purpose of the gift or how the money is to be used: a stained glass window, a new piano, new chancel chairs, etc. There are a couple of cautions to consider with restricted gifts. First, be sure there is a need for the gift. For instance, if restricted monies were left for a new baptismal font, but the old font was a memorial gift from another family, this would be a problem. Your money gift could not be used for anything else without a lengthy, complicated (and probably costly) legal process.

The other caution with restricted giving is inflation. The price of new chancel chairs today might be $20,000. If you put that amount in your will for new chancel chairs, and died 10 years after you priced the chairs, the cost might have risen to $30,000. It would be a real financial strain for the church to claim your gift and follow your wishes. If you leave a restricted gift for the church in your will, be sure it is a gift that is needed, and review the size of your gift periodically to ensure that it will cover the expense of item(s) you want purchased.

The third way to remember the church in your will is to leave a gift to Grace Cathedral’s Endowment Fund. This fund is managed by the dean and seven parishioners experienced in money management. The principal of your gift is never used but the interest earned is released annually to support the programs, ministries and operations of Grace Cathedral. In this way your one time gift becomes, in fact, a perpetual gift that ensures the continuing life and work of our church. Our hope is a for a $3 million endowment for the Cathedral to be raised over the next five years. We’ll need your help.

Whatever way you choose to remember the church in your estate planning, Remember the Church! If you don’t have a will, please don’t delay taking care of this important business and document. If you do have a will, review it periodically to be sure it is exactly as you want it. There will come a time when it will be too late! May God bless you all with long, happy lives, and, in the end, receive you into his paradise and the blessedness of everlasting peace.

— From the Endowment Board of Trustees

Return to the TOP

Pastoral Care

Prayer requests

The Prayer Tree is composed of parishioners who are called to pray for a variety of prayer requests on an as-needed basis. A weekly prayer list is also printed in the Sunday bulletin. For prayer requests, please phone 235-3457 or email Grace Cathedral.

Bethany Place Quiet Garden

Located at 835 Polk, adjacent to the Cathedral, the Bethany Place Quiet Garden is a ministry of hospitality and prayer providing a natural setting on the diocesan grounds within an urban setting. The garden offers spiritual growth opportunities focused on Quiet Prayer Gardening.

Return to the TOP