Bishop Kemper School for Ministry
Connect with us
  • Home
  • Register for Courses
  • Contact Us
  • Conversation and Compline
  • 2020-21 Course Schedule
    • Biblical Greek Course
    • Biblical Hebrew Course
    • August 2020 courses
    • September 2020 courses
    • October 2020 courses
    • November 2020 courses
    • December 2020 courses
    • January 2021 courses
    • February 2021 courses
    • March 2021 courses
    • April 2021 courses
    • May 2021 courses
  • 2020-21 Faculty
  • Student Resources
    • 2020-21 Academic Calendar
    • Focus Weekends >
      • Zoom Focus Weekend Schedule
      • Weekend Schedule
      • Find the Campus
    • Library Resources >
      • BKSM Grace Cathedral Joint Library Project
    • Liturgical Customary
    • Policies and Procedures
    • Praxis Videos
    • MDiv Opportunities
    • Tuition and Scholarships >
      • Jim Upton Scholarship
      • Dean's Scholarship
      • General Scholarships
  • Programs of Study
    • Presbyteral Studies
    • Diaconal Studies
    • Anglican Studies
    • Parish Ministry Associate Program
    • Lay Catechist Certificate
    • Lay Evangelist Certificate
    • Lay Preacher Certificate
    • Pastoral Leader Certificate
  • About BKSM
    • Board of Directors
    • Sponsoring Dioceses
    • ELCA Partnership
    • Who Is Bishop Kemper?
    • Homilies at BKSM >
      • 2019 Commencement Address
      • Bishop Scott Barker in Residence
      • Rev George Wiley
      • Bishop Dean Wolfe
      • Very Rev Craig Loya
      • Bishop Marty Field
      • Bishop Marty Field in Residence
      • Presiding Bishop Schori
      • Bishop Jackson Kemper
      • Dr Melissa Tubbs Loya
  • BKSM Apparel Shop
  • Vocational discernment
    • What is Vocation?
    • The Diaconate Defined >
      • Meet Deacon Arland
      • Meet Deacon Joan

Get on the horse and go!

10/9/2015

Comments

 
As dean of Bishop Kemper School for Ministry I get to visit parishes all over our four sponsoring Episcopal dioceses, and in the Central States Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America as well. Several times now I have preached and presided in congregations founded by our patron saint, Bishop Jackson Kemper. I am sure grateful that we chose to name ourselves after him!

When Bishop Kemper became the missionary bishop of the West--of the great outdoors, as some joked!--some surely must have told him that he didn't have enough money or personnel and had no way of knowing what he was getting into in that vast unknown world. But Bishop Kemper felt called, he trusted in God, and so he just got on his horse and rode. Thanks to his faith and courage the Episcopal Church was well established in many a state, and the Anglican heritage became firmly rooted throughout the Midwest.

Our experience at BKSM is strikingly similar. Well, we have more resources than the good bishop did, counting on a splendid faculty gathered from our three state area. Yet compared to many theological schools, we are cash poor. And in a whole new era for theological education, we certainly cannot predict everything that will happen to us! I did not expect us to find so much common ground with our Lutheran partners so soon. I did not anticipate so many conversations about collaboration with other formation programs all across the US. I did not expect the rapid growth of the number of Latino congregations in this part of the world, placing very different educational demands on us.

Like Bishop Kemper, at BKSM we try to be faithful and to trust in God. We are determined to support the mission of the church in this exciting new age every way we can. Like Bishop Kemper, we find good co-workers everywhere. The Spirit is at work!

So let's get on the horse and ride! 

In your specific context, what does this mean for you? I'd love to hear from you!
Comments

    Author

    The Very Reverend Dr. Don Compier has served as dean of BKSM since July 2014.

    Archives

    October 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Address for Tuition Payments/Donations:
The Very Rev. Don Compier, BKSM Dean
410 SE Independence Ave.

Lee’s Summit, MO 64063
Physical Address:
Bishop Kemper School for Ministry

701 SW 8th Avenue
Topeka, KS 66603

The Bishop Kemper School for Ministry is a collaborative venture of the Episcopal Dioceses of Kansas, West Missouri, Nebraska and Western Kansas.
BKSM also partners with the Central States Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
BKSM offers classes and programs to educate people for church leadership in both lay and ordained vocations.