Central Deanery Picnic makes a splash

The Rt. Rev. Diane M. Jardine Bruce Five-minute read. Resources

The children had great fun on the water slide — and so did some of the adults! Image credit: Gary Allman

What a wonderful afternoon at St. Anne’s in Lee’s Summit! Approximately 120 members of the deanery were there on Saturday, July 23 — and it was 101 degrees out! No matter. There was a giant water slide that kept the kids entertained for hours. Both Mother Kary from Trinity, Independence, and the Rev. Meg from St. Anne’s were good sports and tried out the slide too! I counted at least four lay adults who came down the slide; more like flew down the slide.

The children had great fun on the water slide. Image credit: Gary Allman

Mother Kary Mann (Trinity, Independence), arrives with a splash, and Bishop Diane is standing well back just in case. Image credit: Gary Allman

Bishop Diane records Mother Kary Mann (Trinity, Independence) cooling down on the water slide. Central Deanery Picnic, St. Anne’s Episcopal Church, Lee’s Summit. Image credit: Gary Allman

Mother Kary Mann (Trinity, Independence), arrives with a splash, and Bishop Diane is standing well back just in case.

You’ll be wanting a waterproof phone if you stand there! Image credit: Gary Allman

The children had great fun on the water slide. Image credit: Gary Allman

There was the slushie machine which Eric Rhodes was the master of — let me just say, there were a lot of happy young and young at heart people around the slushie machine.

There was quite a line forming for lunch. Image credit: Gary Allman

People brought salads and side dishes. Our own Rachel Orth, the diocesan events coordinator really was the mastermind in ordering, renting, getting the set up right — and wow — the mountain of volunteers, especially members of St. Anne’s! Rachel ordered Nathan’s hotdogs, hamburgers, buns, condiments, mac ‘n cheese, beans and a mountain of chips and cold drinks. No one went away hungry. People loved being together, and as the food was set up inside the air-conditioned sanctuary that was transformed into a sea of tables and chairs for people to eat — people who didn’t want to eat outside were cozy inside.

Our own Rachel Orth — she was busy but she made it all look so easy! Image credit: Diane M. Jardine Bruce

The wind wanted to take down this easy-up — but ingenuity won out! This is where “Church Grandpa and Grandma” sat to oversee the water slide.— with Eric Rhodes and Terry Carter. Image credit: Diane M. Jardine Bruce

Steve with the fire starters … two grills going!Image credit: Diane M. Jardine Bruce

Central Deanery Picnic July 2022 Image credit: Diane M. Jardine Bruce

Dodging the smoke. Image credit: Gary Allman

Burgers and corn. Image credit: Gary Allman

Dessert table. Image credit: Gary Allman

Salad spread. Image credit: Gary Allman

The food was popular! Image credit: Gary Allman

People loved meeting my husband, Steve. The cutest thing to me was when some people who hadn’t met me yet (and I was masked) asked, “what church do you attend?” my response? “All of them! I’m your bishop.” They would laugh and I’d pull down my mask. It was a fabulous way to gather members of the diocese. But next year we’ll do it in the Spring or Fall when it is cooler. Yet, on Saturday with the breeze and the lower humidity — 101 wasn’t too bad!

Obviously this was the cool table! LOL! — a great group of friends. Image credit: Diane M. Jardine Bruce

It was fun to out but in the shade — hey isn’t that our own GC80 deputy Spencer J. T. Orr? — with Lucy Betteridge and Spencer J. T. Orr Image credit: Diane M. Jardine Bruce

Central Deanery Picnic July 2022 Image credit: Diane M. Jardine Bruce

The Rev. David Lynch — former dean of this deanery which he did so well — so good to see you there! Image credit: Diane M. Jardine Bruce

Central Deanery Picnic July 2022 Image credit: Diane M. Jardine Bruce

Ah — Church Grandma and Grandpa — both of them as the picnic wore on got IN the waterslide and were controlling “traffic” going up and down the slide. What a great couple — members of St. Anne’s. Image credit: Diane M. Jardine Bruce

Central Deanery Picnic July 2022 Image credit: Diane M. Jardine Bruce

The Rev. Kary Mann and her wife Gina. Kary went down the slide! Image credit: Diane M. Jardine Bruce

There is the Rev. Meg Clark Rhodes — not long before her debut on the waterslide. — with Alyssa Eberle Becho Image credit: Diane M. Jardine Bruce

The Rev. Christy Dorn and the Very Rev. Peter DeVeau – so good to see them both here!Image credit: Diane M. Jardine Bruce

The Rev.’s Christy Dorn and Larry Ehren!Image credit: Diane M. Jardine Bruce

Central Deanery Picnic July 2022 Image credit: Diane M. Jardine Bruce

Dean Isaac Petty and oh — isn’t that my husband? Oh yes — it is! Hi Stephen Bruce! Image credit: Diane M. Jardine Bruce

The Rev. Anne Meredith Kyle (in pink)! The head of the GC80 deputation for The Diocese of West Missouri — this woman can move mountains!Image credit: Diane M. Jardine Bruce

Rachel Orth and the Rev. Ron Verhaeghe Image credit: Diane M. Jardine Bruce

It was good to see Terry Cobb — all the way from Trenton (Missouri, that is). Image credit: Diane M. Jardine Bruce

Central Deanery Picnic July 2022 Image credit: Diane M. Jardine Bruce

Rubber ducks in St. Anne’s baptismal font. No sign of ‘Bishop Duck.’ Image credit: Gary Allman

Mother Anne Kyle(Calvary, Sedalia) and ‘Crabbie’ a souvenir from General Convention destined to join Bishop Diane’s floating menagerie of inflatable flamingos, ducks, beach balls, and now crabs. Image credit: Gary Allman

Many thanks to the Very Rev. Isaac Petty, the Rev. Meg Rhodes, Eric Rhodes, Rachel Orth, and so many others who made this such a wonderful day.

The Rt. Rev. Diane M. Jardine Bruce is the Bishop Provisional of West Missouri.

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