The Call
May, 2026
A Message from the Rector
Dear Friends,
Alleluia! Christ is Risen!
It is hard to believe that the Easter season is almost over. In just over a week, we will celebrate the great feast of the Ascension, when we commemorate the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry and his return to the Father, where he stands at God’s right hand and continues to make intercession for us.
From there, we turn our attention to Pentecost, when we remember the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate and Guide, who empowers the Church for ministry and leads us into all Truth.
Pentecost is an invitation to renewal. The same Spirit who came upon the disciples is still at work in the Church, strengthening God’s people and sending us out to bear witness to the risen Christ.
As we prepare for Pentecost, I invite you to join me in prayer for our parish and for the communities we are called to love and serve. Pray that God would renew our life together, deepen our faith, and inspire our witness. Pray also for those who are searching for hope and meaning, and especially for those who do not yet know Jesus, that they may come to know the depth of his love, the power of his forgiveness, and the joy of life in him.
To explore one way of keeping this time of prayer, I encourage you to read more about the Thy Kingdom Come initiative below.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful people, and enkindle in us the fire of your love!
Yours in Christ,
Fr. David
Opportunity to Serve
From Regina:
As many of you know, I’m planning on moving to Des Moines to be near family in a few months, depending on when my house sells.
I’ve been maintaining the church web site and The Call for years- a favorite ministry of mine, but it’s time for someone else to learn the process and take it over. We use the WordPress platform, paid for by the Diocese, and help on-line is widely available since it’s a commonly-used platform. I’ll also be available even after I move since I spend too much time n the computer!
Please let me know if you are willing to take on this important ministry. Both the web site and The Call are vital communication tools for our parishioners as well as people looig on-line for a new church home.
Give, and You Shall Receive, from the IRS
The recent tax changes include a potential benefit for people who don’t itemize their deductions (currently 90% of taxpayers) and thus haven’t been able to get any tax breaks when they donate to charity. Starting with the 2026 tax year, those who take the standard deduction can also deduct up to $1,000 in charitable contributions for Singles ($2,000 for Married filing Jointly) in addition to the Standard Deduction.
And don’t forget two other ways to save on taxes through charitable donations which have been around for a few years: If you’re 70.5 or older you can make a donation directly from your IRA to a qualified charity (called a Qualified Charitable Distribution) without incurring taxes and without it increasing your Adjusted Gross income. If you’re 73 and making Required Minimum Distributions, any portion of your RMD which is donated directly to a qualified charity is also not taxed and does not add to your Adjusted Gross Income. St. Mary Magdalene does have a brokerage account to receive these donations.
As always, if you have questions about how this affects your individual situation, please consult a tax accountant.
We’ve been gathering on Wednesday evenings to walk together through The Path, exploring the sweeping story of Scripture and how God’s purpose unfolds from Genesis through Revelation in a way that draws us deeper into faith and understanding.
Mark your calendars and plan to join us as we continue this rich journey through God’s Word!
Dates to Remember in May and Beyond
Sunday, May 10: Garden Blessing.
Monday, May 11: Women’s Book Club, 1 PM. Details on books in article below.
Thursday, May 14: Ascension Day. Private confession at 4:15 PM, Holy Eucharist at 6 PM.
Friday, May 15: God and Guinness at Conroy’s in Leawood.
Monday, May 25: Daughters of the King serving at KC Hospice.
Monday, June 1: Feast of the Visitation. Holy Eucharist 6 PM.
You can view the current version of our Calendar any time at this link – or by Selecting “Calendar” from the drop-down menu under News and Events at the top of our web page.
You can also pick up a printed copy in the Narthex.
MissionPalooza, our Diocesan youth event for grades 8 tough 12, will be held at St. Paul’s, Kansas City July 21-26. Details and registration information at this link
The New Spirit is published every two weeks. Read the latest issue here.
Women‘s Book Club
June 15
Join your friends at St. Mary Magdalene on Friday, April 24 at 6 p.m. for our monthly God & Guinness Night at Conroy’s, 12924 State Line Road in Leawood.
Daughters of the King will be serving meals at KC Hospice Monday, March 25 at 5:30 PM. Contact Cyndi or any other member of Daughters of the King if you’re able to help.
Single Mom KC needs clothing for women and full-size toiletries. They can be left in the bin marked for SingleMom KC in the narthex.
KC for Refugees Needs Household Items
A few years ago we opened up the basement of the House of Grace to KC for Refugees, an organization that provides support for newly-arrived refugees from war-torn countries. They’re in need of all the basic necessities. Here’s their most recent communication:
We need your help! Our Welcome Closet is nearly out of all supplies! We need lots of help to replenish our storehouse for the refugees arriving weekly to the KC Metro area!
Needed donations include: Towels, blankets, small kitchen appliances (rice cookers, electric tea pots, pressure cookers, etc), dishes, silverware, pots and pans (the bigger the better), diapers, sheets (twin and queen size) and hygiene and cleaning kits, diapers, maxi pads, socks and underwear for children and adults.
Our Amazon wishlist is available for easy donation! All items purchased are delivered to a KC for Refugees volunteer who delivers to our Welcome Closet.
Or donations are always welcome in person! All donations should be new, or very gently used with lots of life left in them. They can be dropped off at the lower level of the House of Grace on Thursdays from 9-11am, or brought to church.
Thank you so much for your help! We cannot do this great work without your help and support!!!
Heart-n-Hand Ministries
Heart-N-Hand Ministries, right here in Belton, serves the homeless as well as others just needing a hand up. At their website, www.heartnhand.org, there is always a current list of donated items they are seeking.
Heart-N-Hand would also appreciate volunteers to assist in their Thrift Store, Monday-Saturday; the store hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For for more information, please contact Alexis Butterfield, Executive Director, at 816-322-1133 or 417-551-2470. Her e-mail is alexisjbutterfield@gmail.com.
Here’s the latest list of items they need most. Donations can be left in the Narthex.
Help Save Lives with Your Donation!
Our April drive brought in 19 donors who donated a total of 14 units of blood- well above the levels we saw in the winter!
We will have another drive at St. Mary Magdalene on August 26. Please donate if you can.
If you have a family illness or a personal concern, please contact the church office at 816-331-2222 and leave a voicemail.
We miss you when you cannot participate in church, and we want to know when one of our members can be comforted from a pastoral visit, being added to our prayer list, or by receiving communion at home.
St. Mary Magdalene offers in-person Sunday Worship at 10:30 a.m. We are also live streaming the service for those who prefer to join us from home, on our YouTube channel at this link.
St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church | 16808 Holmes Rd., Belton, MO 64012
(816) 331-2222 | www.marymag.com
