By David Myers

Southwest Kansas Register

The Diocese of Dodge City has hired Eric Haselhorst to serve as Associate Stewardship Director, beginning in mid-May.

Haselhorst’s responsibilities will include coordinating the Stewardship Day, parish leadership stewardship education, and he will assist parishes with further implementation of stewardship goals.

Haselhort was reared in Great Bend; he graduated from Barton County Community College with an associate’s degree, and from Kansas State University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Education and master’s degree in Secondary Education. He taught for six years in Ness City, for five years with USD 303, and for one year with Sacred Heart School. Since leaving Ness City, he has worked almost four years with Community Bank of the Midwest in Great Bend.

As a Certified Workplace Trainer with Financial Peace University, companies hire Haselhorst to present to their employees the "Financial Peace" method of financial management.

Haselhorst, 35, and his wife Christine, who is originally from Topeka, have three children: Matthew, 8, Allison, 4, and Kara, 17 months. The family is very active at Prince of Peace Parish, where Chris is involved as a music minister. The family will be relocating to Dodge City.

"I’m pretty excited about coming on board," Haselhorst said from his Great Bend office. "I think this position kind of plays to abilities that come somewhat naturally to me. I’m looking forward to that. I’m also looking forward to helping people come closer to Christ -- helping parishes and parishioners develop that relationship.

Dan Stremel, current Director of the Finance and Stewardship office, said he was "extremely impressed with not only the number of people who applied, but with the quality of the people. It is gratifying to see the sense of stewardship that has taken hold, as evidenced in the lives of those who applied for this position. It was a very difficult choice to make between all the qualified candidates."

Bishop Ronald M. Gilmore said that he welcomed "the enthusiasm of youth that Eric brings. His sense of ministry and stewardship will truly be a blessing for our diocese. In 2001, as the priests of the diocese discerned and came to consensus about stewardship in the Diocese of Dodge City, one primary request they had was that the diocesan stewardship office be enhanced to support them in their own efforts. I am very grateful to Dan Stremel in the interim for taking on the additional stewardship efforts of our diocese and adding to its momentum."