6th Annual Charity Wine Tasting April 20

Happenings

Evening of fine wine, entertainment, to benefit Catholic Social Service

Catholic Social Services will present the 6th Annual Charity Wine Tasting Event on Friday, April 20 from 7-10 p.m. at The Club at Stone Ridge in Great Bend.

The event will include an evening of sipping fine wine and other vintage spirits, tasting a bevy of hors d’oeuvres, and listening to soft, live music by recording artist Richard Falcon, Jr.

Auctioned will be an original 14x16 inch framed painting entitled “Just Peachy,” (see the painting on Page 2) by featured artist, Paula Jones. Jones, who makes her home in Russell with her husband and son, operates a studio on Taos, N.M. Her work is currently being shown across the country.

The event will also include a live auction by Ken Schremmer, Pat Keenan, Mike Niedens and Bernie Kaiser of Schremmer Auction and Realty, and T.R. Esfeld.

Among the items up for auction will be: a gourmet dinner for eight; aged cheeses; an oak quilt stand/handcrafted embroidered quilt; a K-State football package; a week’s stay at a time share -- anywhere in the U.S. and some locations in Europe; a week’s stay at a cabin in the Colorado Rockies; Kansas City package -- lodging and gift certificates for two restaurants on the plaza; lodging at a bed and breakfast in Abilene with dinner at Brookville; various wine gift baskets; a Waterford crystal wine decanter; Rock Haven Spa gift package in Hays; tickets to the Wichita Grand Opera/lodging; various artwork; and an autographed KU men’s and women’s basketball. A silent auction will also be included.

The evening also will include music by recording artist guitarist Richard F. Falcon, Jr., whose top-selling CD, “Send Angels” has sold world-wide. His second album, “Moon Dance,” was released in 2003. Songs from both CDs have received significant air-play on Kansas radio. “Eagle Radio” in Hutchinson has called “Moon Dance” the most outstanding album from a Kansas artist.

According to Shirley Lytle, CSS Director of Development, last year’s event raised almost $16,000 for the program. This is the sixth annual wine tasting event that CSS has presented.

The cost for the night is $25, which includes enough hors d’oeuvres to fill any appetite, and 12 wine-tasting tickets, each of which allows the user to taste a single beverage. Legally, wine tasting organizers must limit the tastings to 12 per person.

“It’s well worth their money,” Lytle said. “They have drinks for the evening, and ‘heavy’ hors d’oeuvres, such as sandwiches, meatballs, and Lil’ Smokey’s. Basically, it’s a meal.”

Last year, more than 180 people attended the event.

All proceeds from the event will benefit Catholic Social Service’s adoption and foster care programs.

Tickets will be available at the door, but Lytle is encouraging people to purchase tickets in advance because of the food preparation.

For more information and tickets, contact Lytle at (620) 792-1393, or toll-free, (800) 794-9756, or email her at slytle@cpcis.net.

The Club at Stoneridge is located at 24th and Frey in Great Bend.

Colorado mission and ministry trip

The Sisters of St. Joseph Dear Neighbor Ministries is sponsoring a mission and ministry trip to Denver June 18-24. The trip is for high school juniors through college seniors, especially those whose own youth group doesn’t sponsor mission trips. Participants will volunteer in agencies such as soup kitchens and homeless shelters, and reflect and pray together. The cost is $185. For more information, call Kit Lambertz or Bill Gress at 684-5120, or Sister Karen Salsbery at 689-4029.

Retreat for newly married couples

The Office of Family Life and Natural Family Planning, Diocese of Wichita, is offering couples hope and support through “Becoming Gift: A Retreat for Newly Married Couples,” at the Spiritual Life Center on Friday April 20 and Saturday April 21.

This isn’t an Engaged Encounter, Marriage Encounter Weekend or Retrouvaille Weekend. The Becoming Gift Retreat specifically addresses themes both spiritual and practical that nearly every couple face during the early years of marriage. Couples will be renewed and nurtured through rest, romance, and reflection, in particular through the Sacraments of Eucharist, Confession, and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

For more information, a color brochure is available at www.cdowk.org/family_life/, or call (316) 685-5240. or e-mail blair1026@hotmail.com.

SpiritLife: A Spiritual Formation Process: April 28

On April 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. the SpiritLife Spiritual Formation Process will be held at Heartland Center for Spirituality, 3600 Broadway Great Bend. Participants may join any of the sessions and are not committed to the whole day. Pre-registration is required.

The topics and instructors for the day include:

9:30 a.m.: Living the Paschal Mystery – Philip St. Romain, MS.,D.Min

“The journey is one of constantly dying and rising in Christ. How do we experience this? How does suffering and struggle deepen our capacity for new life?”

10:55 a.m.: Integration of Action/Contemplation -- Renee Dreiling OP

“The integration of action and contemplation can be viewed as learning to walk on two feet! Out of the silence of our contemplative prayer comes the Word that has the power to recreate our world.”

1 p.m.: Spiritual Formation Group – a time to process what’s been happening in classes; sharing one’s journey; inquiry and feedback.

2:15 p.m.: Dreams and Dreamwork - Joel Christoph OP.

“What is the meaning of dreams and dreaming? What might we learn from our dreams? How might we work with our dreams to benefit from the messages they bring?”

Single day rate (commuter) $50; Single day rate (overnight)$75; Single talk $10. For further information go to: http://heartlandspirituality.org/spiritlife. or call (620) 792-1232 or email: office@heartlandspirituality.org.