Faith
The Hays Daily News • Friday, March 13, 2015
A5
For many souls, Lent without a tweet is no easy feat
By Rick Montgomery
Tribune News Service
Tara Houx has given up social
media, as best she can, for Lent.
It’s harder than she thought. Her
35th birthday came and went without friends knowing how to reach
Houx. A friend’s son passed away,
and there was no easy place for her
to find and share information.
For many Lent-observing Christians, the notion of abstaining from
online social networks or other tech
temptations gained some buzz several years back. Yet just in that time
the world has changed, making 40
days without Twitter, Facebook and
Instagram a sacrifice too great for
most to bear.
Houx, Olathe, is soldiering on,
having removed the social media
apps from her phone when Lent
started Feb. 18.
“It’s nice to have the time back,”
she said.
The mother of two is replacing
her allegiance to Facebook, where a
quick check would swell to 30 or 40
minutes, with time spent pondering
a devotion and reading her Bible.
(On Sundays until Easter weekend, she will visit the sites to catch
up. Houx said that’s OK under Sunday exceptions to Lenten practices
she confirmed online.)
A poll by the church market researcher Barna Group found among
Christians who last year practiced a
form of abstinence for Lent, 31 per-
cent chose to sacrifice some aspect
of technology — with social media
and smartphones heading the list.
Perhaps the most surprising finding was slightly more Americans
went on a tech diet than abstained
from chocolate, a perennial favorite
for Lent observers to forgo.
Especially for young believers,
a break from technology can be a
smart and spiritually fulfilling act,
said Barna Group’s Roxanne Stone:
“For them it’s about making the
ancient practices of Christian faith
more applicable to the modern age
in which they’re living.”
But does the modern age make a
strict tech diet even possible?
At the Lenten dinner this past
week at Calvary Lutheran Church
in Kansas City, smartphones were at
the ready next to plates of spaghetti
and garlic toast.
Jim Sowders, the church’s building manager, was among a few
trying to curb social media time at
home. But should his phone light up
with a Facebook alert from someone
trying to reach him, absolutely he’s
going to check it.
His work depends on social media, Sowders said. He needs to know
and tell others when icy weather
shuts down the church’s day care
center. If a stove needs fixing, social
networks help Sowders find parts in
a hurry.
“Five or six years ago, it would
have been a lot easier to slide all the
social media, the Web and even my
cellphone off to the side,” at least
from Ash Wednesday to Easter
Sunday, he said.
“But times have changed. I had a
landline then. I don’t now.”
Calvary member Scott Edwards
helps run a marketing company
that built the church’s website,
which has a link to its Twitter page.
Edwards isn’t quitting Twitter and
the rest of social media for Lent,
but could he?
“Yeah, I could do it,” he said, “so
long as texting isn’t social media.”
Many say it’s all becoming one
and the same.
Texts, after all, often include links
to social media platforms. And a
variety of phone apps might be
bundled in a Facebook account,
something you need to have if, for
example, you wish to post a comment on some websites.
Seventy-one percent of U.S.
adults who use the Web now have
Facebook pages, and more than
half of them toggle between two or
more social networks, according to
the Pew Research Center. Nearly
300 million people around the
globe rely on LinkedIn for
professional networking and to
explore job opportunities.
So short of separating from
humankind and wandering the
desert, some area Christians
are sacrificing just a sliver of
social media.
“I’ve given up Instagram for
Lent,” said John Stokman, a marketing major at Benedictine College in
Atchison.
It took a little while for him to
adjust.
When presidential aspirant Rick
Santorum recently gave a talk at
Benedictine, Stokman instinctively
snapped a picture of the former
U.S. senator from Pennsylvania to
share through Instagram, where the
student has 250 followers.
“Then I realized, ‘Oh wait, I
can’t,’ ” Stokman said.
He had removed the Instagram
app from his phone.
He would rather forgo the
picture-sharing site than sacrifice
other social media,
he said. Posting
articles,
com-
ments and pictures on Facebook
helps him hone his marketing skills
and potentially impress future
employers.
Another Benedictine student,
senior Ashlyn Frederick, made the
mistake of swearing off texting last
Lenten season. She couldn’t stick to it.
“I felt I had no means of communication,” she said.
Frederick would call people and
leave voice messages.
“They’d never call back,” she
said. “Some people just don’t check
their voice messages.”
The tech dependent, and today
that’s most Americans, are learning few can really go cold turkey
through Lent.
Worship Warms the Heart
Catholic
Comeau Catholic Campus Center
Assembly of God
LLutheran
thh
New Life Center
Messiah Lutheran Church
1701 E. 22nd • 625-5528
Pastor Sabian Chaney • Sunday Bible Fellowship: 9:30 a.m. (all ages) •
Sunday Morning Worship: 10:30 a.m. • Children's Church ages 4yr to 5th
grade • Nursery for those up through 3 years of age.
Everyone Welcome • 506 W. 6th • 625-7396
Fr. Fred Gatschet • Sunday Masses: 9:00 a.m. & 6:00 p.m. • Join us for the
Rosary before each Mass. • Weekday Masses: Mon.-Thurs. 5:45 p.m. (Only
when FHSU is in session)
Immaculate Heart Of Mary
Charismatic
1805 Vine • Office 625-7339
Fr. Kevin Weber • Saturday Masses: 5:00 p.m. • Sunday Masses: 8:00 & 10:00
a.m. Spanish 12:00 p.m. • Sunday Masses: 6:00 pm • Weekday Masses: MWF
6:45 a.m. & TuTh 8:00 a.m.
www.libertyis.com • 120 West 9th Street • 625-6245
Sundays: 10:00 a.m. 6:00 p.m. at 120 W. 9th St. • Wednesdays: 7:00 p.m. at
2900 Canal • Contemporary Worship • Life-giving Home Groups • Bible
School leadership classes • Effective Youth Ministry • Royal Rangers boys
clubs • Friends Club girls clubs • Mid-week Bible Study
Rev. Earl Befort • Sat. Evening 4:00 p.m.
Church On The Rock - Hallelujah Ministries
The Basilica of St. Fidelis, Victoria
623-4400 • 601 Vine • Hays, KS
Robert and Jill Scheck, pastors • Sunday service and children’s church, 10
a.m.; “Around the Campfire with Jesus,” 7 p.m. Wednesday; women’s support
group, 7 p.m. Wednesday; Monday corporate prayer, 7 p.m.; Covenant
Class, first and third Wednesdays at 7 p.m.; Covenant Rebuilders Marriage
Ministry/Counseling, by appointment only. The ministry strives to help
married couples of all faiths.
735-2777 • [email protected] • www.stfidelischurch.com
Fr. John Schmeidler, O.F.M. Cap. • Saturday Mass 5:00 p.m. • Sunday Mass
10:00 a.m. • Thursdays: Eucharistic Adoration: 7:45 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. • St. Ann,
Walker - Saturday Mass 6:30 p.m. (Nov.-Apr.) • Sunday Mass 7:30 a.m. (MayOct.) • St. Boniface, Vincent - Sunday Mass 8:45 a.m.
St. Francis Of Assisi, Munjor
883 Moscow • 625-5314
[email protected] • www.stfancis-church.com
Fr. Daryl Olmstead • Sunday Mass: 8:00 a.m. Weekday Mass: Tues. &
Thurs. 8:00 a.m. • Confessions - Sunday 7:30 a.m.
Westview Church
3000 W. 41st St. • 785-625-6359 • www.westviewchurch.tv
Pastor Wes Oakley, D. Min. • Associate Pastor Tim Nunnery • Associate
Pastor Brandon Prough • Associate Pastor Jeremy McGuire • Sun. Adult &
Children's Church: 10:30 a.m. • Tues. R3 Live College: 8:30 p.m. • Wed. R3
Youth: 7:00 p.m. • Wed., Elevate Kids & Midweek Adult Service: 7 p.m.
St. Nicholas Of Myra Church
2901 E. 13th • 628-1446
Fr. Daryl Olmstead • Weekday Mass: Wed. & Fri. 7:30 a.m. • Saturday Mass:
5:00 p.m. • Sunday Masses: 9:30 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.
Culp & Oakdale • Russell, KS.
5:30 p.m. Wednesday - Worship Service
St. Michael’s Episcopal Church
2900 Canal Blvd. • 628-8442
Rev. Harvey Hillen
9:30 a.m. Sunday - Holy Eucharist
www.stmikeshays.org
St. Anthony Church
Rev. Earl Befort, O.F.M. Cap. • Schoenchen, KS • Sat. 5:30 p.m.
St. Catherine Church
P.O. Box 18 Catharine • 785-625-5091 • [email protected]
Rev. Earl Befort, O.F.M. Cap. • Sunday Morning Mass: 9:00 a.m. • Sacrament of
Penance • Sunday 8:30-8:55 a.m.
2509 Vine
625-3215
Ron & Kim Keithley
WAYNE VOSS
Agent
Offices in Hays and
Plainville 625-5400
“Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there”®
Ellis Baptist Church
107 W. 9th • 785-726-3657
Pastor Chad Pritchett • Sunday School 10:00 a.m. • Sunday Morning
Worship 11:00 a.m. • Sunday Evening Service 6:00 p.m. • Nursery &
Children’s Church Provided Wednesday Bible Study 7:00 p.m.
Church of Christ
Church Of Christ
1100 Centennial Blvd. • 625-3966
Sunday School: 10:00 a.m. • Sunday Worship: 11:00 a.m. & 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday Ladies Bible Study 7:00 p.m. • Wednesday Bible Study: 7:30 p.m.
Messianic
Mennonite
North Oak Community Church
3000 Oak • 785-628-8887 • www.northoak.net
Pastor Ken Ediger • Associate Pastor John Wiker • Youth Pastor Jeff Neher
Worship Service: 8:30 a.m. & 11 a.m. • Sunday School: 9:50 a.m.
Nursery & Children’s Church Available • Wed. K-12 programs
Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints
First Presbyterian Church
625-7114
Unitarian Universalist - Fellowship Of Hays
2901 Canal Blvd. • 625-2817
Bishop Bret Somers • Sacrament Meeting: 9:00-10:10 a.m. • Sunday
School: 10:20-11:10 a.m. • Primary: 10:20-12 noon • Priesthood/Relief
Society: 11:20-12 noon
OFFICE SUPPLY, INC.
333 W. 8th
www.Eckankar.org
Religion of the Light and Sound of God • For Information in Hays,
call 785-628-3700 or 1-800-Love-God
Latter-Day Saints
www.haysfpc.org • 2900 Hall • 625-2847 • [email protected]
Rev. Celeste Lasich • Nursery Available • Sunday Worship: 10 a.m. • Adult
Study Group: 11 a.m. • Fellowship Hour: 11 a.m. • Youth Group: Sunday
evenings
“You’ve Never Had It So Good”
Other
Eckankar
Presbyterian
Fort Hays
Auto Sales Inc.
North Hill Chapel
Living Savior Lutheran Church
3rd Floor Chapel at Hadley Center • 785-877-3824 • [email protected]
(WELS) • 205 E. 7th- West Entrance • Sunday Worship - 7 p.m.
Pastor Timm O. Meyer
Kahal Yisra’el
Church Of God High Plains
507 Elm • 625-6311 • [email protected]
Steve Johnson, Director • Free meal, Tuesdays at 5:15 p.m. • Bible Study
Thursdays at noon
Cornerstone Southern Baptist Church
29th & Indian Trail • 625-9500 • www.hayscornerstonesbc.com
Pastor Gary Simon • Kids/Youth/Adult Sunday School 9:30 a.m. • Sunday
Worship 10:30 a.m. • Sunday Adult Bible Study 6:00 p.m. • Sunday King’s
Kids 6:00 p.m. • Wed. Devotion/Prayer 7:00 p.m.
785-628-8161 • 620-792-8464
Torah-Bible Study Sabbath Fellowship • “Celebrating” Feasts of the LORD
(Lev.23) • Embracing the Hebrew Heritage In the Footsteps of the Messiah
Ezekiel 37:16-28 Romans 11:16-36
765 E. 41st - Hays, KS • 785-628-2603 • www.cghp.org
Services & Fellowship: 11:00 a.m. Saturdays
United Methodist Student Center
BROCK’S
Trinity Lutheran Church
Interim Pastor John Kreidler • 2703 Fort St • 785-625-2044
www.trinityhays.org • [email protected] • (ELCA) • Sunday Worship
10:15 a.m. • Fellowship follows Worship • Holy Communion every Sunday
Hays Christian Church
Seventh Day Sabbath
305 W. 7th • 625-3408 • Rev. Jerre Nolte, Senior Pastor • Annie Ricker,
Associate Pastor, Youth Pastor • Sunday School: 9:30 a.m. • Sunday
Service: 8:30 & 10:45 a.m. • 10:45 a.m. Service Broadcast on KAYS 1400
AM • Wed. Afternoon Kid’s Club: 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. • Wednesday Service:
5:00 p.m. (Light Supper & Informal Worship)
27th & Canterbury Rd. • 628-2558
Pastor Ben Lowery • Sunday School: 10:00 a.m. • Morning Service: 11:00
a.m. Evening Service: 6:00 p.m. • Sunday Youth Activities: 7:00 p.m. •
Wednesday Bible Study: 7:30 p.m. • Wednesday Kids For Truth 6:30 p.m.
507 Elm • United Methodist Campus Ministry Building • 625-5555
Rev. Michael Vigler • Sunday Worship: 10:50 a.m. • Sunday School: 9:45
a.m. • Sunday Bible Study: 6:00 p.m. • Wednesday Prayer Study: 7:00 p.m.
Teens & Children
Ellis United Methodist Church
First United Methodist Church
High Plains Baptist Church
Church Of The Nazarene
785-726-3372 • 12th and Washington, Ellis
Pastor Deb Harvey • Sunday School - 9:45 a.m. • Worship - 11:00 a.m.
Tom & Deb Schumacher & Employees
7 miles north of Ellis, KS • 726-3207
“We make Christ known, so that all may know God’s love!”
(ELCA) • Intern Jon Brudvig • Worship 10:30 am • Communion (Every
Sunday) • Sunday School 9:15 a.m. • Choir Practice 11:30 a.m.
22nd & Marshall Rd. • 625-3100 • www.hayschristianchurch.org
Pastor Kevin Daniels • Sunday School: 9:30 a.m. • Worship Service: 10:45
a.m. • Nursery • Children’s Church Provided • For additional services &
information contact the pastor at the church or 625-0094
Nazarene
United Methodist
609 E. 8th • 785-628-3342
St. John’s Lutheran Church
785-625-LIVE • www.celebratejesus.org
Kyle Ermoian, Senior Pastor • Brant Rice, EDGE Pastor • Derek Mayfield,
Systems Pastor • DeLynn Rice, Children & Family Director • Jeff Burnett,
College Director • Nick Eiden, Youth Pastor • Cameron Shoemaker, 98.5
The TRUTH • Randy Staab, Celebrate Recovery • Luke Haines, Men’s
Ministry • Kael Bloom, Creative Arts Director • Katherine Burnett, Women’s
Ministry • Amanda McCord, Celebrate Health • Sunday Hours 8:30 a.m. &
10:00 a.m. • Children’s Church 10:00 a.m. & 11:30 a.m. • The EDGE
Worship for the Next Generation: 10:00, 11:30 a.m. & 6 p.m. • Youth Groups
& College Wed. Nights On The Hill At I-70 & 183 Bypass
St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church
215 W. 13th • 625-7356 • [email protected] • www.stj-church.com
Fr. Fred Gatschet • Weekday Masses: Mon.-Fri.: 6:30 a.m. Saturday: 5:00 p.m.
• Sunday Masses: 7:30 & 10:30 a.m.
Iglesia Hispana Bautista
12th & Fort • 625-9454 • [email protected]
Pastora Lory Herrick • Sunday Domingos 3:00 pm
785-625-9454/ 639-6181 • Nursery Available
Christian
2422 Hyacinth Ave. • 625-6476
The Reverend Peter Nissen, Vicar • 10:00 a.m.: Sunday
St. Joseph Church
First Baptist Church
12th & Fort • 625-9454 • [email protected]
Pastor Jerry Sprock • Sunday School: 9:00 a.m., Worship Service: 10:30
a.m. • Nursery Available
Celebration Community Church
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
703 Monroe • 726-4522
Fr. Richard Daise • Tues., Thurs., Fri. 8:15 a.m. • Sat. Confession 4:30 - 5:15
p.m. • Wednesday 10:00 a.m. (GSC) Saturday evening 5:30 p.m. • Sunday
Masses: 9:00 a.m.
13th & Harvest (Just East of Hays High) (S.B.C.) • 625-5373
Micah Sanderson, Pastor • 1st Service 9:30 a.m. • 2nd Service 11:00 a.m.
Wed. Cross Training for all ages 6:30 p.m.
Michael Badenhop, Pastor • 106 E. 8th • 785-726-2670 • Ellis, KS
(TAALC) • Sunday School 9:00 a.m. • Worship Service 10:30 a.m. • Holy
Communion 1st & 3rd Sunday
Episcopal
St. Mary’s Church, Ellis
Cross Point Hays
2000 Main • 625-2057
e-mail: [email protected] • www.messiahlutheranhays.com
(LCMS) • Kenton Rohrberg, Pastor • Traditional Worship: 8:30 a.m. • Study
Hour: 9:45 a.m. • Contemporary Worship: 11:00 a.m. • (Communion 1st &
3rd Sundays) • Lutheran Hour: Sunday 7:30 a.m. KHAZ FM 99.5
Christ Lutheran Church
Liberty Foursquare Church
Our Lady Help Of Christians, Antonino
BBaptist
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1101 Main 625-5666
1-800-794-4626
USED
2900 Canal Blvd., Hays • http://www.uua.org
Services held 11 a.m. 1st & 3rd Sunday of each month • St. Michael's
Episcopal Church • Contact Doug or Cathy at 785-623-4187
CARS
722 E. 8th
625-0050
Dick & Kay Werth & Employees
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785-625-3481
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Hays Memorial Chapel
Funeral Home
20th & Pine
628-1009
3006 Broadway
300 W. 48th Street
Hyle & Ann Hugunin
785-625-2219
www.carricoimplement.com
SUPERCENTER
MORTUARY
OF HAYS AND VICTORIA
OPEN 24 HOURS
4301 Vine
Hays, KS 67601
628-8822
625-0001
735-9224
625-5605
Officers & Staff
“Where You Insure With Confidence”
1101 Spruce, Ellis, KS 67637
Phone: 785-726-3101
e-mail: [email protected]
A great place to live, A wonderful place to work
In Christ’s love, everyone is someone.
R&E Enterprises, Inc.
808 Milner
785-628-6712
1-800-499-6712
Residential/Commercial
Cleaning Services
Cory J. Munsch
Fire/Water/Smoke Restoration
Sales * Installation * Service
1501 E. 27th
628-6131
America’s Largest Carpet Retailer
113 E. 13th
1-800-786-8319
625-5623
“Service At Its Best”
– COMPLETE AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE –
2711 Broadway
628-2488
Greg & Amy Schaffer
Bob & Dee St. Peter, Owners