KANSAS CITY, Kan. — This year, John and Terry Gillcrist will be putting their faith and zeal for stewardship into action in a new way as the honorary chairpersons of the 2021 Archbishop’s Call to Share appeal.
Their lives are woven together by years of service. John, former president of Bartlett Cattle Company and Bartlett Milling Company, now volunteers teaching business courses at Donnelly College in Kansas City, Kansas. A pediatric nurse for 25 years, today Terry helps with the Blessed Brian Foundation, an orphanage they helped to establish in India.
“We have been blessed by the Lord and are thankful to share our blessings with others,” John said.
In addition to their community service, the Gillcrists enjoy spending time and making memories with their four children and eight grandchildren.
“In raising our children, we always encouraged them to be self-reflective, recognizing the many ways they were blessed by God,” Terry explained. “We taught them the importance of volunteering at church and in the community. It makes us so proud to see how they are instilling these same values of being thankful, considerate and generous in our grandchildren.”
The Gillcrists have been involved with many activities at their parish, Holy Spirit in Overland Park. John is a lector, currently serves on the parish advisory council and finance council and, in the past, was on the stewardship committee, the liturgy committee and the athletic association.
Terry has previously served on the school’s advisory council and, when their children were younger, she volunteered in various ways at the school: cafeteria, library and Marian Medal. She currently participates in Bible study and parish rosaries.
Together, they are ministers of Communion at Holy Spirit and volunteer regularly at Shalom House in Kansas City, Kansas.
“Giving back, helping and assisting others, fulfills our everyday desire to grow closer to Jesus Christ. Our volunteer experiences, support for our parish and the archdiocese are our way of sharing our blessings,” Terry said.
Gifts to the Archbishop’s Call to Share appeal support more than 40 offices, agencies and ministries throughout northeast Kansas, including parishes like Holy Spirit.
“Our archdiocese serves as the ‘light of the world’, ‘the beacon on the hill,’ for the Catholics of northeast Kansas. The many ministries supported by Call to Share help all of us in our daily journey to model our lives after Christ and to remind us to share our faith and love in Christ with others,” John said.
“We firmly believe that ‘God will not be outdone in generosity,’” they agreed. “We have seen the manifestation of that truth time and time again throughout the 43 years of our marriage.”
Please prayerfully consider renewing or making a first-time gift to the Archbishop’s Call to Share appeal today.
