Posts from February 2016

4 Items

Many area organizations benefit from Manakin’s 2015 Reach for the Stars Gala

by Church Staff

By Bryn Davis

The 2015 Annual Gala was a huge success and resulted in over $20,000 available for Manakin’s Outreach program.  The Gala Committee met and the Gala funds were disbursed to the following organizations:

ALS Foundation (Powhatan)
Backpacks of Love
Boys’ Home of Virginia
Chester Food Bank
Families of the Wounded
Family Lifeline
Feed More
Free Clinic of Powhatan
Grace Inside (prison chaplains)
Habitat for Humanity
Powhatan Coalition of Churches
Powhatan County EMS
Rainbow Connection
Richmond Friends of the Homeless
Riverside School
Robious Middle School (yearbooks)
SCVP (Madeline’s House)
Southside Child Development Center
Stop Hunger Now
The Resource Center

A big thank you to everyone who participated in the Gala through donations, attending and/or helping with set-up and clean-up.  We appreciate your support and we’re looking forward to another successful Gala this year!   The 2016 Gala and Auction will be Saturday, September 24, 2016 at the Salisbury Country Club.  Save the date!

 

Manakin’s next Ladies Night Out is March 8

by Church Staff

By Beverly Whitley

The March Ladies’ Night out will be Tuesday, March 8, 2016, at 6:00 PM at Firebirds Restaurant in Midlothian. A sign-up sheet is posted in Denny Hall.

Ladies’ Night Out is an opportunity for Manakin women to share a meal and get to know one another!

 

Kroger Community Rewards Program Update

by Church Staff

By The Finance Committee

The Kroger Community Rewards Program is the new name of the former KrogerCares program in which Manakin participates. It is connected to your Kroger Plus Rewards card, which provides gas and grocery discounts.

The simplest way to sign up is to register or reregister your Kroger Plus Card at Kroger.com and search “Kroger Community Rewards” program. This link will give you easy step-by-step instructions. If you still have a difficult time registering, give Ginger Marsh a call.

Once you are enrolled in this new version of the Kroger Community Rewards Program, use your card each time you make a grocery or gas purchase. Kroger will then donate a percentage to Manakin.

We received $4,520.00 in 2014 and $2,215.00 in 2015 to support our operating budget. Many thanks to all who participate in this unique fundraiser. Please signup if you have not done so!

 

Manakin’s 2016 Lenten program schedule is announced

by Church Staff

By Holly Walker

In February, we enter the 40 days of Lent, a time of reflection as we prepare ourselves for Holy Week and Christ’s resurrection. Throughout the Lenten season, Manakin will offer a series of Wednesday evening programs to support this period of self-examination.

This year’s theme is “Going Beyond the Doors of the Church.” In today’s complex and ever-changing world, finding ways to fully live into our faith can be challenging. How do we express our faith in our workplace and in our community, while respecting the beliefs of those of other religions? How do we reconcile advances in technology and science with our faith? How do cultural influences impact the way we prioritize God in our lives? How does our faith develop throughout our lives?

During Manakin’s Lenten Program, we will explore these questions and more as we take a thought provoking look at our faith from multiple perspectives.

February 17
“Go to Love and Serve”
Speaker: Rev. Canon Fletcher Lowe

How do we incorporate our faith into all aspects in our lives? When we leave our church each Sunday, how do we continue to live into God’s Word? How do we take the gifts God has given us and utilize them in our careers, our communities and our families? Join us as Rev. Canon Fletcher Lowe helps us explores these questions and more.

February 24
“Celebrating the Richmond Area’s Diversity”
Speaker: Bill Martin, Director, The Valentine

What makes the Richmond area so diverse? How do we celebrate those differences and understand how they create a rich, vibrant community for us to live and worship in? Join us as Bill Martin,  director of The Valentine, gives us a look at our area’s incredible diversity.

March 2
“Religion and Science”
Speaker: Rev. John Kerr

What is science, and what isn’t it? How do we reconcile science with our religious beliefs? Do we have to separate them and only believe in one or the other, or can we find common ground? Join us as Rev. Kerr takes us on a journey to look at science and religion through topics such as creationism and evolution.

March 9
“Our Evolving Faith: Why Bad Things Happen to Good People”
Speaker: Rev. Peter Stimpson

Our faith can be challenged throughout our lives, especially when bad things happen, such as the death of a loved one, the diagnosis of a serious illness, the loss of a job, or the challenges caused by a financial crisis. How can God allow this? Join us as Rev. Peter Stimpson shows us how the Bible answers this question and provides us with the strength to help us cope with whatever comes our way.

March 16
“Christianity in the Broader Culture”
Speaker: Caroline Black, Canon for Formation, Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia

Our culture is ever changing. Families and individuals prioritize their time differently than they did 20 years ago. People face different demands. The internet and social media have changed how information is shared and have blurred the lines between fact and fiction.

 

Each Wednesday, we will gather in Denny Hall at 6:30 PM for a potluck dinner. Our speaker will begin his/her presentation at 7:15 PM, and the program will be wrapped up around 8 PM or shortly thereafter.

A special thank you to the members of the Lenten Program Planning Committee: John Carnwath, Birdie Lighthiser, Jeff Lighthiser and Martha Steger.