By Kristen Hebert
The Mary Pinkham Library in Denny Hall is growing and evolving! The intent and overall goal is to energize the space again while furthering the church’s mission of joyfully practicing and sharing Christ’s love and grace to the communities we serve by sharing the Gospel, through worship, education, fellowship and service.
Mary Pinkham, a long-time parishioner of Manakin, was an avid reader. Her husband, Bob, who still calls Manakin home, shared that Mary regularly had upstairs and downstairs books that she was always in the process of reading. Mary also regularly volunteered at the Friends of the Library chapter on Coalfield Road. There is a memorial, recognizing her contribution and dedicated in her memory, in a seating area near the entrance of that Chesterfield County library.
With an enthusiasm for books and literacy, Mary helped create a lending library at Manakin Episcopal Church, and Bob worked with Manakin members Jim Mungle and Lingan Deitrick to construct the site in Denny Hall. Originally, the congregation was asked to contribute appropriate books, and Mary and Louanne Carnwath managed the donations, sharing the “overflow” by taking them to the Midlothian Library to be sold by the Friends for their programs not covered by the County.
The refreshed Mary Pinkham Library will continue to be a “lending library” and a place to find current fiction books. It will also be the place to find information about Stephen’s Ministries; learn about service opportunities; pick up a copy of Day by Day; or just hang out, and enjoy a cup of coffee and conversation on Sunday mornings during Fellowship Hour. We will continue to have a current fiction section that will function as a “little library,” where people are welcome to donate a book and take a book much like Mary’s original library. There also will be an expanded and accessible children’s library housed in baskets on the bottom shelves. In addition, the library will be a place where our rector, Gini+, will share her books focusing on spirituality and Christian theology.
Manakin’s library team is in the process of curating the books currently in the library, so we can rotate in new titles. Books that are ready to be retired from the library shelves will be placed on a table in the Huguenot Room in Denny Hall for a few weeks, and everyone is welcome to take any of the books they would like. After parishioners have a chance to “shop,” we will donate the remaining titles to the Midlothian Library to honor Mary Pinkham’s request.
We are thrilled that our excess materials can then be a blessing to others. Bob Pinkham, along with many at Manakin, are excited to see Mary’s love of books honored and renewed through this update of the library’s resources.