Parish Ministries

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Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper

by Church Staff

Enjoy a meal of pancakes and sausage, as we come together to celebrate the festival of Mardi Gras or Shrove Tuesday on February 25. This meal, made possible by Manakin’s youth and the Men of the Church, will be held from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. in Denny Hall. All are welcome!

Children and Youth Programs

by Church Staff

From infants to teens, Manakin offers opportunities for kids of all ages.

Nursery

Manakin is excited to have Katie Harrison as its new nursery care giver. Katie, a longtime member of the parish who has been a teacher in our Christian Formation program, has an extensive background in childhood education and is certified in first aid; youth protection training; and Medication and Ministration (MAT).

Thanks to a trio of hardworking Manakin volunteers, the church’s nursery space has been expanded. Bill Daniels, Don Marsh and Angela Marsh recently completed the work, which effectively doubles the size of our nursery.

Sunday Morning Children’s Program

Building Blocks of Faith Summer Program for children continues. The program explores the stories of the Bible, helping our children build and strengthen their faith block by block.  Through the program, children are encouraged to use their creativity and imagination and Legos or building blocks to create scenes from story and to share what those stories mean to them. The program is held every Sunday morning. Tell your friends!

Youth Trip to Wintergreen

Manakin’s senior youth will spend July 21 – 23 at Wintergreen for a Summer Retreat. This will be a time of fun, fellowship, worship, hiking, food and other activities. To learn more about the retreat, contact Julie Eliades, Manakin’s director of Christian Formation at julia.eliades@comcast.net.

Youth to Participate in Mt. Moriah Feeding Program

At the end of July, Manakin’s youth will help with our parish’s outreach to the Mt. Moriah Feeding Program. On July 30 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., our young people will help pack lunches for the program. Then, on July 31, the youth are invited to help pass out the lunches at Mt. Moriah Church, starting at 11:45 a.m. To learn more about this opportunity, contact the church office at 804-794-6401 or office@manakin.org.

The Mary Pinkham Library

by Church Staff

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.

Brunswick Stew in October

by Church Staff

Get ready for a mouth-watering treat: Manakin’s Brunswick Stew! Each year, the Men of the Church organize, chop, spice, cook, stir, and work all night preparing dozens of quarts of stew. This delicious stew freezes well and makes a wonderful winter meal.

Mark your calendars. You don’t want to miss this year’s sale. It will take place Saturday, October 20 from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. in Denny Hall. 

Supporting the Community and Each Other

by Church Staff

Each month, Manakin parishioners spread God’s love in so many ways. Through outreach and in-reach activities, parishioners care for each other and for those in our community who are most in need. Here is just a small sampling:

  • Feeding Programs: The church family participates in a number of feeding programs throughout the year, making hot meals; packing lunches; and serving and delivering food to those in need.
  • Collections: Throughout the year, Manakin collects donations to support local food banks, animal shelters and other community organizations.
  • Episcopal Relief & Development: Parishioners help battle poverty and disease in third world countries, by making donations that provide life-altering and life-saving supplies.
  • Helping Each Other: Members of the parish serve as Stephen Ministers, who are listening partners and shoulders to lean on for anyone facing a difficulty in his/her life. Those who participate in Manakin’s Pastoral Committee make meals, send cards, call, send texts, and offer transportation and more to parishioners in need.
  • Fundraising for Outreach: Each year, parishioners come together to plan and support the church’s Reach for the Stars Gala and Auction, which raises money for the church’s outreach program.
  • Supporting our Church: Whether it is preparing the altar, changing a light bulb, singing in the choir, teaching Manakin’s youth, or leading adult formation activities, parishioners lend their expertise and hearts to a variety of committees and church projects.

This is taste of the wonderful ministries and fellowship found at Manakin. If you are already involved in the life of the church, thank you for all you are doing! If you’ve been thinking about getting involved but are not quite certain about what’s the best fit for you and your interest, talk to Gini or one of our committee chairs or contact the church office!

Welcome Julia Eliades, Interim Christian Formation Director

by Church Staff

On February 1, 2017, Julia Eliades joined Manakin in a consulting role as Interim Christian Formation Director. In the days ahead, she will be reaching out to many of you as the congregation moves to strengthen and expand our Christian Formation offerings for youth and adults. You can reach Julia at jeliades@manakin.org, the church office at 794-6401, or her cell phone at (804) 873-0220. Please contact her and share your questions, issues, ideas, hopes and dreams for our Christian Formation program. Welcome Julia!

 

Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper is February 28 in Denny Hall

by Church Staff

The Annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper will be held Tuesday, February 28, 2017 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in Denny Hall. The Men of the Church will be cooking pancakes, sausage and warm apple slices and volunteers will be helping to set-up and serve. This event is sponsored by the Church and we are asking for donations of nonperishable food items for the Powhatan Food Pantry instead of money. See you there!

Manakin Church announces the 2017 Lenten Program

by Church Staff

The theme for this year’s Lenten program is Challenges to Christianity in the 21st Century. Our 2017 Lenten program will offer a variety of intellectually and spiritually stimulating individual presentations based on a general theme of Challenges to Christianity in the 21st Century. All meetings will start with dinner at 6:00 p.m. followed by the program and be over by 8:15 p.m. There will be five programs on Wednesdays in Lent, starting March 8. March 1, 2017 is Ash Wednesday. There will be a Rite II Eucharist and Imposition of Ashes at 7:00 p.m. but no pot luck supper on that day

March 8 – One of the biggest challenges our church has in 2017 is attracting young people. Dr. Karen-Marie Yust, Professor of Christian Education at Union Presbyterian Seminary will speak to us about changes in today’s Christian Formation programs, her experience teaching college students in today’s environment and implications for the traditional “Church School” approach. Dinner will be our usual covered dish dinner. Bring an entrée, a salad or dessert to share.

March 15 – The Episcopal Church has a five hundred year tradition of choral evensong. It is truly a wonderful, calm, quiet service that is rarely done at Manakin. We will have a Choral Evensong as our program following dinner. Families with children are encouraged to bring them to this short service. Dinner prior to this service will be provided. For less than the cost of going to McDonald’s, you can get dinner with wine, and experience this wonderful traditional service. There will be no sermon and families should be able to return home by 8:00 p.m.

March 22The Reverend John M. Kerr, retired Chaplain of the College of William and Mary will address us on “The Road Less Traveled: “How science and religion can coexist.” Rev. Kerr spoke to us last year and we are delighted that he will return this year for another intellectually challenging experience. If you missed last year, here is another chance to see what everyone was raving about.

March 29Dr. Arthur B. Gunlicks, Adjunct Professor at the University of Richmond and former Head of the Political Science Department there, will talk to us about the likely state of relations between the United States and Russia following our recent elections, and other related geopolitical issues impacting the Christian community.

April 5The Reverend Peter K. Stimpson will return with another talk to prepare us for Holy Week as he looks at societal forces impacting the Church in the 21st Century. In addition to his divinity degree he is a licensed clinical social worker who headed his own consulting firm.

Mark your calendar and plan to attend these offerings.

The deadline for the Lawrence W. Mason Scholarship is approaching

by Church Staff

The Lawrence W. Mason Scholarship program provides scholarships to all college students from the Parish. The only qualification to be considered for a scholarship is that the student be pursuing education beyond high school.

As in the past, to be certain no one who is eligible gets overlooked, each summer we remove all the names from the scholarship list and ask anyone who is interested to reregister. This is the only way we can account for the changing circumstances of the students we are supporting. Please call Wendy by August 17, 2016 with the student’s name, the school attending and projected completion date.

Thanks to the generosity of the members of Manakin, we are able to help our young people continue their education with scholarships and to let them know their church still remembers them while they are away.

– The LWM Scholarship Fund

 

Are you registered for the Kroger Community Rewards Program?

by Church Staff

 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 at (804) 639-9381.  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. In the quarter ending May 31st, we had 18 households who enrolled in the program—down from 49 as recently as September 2015—and we will receive $136.33 as a quarterly distribution.

Many thanks to all who participated in this unique fundraising activity. Please signup if you have not done so!