By Birdie Lighthiser

Manakin is a community of believers. We are also a family. When one of our church-family members is in distress or crisis, we are there to help. Every member of Manakin is a member of our Pastoral Care Committee. Thank you for the many acts of kindness and support that you performed throughout the summer. Interested in getting involved? There are many ways you can help a member of our parish, including meals (Gracious Gourmets), transportation, visits, cards, e-mails, help with yard work, and phone calls. If you or someone you know needs help. Please contact us. If you are willing to help in some of these organized ways, please contact the church office.

In addition, Manakin’s six Stephen Ministers have been caring for individuals in a different way. Stephen Ministry is a lay-led ministry that involves caregiving on a regular basis – usually weekly visits. We will be training additional Stephen Ministers beginning this fall. If you hare interested in being a Stephen Minister, please contact the church office

Don’t forget our Prayer Vine. Prayer requests can be made at any time. If you would like to be part of our Prayer Vine, please contact the church office.

By Martha Steger

Before going on his sabbitcal, Michael+ made us aware of the need to expand lay-ministry services to Manakin members unable to get to church for the Eucharist. At present, our lay-ministry group of five administers the Eucharist as a vital part of the services we provide on the first Sunday of each month at Brookdale and Southerland Place assisted-living centers.

Anyone interested in becoming part of an expanded group to take the Eucharist to Manakin members unable to get to church can contact the church office. This is a very important ministry, and the training would only take an hour of anyone’s time. I am hoping to set up a convenient training session before the end of September and will be back in touch with those who express interest.

I confess that I did not realize what a spiritual experience administering the Eucharist could be for a server until I became involved in this outreach program. I have come to see it as part of salvation – one day at a time. As the Rev. Robert D. Flanagan, priest in the Diocese of New York, author and educator, has written, “…for Episcopalians it is the sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist that bring us into salvation and return us to relation- ship with God, respectively.”

By Don Marsh

The next Men of the Church breakfast meeting is Saturday, September 12, at 8:00 a.m. (the second Saturday of September because of the Labor Day holiday). Our speaker will be our own Greg Lee. Greg will present highlights of his spring trip back to Vietnam, where he served during the Vietnam War. Please come for a hearty breakfast and a great program.

By Beverly Whitley

The September Ladies’ Night Out will be Tuesday, September 8, at 6:00 p.m. at Isabella’s, next to Crab Louie’s in the Sycamore Square Shopping Center. A sign-up sheet is posted in Denny Hall.

Ladies’ Night Out is an opportunity for all women at Manakin to visit with and get to know each other while enjoying a meal together.

By Paula Price

The Manakin Stephen Ministry is up and running. The six Stephen Ministers have completed training, been commissioned and are serving care receivers with compassion, faith, trustworthiness, and skill. Please keep the ministers and their care receivers in your prayers.

Stephen Ministers are laypeople trained to provide one-to-one care to people experiencing a difficult time in life.

Stephen Ministers are not counselors. They are trained Christian caregivers. Their role is to listen and walk along side their care receivers.

Stephen Ministry is a confidential ministry. What a care receiver tells a Stephen Minister remains confidential.

Stephen Ministers are assigned only to people who agree to receive the care.

Stephen Ministry training is provided in 20 weekly sessions along with a weekend retreat.

A new Stephen Ministry training will be held this fall. If you are interested, please contact the church office.

By Birdie Lighthiser

Thank you to all who have shown care and concern at Manakin with your kind acts. We continue to take care of each other with our Prayer Vine, Gracious Gourmets, caring visitors, caring drivers and by sending cards and e-mails. Visits and phone calls are always appreciated as well.

We are expanding our committee as we go through our transition period. Without a Rector, we need to be even more mindful of our pastoral care. Please contact the church office if you would be willing to serve on the Pastoral Care Committee.

Our Stephen Ministry had gotten off to a successful start. One Stephen Leader and four Stephen Ministers were recently commissioned, and, with the assistance of a Stephen Minister from St. Luke’s, six of our parishioners now have a Stephen Minster assigned. If you have any questions about this ministry or might be interested in becoming a Stephen Minister, please contact the church office.