Transition

3 Items

Manakin Welcomes Interim Rector

by Church Staff

Rev_BauerManakin Episcopal Church is excited to welcome the Rev. Dr. Thomas D. Bauer as our Interim Rector. Dr. Bauer brings with him extensive experience – as an interim rector, parish priest, counselor and educator. He has served parishes in Maryland, Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Virginia and the Bahamas. He was a counselor and teacher at St. Albans School in Washington, D.C. and headmaster of Grace & Peter’s School in Baltimore. In addition, he taught ethics and psychology courses at the College of William and Mary and has counseled students in Baltimore public high schools and middle schools. He’s also worked at Safe Harbor Christian Counseling, LLC and spent time as a family life counselor for Magellan Corporation, serving military bases at Fort Meade, Maryland (serving also as a chaplain) and in D.C.

Dr. Bauer graduated from the McDonogh School in Maryland, and then attended Yale University, where he graduated with a Bachelors of Art degree. He studied at the General Theological Seminary in New York City and was ordained to the Episcopal priesthood in Maryland in 1961. He went back to Yale, where, in 1965, he earned a master’s degree in Religious Sociology and Urban Studies. In 1986, he was awarded a doctorate in Developmental Psychology and Moral Education from Harvard University. He received a Certificate of Advanced Study in Counseling Psychology from Loyola University.

Dr. Bauer was married for 47 years to Ann, who passed away in 2008. The Bauers have two children, Tom Jr., who lives in Florida and manages multiplex theaters, and Margaret, who is a graphic designer in Washington, D.C. When he’s not busy helping others, Dr. Bauer enjoys singing. He is a member of the Yale Alumni Chorus and has traveled around the world with the group.

Dr. Bauer officially began his tenure as Interim Rector with Manakin on June 4, 2016.

Celebrating Rev. Michael Stone’s Time at Manakin

by Church Staff

By Craig Akers

Dear Friends and Parishioners,

I am pleased to report that the planning for events to recognize Michael’s nearly eleven years of service to Manakin are nearly complete. The following events are planned:

  • June 7 – Congregational family picnic at the church for all friends and members past and present to commence following the 10:00 a.m. worship service. The main course and drinks will be provided. Bring a dish to share – look for an e-mail Genius sign-up. Come join us as we bid a fond farewell to Michael+.
  • June 28 – Michael’s last Sunday. Reception for all members past and present – no cost. To commence following the 10:00 a.m. worship service.
  • July 10 – Sit-down dinner for all friends and members past and present at Salisbury Country Club beginning at 6:00 p.m.. Cost to be $25 per person. Cash bar.

We hope that you will be able to attend one or more of these events to help us show our appreciation for and celebrate Michael’s devoted service to the Church and his decade of service with us. Please call the church office by May 31 to let her know if you will attend the picnic and how many family members will accompany you. Also contact Wendy about your plans to attend the dinner at Salisbury Country Club before June 30.

Many current and former parishioners have already responded generously to our letter regarding” Michael’s retirement “purse. Some people have yet to respond. If you are among those who have not yet responded, we look forward to hearing from you. Please send your donation to Manakin Episcopal Church, Post Office Box 241, Powhatan, VA 23139.

Planning for our Search Committee: A Message from the Senior Warden

by Church Staff

By Michael Walker

In the near future, the Manakin vestry will ask for nominations for the committee that will be tasked with the search for a new rector. There already has been a lot of buzz about the process and who might be part of the committee. Have you given it some thought? Do you want to nominate yourself or another member of the congregation?

The search committee should be representative of our congregation. For example, it should include parishioners of various ages; long-time and new members; and those raised in the Episcopal faith, as well as those who came to the Episcopal Church from other religious backgrounds. When the time comes, parishioners will be encouraged to nominate themselves or others for the committee. Then, the vestry, along with a consultant provided by the Diocese, will evaluate the nominations and select the committee members. The size of the committee will be determined with the help of the consultant, and it is likely that not everyone nominated will be selected.

Once formed, the committee will be tasked with putting together the church profile that is used in the search, and committee members will be responsible for evaluating candidates, using various methods. There will be meetings, discussions and more meetings as the process unfolds. There will most likely be in-person visits to see the candidates at their current churches, and that could mean some travel, depending on how wide an area our search covers. Searches can be confined to Virginia or to a particular geographic region. They may also expand nationwide.

As you pray about this and gauge your interest in nominating yourself for the search committee, I ask you to consider the skills you might bring to the committee. I also ask that you consider the time commitment. Searches generally go on for periods longer than one year. During that time, the committee must meet regularly and often frequently. Additional discussions outside regularly scheduled meetings may also need to occur. In previous searches, members of the committee also served as liaisons to perspective candidates. Think about how this might fit in with what you already have going on daily in your life.

I am not trying to talk anyone out of participating in this very important part of our lives. In fact, it is just the opposite. I want as many people as possible interested in volunteering, so we can have the best pool of potential committee members, and therefore, a wonderful representation of our Household on the search committee.

If you have any questions about the process or the committee’s responsibilities, let one of the wardens know, or talk with your vestry person. We are blessed in so many ways, and one of the blessings is that we have people with experience available to talk with you too. So, think about whether this is a way you want to support your church. Information on how to self-nominate will be coming soon.