Video specifically mentions two sign-up links. Please RSVP ASAP
1) Youth Night – this Friday, September 13
2) This Sunday’s lunch. (Sept 18)
Blog
Finding Your Place
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We launch into this fall season with confidence that God will give us the resources we need in accomplishing the important work of the church. It is our hope that every member of the church will: 1) Deliberately take a deeper step in their faith walk 2) Every member will find one area to regularly serve (weekly or monthly) Which of these many opportunities would you like more information about? A member of our staff will reach out to you to answer questions and help with your discernment process. Please CLICK HERE to take the survey. Please click on the boxes to find out more information on how you may serve. PRIORITIES: CHILDREN’S SUNDAY SCHOOL (9:45 – 10:45 AM) – Cindy Hutchinson is our week-to-week lead teacher. We need a minimum of one adult to serve with her. We’re likely looking for a rotation of adults to serve once a each month. (background checks required) YOUTH GROUP MENTORS (Sundays, 12:30 – 2:30 PM) Sterling Severns is our week-to-week leader. We need 2 other adults to serve beside him. We’re likely looking for a rotation of adults willing to serve once each month (Background checks required) DIALOGUE FACILITATOR (serving larger community) – ExCell is beginning a new zoom based program which gathers a small group of preschool parents together on a monthly basis. Facilitators will be trained in a 1.5 hour session and then commit to facilitating a conversation for 1 hour….once a month. We’re looking for facilitators with these attributes and attitudes: – Positive and uplifting leadership with others Guide conversations through keen observations – Demonstrate curiosity and interest in learning from others – Share patience and a sense of humor with others – Ability to listen responsively (demonstrate to the speaker that you are listening and understanding what is being said, which encourages the speaker to continue) We’re looking for a total of 10 facilitators. YOUTH EVENTS: We have a handful of upcoming youth events requiring additional chaperones. Check the box if you’d like info on events and dates. TABLE PREP AND/OR FOOD PICKUP: Mid-September, we’re beginning a new Wednesday night program called “Dinner Church”. We’re looking for folks willing to pickup food and deliver it to the fellowship hall on Wednesday afternoons and others to help prepare the tables (late Wednesday afternoon) ONCE A MONTH CLEANING AND ORGANIZING: We’d like to have a list of folks that will be willing to come into the building, once a month on a weekday of their choosing, to help tidy up and/or organize classrooms and hallways. HANDY PEOPLE: We’d like to have a list of folks that would be wiling to come into the physical building to help with basic “handy” projects. Think – hanging frames, powerwashing, preparing walls for painting, etc. SHORT TERM PROJECTS IN THE BUILDING: SANDERS: use a belt sander and mouse sander on small oak classroom desks STAINERS: Stain some of the furniture out sanders have prepared. TECHNOLOGY: organize our cables, test equipment, and/or install AV in classrooms “AT HOME” PROJECTS SEWING: new cushion covers for sitting stools, a sitting bench, light blocking curtains, and cushions for “This End Up Furniture” BASIC FURNITURE BUILDING: Break down a piece of furniture and use the wood material to create a basic sitting bench (we have a leather cushion for the bench) Please CLICK HERE to take the survey. Please click on the boxes to find out more information on how you may serve. We’ll continue to post other opportunities as they arise and appreciate you discerning YOUR place of service. |
Spaces of Belonging
Joseph Myers in The Search to Belong, with the help of sociologist Edward T. Hall, identifies four kinds of spaces in which we find a sense of belonging. DISCIPLESHIP HAPPENS IN ALL FOUR OF THESE SPACES. Each intentional space has a unique purpose and set of expectations.
Our goal is to prompt each one of us to take a deeper step in our walk with Christ.
PUBLIC SPACE:A generously inclusive space for the “masses”
Public space is about sharing a common experience in a larger space, like a public worship service.
WE SHOULD EXPECT to come to worship with expectation of encountering the living God, prepared to listen to stories about the in in-breaking of the Kingdom of God, and leave with a renewed sense of purposefulness. We should not expect this space to do the challenging and long-term work of transformation.
WE SHOULD NOT EXPECT this space to do the heavy lifting in the long-term work of transformation. While this space may feel intimate to those participating, it isn’t meant to be a replacement for the smaller spaces where people can be vulnerable and practice accountability.
AT IT’S BEST, corporate worship becomes missional if it reshapes people to inhabit God’s story in their everyday lives.
COMMUNITY SPACE: The prime building block for the church. A generously inclusive space where people from all walks of life become a missional community.
Community space is where people select a community – people with whom they want to go deeper – to belong to. In our congregational setting, this space is more like a mid-sized group of 20 to 40 people. The It’s small enough for people to experience authentic community, but big enough to mobilize.
WE SHOULD EXPECT this space to facilitate deeper relationship building and lighten the load by spreading out the work.
WE SHOULD NOT EXPECT the deepest levels of vulnerability and accountability to take place in this space.
AT IT’S BEST, this space gives people a foretaste of the Kingdom, where people are known and, together, we’re living out love and relationships in meaningful ways.
PERSONAL SPACE: A generously exclusive space where relationships are deeper because of the trust we build through accountability.
Jesus discipled the disciples through constant invitation and challenge. Personal spaces of belonging are small by design, 5-12 participants, and are uniquely suited for a deeper formation.
In this closed and temporary space we invite people to live out a common rule of life and share in habits together that will help us to have eyes to see, ears to hear, and practices that will encourage us to live out the mission of God.
WE SHOULD EXPECT accountability to happen in this space because Christ calls us to help one another explore our unique struggles, hopes, and callings. In this space we invite and challenge one another to open up honestly. We create safe space a shared commitment to expectations and embracing the importance of keeping trust in the holding of one another’s stories.
WE SHOULD NOT EXPECT everyone to feel comfortable to participate (yet) and we shouldn’t assume this is space where we expect the “naked truth” of our lives to be fully revealed.
AT OUR BEST, The farther we move from the public space into personal/intimate spaces, the greater the accountability and vulnerability becomes and the more intentional we should be in fostering the invitation and challenge to walk with Christ into a hurting world.
Higher depths of accountability and vulnerability don’t come easy for many of us. Trust takes time to build. Whereas, we should assume that everyone is expected to go deeper, with each step they take with Christ, the stride and pace of those steps will vary dramatically. If you’re ready to step into something that promotes vulnerability and accountability, we’ll have a space for you now. If you aren’t ready yet, it’s ok. We’ll be ready when you are.
INTIMATE SPACE:A generously exclusive space where the “naked truth” is shared, without us feeling “ashamed”.
This is like the space Jesus had with Peter, James and John. Whereas, we aren’t yet ready to invest energy in creating intimate space, we want to be mindful of it’s importance!
Explore our fall programming guide
Short on time? Here’s a snapshot of what to expect this fall
Discipleship Pathways
“What would the church look like if everyone in the church used their God-given gifts and talents to equip the rest of the church in such a way that the entire church became more like Jesus?” For if the whole church looked and lived more like Jesus, how much more would our neighborhoods and cities look more like heaven?
– JR Woodard
The Pastoral Staff has been hard at work in preparing to equip the church in this next season of life together. Early this week, we’ll share the details of what the church can expect. This document will serve as a primer in better understanding why we’re beginning “here” and what to expect from each space we’re creating. Our goal is to prompt each one of us to take a deeper step in our walk with Christ; we make the road by walking.
DISCIPLESHIP IS THE GOAL
It’s all about equipping the people of the Church to be more like Jesus in a world that needs the love of Jesus. Christian discipleship is about calling others to join us in practicing a way of life in which we embody (flesh out) the life of Jesus in the context of the world as we journey to fulfill God’s mission together.
- Discipleship is a way of life, not an intellectual assimilation of ideas or a program.*
- We must deliberately practice discipleship in our daily lives, if we want to disciple others; It’s essential for us to practice what we teach.
- Discipleship is about inviting people to become whole again, to become more like Jesus, overcoming destructive habits and building life-giving habits
- Discipleship takes place in the street and the sanctuary, the classroom and the living room, its about being “with people” in everyday life
- Discipleship happens when we are on mission together, joining God in the renewal of all things.
Explore the primary tool we’re using to develop three unique spaces of belonging in Fall 2022.
Explore our fall programming guide
Short on time? Here’s a snapshot of what to expect this fall
* Adapted from Jr Woodard's Creating a Missional Culture: Equipping the Church for the Sake of the World
Graveside Service for Margaret Anne (Fulks) Alcorn
We continue to lift up Eloise, Massie, and the entire Fulks family, as they grieve Margaret Anne’s death and celebrate her homecoming.
Alcorn, Margaret Anne Fulks, 66, of Boise, ID, formerly of Richmond. VA, joined her beloved ancestors and her Heavenly Father on August 4, 2022.
She was the third child of Melvin Earl Fulks, Sr. and Margaret Broach Fulks. Margaret Anne was a loving, caring, and mighty child of God. Though quiet and willowy she had an unyielding personal sense of justice that would summon her into immediate action when a stranger, dog or cat needed help. She leaves behind her two children, Matthew Alcorn and Samantha Alcorn, as well as ex-husband, Scott Alcorn.
Margaret Anne had a long career as a meticulous, cheerful legal secretary in Boise. Her sense of humor and many hijinks kept everyone laughing. Her siblings, Melvin Earl Fulks, Jr. (Lynn), Eloise Fulks Hines (Vic), George Massie Fulks (Betsy) and Darryl Wayne Fulks will miss her greatly. She also leaves behind seven nieces and nephews and a host of great-nieces and great-nephews.
There will be a Graveside Service at Forest Lawn Cemetery on Monday, August 29, 2022 at 11:00 a.m.
Next Youth Event – Picnic Party at the Gradwell’s August 17, 6:00 – 8:00 PM
| YOUTH PARENTS & MENTORS Next Event for our Youth Group Youth Event For Wednesday, August 17th Picnic Party At The Gradwell’s! Hello Youth Family: Our next youth event for Epic August, is Wednesday, August 17. We’re looking forward to a great picnic party at the home of the Gradwell’s. If you have not RSVP’d already, please do so by Monday, August 15, by 7:30 PM. WHEN? Aug 17, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM DROP-OFF/PICK-UP at The Gradwell’s1613 Harborough Rd., Henrico, VA 23238 FOOD Hotdogs and hamburgers and trimmings and a dessert RSVP Please RSVP by Monday, August 15 by 7:00 PM. Click here to RSVP. Upcoming Youth Events: August 20: Youth Participate in our Church-wide Clean-up Day September 16-17: Lock-in and RVA Street Art Festival November 11-13 2022: CBF Va Fall Youth Retreat at Eagle Eyrie Please be sure to RSVP when you get the email or see the post as this helps our coordinators plan for your event. |
YOUTH EVENT – WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10TH FUN DAY AT KINGS DOMINION
We’re looking forward to a great day at Kings Dominion on Wednesday, August 10th.
RSVP is mandatory:
We’re grateful for Tim Pohl’s generosity in helping us make our trip to KD affordable. It’s really important for everyone to RSVP no later than 4 p.m. on Sunday, August 7th.
WHEN?
Aug 10, 10 AM – 8:30 PM
HOW MUCH?
$15 per student (potentially less?) + cost of food if you opt to eat in the park
DROP-OFF/PICK-UP at Kings Dominion
10 AM
Parents will need to bring their students directly to Kings Dominion and/or make arrangements for someone to so do so. We’ll meet at the giant flagpole in front of admissions.
8:30 PM
Parents will need to pick up their students at Kings Dominion at 8:30 p.m.
WHAT TO BRING?
* Comfortable Walking Shoes
* Sun Screen
* packed lunch and/or supper
* Swim attire + towel (if you plan on visiting water park)
* I you opt to eat in the park……credit/debit card, and/or mobile payment (KD is Cashless)
WHAT NOT TO BRING…..
Click here to read through the items NOT allowed in the park
PLEASE REMEMBER TO RSVP BY 4:00 PM SUNDAY, AUGUST 7TH.
CLICK HERE TO RSVP.
A Month of Maintenance Work for Our Home at Grove & Meadow
This report was submitted back in June from Donna and the Building and Grounds Committee. Since it was a large and costly project, we thought for those of you who may have missed it the first time around, we would bring it back to the top of the posts so you can have a chance to read it again.
It’s been an exciting month of activity around our buildings for the month of May and into early June. You may not notice unless you look hard or unless you are spending time in the choir area or Blue Room! The members of the Building & Grounds Committee thought you would like to see just how hard folks have been working for needed repairs and renovations, thanks to our partnerships with local experts. Old World Masonry Restoration, Vassars Services and Jeter Flooring all did an excellent job for us!
To read the full report which includes pictures of the project, click here.
Many thanks to Vincent, Donna and the Building & Grounds Committee.
Youth Event – Wednesday, August 3, 2022
 PARENTS & MENTORS |
| Next Event for our Youth Group |
| Hello Youth Family: The next youth event is Wednesday, August 3rd. Please RSVP no later than Monday, August 1, by 7:00 PM. Hope everyone is having a great week. Next week’s youth event will take place at the home of the Corbitt’s. Please RSVP by no later than 7:00 PM, Monday, August 1, so plans can be finalized. Thank you! Schedule: 6:00 p.m. Meet at the Corbitt’s. 3310 Lamb Ave, Richmond VA 23222 Pizza and items to “make your own” sundaes will be provided. Volleyball net will be set-up in the park. 8:00 p.m. Parents PICK-UP their youth AT the Corbitt’s. We’re asking for everyone to RSVP for weekly outings to help us make plans. Please click here to RSVP no later than 7:00 PM, Monday, August 1. Looking forward to a great night together with our students. PS: If you know that there is a youth that may not be on this email list, please forward this email to them and email Ron Simmons the person’s name and email address at mu6fes@aol.com and he will add the email address to the Youth list. Thanks! |