Bon Air Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
April Newsletter
This is not all there is.
Sometimes we forget. We forget the 1000g view. We look at someone who is going through their "stupid" phase and that's all we can see. Sometimes when we are in conflict with someone that is all we see. One of my favorite pastoral counselors use to say that his job was to help couples to rediscover each other and to see that what they think they know about their spouse is not all there is to know. As our loved ones come to the close of their lives we also need to be able to look at them and remember the long view. Remember all they have done and all they have been to us. When our friends or relatives suffer from dementia, poor health, or poor choices we need to remember that this is not all there is.
That is first and foremost the foreboding we feel during Holy Week. This is not all there is. There is that gut wrenching moment when we see tears in the eyes of Jesus as he weeps over Jerusalem - oh not just Jerusalem, but weeping for a people, weeping for the blindness of humanity, weeping for the aloneness of trying to save a people who have no idea what it means for him to be the savior. There are those moments when there is something so strange in his voice as he breaks the bread and pours out the cup. There is something more to the Passover meal, something not just about remembering the past but looking to the future. This is not all there is. He prays in the garden. There is something more happening. These are not just the prayers of a devout Jew, not just the prayers of a leader looking for guidance, no, there is something more. This is not all there is.
I hope you will be with us as we journey through Lent, waving Palm Branches, breaking bread, praying and being a part of these moments of holiness. As we take in that this is not about the past, but these things have everything to do with our future. What we believe and how we live out that belief has everything to do with how the future unfolds for our lives, for our families, for our communities and for the world. If we are faithful witnesses then the lives of others will be touched and they and we will see most clearly, this is not all there is.
More yet to come, shalom,
Cindy
Special Thanks
A special thank you goes to Logan Blanchard, Maddie Smith, Allison Landergan and Lauren Johnson. These young artists created beautiful Lenten Bulletin covers and we all appreciate their artwork.
CARITAS SAVE THE DATE!
We will be hosting Caritas family focus this year from July 28th through August 3rd, please make a note to leave some free time this summer to help BACC make it a successful week. Plenty of volunteers are needed for a variety of chores.
Beginning April 1st boxes to collecttoiletries for Caritas will be by the office and fellowship hall. We need New, Unopened travel size: Shampoos, Conditioners, Soap Tooth brush, Tooth paste, Deodorant, Combs and Lotions.
Maundy Thursday Service – April 5th at 7:00
On Maundy Thursday we remember the Lord’s Last Supper with his disciples by sharing in Holy Communion. The service is also a Tenebrae service. The Tenebrae is the extinguishing light as the scripture describing the passion of Christ’s suffering and death is read.
We are reminded that the road to Easter always passes through Golgotha. Please plan to join us for this inspiring service.
JOY Group to visit Libbie Market
I am very happy to announce that MaryAnn Casdia has volunteered to help plan programs for JOY!! Our next fieldtrip will be on April 17 going to Libbie Market for a tour and lunch!! We will meet at the church at 9:30 AM on Tuesday, April 17, to carpool. Please call either Mary Ann (501-2581) or me (320-3466) to reserve your spot, and let us know if you are comfortable driving and how many passengers you can take. Libbie Market is located at 400 Libbie Avenue, Richmond, 23226, andRoxie and Mark White’s son, Matt, is their chef.
Laura Hollis
The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom is the Book Club selection for meeting on April 19th. In this story when a white servant girl violates the order of plantation society, she unleashes a tragedy that exposes the worst and best in the people she has come to call her family.
Orphaned while onboard ship from Ireland, seven-year-old Lavinia arrives on the steps of a tobacco plantation where she is to live and work with the slaves of the kitchen house. Under the care of Belle, the master's illegitimate daughter, Lavinia becomes deeply bonded to her adopted family, though she is set apart from them by her white skin.
Eventually, Lavinia is accepted into the world of the big house, where the master is absent and the mistress battles opium addiction. Lavinia finds herself perilously straddling two very different worlds. When she is forced to make a choice, loyalties are brought into question, dangerous truths are laid bare, and lives are put at risk.
The Kitchen House is a tragic story of page-turning suspense, exploring the meaning of family, where love and loyalty prevail.
The author, Kathleen Grissom lives in south-side Virginia in a plantation tavern
she and her husband renovated.
Hershey: Milton S. Hershey's Extraordinary Life of Wealth, Empire, and Utopian Dreams by Michael D’Antonio is the book chosen for May. This is the story of the one man's success. Milton Hershey achieves success by determination, innovation, and perseverance despite repeated failures. A curious mix of capitalist ruthlessness and utopian idealism, Hershey pursued riches but believed deeply in social responsibility. His devotion to the latter created a legacy that exists to this day in his school for at-risk children in Hershey, PA, the charming company town that was one of the few American communities virtually unaffected by the Great Depression. Fascinating details about candy production and Hershey's personal life abound, and the balanced viewpoint, smooth writing, and succinct treatment make this biography a good choice for assignments related to leadership, business, or U.S. social history
The book club meets at the church at 7:00 pm on the 3rd Thursday. Everyone is welcomed. If you enjoy reading we hope you will come and join us. Both books are available at Chesterfield County and Richmond Libraries.
Christian Women’s Fellowship
The C.W.F. is open to all women of the congregation. There are three C.W.F. groups women can choose from:
Day Group: Meets on April 10th (second Tuesday of the month) at 10:30. Beth Roane is the group leader. Lois Zarefoss, Sylvia Montgomery and Beth Roane will be hostesses. Bring a sandwich. Beverage and dessert will be provided.
Evening Group 1: Meets April 3rd (first Tuesday of the month) at 7:00 p.m. in different member’s
This event is hosted by Independence Christ Church at 14023 Independence Road in Ashland, VA. The trip is about 26 miles and travel time is about 36 minutes. The cost is $7. If you are interested in going please get in touch with Andee Kirk at 330-9275 or 929-2270 by April 20th. We can meet at the church between 8:45 am and 9:00 am to carpool.
Library Re-dedication – Sunday, April 29th
Please join the Foutz family and friends at the 11:00 am service as we rededicate our refurbished library to Billy Foutz.
Light refreshments will be served after the service.
BACC has received this additional thank you note from Steve and Angie Goff:
Steve and Angie Goff want to thank everyone for their prayers, cards and wonderful food. Angie was especially appreciative of Carol McGowan and Cindy coming by the hospital while Steve was in surgery. Doug and Polly White's soup was wonderful, as well as everything provided by others in the congregation. Thank you all so much.
BETHANY VILLAGE LIVE!
Travel back to life in 1840 when most families lived on a small farm and children would take part in work that needed to be done. Everyone worked from early in the morning and continued till sunset. Most children might attend school but only sporadically and rarely beyond elementary school level. Indoors children played checkers or made their toys. Outside children played kick the can or marbles. We will travel back to the village of Bethany, Virginia (now West Virginia) when the American frontier was growing and along with it the movement that became the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
During VBS each day the children will be exposed to a central Disciple value and learn about important figure from Disciple history. Mark your calendar because you will not want your children to miss this exciting program.
VBS will begin on Monday, June 25th through Friday, June 29th. Each evening will begin with dinner for the whole family at 5:30 pm and end at 7:50 pm. On Sunday, July 1st the children will share their Bethany Village Live experience with the congregation during both services.
Please consider volunteering for Vacation Bible School. The number of children that attended our program last year was 60! The years before we had 30 to 34 children. Our volunteers were a little overwhelmed last year. We especially need folks to help assist the teachers to make sure all the children are learning and safe.
If you enjoy being with children, please let Joan Mielke or Andee Kirk know they can count on you!
Have you seen?
Has anyone seen a set of keys (on a gold key ring)…maybe you found them somewhere at church and stuck them in your pocket and forgot about them? The keys may be the ones that are missing from the church office. The church office is also looking for some older hardbound church bulletins and newsletters. If anyone can help uncover the keys or the hardbound books, contact the church office.
BACC has received the following thank you notes:
Dear BACC friends,
I want to thank everyone for your prayers and cards during my recent illness with pneumonia. Both meant so much to my recovery. I am always thankful to be part of such a loving community, and happy to be worshipping in church again.
Polly Craft
Family & Friends:
We have relocated from Richmond to Sea Level NC effective today. Our new contact information is noted below:
Mailing Address:
Bruce & Peg Macfadden
c/o Snug Harbor
Box H-37
Sea Level, NC 28577
Our NEW e-mail address:
Land line (preferredway to call us)
252-656-4022
Peg's cell 252-269-8816
We look forward to staying in contact with all of you.
Peace and love,
Bruce & Peg
Dear Friends of LTS at Bon Air Christian:
The Lexington Seminary community is blessed by your generosity and kindness. We thank you for valuing the work of the Seminary and joining with us in preparing men and women for service in Christ’s church.
We recently had the second ten day session of classes for students in our new program. Words can’t describe how enthusiastic and appreciative they are to be in the Seminary’s Master of Divinity program. If they could speak to you face-to-face, they would thank you for helping make their seminary education possible. So, on their behalf, thanks for your partnership and good gift of $1,100.l0.
Sincerely yours,
James M. Wray, Jr.
Vice President for Advancement
Dear Friends,
Thank you for your gift of $300.00 on February 13 to the Micah Initiative of Richmond Hill.
This ministry depends for its life on the generosity of those who pray and work with us. We are very grateful for your contribution.
We hope that you join us in daily prayer for Metropolitan Richmond, in the way that feels appropriate for you. Our community’s weekly rhythm of prayer is printed in our monthly Update newsletter.
Please avail yourself of the hospitality and grace of this community and monastery whenever you wish. Thank you for being a steward with us of this monastery and this ministry.
Blessings,
The Rev. Robert G. Hetherington
Council Chairman
Mother Day’s or Father Day’s Book Dedication
Now that our library renovation is completed, it is time to collect books to fill the shelves. A way to honor your special parent is to purchase a book and donate it to our church library. Here is our Library Book Wish list:
Title / Author/sDiscovering Our Roots: The Ancestry of Churches of Christ / C. Leonard
The Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement / Paul M, Blowers, Douglas A. Foster, Anthony L. Dunnavant and D. Newell Williams
Disciples and the Bible / M. Eugene Boring
Loving Wisdom: Philosophy of Religion / Paul Copan
People of the Chalice: Disciples of Christ in Faith and Practice / Colbert S. Cartwright
As One Without Authority / Fred B. Craddock
Craddock Stories: Revised and Expanded / Fred B. Craddock
Overhearing the Gospel / Fred B. Craddock
The Disciples: A Struggle for Reformation / D. Duane Cummings
Classic Christianity: Life’s Too Short To Miss The Real Thing / Bob Georgy
The Children’s Sermon: Moments with God / Janet S. Helme
Reviving the Ancient Faith / Richard T. Hughes
Praying: The Lord’s Prayer in Private / Dewey Johnson
C. S. Lewis Signature Classics / C. S. Lewis
The Life of Selina Campbell / Loretta Long
Bethany: The First 150 Years / Lester G. McAllister
Journey in Faith: A History of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) / Lester G. McAllister & William Edward Turner
Contemplative Prayer / Thomas Merton
The Seven Storey Mountain / Thomas Merton
Praying: Conversing with God / Rosalind Rinker
Basic Christianity (IVP Classics) / John Scott
Raccoon John Smith: Frontier Kentucky's Most Famous Preacher (Religion in the South) / John Sparks
Disciples and Theology / Stephan V. Sprinkle
Your Calling As A Leader / Gary Straub & Judy Turner
Prayer for People Who Can’t Sit Still / William Tenny-Brittian
Barton Stone: A Spiritual Biography / D. Newell Williams
Who Will Be Saved / William H. Willion
Why Jesus? / William H. Willion
To ensure the book is dedicated and our library inventory is current, please give your books to Andee Kirk 330-9275 or 929-2270.