Pastor’s Wednesday Morning Bible Study
Ginter Park UMC’s regular Pastor’s Bible Study is
scheduled to begin once more on Wednesday,
September 16th from noon until 1pm meeting in the
Scott-Walford room. Please bring your own bag
lunch.
The topic will be Happiness and our text book is:
“Created for Happiness: Understanding Your Life in
God” by Cynthia Bond Hopson and Sarah Heaner
Lancaster. The books sell for $10 each. Please let the
Church Office know right away if you would like to
order a book.
Everyone who is able to come is welcome to join us
for this Bible Study which was also one of the
classes taught at the UMW School of Christian
Mission at Blackstone in July.
Our ASP provides a structured environment to
support intellectual, physical, spiritual, and social
growth and development. We strive to create and
maintain a nurturing, safe environment. Children
will eat a healthful snack, have time for homework,
devotions, and engaging developmental activities.
If you are interested in volunteering, please contact
the church office.
AED Installation
We now have an AED installed next to the pastor’s
office for emergency use. We also have both adult
and pediatric pads. We hope we never have to use it,
but it is certainly nice to have in case we need it.
We also have trained individuals in the church, but it
is automatic, and it will tell you what to do. All you
have to do is cut it on, so if someone is
unresponsive, do not be afraid to use it!
Choir Practice Time Change
Christian Education Sunday/Blessing of
the Backpacks
On Sept 13th, during both worship services, we will
observe Christian Education Sunday and the
Blessing of the Backpacks. This is a chance for
prayers to be given to all educators and students as
they embark on a new school year.
After-School Program
Ginter Park UMC established the After School
Program (ASP) to provide quality care for students
in VPI/Pre-K through fifth grade.
Beginning on September 13th, the Chancel Choir will
start its Sunday morning practice sessions at
9:00 A.M..
RVA WARRIORS-EXERCISE CLASS
We will be starting a new exercise class on
Wednesday evenings from 6-7 p.m. in the social
hall. This is for all ages and abilities. It will begin
on September 16th. Bring a friend and come join us
in the social hall as a certified RVA Fitness Warrior
comes to help us shed some pounds or tone up.
Spread the word! It is FREE!!
RVA Bike RACE coming
soon…TRAFFIC changes
The UCI Road World Championships are being held
in Richmond September 19-27. Of course the
greatest impact for us will be the two Sundays,
September 20th and 27th, with Sept. 20th being the
greatest concern because the race is in Northside.
You can go to Richmond2015.com for details, but
the race on the 20th will start out at the Lewis Ginter
Botanical Gardens and continue down Lakeside and
Hermitage. The best way to come into the church
that day will probably be from Chamberlayne. On
the 27th, the race is mostly in the downtown area.
We will try to keep you informed as we hear of road
closures closer to the dates.
Youth Retreat Oct. 9-10
All middle and high schoolers are invited to spend
Friday night and Saturday on John Thompson’s
Farm October 9-10. Please sign up with Anne
Durrett by October 4th. You will receive a schedule
and itinerary at when you sign up.
23
24
27
30
Josh Carr
Lucas Harris
Greta Satterfield
Billy Moses
October
3
4
6
8
9
10
12
13
16
19
20
21
22
24
26
27
29
31
Mary Liz Kehoe, Carrie Pecht
Greg Sessions
Linda Wood, Robert Cerreta
June Crew
Sue Hicks, Brian Wells
Amelia Bryan, Helen Ruth Aspaas,
Jaden Rawlings
Betty Blue, Mary Lou Vronek
Ella Kinney
Judy Gail Johnson
Crystal Riddick
Charles Fisher
Evan Taylor
Gary Taylor,
Emery Bray
Emily Dabney,
Robert Burns
August Dettbarn
Heather Blake,
Camp Wilbert
Sandra Turner
Mary Thompson
Hands On Greater Richmond Work Day
On October 17th, beginning at 9 AM, we will have a
work day at GPUMC. We will also be recruiting
volunteers through Hands-On Greater Richmond to
help us with various projects at 3800 Chamberlayne
and at the church.
SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER
BIRTHDAYS
September
3
Joe Pleasants, Charles McKinney
5
Garrette Lee, Floyd Davis
8
Chris Hiers, Erin McNeill
16
Olive Griffin
17
Frankie Irons, Flo Martin, Anne Durrett
18
Brandy Cocke
20
Jacob Durrett
21
Doug Blake, Myrle Moore
22
Rev. Dennis Lipke
United Methodist Women
The United Methodist Women has reformed
and is in rebirth again and our women are right in the
middle of that rebirth. We are small but re-growing.
Our two circles joined together and became one. We
now call ourselves the Ginter Park United Methodist
Women.
Two of our members joined the district’s trip to
the Eastern Shore. They sang, danced and ate with
other members of the UMW churches on the shore,
played games with children from an area daycare and
learned about the newest migrants that dominate the
fields of Maryland and Virginia’s Eastern Shore. It
was an overnight trip and as they slept on a cold rainy
night they woke to a bright warm sunny day at the
water and saw much of the Eastern Shore that the
natives take for granted.
Our July Executive Committee meeting was
good. We can always use ideas and suggestions for
more and better meetings and programs. And don’t
forget the programs we support and the places we go.
Our September meeting is just the start to a
new, better year for us. So come join us and bring a
friend. And…don’t forget to READ!! Stay informed
and enjoy your world. Order DVD’s from the Mission
Resource Center, write your congressman about your
feelings on human trafficking, enrich your learning
experiences.
Pumpkin sales are 7 days a week: 11am to 7pm,
Monday – Saturday; Noon to 6pm on Sundays. All
age groups and physical abilities are encouraged to
help run the sales tent; you do not have to lift
anything if you are unable! We have a cute little
gourd growing right outside the sanctuary doors to
help you remember so sign up today!
Calendar of Events:
9/1-10 A.M. Sept. Unit Meeting/Lunch at GPUMC
Drum Circle Night! Oct. 24, 6pm! Bring
something to bang on…drums, buckets, coffee cans,
whatever you have! Join us as we sing praises to
God out in the Pumpkin Patch! We’ll have an al
fresco chili supper, with the chili made mild so you
can add your own amount of spice if you like. There
will be gluten free, meat free and regular chili
options, so there’s something for everyone! The chili
is free, but donations are appreciated!
9/11-Mini Mission at St. Marks UMC, Midlothianopen to any United Methodist person with a passion
for missions. Registration form in church office.
9/16-10 A.M. – noon-Coffee Hour and Cookie Sale at
the Hermitage-Cookie donations are needed. Please
contact the church office or Jean Taylor if interested.
9/26- UMW District Annual Meeting-Highland
Springs UMC-Mission Giving-40th Anniversary of
Dimes For Blackstone…SAVE YOUR DIMES
10/1-10/4 Virginia Conference ‘On the Road Again in
Mission’ Express. This is a mission trip which will
leave from Bon Air and Skipwith UMC and travel to
KY to work with the Jubilee Project and the Henderson
Settlement. More info in church office.
October 24-25-VA Conference UMW 43rd Annual
Meeting-Blackstone Conference and Retreat Center
As a mission for the children of Richmond, VA and the
world: The UMW is collecting good and excellent used
toys, school supplies of all sorts, crafts for daycares
and new underwear and shirts of all sizes for both boys
and girls. To donate anything to the UMW projects
contact Laura Roberts, Barbara Jessup (after 10 AM
please) or Jean Taylor.
Pumpkin Patch News
Pumpkin Patch Season is upon us! In less than 40
days, on Sunday, October 4th, our wonderful
Pumpkins will arrive for another fun filled month of
fellowship & stewardship! Everyone is needed to
stay after church & help us unload! Wear clothes
you can get dirty in, and we’ll have a pizza lunch on
the lawn.
The Prayer Labyrinth will also be set up once
again, with instructions on how to prayerfully
meditate through it and out again. The Labyrinth is
not a maze, but is designed for quiet meditation, to
pray, and to listen for God’s response. It will be
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for the last
week of October. Any time, day or night, if you
feel you need some quiet time to walk with God, this
will be open to you.
Pumpkin Patch Coat Drive!!
Please bring in your outgrown, clean coats to give
away on Halloween Night! We are looking for coats
and outerwear jackets that are in good shape, have
working zippers, snaps and buttons, in all sizes and
age groups. We will also take gloves, mittens, knit
hats & scarves! Please spread the word and get
your friends, families, neighbors and co-workers
involved…anyone might have a spare coat they don’t
need anymore!
We give these items away on the last night of
Pumpkin Patch, Halloween Night, to anyone who
needs a warm coat for the winter. This is how we
celebrate the closing of Pumpkin Patch Days!
Everyone is welcome to the sales tent to help give
away candy, coats and cups of hot cider! Plus, if we
can wrangle a good fire pit, we will be toasting
marshmallows, too! The festivities start about 6pm
(park in the church parking lot). Seminary Ave is
hopping by then! Bring the kids to trick or treat and
enjoy a fun evening of fellowship with each other
and our neighbors!
Farewell to the Pumpkins, Sunday, Nov. 1
Some of our pumpkins will be taken by the good
folks of the Holton Elementary Learning Garden to
use for their Harvest Festival, but we will need help
getting the rest of the pumpkins loaded up and taken
to the compost pile at Shalom Farms. After church,
if you feel like you can make a trip up to Goochland,
please help us out by taking a load up to the farm.
And if you see any you want to keep for yourself, on
Nov. 1 they are free! We’ll also be taking down the
sales tent & cleaning up the area. If you can help,
come to church in clothes you can get dirty in and
there will be a job for you! THANKS!
Blessing of the Animals
This year’s Blessing of the Animals Service will be held
on October 24th at 5:30pm. Please bring your pet for a
special service and blessing by our pastor. Welcome:
All Creatures Great and Small!
Stewardship Sunday
OUR PRAYER LIST
Harold King (Recovery from surgery), Dave Ingram
(neighbor to Anne Durrett), Melissa Terranova’s Father,
Natalya Shulgina, Friends and Family of Loretta Diaz
(Dee Dee Roberts’ mother), Mary Broady’s children and
grandchildren, Judy Wilkinson, Anne Carvil, Verna
Raup, Charlie McKann, Lillian Mapp, Daisy Sanders,
Camryn Tibideau (3 yo-cancer), Bob Newins, Harold
King (surgery), Grace Lee Tolley (Liz’s mom), Roberta
Jones (R. Blevins’ sister), Liam Renn (Liz’s Nephew),
Phil Trent (Laura Robert’s nephew-Chemo), Flo Martin,
Kenneth Raup, Willy Herbert’s mother, Lonnie Briggs
(cancer), Joanne Overstreet (Shirley O’s sis-in-law,
surgery), Sandra Inge, Anneliese & Richard Winterborne,
Bob Womer, Emily Dabney, Liz Turner’s Grandmother
Helen,Erin Donealy (The King’s niece), Betty Blue,
Frances Wake, Mary Swing’s Father, Mary Lou Vronek,
Ruth Urps (Liz’s family), Quinlan (ill child), Donnie
Turner, Liz’s cousin, Rollie, Liz’s friend, Matt, Warren
Taylor, Sarah Martin (Rev. Ed Martin’s mother), Tommy
Herbert (Willy’s brother), Joe & Jean Pleasants, Joyce
Forcke, Michelle DeBardelaben (Vonda Crane’s
daughter- kidney problems), Keith Anderson, Tess
Bittner (friend of the Kings), Mrs. Butler, George &
Susan Gumbleton, Jeanne & William Clark, Marian
Stringer, Cindy Morrow, Roger Mathis’ mother, Gail
Nichols, Heather James, Rev. & Mrs. C. Bailey Jones,
Lee Ford, Dee Dee Roberts
OUR CONDOLENCES
th
Stewardship Sunday will be on November 8 . You
will be receiving letters during the month of October
with more details. Please plan to be present at
church on November 8th for this important Sunday.
Our Seniors of the Month
Please remember the following individuals in prayer
or with a note or visit this month.
Verna Raup
The Hermitage
1600 Westwood Ave, Apt 209A
Richmond, VA 23227
Harold King
2409 Capehart Rd
Richmond, VA 23294
Our condolences are extended to the family and
friends of Loretta Diaz, who died on July 3rd. She
was the mother of Melody (Dee Dee) Roberts and
mother-in-law of Jeff Roberts and grandmother of
Emilie and Andrew Gibson.
Our condolences are extended to the family and
friends of Russ and Jane Hurlburt, who died on June
4th and July 1st, respectively at ages 91. Jane was an
associate member here and very active with the
UMW.
Thank you for your donations:
Over the past few weeks, individuals have donated
over $1,400 to the Pastor’s discretionary fund for
people in need in our church and community. It is
much appreciated. We were able to help one
particular church member find shelter and get their
life back on track.
The following is from the school donations we
collected back in February:
“I wanted to reach out and officially thank everyone
at Ginter Park who has made donations or prayed for
me and my students. Your continued support and
generosity is very appreciated.” –Kristen Wilder
Changes in important dates
The Finance and Church Council Meetings will now
be held the 2nd Wednesdays of each month
beginning at 6:30p.m. for Finance and 7:30 p.m. for
Council.
However, the September meeting will be September
16th due to the Pastor being out of town. Please
make note of this.
Another change in date for September is
Communion Sunday. It will be held on September
13th instead of the first Sunday.
NEWS ABOUT OUR
FOOD PANTRY
Our church's food pantry and clothes closet is in
need of volunteers. We are open each Wednesday
morning between 10 AM and Noon. This Summer
we have been fortunate to have students helping to
staff this operation; however, beginning in
September, we can use some help in the registration
area, the food distribution area and the clothes
closet. Also, if you have a truck or large van, you
can also help us pick up our USDA food allotment
beginning at 9 AM on the second Wednesday of
each month.
If you can work one or more mornings each month,
please contact either Horace Ford or Anne Durrett.
You may want to first visit and observe the
operation to determine which of the specific jobs
might interest you.
Each week we typically serve about 60 lower
income family units who reside in zip codes 23222
and 23227. Join us as we provide food and clothing
in the name of Christ.
We are also in need of monetary donations. To
serve the number of people that we are serving at
this time costs about $1,000 per month. At the
current time we have about $250 in the food pantry
account. If you could donate towards this need,
please do so and indicate “food pantry” on the check
or envelope.
Of course, we will always take donations of nonexpired food, clothes, infant diapers, toiletries and
grocery bags as well. Thanks.
SERVING OUR CHURCH
IN SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER
Acolytes
Sept.
6
Katherine Kinney & Kayleigh Douthat
13
Jacob Fleming & Micah Kinney
20
Mady & Winn Carlton
27
Jacob & Eli Durrett
Oct.
4
Katherine Kinney & Kayleigh Douthat
11
Jacob Fleming & Micah Kinney
18
Mady & Winn Carlton
25
Jacob & Eli Durrett
Crucifers
Sept.
6
Lee Walker
13
Caleb Kinney
20
Ella Kinney
27
DJ Turner
Oct.
4
11
18
25
Lee Walker
Caleb Kinney
Amelia Bryan
DJ Turner
Ushers
Sept.
Captain:
Barbara Jessup
Altarperson: Robert Burns
Team: Shirley Overstreet, Barbara King, Conway
Kehoe, Lee Walker
Oct.
Captain:
Jeff Roberts
Altarperson: Claude Cheely
Team: Andrew & Emilie Gibson, Chris & Shannon
Kontopanos
Altar Guild
Sept.
9:30 A.M. – Allison Douthat
11:00 A.M. – Jean Taylor, Shannon Kontopanos,
Callie Robinson
Oct.
9:30 A.M. – Allison Douthat
11:00 A.M. – Laura Roberts, Susan Hiers
Each Sunday, the flowers are given in honor of or in
memory of our loved ones. If you would like to place
flowers on the altar to recognize someone or some
event, please contact Jean Taylor (308-8815).
Would you like to join our Altar Guild? We would
like to have you in one of our groups. Please call
Jean Taylor if you are interested.
Church Opener/Closer
September
TBA; Rev. Lipke assisting.
October
Ryan Douthat/Conway Kehoe
November
TBA
December
Jeff Roberts
Van Drivers
September
October
November
December
Sara Lynn Croll
Chris Hiers
Jeff Roberts
Gene Carr
Here’s To Your Good Health!*
Driving at Night
The National Safety Council suggests these steps to
make your night-driving less dangerous:
 Clean headlights, taillights, signal lights and
windows once a week-more often under
unusually messy conditions.
 Have your headlights checked for proper
alignment. If they are misaimed even
slightly, their effectiveness can be
significantly reduced.
 When you leave a brightly lit building at
night, give your eyes a chance to adjust to the
reduced light or darkness before driving.
That should take two to five minutes.
Happy Birthday Mother Teresa*
“Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.” –
Mother Teresa
Christian missionary Mother Teresa was born Agnes
Gonxha Bojaxhiu on August 26, 1910, in
Yugoslavia. She felt a calling to help the poor and
left home at 18 to join an order of Irish nuns with a
mission in Calcutta, India. She received her religious
training and took her vows there in the 1930’s. She
was given the name Teresa in honor of St. Teresa of
Avila, a Spanish saint.
One of her first tasks was teaching wealthy girls at a
private school in Calcutta. She eventually became
the principal, but she left in 1946 to work with the
poorest of the poor in the city’s slums. She began
teaching children how to read and eventually was
supervising nine elementary schools. She also
expanded her work to include orphans, the dying, and
those with leprosy. In 1950, she founded her own
order, the Missionaries of Charity, which opened an
orphanage. In time, there were establishments in
more than 22 Indian cities. In 1979, Mother Teresa
was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize “for work
undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and
distress, which constitute a threat to peace.” Her
order grew to 4,000 nuns and novices, 400 priests
and brothers, and hundreds of thousands of
volunteers, working at more than 450 sites around
the world. She died at age 87 in 1997.
“Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your
own home…Let no one ever come to you without
leaving better and happier. Be the living expression
of God’s kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in
your eyes, kindness in your smile.”- Mother Teresa
*Thank you to Zeke and Jean Taylor for these contributions to the
Newsletter.