This Week at St. Bart's

August 10, 2016

A Message from the Reverend Andy Dunks

Become Holy, Bears will Love You

Several commented on my story of St. Seraphim of Sarov and his friendship with animals, particularly bears, in last week's column. Some voiced skepticism, and some said that the idea of being at one in love with the animal kingdom made them want to pursue God more ardently - so here's some proof and some inspiration.

"St. Seraphim, like Francis of Assisi, talked to animals. One day two nuns saw him deep in conversation with a bear. The bears of the Russian forests are very ferocious, and the two women were terrified. But Seraphim reassured them and showed them that he who is sanctified lives in peace with all creation, just as Adam did before the Fall."

-Olivier Clement, The Living God: A Catechism, Pg. 90

"The world was created as an act of celebration so that it might share in grace and become Eucharist through the offerings of human beings."

- Olivier Clement

"Man is not a being isolated from the rest of creation; by his very nature he is bound up with the whole of the universe... In his way to union with God, man in no way leaves creatures aside, but gathers together in his love the whole cosmos disordered by sin, that it may be transfigured by grace"

- St. Maximus the Confessor

Mission

Our mission is to seek, serve, and celebrate Christ in every person.

We invite the community to worship with us, to share our gifts, and to grow in Christ's love.

In This Issue

Rector's column

This Sunday

Nelson County Collection

African Team Ministries

St. Bart's Day

Bible Study

Shrine Mont

Coffee Hour Sign-up

Spiritual Formation Group

Food Donations

St. Bart's Youth Group

Prayer Request/Answered

On the Horizon

Web Site

www.stbartsrichmond.org

Email

stbartsrva@gmail.com

Phone

804-740-2101

Street Address

10627 Patterson Ave.

Henrico, VA 23238

Mailing Address

P.O. Box 29626

Richmond, VA 23242

Father Dunks's

contact information

Cell: 804-937-7145

dunks.andy@gmail.com

If you like these, they are from the site "Orthodoxy and Animals", on both Facebook and Tumblr. (And no, there isn't a comparable "Episcopalians and Animals" site. Perhaps that is a job for one of you readers).

Blessings,

This Sunday

8:30 AM Holy Eucharist, Rite I
9:30 AM Adult Sunday School

10:30 AM Holy Eucharist, Rite II

Collection of Supplies for Nelson County High School

This will be the final Sunday to collect supplies for Nelson County High School.

The High School is located in Nelson County in Lovingston, Virginia. The children

attending this high school are in need of assistance since most families are not

fortunate enough to be able to provide for their children.

This high school is in need of not only school supplies but also gently used

clothes for teenagers. Some of the teachers opened a clothes closet to help the

children whose families can not provide for all their needs.

For those who want to contribute to the Nelson County School drive,
but haven't had time to shop, would you be interested in contributing
towards a case of nice backpacks through a discount supplier? We can
get a case of 24 very nice backpacks for $174 ($7.25 each) through

bluschoolsupplies.com Would anyone interested in this please make a
check with "backpacks" on the memo line to St Bartholomew's - Rector's Discretionary Fund and put it in the collection plate this Sunday.

if you are going to do the shopping, here are some of the supplies we hope to be

able to collect for them:

1. Back packs..new or gently used

2. Normal school suppies: pencils, filler paper(college rule), index cards, dividers

(5 tab), etc.

3. Soap, deodorant, shampoo or shaving cream.

4. Gently used clothes for teens.

5. Packages of underwear, boy or girl.

There are a lot of sales right now going on at the Office supply stores and others

like Walmart and Target. So when you are out shopping just consider picking up a

couple of items from the list and bringing them to St. Bart's to be donated to these deserving children.

There is a box to collect the items to the right of the front door. It would be great

to fill it and need more boxes. This is our opportunity to get their school year off to

a great start.

African Team Ministries Table

The African Team Ministries display table is back, and will be in the parish hall

for two weeks. All purchases go to to the relief of the needy through their local

Anglican Diocese.

St. Bart's Day celebration

We will be celebrating St. Bart's Day on Sunday, 8/28 by sharing a potluck
luncheon after the 10:30 service. Please plan to attend and bring a dish for
your family and to share with others. See suggestions for the type of dish to
bring. Use the initial of your last name. A-G - main dish, H-L - side dish,
M-O - dessert and P-Z - drinks.

Bible Study - Outreach

Father Andy is leading a Bible Study every Wednesday from 2-3PM at Little
Sisters of the Poor. Anyone from St. Bartholomew's is welcome to attend.
You can meet Fr. Andy there (just ask at the desk where it will be located)
or you can meet him at the church at 1:30PM if you would like to ride with
him.

Little Sisters of the Poor is located at:

1503 Michaels Rd
Richmond, VA 23229

Shrine Mont---A Place Apart

Every September, St. Bart's reserves a weekend for a retreat at Shrine Mont.
This is our diocesan camp and conference center in Orkney Springs, Virginia.
To get there you take a lovely drive up the Shenandoah Valley.

This year we will be going on Friday, September 23th and returning Sunday
September 25th. We have delicious meals in the dining hall, live in two cottages
and meet for a program and services several times during the weekend. There's
plenty of time for hiking, sports and relaxing.

Look for the sign-up sheet at church or call Randy Oglesby at 272-2136 to ask
questions or to add your name to the list. The deadline is Sunday, September
11th. The cost is about $170 for adults; children 4-12 are $53.00 and free for 3
years and under. Financial assistance is available through the Mike Oglesby Shrine
Mont Scholarship Fund. See Fr. Dunks if you want to be considered for a scholarship.

Come enjoy being with your church family in a very special place.

Coffee Hour

Please consider signing up to sponsor coffee hour after a 10:30AM service. All

you have to do is bring goodies to share, stay and enjoy the company and then

clean up afterwards. This time gives us the opportunity to get to know other
members and welcome visitors.

There is a sign up sheet on the bulletin board.

Spiritual Formation Groups

Monday Night Group (at St. Bart's)

The group meets on Monday nights from 6:30 to 8PM. They are studying
next week's lectionary texts.

Wednesday Morning group (at St. Bart's)

The Wednesday Morning Group meets at the church for prayer and study from
10:30-11:30AM. They will be taking a break until after Labor Day weekend.

First Sunday Food Donations for the Hungry

We continue to collect food donations on the first Sunday of each month.
If you forget that scheduled collection date, just add your donations
to the box to the right of the door anytime. We are currently delivering
the food to the Lamb's Basket Food Pantry in the Lakeside neighborhood. While
they accept any canned or packaged, food, items they regularly distribute to
each family the following products:

Pasta sauces

Soups

Beans

Vegetables

macaroni and cheese boxes

dry pasta

fruit (they have a goodly supply of fruit right now.)

In addition, they offer choices of juices, staples such as cooking oil, condiments
and a shelf of toiletries, detergents and paper goods. On my last delivery, they
mentioned they were low on baby food.

They would also like to have a steady source of fresh eggs. Due to our storage
constraints, I purchase eggs on the way to deliver the food. If anyone wants to
donate cash for eggs, I would be happy to add that to my donation.

Thank you for your support of this outreach project.

St. Bart's Youth Group

Calling all youth 13 years and older to join our youth group. The meetings
will be held on Sundays at 6PM. We will continue to meet twice a month on
the second and fourth Sundays. Together we will explore the bible and see
how it can apply to our daily life. We will also be talking about how we can
help the church and community.

We would like to provide dinner for the youth group on the Sundays
we meet. Please call Marlaina Knowlton at 804-897-1495 if you could
help with dinner any Sunday. We will place a sign up sheet on the
bulletin board. Please consider helping by signing up. Thanks.

Prayer Request and Answered Prayers

Prayer Requests:

This week we are praying for: Autumn, Audith, Belle, Betty Sue, Betty W.,
Bob, Carole, Cierra, Claudine, Diana, Donna, Ethan, Frank, F.G., Ginny, Harlow,
Hayden, H.B., Heather, Helen, Jane, Jeanne, Jennifer, Jimmie, Joan, John
Thomas and family, Joyce, Julia, Kathy, Kent, Kym, Lexie, Martha Mae, Martin,
Mary Libby, Okpil, Paige, Paul, Rebecca, Richard, Sarah, Sebastian, Terry, Tony,
Tukie, Vonie.

On the Horizon