This Week at St. Bart's

August 31, 2016

A Message from the Reverend Andy Dunks

Sound the Retreat!

It was nice celebrating our Feast of St. Bartholomew with you on Sunday. We had a fairly light crowd, as is to be expected during the last few weeks of summer, but it was a particularly joyful time. I heard more laughter and saw more smiles than usual, and really enjoyed watching people get to know each other - for we have many new faces since last year. Thanks be to God!

One of the other encouraging things is to see just how many people are signed up to attend our annual parish retreat at Shrine Mont this year, including many who have never attended. I know Mike Oglesby is beaming his big smile down from heaven to see this happen, since this event was so dear to him. If you can, please consider contributing to the Mike Oglesby Scholarship Fund to help make this happen. I have already had several requests for help, and I don't want anyone left out. There should be envelopes in the pews, and you can use them to donate (just put them in the collection plate with your donation inside).

Also, I know that there are many folks who are unable, for a variety of reasons, to attend Shrine Mont, and if there is sufficient interest I am very willing to host a similar gathering here in Richmond somewhere. It would be two days in length but we would sleep at home to save costs, and we could have it at Richmond Hill, or Camp Hannover, etc. Let me know if you would be interested, and we can set something up for early spring.

Lastly, speaking of retreats, I am going on my annual personal retreat next week. I will leave after church on Sunday and return on Saturday. I'll be in the mountains in Pennsylvania (no, not with my daughter and her family, though that too would be a blessing) for some prayer, worship and a bit of continuing education. I will be able to check my phone and/or email once or twice daily, so feel free to contact me if necessary. And if you need a priest in case of emergency, Fr. John Maher of St. Francis, Goochland has graciously offered to be available. He can be reached at ญญญญญญญญญญญญญญ804-461-0449. I'll look forward to seeing you on Sunday the 11th.

Why go on retreat? Here's one good reason - and perhaps you might consider Shrine Mont, if you can, for this very reason:

If we work to correct ourselves and look more intently towards our "inner" activity rather than our external activity, asking fervently for Divine help, we can in turn be of greater and more positive help to others. We will achieve an inner serenity that will quietly help the souls of the people we encounter because spiritual serenity reflects the virtue of the soul and transforms souls. - Elder Paisios

Blessings,

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

Shrine Mont

Food Donations

Bible Study

Coffee Hour Sign-up

Spiritual Formation Group

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

This Sunday

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

10:30 AM Holy Eucharist, Rite II

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.

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.

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

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

Adult Sunday School Group

The Adult Sunday School class is now studying "Imagine Heaven" by John
Burke, which is a study of Near-Death Experiences. The author lays out
the evidence that such things are real and not hallucinations, then examines
a wide variety of such experiences from people of all religions and no faith,
and then compares them to the scriptural teachings of the after life. The
book is available from Amazon in print or on Kindle.

Monday Night Group (at St. Bart's)

The group meets on Monday nights from 6:30 to 8PM. They will not be meeting

on Labor Day. They will be studying the Book of Romans when they resume
on September 12th.

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 resuming their meetings on September 14th and

will decide then what they will be studying.

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, Delfin, Diana, Donna, Ernesto, 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