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As we gather, let us wonder. As we wonder, may we worship.

On Wednesday nights, the children of Tabernacle gather together to engage in the Bible through Godly Play. Godly Play is a creative Bible story technique that encourages children (ages Pre-K to 5th) to imagine themselves as part of the story and to wonder freely about the biblical narrative. They are also encouraged to respond to the stories through art and play. The rooms are filled with the children’s artwork – come check it out!

Our curriculum matches up with the narrative lectionary. So, this Fall we engaged the stories of the Old Testament, from Abraham to Esther! As we move into the Spring, Godly Play will spend some time learning Parables from the book of Matthew before engaging Lenten stories.

Our Godly Play team is dedicated to walking alongside the children as we learn together. Christen Schumacher, Anna Tuckwiller, Ryan Corbitt, Kristen Koger, Joe Perdue, and Megan Strollo serve each week with the children.

Visitors are always welcome to join us and experience the wonder and worship that occurs each week in Godly Play!

Megan Strollo, on behalf of the Godly Play Team

Young adults continue to be a vibrant, growing, and vital part of the Tabernacle Baptist Church family.  The Young Adult team exists to encourage young adults to build close relationships with one another and to engage them in the existing ministries and activities of the Church.

The Young Adult Team hosted several fellowship events during 2014.  A large group of us gathered for the Super Bowl last February, where some of watched the game itself and others just to spend quality time with old and new friends, and commercials. Several of us went apple picking again this fall at Carter Mountain Orchard. In September we attended a party at the home of the Schumacher’s, and even that is even more meaningful now that Dan has accepted a call to his first senior pastorate.  A large group of us gathered in December for our annual Christmas party, where there was much laughing and abundance of chili during a boisterous white elephant gift exchange.

While the Young Adult team tries to organize several “official” events during the course of the year, we believe that the best, most meaningful connections happen organically and often spontaneously. In order to help foster these connections, the Young Adult Team maintains a fairly active Facebook page where people can connect with one another, ask questions, and invite people to events they are attending. Fellowship, discipleship, worship, and service opportunities are frequently posted there.

Young adults continue to support children and youth activities.  They also meet regularly for discipleship activities and small groups.  Young adults participate regularly in worship, serve as deacons and committee members, and continue to support the life and mission of the church.  We find that Tabernacle is a place where we feel called to serve, to plunge into the deep waters of faith, to offer our best to God in worship, and to find kindred spirits to share our lives with.

As we look to the future, we are excited about how we see God leading us.  Tabernacle is growing, and new faces continue to show up regularly.  The Young Adult Team hopes to continue supporting the life church by helping people feel connected and welcome.  We hope to do even more in the year to come to promote fellowship, mission, and discipleship opportunities for young adults as we seek to follow Christ in the world.

Joe Perdue and Art Wright

Young Adult Team Leaders

This past year has been a year of tremendous growth and relationship building for our youth! Here are a few of the highlights from the 2014 year.

* We continued with our Wednesday night D Groups as our middle and high school students gather in smaller groups to discuss the upcoming Sunday’s scripture passage with leadership from Mark Snipes and Kate Ayers (middle school) and Emily White and Julie Sisson (high school).

* Sunday School continues to be a time of fellowship, music and discussion led by David Wolf

* The youth gathered together for a Disciple Now weekend in May where they talked about identity and being rooted in Christ. Thank you to the Hoffpauirs and the Hartmans for opening up their homes again for our youth to stay overnight.

* This summer, 3 adults and 11 youth experienced a new camp called UniDiversity where they participated in bible study, seminars, electives, worship, and games. The theme for the week was “Everyone is… Is Everyone…?” Our group got to explore different ways that they are broken, forgiven, invited and powerful and how they can be vulnerable, accepted, welcome, and responsible.

* We also had youth that participated in the VA Baptist All-State Choir and the VA Baptist Music and Worship Arts Camp

* The group has gathered together for fellowship events like a trip to the river, a trip to Turner Smith’s river house and the Welstead’s house, gathering together on Halloween, and cheering each other on in various sports and extra-curricular activities.

* We have also enjoyed having our youth lead on many occasions in worship by reading or singing. We learned a song in the Kachin language and were able to share this in worship!

We look forward to seeing how our youth learn about themselves and grow into the people God formed them to be as we continue to live in a time filled with vibrant and life-giving ministry.

Youth Team: Julie Gaines, Kristen Koger, Sterling Severns, Emily White, David Wolf

This ministry provides food and clothing to needy families in our neighborhood.  The pantry and clothes closet are open every Thursday from 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm.  Food is distributed and the clothes closet is open for all to shop.  This is also a place where people can come to share their experiences and situations, and sometimes to just fellowship and talk or have prayer.  It is funded by contributions made to the Fellowship Fund and Food Pantry Fund and from time to time grants. Bill Finley was able to secure a $1000 grant from Chevron again this year.

Food pantry and clothes closet are staffed by dedicated volunteers.

In 2014, we distributed 2,503 bags of groceries to 650 families, including 70 homeless persons.  Some came only once and some every month.  On average a family came between 3 and 4 times a year.  There were 261 families who visited the food pantry for the first time in 2014.  We distributed over 50,000 pounds of food (25 tons) this year – an increase of 6% over 2013.  We strive to provide well-packed bags of food each week.

This year about 75% of food we distribute comes from the USDA program.  The Food Bank makes an allotment of food based on number of families served.  USDA food is picked up on the first Wednesday of each month.  One week we picked up almost 4,000 pounds of food.  Dan Schumacher has been a real help in organizing volunteers to pick up food on the first Wednesday of each month.  Many thanks to Dan and his team for taking on this task.  We will miss Dan and his help and welcome Nathan Hatfield who has taken over this task from Dan.

This ministry to the needy could not be accomplished without the help of a lot of volunteers.  In 2013, 19 volunteers gave over 1,900 hours of their time to make this ministry possible.  Many thanks to our regulars who come most every week – Jerry Spiller, Priscilla Kinchen, Jack White, and Bill and Jean Finley – who serve so faithfully.  Hope Nycum joined us this year to help stock the shelves.

Jane Denzler continues to manage the clothes closet, assisted by Linda White, Connie Jones and Brenda Cox.  Each week the volunteers sort donated clothes, shoes, etc., hang clothes in designated areas for women, men and children and assist clients in selecting clothes.  Items chosen are bagged and toiletries given out if available.  An important part of this ministry is to maintain a friendly environment where clients feel welcome and comfortable.  Each week, a steady number of clients visit the clothes closet as the word spreads about this ministry.  Consequently, we always need your clothing and shoes, particularly for men.  Thank you to everyone who donated clothes and toiletries this past year.  With your donations, our clients are able to tell us Tabernacle’s Clothes Closet is the best in the area.

If you visit us on any Thursday, do not be surprised if you hear laughter, for it truly is a fun working environment.  Every week people tell us what a great thing this church is doing and how much they appreciate what we do and the way they are treated.  I think that is what this ministry is about – whether it is getting food, clothing, or just having someone listen.  We want people to feel better after coming here.  I find every year that the people who serve in this ministry do so because they want to help others.  We are still here because there is still a need and because we have people willing to help address the need.

Dick Denzler

Director, Food Pantry/Clothes Closet Ministry

 

 

A little history:

The food pantry started around 1978 by collecting food from the congregation and distributing to people who came to the church.  It was actually stored in a pantry.

In 1998 (first year we started keeping statistics) the food pantry began participating in the USDA program. The first year the monthly average was 19 families and 27 bags of food distributed.  In 2014 monthly average was 185 families and 209 bags.

In the first 5 years we had about 540 families visit the food pantry.  As of December, 2014 that number has grown to 3,682.

The clothes closet began in 1978, and in 1998 it was operating in a 10 ½ by 22 foot room, about 230 square feet.  We have expanded the clothes closet space to almost 1,400 square feet.

This year in music ministry began in a relaxed mood.  Easter was later this year, April 20th, there was time to learn lots of music as well as the music for Holy Week and Easter.  Then it SNOWED every other Wednesday in February!!!  We rose to the occasion and survived in a grand fashion.   Several anthems were taken off the table, literally taken off the table and returned to the file cabinet, but the necessary music was rehearsed and presented in a beautiful manner.  The Sanctuary Choir is amazing.

In January for Epiphany we presented many different settings of “The Cupboard’s Full”  by Tim Coons.  The song was presented by Ron and Terry, the Older Children and Youth Group and by the entire Sanctuary Choir in an arrangement by Ryan Corbitt.  The worship service included communion each Sunday so that each service also included communion songs.  The Karen, Chin, Lisu and Kachin choirs also contributed to the music of worship.

The Sanctuary Choir welcomed several new members during this year.  We were excited to have Paul and Lugene Fernald and Renee Grinnell singing with us in January, Faith John, Charity Roberson and Renee’s brother Graham Grinell joined us later in the year..  They are great additions to our group.  The Sanctuary Choir is almost out of robes, but there is room still for anyone who wants to join us!

The Lenten season was centered on the theme of the cross. The décor included a large cross that was covered with newsprint and two 20 Ft. banners that were covered with pictures of crosses found in unexpected places and backed with newsprint.  Hymns and anthems about the cross of Jesus were sung throughout the season.  The emphasis was on looking for where Jesus could be found in the world as we moved into new places in our lives. Entering Holy Week the Older Children’s Choir, the Youth Choir and the Sanctuary Choir sang the anthem for Palm Sunday and the Younger Children’s Choir also presented two selections.   The Maundy Thursday Service was held in the Sanctuary around tables and included food, questions and foot and hand washing.   Nathan Hatfield, Megan Strollo and Denise Walters sang for the service.  The Good Friday Service consisted of a performance of “Remember Me” by Taylor Davis.  Alan Miller and Ryan Corbitt accompanied the Sanctuary Choir.   Sanctuary Choir and the Ladies of the Choir provided the music for Easter Sunday.  The Easter Service ended with the singing of “Low in the Grave He Lay” by the different communities that worship together here at Tabernacle.

In the month of May the Children’s Choir became a bell choir.  The children’s singing choir became a Bell Choir.  We met though the month of May and shared our music with the congregation on June 1.  The children learned a great deal about bells and playing bells in a short period of time.  Special thanks are due Lugene Fernald, Laura Jones and Laura Severns for their excellent teaching and patience.  Several people continued to ring into the month of June.

The Sanctuary Choir sang though the 8th of June to cover Pentecost Sunday.  This year several of them wanted to continue singing into the summer and formed the “We Sing What We Want” Ensemble!!  They collected several anthems that are favorites of members of the group and rehearsed them and shared these favorites with the congregation.   We had a great time singing and sharing some of the old favorites from the past. .  Sharing the stories of how we came to love the anthems we chose to share allowed the choir members to get to know one another on a deeper level.  Many thanks are due to Ron Simmons and Terry Witt for encouraging this choir—all I had to do was play! It was good fun.  In June we also had a brief sighting of a Hand Bell group, but summer travels soon got in the way.   We did manage to play for church once.

Pentecost was particularly exciting this year as we filled the sanctuary with red, yellow and orange 12” balloons and origami doves.  The children released helium filled balloons into the sanctuary during the processional.  There was a celebration in our wonderful sanctuary.

On June 17th we held the first of what we hope will be many Open Mic Nights in the Tabernacle Fellowship Hall.  About 12 people performed their songs and then the Meadow Street Band closed out the evening.  It was a great time of fellowship and celebration of talents!  The second of these events was on August 18 at 7:00-9:00 PM in the Fellowship Hall.  We shared original songs, magic tricks, stories, poems, piano solos and lots of Broadway songs.  It was great fun to discover people’s talents.  Do you know we have a member who is a dulcimer player?  Ron, Terry and Susan Braden were responsible for these highly successful  “Open Mike” night events.

July 14-18 Kristen Koger and I took Waysnah, Monica, Christina, Ja Sang Mai, Sang Lung, Doi Bu, Way Doh, K’Paw, Kekoa and Kanoa to Music and Worship Arts Camp at Eagle Eryie.  The Virginia Baptist Mission Board sponsors this camp.  Activities at Camp include singing, drama, art, orchestra and a lot of swimming!  We all had a great time and are looking forward to next summer!  Chrstina Sung, Monica Iang, Waysnah Htoo,  Brynne Severns, Dylan, Kaeo, Kanoa and Kekoa Burgess auditioned for Virginia Baptist All-State Choir in September and all of them were accepted into the choir.  We love participating in Virginia Baptist music activities!

September brought Sterling’s return and the return of regular church activities.  Sanctuary Choir got back to their normal schedule and the Wednesday evening children’s activities include choir.  We are busy preparing for the weekly worship services and for Christmas concerts and programs.  The Sanctuary Choir began working on “Gloria” by Antonio Vivaldi and several other anthems that are based on the “Gloria” text.     The children sang several songs based around the Narrative Lectionary passages and then began to work on their Christmas Pageant.  This year Marty Watkin wrote the pageant.

The pageant was presented on December 14th in the 11:00 AM worship service.  The children were responsible for the dramatic portions of the pageant and the youth group provided the music for the program.   The Sanctuary Choir and friends sang at Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg, Va. on Dec. 20.   The program included “Gloria in D” by Antonio Vivaldi and “Gloria” by Craig Courtney.   We were accompanied by a string Quartet.  We then presented several of those pieces during worship on Dec. 21 and at Christmas in the Fan with the Richmond Concert Band on the same day.  The Christmas Eve service was a wonderful mix of solos, duet and ensembles.  Tabernacle is blessed with an amazing amount of musical talent.

We are grateful for the talents and dedication of our music staff, Ryan Corbitt, Ron Simmons and Terry Witt.  Their talent and versatility is amazing.  This Christmas season Ryan Corbitt recorded a solo album of Christmas and Advent pieces, Ron conducted the Vivaldi and Terry sang several of the solos.  The music program would not be the same without them.  Serving in the music ministry at Tabernacle is a wonderful opportunity.

Judy Fiske

As we reflect on 2014, we are in awe of the many ways God has moved through our congregation this year. What an amazing year of renewal! We have served beside one another, prayed for one another, and celebrated with one another.

God Sized Vision

In the spring, the Deacons walked alongside the congregation while the God-Sized Vision Team launched a major campaign to raise funds for our Renovation Projects.

Ten Year Anniversary for Sterling

Also in the spring, we celebrated Rev. Sterling Severns 10th Anniversary as pastor of the church. The Deacons led a fundraising initiative to purchase 300 new bibles for the sanctuary that were presented to the congregation in honor of Sterling’s 10-Year Anniversary.

Summer Sabbatical

Beginning in May, we prepared for Sterling’s Sabbatical through a deliberate weekend led by Bo Prosser. Mr. Prosser led the church staff and deacons in an Exit Gathering on Saturday, May 31st, and then spoke with the congregation during worship the following Sunday. Sterling and his family were sent with Bread for the Journey for a summer Sabbatical, which officially began on June 1, 2014. While Sterling was away this summer, the church planned several renewal activities of our own. We attended picnics, baseball games, and movie nights together, while embracing the theme of Coming Home. It was a meaningful time of fellowship. Upon Sterling’s return, the Deacons attended a Re-entry Retreat led again by Bo Prosser at the Baptist Theological Seminary of Richmond. This was a valuable experience for reflection and helped us to prepare the deacons for how to welcome Sterling back into the fold. The Deacons would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the amazing pastoral staff that worked diligently all summer to keep things moving smoothly: Rev. Dan Schumacher (Associate Pastor), Dr. Judy Fiske (Minister of Music and Worship), and Kristen Koger (Full Time Summer Intern).

Ordination

Tabernacle was honored to ordain several gifted ministers in 2014. Julie Gaines Walton and Jeff Walton both had ordination services in the fall of 2014. We are thankful for their ministry every day and grateful to be a part of the ordination process with them.

Deacon-led Initiatives

• The Deacons created a team that revised our Church Constitution and Church Manual this year. This was a major undertaking and we are grateful to those individuals that served on that team: Gerry Strong, Nathan Hatfield, William Strollo, and Jessica Corbitt.

• The Deacons also created several subgroups that meet prior to Deacon Meetings to discuss key areas of ministry within the church. Those groups are: Team Based Ministry Subgroup, Homebound/Extended Family Care, Visitation Encouragement Group, and the Church Business Group. These new groups have focused our meetings and allowed them to run smoothly and effectively.

• In the fall of 2014, we created an additional temporary group that would look into the function and focus of the Tabernacle Child Care Committee. The temporary group is discerning how that standing committee can be utilized to fulfill the ministry of the center and to focus on relations between the church and child care center.

• On September 3, the Deacons led a Summer Highlight Night and Ministry Fair showcasing the work of our ministry teams and how God has used the Teams over the past year. We welcomed the Conversational English Group as a new team in 2014.

• In December, we created a transition team that would assist the congregation in preparing for Rev. Schumacher’s departure. The church supported Dan as he began the search for a senior pastor position. We prayed for Christen and Dan as they sought out the location to which God was calling them and celebrated with them in their decision. On January 4, 2015 we offered Dan and Christen bread for the journey and offered our gratitude for their ministry at Tabernacle. We wish them both well as they prepare to move and serve at the First Baptist Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

It has been our honor to serve our Church family in this amazing year of renewal. Thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement.

We are so very grateful for your participation in our God-Sized Vision campaign and for God’s guidance as we launch the Construction phase of this momentous project.  Nelson Melton, Chairman of the Construction & Renovation Committee, is currently working to finalize the last components of the drawings needed to secure the Building Permit from the City of Richmond for our first phase of construction.

As we have noted in several communications about our God-Sized Vision campaign, the Construction & Renovation Committee will agree on several phases of implementation of the changes to be made to our physical structure.  Phase 1 includes modifications to our Basement Area/Fellowship Hall.  Planned improvements include:

• A new and more accessible Ladies’ bathroom that will have three stalls.
• A new mechanical room for the Fellowship Hall air conditioning and heating unit.
• A new, larger storage room for the church’s kitchen activities
• A small storage room for the musical instruments used in Worship Services meeting in the Fellowship Hall. Currently the equipment is being stored behind the coat rack in the Fellowship Hall.
• A small office area for the church’s sexton.

This is an exciting time for all of us!  We are beginning to realize a culmination of years of effort on behalf of many of our church members.  Look forward to frequent updates regarding construction progress and any explanation of impact on our location of activities during the time frame of the construction work.  And please do not hesitate to use our God-Sized Vision mailbox located on the table in our Meadow Street entrance foyer to ask any questions that you might have.  Our committee will respond to you in a timely manner.

Please continue your prayers for our Construction & Renovation Committee leaders, as well as for work safety during construction.   Your prayers are an important component of the overall success of our endeavors!

With your money and prayers in 2014, God allowed us to do these things, mostly in Hungary:

• Pay our bills: rent, utilities, food, medical care, insurance, and taxes.
• Hire an immigration lawyer to get residency permits through June, 2016.
• Host our local church’s (Karen’s) youth group every Friday for 2.5 years—until they outgrew our living room in March.
• Travel to America for several weeks in July and August.

• Help Karen to complete successfully her Hungarian phase of life, including:—
  • Finishing high school (and paying lots of special senior-year expenses).
  • Singing in a praise band with the associated travel expenses.
  • Filling in applications to five American universities—and the financial aid forms.
  • Being admitted to William & Mary, a great school thats fits her well.
  • Sending her to a two-week conference for foreign-grown missionary kids who were headed to America for college.
  • Moving her in to the dorm and attending orientation for students and parents.

• Stay connected through technology.
• Deepen relationships with fellow teachers, friends, neighbors, other missionaries, students, baseball kids, believers, non-believers, Deaf people, hearing people…
• Finish the essential elements of the Little League baseball field.
• Maintain the baseball field throughout the year.
• Look for a future full-sized baseball field.
• Enter a baseball team in the 2014 Hungarian Little League.
• Hold a weekend baseball-softball camp in September.
• Have two Baseball Fun Days for adults.
• Attend a sports missions conference.

• Attend and help lead a Deaf camp.
• Teach Hungarian Deaf kids English.
• Help and encourage the Deaf church in Budapest, where our two non-believing sign-language teachers from 2002 have begun to attend.
• Help resolve a conflict between a Deaf missionary couple and the Hungarian Baptist Union.

• Develop curriculum (about life more than English), teach high-schoolers, and grade their surprisingly interesting essays.
• Worship and serve with a missions-minded church in Vác.
• Help support a Hungarian missionary family in Budapest.
• Participate in retreats for spiritual and emotional renewal.
• Travel to Croatia for Fall Break, where we visited two families for mutual encouragement.
• Talk about life with our private English students.
• Support our English-teaching company when we don’t have enough students.
• Host many guests in our home.

• Learn to manage time and priorities better.
• Worry less.
• Give thanks more.
• Pray for others.
• Grow nearer to God and see where he’s working.

We can’t thank you enough!!!