...increasing numbers of transformed lives

SPIRITTHE

Model T’s, the Trinity &CommunityPg. 2

Be Still...Pg. 3

Trash, Treasure & the Kingdom of GodPg. 4

I’ve got the Joy!Pg. 5

El Puente:The Ultimate Bridge between

Communities and LanguagesPg. 6

Transformed!Pg. 8

September 2012

CovEr PHoTo:Robious Hall

Campus Homework Helpers program

Bon Air BAPTisT CHurCH

somewhere between sunday worship and our individual call-ings to share our faith lies the

reality known as Christian community. At our James river Campus, small groups play an important role in this. They are designed to be safe places where people explore spiritual truths, nurture fellowship and make disciples. several have found their way to faith or back into the church through small group participation. Harrison Deane is one such example. i knew Harrison back in high school. one afternoon out of the blue, he called and asked if i was available to meet with him. We met at the local starbucks. i was ex-cited to reconnect with an old friend!

over a couple of venti-sized coffees, Harrison mentioned he had recently read The Simple Faith of Mr. Rogers. He also shared that his brother, Mark, was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer. it was apparent both were sig-nificantly impacting his life. Harrison had become open to the possibility of God’s real involvement in his life for the first time. i love these moments when you sense God is smiling. As our meeting came to an end, i en-couraged Harrison to attend one of our small groups for men; he agreed to do so. After the first meeting, he was blown away by the love, camaraderie and fellowship he had experienced. This was his first time in open, spiritual

conversations with other Christians.

A few weeks later at a meeting, Har-rison mentioned his brother had a “bucket-list” wish—to drive a Model T Ford. After posting the wish on Fa-cebook, several people from his small group responded. By the end of the day, Charlie Jurgens, an 87-year-old local man, offered to make this wish come true. Harrison’s family and his new small group met Mr. Jurgens at the Buford road Campus. Together, they shared in the joy of watching his brother’s wish come true. one of the beautiful things about small groups is the intentionality placed on “doing life together.” on August 12, Mark Deane succumbed to his illness and transitioned from this life to the next. Harrison is now surrounded by a group of guys who are committed to walking with him through this difficult season of life. Perfect love is what binds together the Father, son and Holy spir-it. if we simply avail ourselves to this love, create space in our lives to com-mune with God and others, we witness and experience God’s love. God works t h r o u g h community!

Model T’s, the Trinity &Community

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Andrew Peterson & Friends in Concert

Thursday, December 6, 2012 7 p.m.

Buford road Commons

Purchase tickets online at EvangelismTickets.com

Cost: $10 online, $15 at the door

For information callNorthStar Community

800.908.2377

Quarterly Business Meeting september 12, 6:15 p.m.Buford road Commons

Budget Presentation october 10, 6:15 p.m.

Buford road Commons

Budget Vote october 21 following worship

services. All campuses

Give all year! Celebrate in December!

2012 international Missions offering goal is $140,000.

For info about mission events and activities, go to www.bonairbaptist.org

and click on the Missions tabof our campuses.

Church Business Meetings

by John sawyerCampus Pastor

James River Campus

in April a few of us from the Buford road Campus attended a three-day retreat at the Eagle

Eyrie Baptist Conference Center in Lynchburg. This event, Unforced Rhythms of Grace, was designed to allow participants to experience a balanced rhythm of prayer and meditation, cognitive learning, and practical physical work. Clergy and laity participated in this fluid daily cycle reminiscent of the monastic life. in Greek the word for monk is monachos or “one,” indicating the in-tegral “oneness” or balance of those who dedicate their lives to God. our three-day stay was a reminder of how Christians are called to live as a single “one,” integrated and fully connected to God.

Each day included a time of teach-ing by the lead facilitator, Dr. Michael

sciretti, Minister of spiritual Formation at Free Mason Baptist Church in norfolk. He exhibited knowl-edge, tenderness, and a devotion to meeting each of us wherever we were and moving us inward to fellowship with God within our hearts. We also experienced daily fellowship with other partici-pants, time to practice contempla-tive prayer, and physical work during which we held to the intension of practicing being in the presence of God. on the first rainy day, we washed windows and cleaned floors and baseboards in the retreat center. When the sun came out on the sec-ond day, we worked outdoors clear-ing a trail and an open space that will soon be a labyrinth for walking

prayer. our days ended in a service of contem-plative prayer around 9 p.m., which was followed by the Great silence. We were particularly fond of this time of no talking that lasted until morning prayer

the next day.

This retreat was a rich time of still-ness, silence, meditation and prayer—all disciplines that are mod-eled for us by Christ. Blending these spiritual practices with workshop-style learning and physical work created a powerful experience of the belief that “divine truth cannot be accessed by the mind alone.” it requires a transformation of one’s entire being: head, heart, and body.

Be Still...by Alix Miller

Unforced Rhythms of Grace

Message by norman BurnesChristmas store Gift Dedication

Wednesday, november 21 7:30 p.m. • Buford Road Sanctuary

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4 4 •

by Jake Maxwell,Young Adult MinisterBuford Road Campus

Are there yard sales in heaven? Could it be that during the summer, in eternity, on sat-

urdays, we will still bring stuff down from the attic and sell it to one another? Yard sales on the streets of gold? Probably not; i don’t see anything like that in scripture.

Though heaven and eternity are void of summer yard sales, i am convinced that the Kingdom of God was present and active at our church yard sale on June 2, 2012. i’d like to reflect with you why i am so sure.The yard sale was an effort to ben-efit our students in their mission to singapore 2013. Alison Wakefield, who was the coordinator said, “The yard sale was important to me be-

cause i wanted to help support the students.” in singapore, i am confident they will impact lives for the sake of Christ and will experience a life change for themselves. The yard sale

raised over $9000, which will help defray the cost for our stu-

dents. Wow! it brought singapore a bit closer for several students. i be-lieve God’s kingdom is delighted in what our students are preparing for!

This day in the sun would not have been possible without the many volunteers who made it happen. Adults, students and even children from all campuses donated their sweat and their saturday. Erica schulman, a young adult who wor-ships at Buford road, recalled, “The best part of working the yard sale was the fellow-ship of working with all the others from our church. There is some-thing special about everyone coming together for a common purpose.” And she’s right. i

believe God’s Kingdom is alive where his church is working together for the good of others!

Your donated items brought joy to our community. i watched steve ouellette, James river Campus Youth Coordinator, sell a baby stroll-er for half the price! All leftover items were donated to Goodwill with the help of Ellen Thornhill who worships at James river. i believe that God’s kingdom is present where resources bless our neighbors!

i can’t be sure one man’s trash is another’s treasure; i doubt there are yard sales in eternity. But i can be sure the Kingdom of God is present among our church, yes even at yard sales.

Yard Sale 2012Young adults supporting student ministry

$1 $5Trash, Treasure & the Kingdom of God

$2

PAnAMAPArTnErsHiP oPPorTuniTiEs 2 0 1 3

babc K Panama

Construction • VBS Day Camp • Medical

Contact: Greg McKenzie, BABC Panama Coordinator, gregmck@gmail.com

or 334.0515

4

register for Upward Basketball and Cheerleading at

www.bonairbaptist.org

if you have ever experienced a Thursday evening at robious Hall Campus, you have probably

heard us sing, “i’ve got the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy down in my heart!” We sing it at every food distribution. Min-istry at the robious Hall Campus is all about JoY! Those of us who feel called to be a part of this campus feel that we are the lucky ones! We have found joy in service and in our relationships. We understand that people need food resources, and we ask the church family at other campuses to provide one can of food EvErY WEEK for the robious Hall Campus and for the Baptist Centers. But food is not the primary focus of this ministry. The heart of the ministry is developing community through building relationships. When we have a distribution event, we set up a hospitality table with sandwiches, fruits, and vegetables. We provide Christ-centered arts and crafts for the children. We meet and greet every individual who comes, and we

have a devotional in the middle of the distribution. We pray that all who participate feel encour-aged and loved. We have learned that ministry takes immersion, engagement, and pa-tience. one of the greatest spring

projects at the robious Hall Campus was de-velopment of the Hope Garden. With 17 plots, we have a wonderful area to witness, cel-ebrate, share produce, and spread joy! Those of us who have rooted our lives in the

robious Hall Campus will never be the same. We have seen evidence of God’s work in action. We have seen women and men from the local community engaged in Bible study. We have heard them repeating what they learn. We have seen habits and hang-ups being addressed. We have seen people in the community look-ing after others to encourage them. The Buford road and James river Campuses have partnered with us in team projects, special events, sun-

day school classes, and family adop-tions at Christmas. We are grateful for this support. in addition we look forward to other partnerships as well as increased involvement between the two worship services at the robious Hall Campus—spanish and English. We are looking for ways to enhance those relationships. There’s lots of Kingdom work being done right in our own community. To God be the Glory—Great things He has done!

I’ve got the Joy!by Teresa Kile

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upcoming sermon series by Dr. Travis Collins

sundays, september 16 - november 11

Check www.bonairbaptist.org for info about small groups and

sunday school classes.James Bryan smith’s book, The Good and Beautiful God,

is available at Bon Books & Brew

6 6 •

Megan Wing is a rising senior at Midlothian High School. An active participant in her church, Mt. Pisgah UMC, an award winner in Girl Scouts, an athlete at her high school, and a singer/dancer for her high school show choir, Megan has been a blessing and an inspiration to the Robious Hall Campus and to the community at large. I am grateful for her service and dedication. Les Venable

Robious Hall Campus Pastor

Midlothian, virginia is a much more diverse place than many people recognize, including those of us who call Midlothian our home. When

i heard about the suburban Mobile village in which many Hispanic people live, i was taken by surprise. i did not know about this area until i was introduced to the residents through a program called Homework Helpers. The mother of one of my friends, Ginger Pridgen, was

organizing a tutoring program for the chil-dren of this village, and she invited me to be one of the many high school teenag-ers who volunteer time to help these children improve their ability to

communicate in English. Every Wednesday for 16 weeks during this past school year, i waited for my five-year-old friend at the bus stop in his neighborhood. in total, twenty-five children and twenty-five high-school students worked one-on-one for an hour and a half each week, practicing English-speaking skills.

Building a relationship with the child that i tutored, as well as the other children, made me fall in love with this community. During the summer i planned a summer camp called “El Puente,” which means “The Bridge” in spanish. My aspirations for the camp, are that it be a time of preparation for the children before they start

school again in september. My goal is to bridge what they learned this past year at school and Homework Helpers with the skills they will once again need at school. During these sessions, the kids will get to inter-act with their friends and the counselors, sing, dance, act, participate in educational activities, play games out-side, and read, all while speaking and comprehending

English. i will do the planning and behind-the-scenes work to fulfill Girl scout Gold Award requirements. Local high school students will serve as the “camp counselors,” and trusted adults will be supervising.

The Ultimate Bridge between

Communities and LanguagesEl Puente:By Megan Wing

Building a relationship with the

child that I tutored, as well as

the other children, made me fall

in love with this community.

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Come pray for with us for the spiritual development of our church.

Mondaysseptember 10, october 1, november 5, December 3

7 p.m. • Buford Road Campus • Room 208

Make something happenCatalyst <>>

By working with these children, the high school students will build lead-ership skills and a sense of pride in doing some-thing for someone else. The children will develop skills of which they are proud. Please keep the children of suburban Mobile village and their families in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you, and God bless

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Talent, Tricks, & Treats!

Mission: Singapore FundraiserFriday, October 19 6:30 p.m.Buford Road Commons

Support our students. Enjoy a talent show and scrumptious desserts!Free preschool child care!Tickets: $5 on the web site or at your campus

Junior High Weekendall CaMpUsesoctober 12-14Eagle Eyrie Conference CenterGames - Breakout sessions - Worship. Cost: $130 (includes meals)

Super High Weekend all CaMpUsesnovember 16-18Theme: “All You need is Love” Cost: $100 (includes meals)

All you need is

Wednesday, october 245 - 8 p.m. Buford road CommonsJoin us for an all-campus, multi-generational meal packaging event! our goal is to furnish and package 15,000 meals to be distributed to hungry children and families.

Meals cost 25 cents each...donations welcome!

For info, email: brooke.brill@bonairbaptist.org

Third annUal Golf ToUrnaMenTsponsored by the Bon Air Baptist Church Deacons

october 22stonehenge Golf & Country Club

Awards – Prizes – FoodFor info: lcoble1@verizon.net or 357.8733

Transformed! by valerie Carter, Associate Pastor for Glocal Ministries

Today you will find shannon owens at-tending Bible study at the robious Hall Campus, in worship or perhaps serving

others through the clothes closet ministry. if it’s a Monday night, you may find her at the Buford road Campus teaching an introductory computer class to residents of suburban Mobile village. “The church did so much for me…that’s why i am giving back,” exclaimed shannon as we sat across the table having lunch together. “robious Hall, that’s my church! not the bigger one!”

This has not always been shannon’s story. Her story before Christ was one of “isolation and seclusion”. While she was lost and lonely, God was moving around and about her. over twenty years ago, two women of our church, sylvia Barden and Carolyn Hollowell, led a Bible study for women in this community. shannon’s late mother, Anna Brown, attended these weekly Bible studies. Later, after Anna’s death, concerned individuals at the Buford road Campus and i ministered to Mr. Brown as he grieved the loss of his wife. A small team of helpers did maintenance work on Mr. Brown’s home while sarah Moses monitored some of his health needs. The singles Ministry made friendly visits to Mr. Brown and brought him healthy food. These regular visits were seemingly inconvenient for shannon but, as she reflects, her true thought was, “Gee, everybody’s coming to see Daddy. i was thrilled that these people would take time to care for him.” shannon goes on to say, “i never liked church because it wasn’t for me until unforeseen circumstances sent me to the food pantry.” she continued, “it was the best thing that ever happened to me, and there is no turning back! it was the best decision hiring Pastor Les who did my wedding!”

it was on February 11, 2012 that shannon and JJ were married at the robious Hall Campus. shannon said, “The whole com-munity came together for my wedding.” now as a Christ follower and a Police sci-ence student at John Tyler Community Col-lege, shannon says, “i am totally a different person. i am now about helping others. i

always look forward to Bible study and before this i never owned a Bible in my life.”

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Buford Road Campus2531 Buford RoadRichmond, VA 23235bonairbaptist.org

December 93:30 p.m. & 7 p.m.

Buford Road SanctuaryPresented by an All-Campus

Choir & Orchestra

Come be part of this life-changing presentation. This is

our opportunity to unite as the Body of Christ to tell the Good news that Jesus, our Messiah,

has been born!

All-Campus Choir rehearsals are on Wednesday nights at

7:15-8 p.m. in the Buford road Choir suite starting

september 19.

if you sing, play an instrument, or want to help serve our

homeless guests a Christmas dinner at 5 p.m., please contact becky.hopkins@

bonairbaptist.org or call 237.7877