This week we welcome Rhonda Toussaint to our staff as the Minister for Children and Youth. This new staff position will be responsible for equipping leaders, planning programs, and enhancing all aspects of ministries with children and youth in our congregation. Rhonda is a graduate of Randolph Macon and has a masters degree from the University of Virginia in Counselor Education. She has lived in the Ashland area for many years and has been an active layperson at Duncan Memorial UMC, leading in a number of capacities. Rhonda is also the Program Coordinator for Children and Adults at the Ashland Branch of the Pamunkey Regional Library. Please give Rhonda and her sons David (13) and Ben (6) a warm Kenwood welcome!
Welcome Our New Minister for Children and Youth
March 12, 2010 by bethgivensSouper Bowl of Caring a Huge Success
February 22, 2010 by bethgivensThanks to our Higher Ground youth for hosting the Souper Bowl of Caring today (rescheduled from February 7). They served delicious chicken noodle and vegetable soup, salad, bread and dessert to a packed house in the Fellowship Hall. They raised $123.10 and 101 cans or boxes of food for ACES.
Lent: A Journey to Hope
February 11, 2010 by bethgivensWith all the “snow Sundays” the season of Lent has come upon us quickly! Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, which is February 17. This year, we will share in Ash Wednesday worship at 7:00 p.m. in the sanctuary.
Our focus for Lent is A Journey to Hope. As we turn our faces toward Jerusalem with Christ, we know the
path leads to the cross and this will be a difficult journey. Yet we join Him to find hope even amid challenge. Along
the path, we see reflections on issues that still affect us today. These include self-esteem, money/power, relationships, careers/jobs, temptation, suffering and death. How might our life’s journey be different if we truly let Jesus be “in the driver’s seat”?
You can sign on to the journey by joining us for worship on Ash Wednesday. You can share what you are learning in the journey by commenting on our Journey to Hope blog, which you can access by clicking on the Journey to Hope link on the right. Share your thoughts, experiences, and what you are learning about the journey to the cross this Lenten season.
In order to help you on your journey, Kenwood’s Comfort and Joy Prayer Shawl Ministry has prepared Prayer Squares for all of us. These small, knitted squares with a cross on them can be carried anywhere as a reminder of our journey together to the cross this week. You can receive yours on Ash Wednesday, or any of the following Sundays until we run out.
All Sunday Worship Cancelled
February 6, 2010 by bethgivensAll Sunday worship services at Kenwood are cancelled for Sunday, February 7. Pastor Beth’s sermon on surrender as a mark of maturing Christians can be found here.
Souper Bowl of Caring Rescheduled Due to Weather
February 5, 2010 by bethgivensKenwood’s Higher Ground Youth have rescheduled the Souper Bowl of Caring scheduled for this Sunday to Sunday, February 21 after 11:00 worship. Please mark your calendar accordingly and plan to join Kenwood’s Higher Ground youth as they prepare and serve a soup lunch for the Souper Bowl of Caring, a national youth hunger awareness day. Your admission will be a can of food or monetary donation for ACES!
All Sunday Services and Activities Cancelled
January 30, 2010 by bethgivensSunday School and worship are canceled January 31 due to the weather conditions. Remember that the Souper Bowl of Caring lunch is scheduled for next Sunday, February 7!
If you are available to shovel, please contact Pastor Beth by e-mail.
Kenwood Kids Write Prayers for Haiti
January 25, 2010 by bethgivensOn January 24 at KidZone, our kids packed over 30 health kits for Haiti, and the older kids wrote these prayers for Haiti. Please use them in your personal prayer and devotional life.
Dear Lord, please help them be OK. Help them find their families. Give them food and water we pray. Find them shelter every day. Amen.
Dear Lord, please let Haiti stay calm and find resources. Amen.
Dear God, help Haitian people find family, stay safe, find food and shelter. Amen.
Helping Haiti Update
January 14, 2010 by bethgivensUMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief) and UMNS (United Methodist News Service) reports that the situation in Haiti remains dire. There are three missing UMCOR workers among hundreds of thousands of others that we continue to hold in prayer. In addition to giving through UMCOR and your prayers, you can help by assembling health kits, which will be shipped from UMCOR’s Sagar Brown Depot in Louisiana. Health Kit contents can be found at this link, and health kits should be returned to Kenwood by Sunday, January 24.
Building Committee Selects Firm
January 14, 2010 by bethgivensKenwood’s Building Committee has selected Century Construction, working with Peretz and Young Architects, to begin the design process for the Ministry Center. Property closing on the initial Cobbs Road property is scheduled for next Tuesday, January 19 at a Board of Trustees meeting. The Building Committee will begin meeting with Century and Peretz and Young on January 26, and hopes to have a first phase of design complete this spring to share with the congregation.
Questions about the Building Committee process should be directed to Juliet Hildreth or Tracy Toms
What You Can Do to Help Haiti
January 13, 2010 by bethgivensIn the aftermath of a devastating 7.0 earthquake which struck Haiti Tuesday evening, we can reach out in numerous ways to help the people of what is already one of the poorest countries on record.
- Pray for strength for aid workers, medical professionals, civic and government leaders and others who will be leading rescue and recovery efforts.
- Visit the United Methodist Church website for information about how United Methodists are responding.
- Know that there were already several United Methodist mission teams on the ground in Haiti during the earthquake including teams from Blacksburg, VA and from North Carolina. All have been accounted for at this writing and are involved in rescue and recovery efforts.
- Give to the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) one of the leading international aid agencies.
