West End Center| RCPC Roanoke History

West End Center

By Susan Kessler

The West End Center for Youth was established in 1979 as a safe haven for neighborhood children in the West End of Roanoke City. At that time the West End neighborhood just across Memorial Bridge and only two miles from Raleigh Court Presbyterian Church, was a place of poverty, crime and drugs. West End Presbyterian, West End Methodist, and the Mountain View Neighborhood Alliance formed a coalition to build a quality program for these youth. Raleigh Court Presbyterian has been a helping partner from the beginning and continues to support the Center in a variety of ways. Several of RCPC’s members served on the original board and later boards as well, and as volunteer tutors and handymen. RCPC member Marion Raney served as the volunteer treasurer/bookkeeper for many years.

1990 – 2000

In September 1992 Kay Hale, a member of RCPC and then Executive Director of the center, visited the Board of Deacons to give a report on the status of the Center. Four goals were outlined:

Address nutritional needs
Provide recreational opportunities
Develop social skills
Fill gaps in education

Kay Hale made a plea for tutors to help students with homework and for help with renovations of the building. The Board of Deacons expressed a desire to partner with the Center and this began a period of committed involvement. In early 1993 the Board of Deacons decided to focus a majority of their efforts on this one organization. The congregation was informed and encouraged to support the Center through volunteering and donating goods. In the fall of 1993, a new playground was built by RCPC members and Kay Hale provided a list of needs and projects to be addressed over the next several years. Dewey Houck with others, built storage cabinets and shelving, laid flooring and repaired the roof. Supplies for every area of the Center were donated. These donations helped the Center to save funds for staffing and programing. The Deacons coordinated congregational and community help for office supplies, sports equipment, school supplies, computers, and benches. During these years Raleigh Court Presbyterian continued to generously include the Center in benevolence giving. In 1995 the Deacon’s voted to give a $400 bonus from the creation of a pictorial church directory to the Center and helped the Center obtain a $6,500 grant from the Presbytery. In 1996 RCPC sponsored the summer program to give these children a safe place for the summer and a school supply drive was held.

In 1997 Raleigh Court learned that the Center’s biggest need was still funding. There were 110 children enrolled and 80 on the waitlist. The needs were extensive. The Church continued to be a major financial supporter of the Center. In September 1998, the Church purchased computers and a printer. As this decade of intense involvement came to a close, Raleigh Court Board of Deacons continued to keep West End Center as one of only three organizations upon which to focus most of their efforts and continued to provide tutors and donated supplies.

2000 – 2010

During this decade Raleigh Court continued to support the Center financially and with the Socks and Underwear Project at Christmas; however, the Deacons struggled to engage the congregation to volunteer as tutors and to help in other areas. In 2003 Jeremy Peters, a staff member of West End Center, visited the Board of Deacons to discuss the tutoring program, youth filled Easter Eggs for an egg hunt for the children and a paint day was held with 11 members completing three large rooms. In 2005 youth participated in a workday cleaning and painting. Bottled 100% Juice, school supplies and the Socks and Underwear Project were the main avenues of congregational support for several years. In 2008, a time of dire financial straits for the center, $15,000 was included in the church budget for West End Center, the first Fashion Show Fundraiser was held along with a Corporate Olympics Fundraiser which was widely supported by our congregation. In 2009 West End Center celebrated its 30th Anniversary and after 25 years of service, Kay Hale stepped down as the Executive Director.

2010 – 2020

Joy Parrish becomes the new Executive Director of West End Center. In June 2010 she visited the Board of Deacons to discuss new projects. The Board of Deacons identified West End Center as an Essential Ministry. During this Decade, volunteer tutors increased to over 20 church members serving as homework tutors, Spanish tutors, math tutors and Literacy Program volunteers. Our church continued to generously support school supplies drives, the Alternative Giving Tree and the Socks and Underwear Christmas Project. The Spring Fashion Show Fundraiser grew in popularity and took on the name “Spring Bling: Fashion Show and Silent Auction.” Members of the Church consistently filled a table or two at this event. The West End Center Friends Mission Group was formed in 2016 and each year organized both the school supplies drive and the Socks and Underwear Project, filled tables for Spring Bling and provided large themed baskets for the auction, and served as tutors for homework and volunteers for work days to help paint or clean.

In 2015 The Endowment Board and Session generously granted the West End Center with funds to pay for a second eighteen-passenger mini-bus which provided a way for the Center to take children into the community for new experiences. As the 40th Anniversary of the Center approached in 2019, the center took on a project to renovate their kitchen and children’s bathrooms. The Endowment Board and Session again generously granted the Center $35,000 for the renovation of the children’s bathrooms.

Conclusion

For forty years Raleigh Court Presbyterian and West End Center have had a special relationship. Joy Parrish, director of the center from 2010 – 2020, commented on the relationship: “It’s been a special and important relationship including financial, volunteers and moral support.” These children, just across the Memorial Bridge, have blessed the lives of those who volunteered and the lives of these children have been changed forever by the generosity of our congregation.

Stephen's Ministry at RCPC

By Vickie Haynie and Molly Koon

he Stephen Ministry is a worldwide, independent, not-for-profit Christian education organization. Since 1975, more than 600,000 individuals from more than 13,000 congregations and other organizations have been trained as Stephen Ministers. One can find a Stephen Ministry in congregations across the U.S. and Canada, as well as in 30 other countries.

It is a lay caregiving ministry that supplements pastoral care within the church congregation. The program teaches laypersons to provide one-on-one care for individuals who request support. The confidential caregiver and care-receiver relationship, usually conducted by weekly visits, may continue for months, sometimes longer. Reasons for requesting a Stephen Minister’s visits may range from grieving the loss of a loved one, experiencing a major illness, divorce, job loss, or other life difficulties.

When a care receiver’s needs exceed what a Stephen Minister can provide, a referral is made to a mental health professional or other community resources, upon the receiver’s request.

The Stephen Ministry was offered at RCPC for 15 years, from 1997-2012. Four church members were trained in Orlando, Florida: Molly Koon, Martha Edmunds, Margaret Allison, and Edna Yost. Our minister, the Rev. Tupper Garden, was also a part of that training. Over time, the “Orlando Team” trained 10-12 additional church members to serve as Stephen Ministers. Many of our congregants received this beneficial support during a difficult time in their lives. People who were hurting had a compassionate companion and a caring Christian friend who provided emotional and spiritual support.

Bear one another’s burden, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2, NRSV).

Children's Ministry

As outlined on the RCPC website and in the RCPC Mission Study Report developed and published in 2014, the vision for Children’s Ministry at Raleigh Court Presbyterian is to extend the love of Christ to all the children of our church as well as those outside our doors. RCPC strives to make young disciples who are in a relationship with one another, God, church, and the world around them. The Director of Christian Education and the volunteers who work with the children strive to build the children’s knowledge of the Bible and to have their love of their Lord grow and flourish. This is done through the in depth and intentional programing provided to the children in:

• Sunday School
• Nursery
• God Alive: mid-week children's program
• Children’s Worship
• Special Season Opportunities
• Vacation Bible School
• Weekday Preschool

Raleigh Court has had excellent staff and volunteers who have been committed to creating experiences that will enable children to know the stories of the Bible, to apply the Biblical principles to their lives, and to actively become the hands and feet of Christ in the world.

Directors of Christian Education from 1990-present

Mary Lea Hartman – DCE from 1991-2002

Mary Lea Hartman served as Director of Christian Education (DCE) from 1991 until her untimely death from cancer in 2002.

Mary Lea came into the DCE position as an interim after Margaret Norris left the position in 1991. Mary Lea was serving as the Presbytery Resource Librarian when the Presbytery Library was housed at Second Presbyterian Church. She was very knowledgeable about resources so she was a great choice for interim DCE, and it was soon decided that she would be the perfect fit for the permanent DCE position. When she first started as interim, she asked Susan Kessler who was working as the Nursery Coordinator to read the book, Young Children and Worship, by Jerome Berryman and Sonja Stewart. Susan immediately became hooked on the concept presented so in 1991 Mary Lea and Susan set out together to start an RCPC Children’s ministry program like the one outlined in the book. They secured the help of Mary Jo Shannon, a Montessori teacher, who helped them understand the wisdom of an interactive systematic ministry and to help develop appropriate materials to enhance the worship experience for young children. This was the start of the amazing children’s worship ministry that still serves our church today. At that time Mary Lea and Susan committed to being the two leaders for the program for an entire year before training others in order to ensure that this program was being orchestrated as it was truly intended to be done. A few years later they attended a training session led by Sonja Stewart’s daughter and it was after this training that a dedicated Children’s Worship room was established in the church. The program was initially called “Alleluia” and so many children participated that they had to have two rooms. The name was later changed to “Children’s Worship” after they saw that people failed to realize that this was a true worship service designed to be age-appropriate for the children involved.

In her tenure Mary Lea attended a workshop about LOGOS. She was so excited that she invited Linda Mayes, the Director of Music Ministry, and Susan Kessler to attend a meeting at the Presbytery level about the Ministry. The three returned committed to establishing this program at Raleigh Court. It took a full year of work, training and planning to get the program up and running, but the ministry started in the fall of 1996.

Mary Lea worked tirelessly during the construction phase for the new fellowship hall, gathering area and preschool wing. The church had been busting at its seams for space for children, youth, and Sunday school class space. She worked to develop a shared space concept with the preschool so that this space was seen as a place to nurture children in their faith and knowledge of the love of Jesus. She helped develop the church’s “Operating Manual” in order to have a written covenant about classroom usage and care.

Mary Lea was the first DCE at Raleigh Court to have a computer! She saved documents to floppy discs and made sure information was stored in an effective way. When Susan Kessler became the next DCE after Mary Lea’s passing, she inherited those discs which were extremely helpful in keeping alive the programs Mary Lea had started.

Even as Mary Lea’s cancer progressed, she tried to continue to serve the church. She worked from home and had others carry out her plans. After her death, we learned that she had even developed a plan for saying good-bye to the children. She ordered small lamb figurines to be passed out during Children’s Time. She planned the message and picked out an anthem for the children to sing. She wanted the children to know that Jesus was their shepherd, and they were his sheep. Her message assured each of them that Jesus knew them by name and would take care of them and love them. The story of the “Good Shepherd” and the “I am the vine; you are the branches” story Jesus told were her favorites. The Vine and Branches Banner that hangs in the sanctuary was made by Mary Lou Prillaman in her honor. The Children’s library downstairs was dedicated to her because of her love for books, her love for children, and her dedication to our church.

What better way to record the history of our Children’s Ministry Program than through interviewing those who made it happen!

An Interview with Susan Kessler – DCE from 2002-2012

1. What led you to serve our church in the area of Children’s Ministry?
I had been volunteering in many areas of the church (Kid’s Kirk, Children’s Worship, Nursery, Vacation Bible School, and Sunday School) since I had two sons that were attending these programs. Our DCE, Mary Lea Hartman was dealing with cancer, and I was trying to help her as much as possible on a volunteer level. I am an educator at heart and have experience working with young children. It was a natural fit for me to use my gifts to serve in the Children’s Ministry of our Church.

2. How did you come into the position of DEC?
As Mary Lea became more ill from cancer, I took over the leadership of several areas of the Children’s Ministry. She was sharing with me many of the behind-the-scenes details such as ordering Sunday School curricula and making the Nursery volunteer schedule. After her death, several folks asked me if I would be interested in being the DCE. This had never crossed my mind. I was not sure I was even qualified. A search committee was started to find an interim and work on the job description and search for a new DCE. At the same time as all of this was going on, the church was working on trying to retire the debt from the construction of the Gathering Area, Fellowship Hall and Preschool Wing. A dessert-informational event was held in the new fellowship hall. Our pastor, Tupper Garden, began to speak about the way our church could serve others if we could retire this debt. He used the story of Esther, “for such a time as this” Esther 4:14. His words spoke to me in a different way that evening. I felt a presence about me that was quite strange. It was hard for me to focus on the rest of the talk. Was God calling me to respond to this need for filling the interim position of DCE “for such a time as this”? I shared this feeling of being “called” to respond with several people and they all confirmed that they too felt this was a calling. After a long conversation with our Pastor, I was offered the interim position and began serving. At the time, the DCE position was full-time and wide ranging in scope. The position was responsible for every facet of Christian Education from the Nursery, mid-week programing, youth, and adult ministries as well. It was decided as the Interim for me to focus on Children’s Ministry and just consult as needed with Youth and Adults. I was part-time serving 20 hours a week beginning in May of 2002. This continued through the fall of that year. During this time, I decided to apply for the position of DCE and went through the interview process. On Christmas Eve our pastor informed me that the committee had decided they would like to extend an offer for me to be the Director of Christian Education beginning January 1, 2003. Over the next few years, my hours increased as I took on more responsibilities. I began working with the youth and adults more and continued all we were doing with the children in a full-time position.

3. In what years did you actually serve as DCE and what programs were you responsible for? What programs did you start or continue that you felt in your heart were answers to the needs in our church and the call of God?
I served as the Interim DCE from May – December of 2002 in a part-time role. I became the DCE in January of 2003 and served until June 2012. I was responsible at first for the Children’s Ministry as the Interim, but over the next year or so, as the DCE I took on more of the responsibilities of youth and adult ministry and became full time.

In 2002, our Children’s Ministry programs were thriving with three rooms for nursery (Infants to Young 4s). We had a large Children’s Worship program where children left the service before the sermon for a 4-part worship service that was Montessori based and age appropriate for children 4 to 8 years old. (Young Children in Worship by Jerome Berryman and Sonja Stewart) We had so many children that we needed two rooms and created duplicate materials and set up. I was part of the team that originally started Children’s Worship, so I was trained and felt it was very important to keep the integrity of this program and bring others to be trained also. This program has proven to be timeless and continues today.

I also had been part of the team that started our mid-week LOGOS based Children’s program we called Kid’s Kirk. I had been serving as the LOGOS Director so now I needed someone else to serve in that role and work with them to keep this ministry running well. We had about fifty children from kindergarten through fifth grade coming on Wednesday afternoons for Bible Study, Choir, Recreation, and a meal together. The LOGOS program is based on Acts 2:42. I worked hard to get people in the church to attend LOGOS training and then understand their calling to serve in various ways to support the program.

Our previous DCE, Mary Lea, had tried very hard to start a rotation-based Sunday School program. She only used the rotation style a few times a year. It was very popular with the children, and it allowed more flexibility with our teachers to serve for one month at a time instead of an entire year. Volunteers enjoyed this flexibility and would sign up to serve various workshops several times a year. I worked to develop a scope and sequence so the children as they grew up in the church developed a broad base of Biblical knowledge. Soon, I had the rotation Sunday school model in place all year and it was very successful. Two other programs that I did not start and are in place in every church were very special to me. I enjoyed planning and directing both Vacation Bible School and Confirmation for our eighth graders. These two programs were engaging and fun! With our Confirmation class I started the mentoring program that is still in place today. It warms my heart to see young adults now still have a relationship with their Confirmation Mentor.

4. I hope my grandchildren will know that during my time as the DCE my faith grew as I let God call me to do things, I was not sure I was equipped to do. I learned to trust that God is in control and that I could not force things to happen. I also learned that I am loved and can share that love with others freely and in his name. I hope that when they see my name on the church playground, they will know how honored I was serving the children, youth, and adults of this church in Jesus’ name.

An Interview with Leigh Sacket, DCE from 2012 - present

1. What led you to serve our church in the area of children’s ministry (even prior to becoming DCE)?
In my former life, I was an art educator with Danville Public Schools. I had picked a career in education over computer graphics because my love and desire to teach was greater than my love and desire to create my own art. When my mother passed away, something happened to me, I encountered the living God in a way I had not known before. This led me to a call of teaching the children of our church about this God I encountered, through Sunday School and Kids Kirk. Eventually, that led me to teach adult Sunday School as well.

2. How did you come into the position of DCE?
Susan Kessler, our previous DCE and wonderfully dedicated member of our church, told me of her plans to retire. She told me she could envision me as the next DCE, and I could too, I felt a strong call to this position. I was hired as the interim DCE in May of 2012, knowing full well I may not be hired for the permanent position. But then something amazing happened. Anne Travers approached me about the two of us becoming the DCE together and splitting the position with Anne overseeing adult and youth ministry and with me overseeing children’s ministry. I could see it … a dream team, two passionate servants who valued education and faith formation together leading the church we love!!! We wrote out a detailed proposal and pitched this to the pastors at the time and to session. They hired us! For two years Anne and I grew and joyfully led the ministries of Christian Education together. Then my dear friend Anne answered a call to take a deaf education position in the Roanoke City School system. At that point RCPC hired me as the full-time DCE. Although it was heartbreaking to lose my right-hand woman in ministry, shortly thereafter my husband became very sick with cancer and passed away. It was a blessing to have the full-time position, in light of what was happening to my family. I am always grateful to serve the people of RCPC and especially grateful for the role this church and its people have played in the life of my family through our joys and sorrows. For a while I served as the DCE overseeing children, youth, and adults, not a job for the faint at heart. But eventually we created a position for an Associate Pastor for Youth, and I continued my role as the DCE for children and adults. My call to this vocation was firmly set in my heart, so I began to pursue a Masters of Christian Education at Union Presbyterian Seminary and received my degree in May of 2019.

3. What programs have you started or continued that you felt in your heart of heart were answers to the needs in our church and the call of God?
Over the last eleven years in the life of this church, I have been so fortunate to work with an amazing staff and congregation. The wonderful thing about working at RCPC is it never feels like work, it feels like being supported and joined in a shared vision to serve our Lord with passion and great energy! It never stops feeling that way.

At RCPC, we feel strongly about our ministries having an overall scope and sequence. With Andrew’s arrival as Senior Pastor, he and I set out to develop a comprehensive scope and sequence of the children’s ministries that gives the reasoning behind each ministry and how the ministries offered build upon one another so that when children reach the end of their 5th grade year, they have a broad and deep knowledge of their faith and have been given many experiences to encounter God!

In reflecting on my coursework on child development, I know that experiential learning powerfully brings biblical concepts to life, so at RCPC we have focused much of our children’s ministry on learning by doing and then reflecting. At God Alive, our mid-week ministry for elementary school age children (which was formerly known as Kids Kirk) we set out to explore our faith with our God who is alive in all that we do. We do this through worship, play, mission, and reflecting on the Bible stories and the overall theme of the year. To keep our older kids aware of God’s lively presence, we added a special program for 4th and 5th graders where we recognize their maturing faith and their need to have outings that are specified to their age and development. These special 4th and 5th grade outings focus on mission work, fellowship, and leadership in the church.

The little ones of our church partake in Sunday school and in Children’s Worship, but we wanted to add a ministry that focused on fellowship and interactive play; a ministry that was a steppingstone to our God Alive ministry. In the heat of the pandemic, in the fall of 2020, we created an outdoor classroom ministry for our 3 and 4-year-olds called “Living the Word.” At Living the Word, the children engage in Bible stories that come to life through outdoor activities. Our youth help to lead this ministry. Both Living the Word children and God Alive children have planted tomato gardens, cucumber gardens, and winter gardens over the last 4 years. The fruits of our gardens have been made into pickles given to those we are grateful for, and we have made several lasagnas over the years for the Rescue Mission. We created a one-day Winter Vacation Bible School in February that caters to our littles ones of ages 3 – first grade with our upper elementary age children and our youth as leaders and helpers.

Jesus declares that you cannot enter heaven unless you are like a child. Children are exceptional leaders who show us how to live as people who are grateful for all that God gives. We take the leadership of children seriously at RCPC. In 2013, we began having Children’s Ministry Sunday. This takes place on a Sunday in the spring. Our Preschool children and God Alive children lead this service. Our God Alive children also lead the 5:00 Christmas Eve service and in 2019 we started presenting to the congregation a Christmas Pageant!
It occurred to me that within Christian Education for children we often teach children the BIG Bible stories, but we do not teach them about our faith and why we read the Bible and the “why” behind what we believe. So at RCPC, we developed a 2nd grade Sunday school class called “Our Faith,” that incorporates some long-held 2nd grade milestones of RCPC, like 2nd grade Bible Presentation and Children at the Lord’s Table, into a year-long class that essentially focuses on what we believe as Christian people and how we put our beliefs into action.

Bible Depths Sunday School class was developed for the same reason, we felt our children needed to take their faith understanding a step further. Bible Depths is designed for 3rd – 5th grade. In Bible Depths the children explore the whole Bible within a three-year timeframe. This class was built with the understanding that upper elementary age children are ready for a deeper look into the stories of their faith.
I cannot share about my time at RCPC without saying that my favorite adventure in ministry came at a terrible moment in our world’s history! This was during the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2020-21 God Alive could not meet in the church so we headed to the mountains! Every Wednesday we hiked along the trails of our beautiful Roanoke valley. We hiked over twenty trails during this time. We sang, learned a Bible lesson, and formed relationships on those trails that follow us everywhere we go!

In adult Christian Education Ministry, RCPC has had a history of amazing Sunday School classes like The Seekers, who have 25-30 people attending each week. We felt the need for other educational opportunities for adults to study and form relationships outside the Sunday school hour, so we began small group ministries that meet each week. I created the small group lessons weekly that focus on the sermon and scripture from the previous Sunday.

Within the last 3 years, we have had a boom of young adults and young families visiting and joining our church. We recognized the need for a young adult ministry that focuses on the particular faith inquiries and needs of those in their twenties and early thirties. Presently, we have begun and are building a Young Adult Ministry that meets for fellowship events monthly and does seasonal devotional studies together.

For years, Mary Jo Shannon created a RCPC Lenten Devotional book with talented writers of our church. We brought this great ministry back! For the last 3 years we have created a Lenten Devotional book with entries from our congregants and we have also created Lent bags filled with at-home Lenten practices for our church members to engage with during the season of Lent. This was born out of the pandemic, but we continue this ministry today.

One of my favorite ministries that we have created and implemented in recent years is our annual congregational retreat to Massanetta Springs. This is a time where so much intergenerational ministry occurs as the young and old of our church collaborate and play together. The retreat is the type of experience that implants itself in the memory of our people. When they think of interaction with their church family, they recall times shared around a campfire or engaged in a reenactment of Jonah and the whale!

A gift to me and I hope to others has been Andrew implementing the voice of our Director of Education within worship leadership. Since 2016, I have had the privilege to lead weekly in liturgy and in crafting and offering the prayers of the people and Children’s time.

4. What would you like future generations to know about in years to come?
I would want to tell future generations that I do not think it is possible to be a part of a more loving and faithful congregation. God found me here. And then I have been so privileged to see God find others through this wonderful vehicle of the church. I will never tire of watching what God is up to at 1837 Grandin Road and how that action of God ripples out into our community and into the world through the lives and growing faith of these people. When we create and lead ministries, I ALWAYS keep in mind that I have no idea what God may do within these ministries. The fruit of such work may be seen today or tomorrow or years from now as a child grows into adulthood. It is quite a privilege and one I do not take lightly. I pray that this place will always continue to be so vibrant and continue to listen faithfully to the voice of God.

Presbyterian Women

During the years between 1990 and 2000, PW included six morning circles and one evening circle and met year-round with a different schedule in the summer. Between September and May, each circle had their own Bible study and then gathered with all circles for the general meeting to enjoy a special informative program followed by lunch. Circles took turns hosting the lunch each month and members paid $1.00 to help cover lunch expenses until 1995 when the luncheon price was increased to $2.00. In the summer the membership met as a single body for Bible study followed by lunch. Each circle supported a special community project and several “TLC” members (members who were no longer able to attend PW.) Prior to 1997 the PW calendar followed an October to September schedule. In 1997, PW adopted a January to December calendar. A sampling of the service projects included local agencies such as Turning Point,

Presbyterian Community Center, West End Center, and the Roanoke City Nursing Home. PW participated by contributing food, clothing, time, and labor to help others. There also was a service circle in which members rolled bandages for the Medical Benevolence Society to transport to Hopital Ste. Croix in Haiti. In January 1995 three Presbyterian Women traveled on a mission trip to Haiti.

During this decade, Presbyterian Women were instrumental in urging session to consider updating the kitchen and fellowship hall and adding additional Sunday School classes to accommodate an influx of young families with infants and young children. This urging started in 1993 and then in 1997 the construction and remodeling of the new RCPC fellowship hall was initiated. In 1993, for the first time in RCPC history, a woman, the Rev. Gene B. Edmunds was hired as an associate pastor while a woman, Mary Jo Shannon, served as Clerk of Session and editor of the Raleigh Court Herald for many years. Women served on both the session and diaconate as well as serving as Sunday School teachers, ushers, and were instrumental in the working and supporting of all ministries of our church.

Members of PW contributed to the church at large by helping serve and clean up at fellowship dinners, sending cards of encouragement, putting together college care packages, helping to plan and implement the Mission Conference in February of 1993, making costumes and scenery for choir musicals, hosting Presbytery of the Peak meetings, helping with Vacation Bible School, etc. They were instrumental in sponsoring a Haitian family through the Refugee Resettlement Program providing child care, tutoring in English, contributing furniture, clothing, etc. Members also participated in the Monday morning prayer group, the Hunger Mission Group, helped with the children’s programs and youth group and serve on the Altar Guild and as Stephen’s Ministers. Presbyterian Women could be found contributing to every ministry of the church.

PW hosted a “Lunch for Two program for several years where they gave an additional dollar for lunch that was given to RAM House to help provide lunch for those in need. Members participated throughout the years in PW fall, spring, and summer gatherings, as well as in special community programs focusing on “New Opportunities for Presbyterian Women”, “Cycle of Violence,” “Glimpses of Home: Biblical Images of the Realm of God,” “Seeding Sisterhood Workshop,” “Humor and Your Health,” etc.

As membership started to decline during the middle 90s, a Membership Development Commission was formed to formulate a plan for increasing the PW membership. Plans were completed and implemented with a new circle being formed for young working women who were unable to attend daytime meetings.

Presbyterian Women collected a Birthday offering traditionally during the May meeting, a Thanks Offering in November, a Christmas Joy Offering in December and a Least Coin Offering every month.

2000 – 2009

During this decade, PW moved down to three circles due to decreased numbers but the women of PW continued to participate and volunteer in many activities of the church including the Monday morning prayer group, Keenagers (a group for retired men and women), taught and assisted with Kid’s Kirk, prepared and cleaned up after communion services, were responsible for the altar flowers, served in the Stephen Ministry Program, served as youth group workers and leaders, planned and staffed Vacation Bible School, made quilts for each child born into the church, served as dedicated choir members, worked as church receptionists, repaired choir robes, helped with family night suppers, prepared meals for shut-ins, and provided food for receptions for new members and for receptions after funeral services for families of deceased RCPC members. In the historical records of PW in 2008, it was noted that PW members also volunteered at West End Center for Youth, Rescue Mission, Presbyterian Community Center, and schools in the area. Other members of PW joined the hurricane relief team and made trips to Kiln, Mississippi to help repair damages to homes.

PW hosted several Mother-Daughter banquets during this time period for the enjoyment of participants and in the hope of sparking interest in young folks to hopefully one day become PW members.

The monthly programs offered during the General Meeting during this decade were varied, inspiring, and educational utilizing guest speakers within the church and within the community at large.

2010 – 2019

During the decade between 2010 and 2019, the attendance continued to wane and it became more difficult to find women willing and able to take on leadership roles such as being Bible study teachers. The finances of the Presbyterian Women were struggling as well. In August of 2011 a meeting was called to discuss ideas to address concerns about membership and participation. Everything was on the table so a solution could be found.

At this time women serving on what was named the “Funeral Committee” asked permission to organize a mission group separate from Presbyterian Women so that others, including men, might feel more willing to participate in this time-honored tradition usually done by the Presbyterian Women. The motion was made and carried. This committee provided and continues to provide a lovely reception for a grieving family to be able to greet friends after a funeral or memorial service.

The women worked hard to plan a new format for PW, which was unveiled in September of 2011. The plan, spearheaded by the incoming Moderator Joan Bowers, included a unified Bible study to be led by the pastor, Tupper Garden. There would no longer be monthly guest speakers, but a luncheon would still be held as usual. The women knew there would be kinks to work out, but wanted to give this new format a try. Much effort was given to publicity and by January 2012 everyone was enjoying the new format. Five younger women were now attending requiring a nursery once again and forming Circle 4. By December 2012 attendance was up to 54 women. Joan Bowers agreed to be the moderator again in 2013.

As the new format was being adjusted the women addressed their financial situation by asking the session to include PW in the operating budget of the church to cover meeting expenses. A request of $1800 was approved for 2014 expenses.

In the Spring of 2012 Tupper Garden announced he was leaving as our Pastor and our Associate Pastor, Josh Robinson, stepped in to serve as the teacher. Josh soon announced his departure as well in June 2013, and Presbyterian Women scrambled to find Bible study leadership. Nancy Dawson, Presbytery of the Peaks Presbyter, answered the call and became the teacher in the Fall of 2013.

Presbyterian Women once again experienced a decline in membership and reduced the number of circles back down from four to three. They also decided to have the lunches in 2014 catered in an effort to make it easier on the circle members serving as the hostess. However, by March it was obvious that catered lunches were too expensive and caused a drain on already stressed finances. Lunch prices were raised to $5 but catered lunches were suspended at the end of the year. In 2014 Barbara Carter, Raleigh Court Presbyterian Church Administrative Secretary, announced her retirement. The Presbyterian Women established the Barbara Carter Preschool Scholarship in her honor and bestowed on her an Honorary Life Membership in Presbyterian Women award. This scholarship would help families in need attend our church preschool program. Barbara sent her grandsons to the church preschool and loved the program dearly.

In 2015 Circle 3 under Lisa Goad’s wonderful direction started preparing lunches each month. This was met with great success and rave reviews. Session included PW once again in the church budget in the amount of $1605 for meeting expenses. A night circle was started in the home of Gini Agee. Nancy Dawson announced after serving as the Bible study teacher for 3 years that she needed to step down. She was given a quilt made by Pat Wade and a basket of gift cards to thank her for her faithfulness. Barbara Nesmith, a church member, agreed to take the leadership in serving as the Bible study teacher. In October PW was asked to close their independent checking account and use the church bookkeeper. This proposal was investigated and a plan created to keep our collections and disbursements for benevolent giving and for lunch expenses in a restricted account and to continue to be included in the church budget for meeting expenses. This was passed at our December meeting and began in January 2016. The PW Treasurer began working closely with the bookkeeper to request checks and make deposits after PW meetings.

Presbyterian Women had a busy year in 2017. A worship service was planned to Celebrate the Gifts of Women in March. The women led all parts of worship for both services and Rachel Erb preached the sermon. Our By-laws were updated and approved. Our membership increased and we continued to serve The Salvation Army Turning Point through monthly donations of items they needed in addition to supporting The Barbara Carter Preschool Scholarship, and the Blanket, Thank and Birthday Offerings through PW of PC(USA). (The Joy Offering had been discontinued since it became a church-wide offering.)

In 2018 Cathy Slone and Susan Kessler attended the Presbyterian Women’s Churchwide Gathering in Louisville, Kentucky. They came home with several exciting ideas leading to another busy year in 2019. The session continued to support PW with a budget of $1200 for 2019. We hosted a College Girls and their Mother’s Brunch in January. Held a Paint “Afternoon” for all women in the church in March with 20 women attending. In September we hosted the Annual Fall Gathering for PW in Peaks Presbytery. This gathering was attended by over 100 women. Several of our women knitted prayer squares to share with all of the attendees. The mission project was collecting “Handbags for Hope” to be given to women through various agencies in our surrounding communities.

As 2019 came to a close, Presbyterian Women continued to struggle with the ever-present concern about membership. The evening circle ended and PW membership consolidated to two daytime circles with less than 30 women participating. The passion of the women, however, to uphold the mission of Presbyterian Women was still strong. The women continued to give to the Barbara Carter Preschool Scholarship and remained committed to serving the Salvation Army Turning Point Shelter with snacks, umbrellas, pajamas, Kroger gift cards, bus passes and more. The women continued to give generously to Least Coin, Thank Offering, Birthday Offering, Blanket Offering, and House of Bread. Many members of PW continue to be seen throughout the community giving time and sharing talents with various organizations. An ongoing strength of PW is that women in PW care for one another through prayer, learning together, serving together and in fellowship with one another. They also care for those unable to attend meetings by sending cards, making phone calls and by visiting when they can.

During most years between 1990 and 2019, an Honorary Life Membership Award was presented to honor a woman who exhibited faithful service to Presbyterian Women and to the church. This award has been given to the following people during this time period.

Honorary Life Membership

1990 Mrs. Margaret Allison
1991 Mrs. Oakey Van Doren
1993 Miss Emma Hunter Maxwell
1994 Mrs. Phyllis Stephens & Mrs. Martha Edmunds
1995 Mrs. Frances Blair
1996 Mrs. Sterling Kephart
1997 Mrs. Sara Dabney
1998 Mrs. Carol Branch
1999 Mrs. Frances Trent
2000 Mrs. Susan Kessler
2001 Mrs. Molly Koon
2002 Mrs. June Paxton
2003 Mrs. Mary Jo Shannon
2004 Mrs. Lois Jones
2005 Mrs. Jeanne Pritchard
2006 Mrs. Gussie Taylor
2007 Mrs. Mimi Erb & Dr. F. Tupper Garden
2008 Mrs. Helen Ammen
2009 Mrs. Margaret Lyon
2010 Mrs. Marilyn Martin
2011 Mrs. Jo Thomason
2012 Dr. Joan Bowers
2013 Mrs. Shirley Carlton
2014 Mrs. Helene Vest
2015 Mrs. Lola Landers
2016 Ms. Pat Wade
2017 Mrs. Camilla Cabaniss
2018 Mrs. Lisa Goad
2019 Mrs. Glenna Fisher & Mrs. Barbara Nesmith

House of Bread

By Lisa Goad

House of Bread is an ecumenical non-profit organization founded in January 2017 to support and strengthen formerly incarcerated women through friendship, job skill training, and mentoring. While House of Bread was not formed as a ministry of RCPC, two of the three co-founders, Jordan Hertz and Lisa Goad, are members of the congregation and RCPC has been tremendously supportive of House of Bread. The idea for the organization originated with Jen Brothers who shared the concept with Jordan and Lisa in the fall of 2016. After legally incorporating and gaining 501(c)(3) status in early 2017, the co-founders presented a request for start-up funding to the RCPC Endowment Board, where the proposal was met with unwavering support and encouragement. House of Bread received $20,000 in endowment funds to purchase kitchen equipment, set up an office, and operate for the first year. RCPC also generously provided House of Bread with office space in the church basement and numerous RCPC members stepped up as program volunteers.

House of Bread ran its first program session in the fall of 2017, a six-week program that served five students, four of whom completed the entire program and graduated in November. Each student in the inaugural session came to the LEAP community kitchen in Roanoke’s West End neighborhood once per week to bake bread alongside volunteers from the community. Students then helped sell the bread at bread stands set up outside the Village Grill in the Grandin Village and downtown in the City Market Building. Additionally, each student received ServSafe Certification, met weekly with a volunteer mentor, and received a small educational stipend. At the end of the session, House of Bread held a mock interview clinic and graduation ceremony at Second Presbyterian Church.

To date (as of January 2020), House of Bread has run five sessions (now 8 weeks instead of 6) and graduated a total of 24 students. More than 20 RCPC members have volunteered with House of Bread as bakers, mentors, bread stand volunteers, and mock interviewers. Additionally, RCPC members have provided food for events, helped with student transportation, and have supported House of Bread in prayer and through donations and bread purchases. RCPC benevolent funds also fund approximately 10% of House of Bread’s annual operating expenses. Through partnership with RCPC, the House of Bread board and staff look forward to continuing to serve the community and live out the gospel here in Roanoke.

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