theforecaster A Picture of Our Boys Martin-Dabney Bible School Class Wednesday, June 5, Volume 66, Number 22

Transcription

1 theforecaster Wednesday, June 5, Volume 66, Number 22 A Picture of Our Boys Martin-Dabney Bible School Class By: Terry Tucker Within the halls and classrooms of Fairmount Christian Church, there are a number of wonderful photographs of ministers, members, and Bible School classes of the past. Many of these were proudly taken on the front steps of the Fairmount Avenue location. So many pictures exist, one might surmise that if a camera was available on Sunday morning, everyone would automatically head for the steps in order to be in the picture. Each photo provides a splendid view into Fairmount s past. A favorite of these, and one that shows up from time to time, is of the 1948 Martin- Dabney Bible School Class. At that time, it was a class for young men in their late teens and early 20s and was taught by George Hobson. Many in the class were members of the Fairmount Christian Softball Team, coached at the time by Mr. Fred Martin. Team member Bill Blake recalls that when the team won, Mr. Martin would provide everyone with a tiny grape drink. If they lost, they didn t get Mr. Fred Martin, 1972 anything! As children, these young men watched the few remaining Civil War Veterans march in Memorial Day Parades. Their fathers and uncles were Veterans of World War I and, when this picture was taken, there were still a number of Spanish American War Veterans Men s Bible School Class, 1946 The numbers on the outline above correspond to each man s story inside. (Continued on page 2)

2 page two Wednesday, June 5, 2013 Feature: A Picture of Our Boys (Continued from page 1) around. Their generation, the World War II Veterans, were the young guys. These young men had experienced ten years of the Great Depression, followed by four years of a World War in which most of the older ones had actively participated. Considering all they had seen and experienced so far in their young lives, at the time of the photo, they had a lot to smile about. For the first time in many years, America was experiencing peace and prosperity and these young men were poised to enjoy it. In 1948, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was 179 and a nice evening out could be enjoyed for a few dollars. Gasoline was about 25 cents per gallon. Walter Winchell was the most popular radio personality. The most popular song was the 12 th Street Rag and Sunshine Sue hosted the local Old Dominion Barn Dance. Popular movies included Red River with John Wayne, Key Largo with Humphrey Bogart, and of course Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein. A postage stamp was 3 cents. Oliver Hill became the first black person since reconstruction to serve on City Council. WTVR Channel 6 began broadcasting the first television station south of Washington DC. At the time, only one Richmonder in ten had even seen a television. In 1949 the last street cars would go away. The suit lapels and haircuts in this black and white photo are a little different from those of today, but the handsome faces, smiles, bright eyes and stances are very familiar. With a few minor changes, this could be a similarly aged group of young men in the church today. Many of the young men in this photo are the sons and grandsons of Fairmount s founders and very early members. Today, they are fathers, grandfathers and in some cases, great- grandfathers of current members. So, from just that perspective, this is a very rich photograph indeed. But that s just the tip of the iceberg. So, who are these handsome young men? 1. Clayton E. Marr loved to play softball and was influenced by Bill Farmer to come to Fairmount Christian Church. He wasn t wearing a tie on the Sunday the photo was taken, and is hanging back a bit, but Clayton certainly wasn t shy. On his 18 th birthday in 1943, he joined the Marines as a member of the 1 st Marine Division, saw action on Peleliu and was wounded on Okinawa. Later, he served in Northern China. After the War, he attended college, spent 25 years in the Army Reserve, and worked for the Bank of Virginia. Clayton has many fond memories of Fairmount Christian and the Martin-Dabney Class. He recalls the Sunday Morning ritual where the young men would head down to Fairmount Drugstore for a Coke and maybe a peppermint patty between Bible School and Church. However, as he remembers, the real treat was the air conditioning! The Drugstore was one of the few places in those days that had it. 2. Bernard Giovannetti, was nicknamed early-on by his father as Bus-head, and that s how everyone knew him. Bus grew up on Carrington Bus Giovannetti, 2001 Street in Fairmount and loved baseball, softball and football. He served in the Army, attended the University of Richmond, and even played a little semi-pro baseball. Bus and his wife Vivian raised two daughters and he worked as an electrician for Dupont. Bus came to Fairmount Christian in part to play softball, and found his church home. Bus passed away in 2005 at age 81. Like Bus, most of the young men in the photo had nicknames, like Red, Speck, Burhead, Square, Itchy and Bigfoot. 3. The only one wearing a bowtie that morning was Bernard Atchison. He grew up on Fairmount Avenue, and his father worked as a carpenter for the railroad. Bernie s work and career took him to North Carolina and, unfortunately, he was the first from the class to pass away at the age of Herbert C Salyers and his older brother, Garfield (not pictured) grew up on Fairmount Avenue and played for the Fairmount softball team, which is where he met his wife. Garfield Salyers was a pitcher for the team and was considered good enough to play professional baseball. Garfield is a member of the Central Virginia ASA Softball Hall of Fame. Herbert followed a career in the food service industry and worked for ConAgra among other companies. 5. Charles Sonny Allen is remembered as a terrific infielder, pitcher for the softball team, and a natural born athlete. He is a member of the Central Virginia ASA Softball Hall of Sonny Allen, 1993 Fame. Cookie and George Hobson were responsible for getting him involved with Fairmount Christian Church. Sonny referred to Cookie as his other mother. He was a Fairmount member for 60 years and raised two daughters there. He served as a deacon and elder, and sang with the male quartet The Note-Ables with David Armistead, Evan Crowe, and Harvey Bagby, accompanied by Ethel Atkins on the piano. Sonny served in the Army during the Korean War and taught computer classes at Richmond Professional Institute (now VCU). He retired from the Virginia Department of Community Colleges but didn t stop working. Through the years, Fairmount Christian has been well known for its painting parties. If some part of the church needed to be refreshed; members would (Continued on page 3) Bible Centered Committed to Growth Community Focused & Globally Minded Dedicated to Excellence

3 page three Wednesday, June 5, 2013 (Continued from page 2) organize and paint it. This was very true for the Creighton Road building and much of it was painted by members. Sonny retired about the time the new building was being completed and went to work painting. Friends recall that he would come to the church and paint all day, while at the same time he was paying someone to paint at his house. 6. Albert Kay Atkinson is very easy to recognize, mostly because he hasn t changed since 1948! Kay grew up in Hanover but joined Fairmount Christian at age 16, when his Kay Atkinson, 2010 parents bought a house across the street from the church. Still, he was no stranger to Fairmount as his great uncles George, Ben and Oscar Adams were all charter members. Tragedy struck Kay s family during World War II when his older brother, Mell, was killed in action in Italy during the Anzio Invasion. An active church member, Kay drove the church van and bus for approximately 40 years and is the current President of the Martin-Dabney Class. He was President of the class once before, 45 years ago. Kay retired after a long career at the Federal Reserve Bank. Since then, he been busy as a Mason and as a volunteer at Fairmount, the State Fair of Virginia, Memorial Regional Medical Center, Partners Federal Credit Union, and other places. Kay was on the Church Board for 48 years and can still be found Sunday mornings serving at the Lord s Table, where he s been for the last 53 years. Kay and his wife, Mary Lois, have two grown daughters. 7. George Hobson, wearing a carnation, is remembered as a very enthusiastic and effective Bible school teacher, a good friend and an unofficial church historian. He was very artistic and enjoyed raising flowers. His wife, Cookie, taught the young ladies Bible school class and both were very active in the church s youth programs. The Hobsons raised two sons at Fairmount. George worked for Home Beneficial Life Insurance Company and, sadly, passed away in his early forties. 8. Harvey Bagby s love of softball was, in part, what brought him to Fairmount. He served in the Navy and had a long career at Harvey Bagby 1994 Dupont. At Fairmount, Harvey served as a deacon and was part of the Note-Ables Quartet with Sonny Allen. He and his wife, Grace, were very active members and raised three sons at Fairmount. A talented artist, Harvey created the wonderful black and white sketches of all three Fairmount Buildings that on display in the church today. 9. Thurman Crowe is the 2 nd generation of his family to attend Fairmount Christian and is one of Will and Josephine Crowe s seven children. He served in the U.S. Thurman Crowe, 2010 Navy and married Dot Jeter, another 2nd generation Fairmount member. They have two children. In 1948, he was treasurer for the softball team. Thurman also served as a deacon and Sunday School Superintendent among other roles. He worked in the food industry for Armour & Company. Although his career took the family away from the Richmond area, he and Dot can often be found at Fairmount on Sunday mornings. Back in 1948, the rather large Crowe family was known by the many visitors to their home for the large platters and heaping portions of food placed on the dining room table for Sunday dinner. Their home housed a lot of children with large appetites. 10. William Bill Farmer is part of the 3 rd generation of his family to attend Fairmount Christian. In 1948, he was the catcher and apparently head recruiter for Fairmount s softball team. Bill, Garfield Bill Farmer, 2010 Salyers and Sonny Allen are remembered as quite the combination. Along with his brothers Ben and Richard, Bill served in the Navy and was present at the invasion and battle for Okinawa. After the War, Bill graduated from the University of Richmond and worked in the insurance industry. He married Gene Loving, 2 nd generation Fairmount, and raised two daughters and two sons. Among other roles, he served as a deacon, head elder, and as the popular teacher of the Martin-Dabney class for more than 50 years. Always a powerful advocate for the Lord and Fairmount Christian Church, Bill worked to coordinate fundraising and financing for the Creighton Road location. 11. Dr. William E. Blake was known to everyone as Billy. He played outfield for the church softball team and was running back for the neighborhood football team. Billy remembers lots of outdoor activities on Sunday afternoons after church, going to parks, swimming, visiting friends and relatives and playing sports. Influenced by his teachers, family, and experiences at Fairmount, Bill attended Cincinnati Bible College. There, he met his wife, Miriam, and embarked upon a career ministering to a number of churches and teaching history at VCU. He has retired a number of times, but now-a-days reports that he is really retired. Next Week The Conclusion of A Picture of Our Boys. Bible Centered Committed to Growth Community Focused & Globally Minded Dedicated to Excellence

4 Kids Insert Wednesday, June 5, 2013 Rose Williams, Children s Director Visit us online at KidsRHis.net! Vacation Bible School A great adventure for the entire family! June :30-8:30pm A long time ago in a galaxy very nearby Travel back to the beginning, where the battle of God versus evil first began. Embark on a sweeping adventure through the key moments of all the Bible. From the Garden of Eden to the escape from Egypt, from the rise and fall of Israel to the arrival of God's Chosen One, you ll see the unfolding epic saga of God's fight for our lives, culminating in His triumphant return in the book of Revelation. This is the real saga. This is the true force! Preschool Children: Have fun learning about Jesus with your friends. You ll sing new songs, make crafts, and enjoy a little snack to keep you going. Elementary Kids: You ll learn a lot of interesting and cool facts about our Christian history that will bring you even closer to Jesus. You ll get to know Him in a whole new way! You ll also get to make some great crafts and learn some new songs. Remember to invite your friends for the Bring a Friend Contest! We Need Your Help!! To help with children s VBS, sign up in the front foyer or contact: Preschool Diane Anderson ( , pdanderson9@gmail.com), or Mindy Compston ( , mcompston2@gmail.com) Elementary Lisa Hare ( , lisahare94@gmail.com), or Maureen Atkinson ( , matkinson@hcps.us) Our missions partners this year are Camp Rudolph and Oak Hill Camp. Boys and Girls will battle to see who can bring in the most money each night and someone will end their night with a pie in the face! Will it be a boy... or will it be a girl? Only you can determine the outcome! Preregistration begins this Sunday at the table in the front foyer. Children s Ministry Volunteer Dinner Wed., August 21st, 6-8:30pm All current and on-coming volunteers are invited to enjoy this evening of food, fellowship, encouragement and enrichment. Meet your fellow ministry workers and see your classrooms. Volunteer to work in Children s Ministry! We still need 31 volunteers to be fully staffed for next year. Contact Rose at rwilliams@fairmountchristian.org. Register for Camp - First Chance: Rising 2nd & 3rd Graders, 7/24-27, $145 Junior Week: Rising 4th, 5th & 6th Graders, 7/28-8/2, $200 Junior Wilderness: Rising 4th, 5th & 6th Graders, 7/14-17, $145 Sign up on the Kids Bulletin Board if you plan to ride the church bus. 3rd & 4th Graders - It s Time to Apply for Next Year s JC Crew! JC Crew is a 4th-6th Grade youth service team that works together to plan, prepare, present and pray for Junior Church. The team requires great commitment and is open to students who desire to serve the Lord with dedication and who seek to be disciples and trained in their faith. Applications & Reference Sheets are Available from Kids Bulletin Board July 21st - Pool Party for existing JC Crew members and new applicants. Meet at noon in the Jr. Church Room Sign up on the Kids Bulletin Board. Don t take a vacation from storing God s Word in your heart! Summer Shares Store Dates: June 9th, July 14th, August 25th 5th Grade Parent Meeting - Tuesday, June 18th at 6:30pm in Rm. 132: Parents of children finishing 5th Grade this year are invited to this informational meeting to discuss their transition to Fairmount s Pre-Teen (6th Grade) program. (Please note date change.)

5 MIDDLE SCHOOL (6th-8th Grades) Middle School VBS will be a blast this year! Each night will feature: 1. Dinner 2. Group Teaching 3. Recreation Time THEME: MADE Becoming Who God Wants Us To Be During VBS, we ll focus on helping you become who God has already made you to be. Who does God want us to become? What does He hope to make us into? Scripture is full of word-pictures that give us a glimpse of how God sees us how He's MADE us. The key is our ability to see ourselves the same way. SCHEDULE: Sun: Dinner/Mike Campbell/Relay Races Mon: Dinner/Heather Ferguson (clay)/waterslide Tues: Dinner/Charlie Stephenson (sheep)/petting Zoo Wed: Dinner/Josh Smith (salt)/obstacle Course Thur: Dinner/Pool Miles Home REGISTER: Grab a VBS brochure from the Teen Bulletin Board and have a parent fill out the Middle School Parent Consent & Medical Release form. Tear off and drop it in the Youth Ministry box in the church office. Invite your friends to join us for this great week of worship, teaching, and fellowship! HIGH SCHOOL (9th-12th Grades) High School students not attending CIY can serve at this year s VBS or attend the adult program. SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES: Your help is always valued and appreciated! Sign up in the front foyer on Sunday or contact one of the leaders in the area you re interested in. Volunteer Dinners: Help prepare and present dinner for all of our wonderful VBS volunteers! Contact Chris Santasiere to help in this area. ( or csantasiere@fairmountchristian.org) Children s VBS: Help with shepherding, snack time, lessons and other fun things with the kids! - Preschool Helpers: To help with our littlest ones, contact Diane Anderson ( , pdanderson9@gmail.com) or Mindy Compston ( , mcompston2@gmail.com). - Elementary Shepherds, Music Helpers, Craft Helpers and Snack Helpers: Contact Lisa Hare ( , lisahare94@gmail.com) or Maureen Atkinson ( , matkinson@hcps.us). REGISTER: Grab a VBS brochure from the Teen Bulletin Board and have a parent fill out the High School Parent Consent & Medical Release form. Tear off and drop it in the Youth Ministry box in the church office. Invite your friends to join you in whatever area you choose! Teen Insert Wednesday, June 5, 2013

6 page four Wednesday, June 5, 2013 NONPROFIT AUTO U.S. POSTAGE PAID RICHMOND, VA PERMIT #1479 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED P.O. Box 788 Mechanicsville, VA Phone: (804) Fax: (804) The mission of Fairmount Christian Church: To develop followers of Jesus who: Love God, Love People and Introduce the world to Christ The Forecaster best viewed online Our Church: May 26 & June 2, 2013 Welcome to our Newest Members: Vince, Cyndi, Kyle & Aaron Farkas. The Farkas Family transferred membership Sunday, May 26. Erin Bartal and Mallory Rice were both baptized on Sunday, June 2nd. Attendance & Giving 8:15 Worship Service: 118 / 125 Children s Worship: 7 / 17 9:30 Worship Service: 343 / 382 Children s Worship: 47 / 55 11:00 Traditional Worship: 177 / 215 Contemporary Worship: 125 / 127 Children s Worship: 69 / 82 Total: 886 / 1,003 Bible School: 499 / 612 Budget Requirements: $37, Budget Receipts: 05/26 - $25, /02 - $39, Sermon Series Continues Your Church Staff: Rick Raines - Senior Minister Chris Santasiere - Associate Minister Mike Langley - Associate Minister Tracy Thomas - Worship/Music Minister Mike Campbell - Youth Minister Rose Williams - Children s Ministry Director Bob Massey - Business Administrator Veronica Brewster - Office Manager Jef Powell - Facilities & Grounds Manager Barry Will - Technology Director Pat Smith - Ministerial Administrative Assistant Chris Branch - Administrative Assistant, Editor Carolyn Holmes - Administrative Assistant Lauren McCormick - Administrative Assistant Bible Centered Committed to Growth Community Focused & Globally Minded Dedicated to Excellence