Meet & Greet | Beverly Vandevender
The day I placed a scoop of coleslaw on top of my barbeque was the day I realized I had been living in the south for almost as many years as in the north! Born, raised and married in Smithtown, Long Island, my husband and I crossed the Mason-Dixon line in 1988 and took up residence in Richmond. We still reside in the same house where we raised our two children, Joy and Bret. Today we are empty nesters and grandparents to two beautiful granddaughters.
Through the years I have had the blessing of working for some wonderful organizations. The last one was at the Baptist Theological Seminary for six years. An email from Redeemer’s former Parish Administrator came to my seminary office inquiring if any students might be interested in the job. Although I was on staff and not looking for work, a persistent inner nudging to apply led me to do so at the ninth hour. The rest is history. I learned that the seminary closed down months later. God’s timing was perfect in this transition, and I am grateful to serve in this capacity and so close to home too!
As parish administrator, the favorite part of my job is getting to know and work alongside staff, office volunteers, vestry members and parishioners. I love to plan, coordinate and communicate with others so that church operations and events go as smoothly as possible. A goal in mind as I do my job is simple: do it well and with all my heart.
When not at work, being outside in nature taking walks just after dawn and especially during a winter sunset is both inspirational and rejuvenating. I love watching birds interact at our birdbath and feeder. And who doesn’t enjoy time with their grandchildren? I cherish those times!
Other areas of involvement outside Redeemer include church activities at Winfree Memorial Baptist where I am in a wonderful Sunday School class; a greeter at Sunday worship, and a member of a centering prayer group. Having been on an Emmaus Walk (similar to the Cursillo), I enjoy fellowship in the Emmaus community by participating in a reunion group and serving on Emmaus teams. A very special and sacred place where I enjoy retreats and spiritual guidance is Richmond Hill, an urban retreat center in Richmond’s Church Hill section.
While I miss the darn good pizza back in the north, Richmond is the place where my life has been most enriched through church, work, friends, family, and darn good barbecue with coleslaw on top!
