Chapter 1: Our Beginnings

Changing Lives The story that inspired us. Copyright: The Washingtonian, 1998 by Nick Kotz

The Micah Initiative Task Force

The seeds of the Micah Ministry were planted in early 1998. Inspired by an article Vestry member Virginia Ritchie shared ("Changing Lives," from The Washingtonian Magazine, which chronicled a church/school partnership pairing white, middle class Immanuel Presbyterian Church in McLean, VA and Ketcham Elementary School in Anacostia in Washington, DC), the Vestry agreed to “dream a dream that would change the world.”

The wardens assigned members to a task force which would investigate the greatest needs in Richmond and come up with a single focus. Ruby Martin, task-force leader, held bi-monthly meetings beginning in July. Many ideas and potential projects surfaced. Rector Bob Hetherington advised that this project should be prayed into being, discerning the will of God through the envisioning process.

The task force established the following guiding principles in September to the vestry which were approved. The project must:

The name Micah Initiative was adopted and a congregational prayer was created and read at each meeting of the congregation:

O Lord of the prophet Micah,
We hear your voice crying to Richmond:
envliven the kindness of this congregation;
awaken our passion for justice;
help us find a way in which we may minister to the children of Richmond;
and in turn, help us to be trnasformed by them.
In Jesus' name we pray. AMEN

The task force then sponsored three public hearings in November, 2008, to learn and discuss needs of at-risk children in Richmond. Many community and educational leaders participated and findings were presented to the congregation in January, 1999. Major themes included:

• create spiritual transformation
• promote racial reconciliation
• involve many volunteers to serve others, grow and learn
• focus on children and/or families at risk
• seek partnerships with other churches/organizations
• provide preventative services for children and remedial services for parents
• commit to a long-term relationship

After substantial input from parishioners, the task force presented the first stage of recommendations, incorporating the above themes, in March of 1999. The report stressed the project must include all commissions and interface with aspects of parish life. Through school board recommendations, interviews with principal Mrs. Alberta Person and because of the youth group and other’s previous experience in the school, the report recommended Woodville Elementary School at 2000 North 28th Street, a school of over 600 students, as the site for the Micah Initiative.

SPRING 1999

The Task Force’s job was completed and Betsy Carr and Don Cowles agreed to lead the next step. In spring, 1999, a small group of volunteers entered the early childhood classrooms for the last few weeks of school.

SUMMER 1999

In discussions of how we could best help and support her efforts, Mrs. Person shared the dream of a summer school for early learners. She explained that many students often made great strides their first year at Woodville but couldn’t retain what they’d learned over the long summer. Mrs. Person provided meals and bus transportation from her budget and St. Paul’s provided volunteers for the classrooms and salaries for teachers.

The St. Paul’s Early Learners’ Academy was born—the first of its kind in Richmond Public Schools—with 12 students attending and around 30 volunteers as classroom aides. This program served as a first step to introduce church members to Woodville and to begin to establish trust with students and staff.