New Record for “Best Of” Contest
Lynchburg Living began promoting the annual “Best of Lynchburg Readers’ Choice Contest” in July. By the end of September, our readers cast a record number of votes—282,342 to be exact. Look for the winners in the January/February issue!

Play at Linkhorne
The goal of Lynchburg Living is to spread the word about the great places and people of Central Virginia. Stacey Felmlee, a mom featured in the article “A Safe Place to Play” (September/October), praised the coverage about the new Linkhorne Elementary School playground. “Thank you so much for the article. The coverage of the playground is wonderful and invites more families to enjoy it!”

Bridal Showcase Success
It was another successful year for the Central Virginia Bridal Showcase, now in its 19th year.

Vendors gave positive feedback about the show on Facebook. Christina Long with Favored Flavors wrote, “Thank YOU for all your hard [work] in making this wonderful event possible!” Coria RVA also commented, saying “Thank you for allowing us to be a part of this year’s showcase. We look forward to future shows.”

We Want To hear From You!

Write to Feedback, Lynchburg Living magazine, 1035 Avalon Dr., Forest, VA 24551. Send e-mail to feedback@lynchburgmag.com.
Correspondents must identify themselves; names may be withheld on request. Lynchburg Living may edit or condense letters.

Enjoy Fun and Festive Drinks at Bean Tree Café

Since their grand opening in the up-and-coming Cornerstone community in 2014, Bean Tree Café has catered to a steady stream of customers. A big proof of their success? In September, the coffee shop moved to a location just down the street that is three times larger.

Each season (winter, fall, spring, summer) features its own lineup of specialty drinks. I loved getting a chance to sip on the Peppermint Mocha (the espresso, chocolate and mint flavors had me wondering if I had all of my Christmas shopping finished!). And the Gingerbread Latte is another Bean Tree favorite during the holiday season, topped with lots of whipped cream and crushed cookies (right). Enjoy both drinks around a fire pit that’s outside the coffee shop; they are also prepared if you want to make s’mores!

Even better than a caffeinated drink that doubles as a dessert—Bean Tree serves locally-roasted coffee and espresso from Rosetta Coffee Company located on Kemper Street. Supporting local businesses should make you feel all warm inside too!

Bean Tree Café
105 Cornerstone Street
Suite 106, Lynchburg
(434) 534-3210
www.thebeantreecafe.com
www.facebook.com/mybeantreecafe

By Shelley Basinger
Photos by Jim Pile

Forgo The Typical Holiday Main Dish in Favor of These Tasty Alternatives

Stop us if this sounds familiar. Every year around this time, you lug home an enormous turkey and spend hours brining it, stuffing it, seasoning it, basting it, roasting it … or deep frying it, for heaven’s sake. Your guests put an obligatory two pieces on their plates because you’ve gone through all that trouble to cook it and carve it. Then they engulf it in gravy because—let’s face it—it’s still dry.

Do we as a society truly enjoy eating turkey? Or do we spend countless hours preparing it for one meal a year simply because it’s tradition?
There are some holiday traditions that, quite frankly, shouldn’t be messed with, but food doesn’t have to be one of them. While turkey, or even ham in some families, is considered the norm at holiday gatherings, there are plenty of tasty alternatives that can impress guests and please palates. Here are three dishes that may inspire you to change things up this year.

Crown Roast of Pork with Cranberry, Apple and Orange Stuffing
Rest assured that when you present this decadent dish, no one’s going to ask, “Where’s the turkey?” Encased with sausage, filled with an extravagant, fruit-forward stuffing and drizzled with an impeccable sauce, this crown roast of pork will be considered the crown jewel of your table.

Ingredients
Pork Roast
10–11-pound pork rib roast—butcher prepared (it’s best to call ahead to order)
2 pounds bulk sausage
Stuffing
(Recipe from Emi’s aunt, Joyce Miller)
1 bag of prepared stuffing mix
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup Virginia apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), diced
1/2 cup fresh oranges, segmented
Sauce
1/2 dripping of the pork rib roast
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
16 ounces of cold chicken stock

Directions
Preheat oven 375 F.
Spread bulk sausage around the outside of the pork rib roast.
In a baking pan that’s larger than the roast, invert the pork roast so the bones are facing down. Add the scraps to the bottom of the pan alongside the roast to add flavor to your sauce.
Roast for approximately 2 hours, 20 minutes. Check temperature with an instant- read meat thermometer; the center of the roast should reach at least 150 F.
Let pork roast rest for about 30 minutes before serving.
When the pork is almost done, prepare the stuffing. Mix all ingredients together on the stovetop in a pan for about 15 minutes.
To make the sauce, whisk half the drippings from the pork roast with flour until a paste forms. Add chicken stock, and whisk to combine.
Place the stuffing in the center of the pork roast, and drizzle sauce on the pork roast to keep moist.

Recipe created and prepared by Chef Emi Ostrander.

Roasted Acorn Squash with Black Rice and Pecan Filling and Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce
This recipe is simple to prepare, yet special and satisfying enough for the main course of a holiday meal. It is most striking prepared with black rice, which contrasts beautifully with the golden flesh of the squash, but use whatever rice you prefer.

Ingredients
Acorn Squash and Filling
2 acorn squash, halved horizontally, stems, seeds and pulp removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
2 large cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces fresh sliced mushrooms (any type)
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
2 cups cooked black rice; allow to remain moist by not evaporating all of the liquid (I prefer to cook the rice in vegetable stock with 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary to infuse flavor)
1 cup toasted pecan halves or pieces + a few additional for garnish
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce (recipe follows)
Garnishes: fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs and toasted pecan halves
Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce
1/2 cup roasted red bell peppers
2 tablespoons dried rosemary
1 large clove garlic
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon sherry wine vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each half of the squash so that it will sit flat. Lightly spray both a metal or ceramic roasting dish and the squash with nonstick spray, and roast for 45 minutes or until tender and lightly caramelized on the top surface. Squash should hold its shape.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add onion and salt and sauté, stirring, approximately 2–3 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and sauté another 30 seconds. Stir in mushrooms, and continue sautéing for another 2–3 minutes or until tender. Stir in sage, thyme, rice, pecans, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired; remove from heat.
When squash has finished roasting, mound one-quarter of the filling into each squash half. If serving immediately, drizzle each half with sauce, allowing some to cascade down the sides, and garnish with rosemary and thyme sprigs, finishing with toasted pecan halves. If not serving immediately, allow squash to cool, cover with foil, and refrigerate. When ready to serve, remove squash from refrigerator about a half hour before placing in oven, then reheat at 350 F, covered, for about 20 minutes or until heated through.

Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce
Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. Taste, adjust seasoning, process again, and, if serving immediately, gently warm in a small saucepan over medium heat or in a small bowl in the microwave. If not serving immediately, store in an airtight container, refrigerated. Heat before serving.

Recipe created and prepared by Betsy DiJulio, author of The Blooming Platter Cookbook, a celebration of the seasons, featuring a wide range of accessible and elegant vegan recipes for the home cook. Learn more at TheBloomingPlatter.com.

Rockfish with Cranberry, Sage and Orange Stuffing AND Cranberry Puree
Who says pork is the only other white meat? Give fish a go on your holiday table this year. We used rockfish, but any delicate-flavored white fish will work. And since the flavor is mild, much like turkey, we thought to stuff it with it an aromatic dressing of dried cranberries, fresh sage and orange rind. Sitting in for the typical cranberry sauce is a tangy and tart cranberry puree.

Ingredients
Stuffed Rockfish
4 rockfish fillets
1/2 loaf bread
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1/2 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped, plus more for garnishing
1/2 bunch fresh sage, finely chopped
1/2 bunch fresh thyme, finely chopped, plus more for garnishing
Zest of 1 orange, plus more for garnishing
1/4 cup dried cranberries
Fresh cranberries for garnishing (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Butterfly the rockfish fillets, keeping one side connected and ensuring that both sides are even in thickness.
Place bread in a food processor and process into crumbs.
Heat a skillet over medium heat, add pecans, and cook 3–4 minutes or until golden brown, ensuring to toss frequently for even toasting. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and sauté onion for
3–4 minutes or until translucent. Add the breadcrumbs, chopped herbs, pecans, cranberries and orange zest. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with
salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon one-quarter of the stuffing into each rockfish fillet.
Line a baking tray with foil and parchment paper. Place the rockfish fillets on top. Scatter parsley, orange zest, salt and pepper on top, and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap the fish with the foil and parchment paper and cook for 30 minutes or until fish flakes with a fork.
While the fish is baking, prepare your puree. Empty the frozen fruit juice concentrate into a small saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium to medium-high heat. Reduce and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
Place cranberries, apple chucks and orange slices into a food processor and blend until smooth. Add fruit juice and pulse all ingredients together.
Pour into a serving dish.
Place the rockfish fillets on individual dishes, and garnish with fresh cranberries and thyme. Serve with cranberry puree.

Recipe created and prepared by Angela Blue, editor-in-chief of Coastal Virginia Magazine and casually creative home chef.

Think there’s nothing to do when the weather turns cold? Don’t whine—there’s always wine. At wineries across Central Virginia, you can spend winter weekends warming up with a glass— or bottle—of locally-made wine.

Area winemakers will tell you that wintertime, what some might consider the off-season, is a great time to visit wineries. George Hodson, general manager at Veritas Vineyard & Winery in Afton, says at Veritas winter is “more of a mindset.”

In addition to the ambience of the fireplace—a good place to “snuggle up,” he said—winter is a quiet season, but in the best way. “We have our fireplace burning constantly,” Hodson said. “The other aspect is how quiet it is. Wintertime is the perfect time to do the wine trails because there’s less traffic.”

In addition, he said, the winter tasting room staff is “more tenured,” which can mean a better experience. “They can have a really good interaction with people who have worked at the wineries a long time, that core tasting-room staff,” he said.

Wineries also can be a great place to enjoy the winter weather, albeit probably from indoors. After all, as Afton Mountain Vineyards puts it on their website, “Grapes don’t grow in ugly places.”

At Afton Mountain, which along with Veritas is one of several wineries located along State Route 151 in Nelson County, visitors can sip wine in an enclosed pavilion overlooking the winery.

“It offers all the beautiful views, like you’d be sitting outside, but it’s enclosed, and you have heat and a nice place to relax,” tasting room manager Michelle Kimmell said. “It’s a large, relaxing space for people to gather.”

The tasting room at Afton’s Valley Road Vineyards offers a view of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Rockfish Valley. CEO Stan Joynes calls it “the money shot” and said they plan to install a fire pit outside as well.

The Homeplace Vineyard, in Chatham, hosts its tastings in a rustic log cabin, and for history buffs, the tasting room at Chatham’s Tomahawk Mill Vineyard & Winery is a grist mill, built in 1888 by Confederate veteran James Anderson.

Close to Wintergreen Resort, Flying Fox Vineyard is a good place to wind down after a day on the slopes, “It’s really cozy here,” owner Chloe Watkins said, adding, “When they’re sick of skiing, they’ll come see us.”

Bring out Your Reds
The staff at area wineries will tell you winter is the time to bring out the red wines. With holidays and heavier foods, reds are more popular. “In the winter, we find that a lot of people come in to get red wine because they’re having a party or an Italian meal, something like lasagna or a pasta dish,” Kimmell said.

Ports are a big seller, too. “We have a fabulous, port-style wine,” Kimmell said of Afton Mountain’s VDN. “[It’s] fortified with brandy. It’s made from our grape juice, and we send it off to be distilled—aged—in bourbon barrels. It’s a definite cold-weather favorite. It’s the perfect wine to cozy up in front of a warm fire with in the wintertime.”

Valley Road, which released its first bottles this past April, has what Joynes describes as “particularly spectacular” reds. “What we’ve been told is our Meritage is really special and will be more special if we put it away for a while,” Joynes said of the blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

At Flying Fox, Watkins said Red Table is a popular winter wine. Described on the website as an “off-dry blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot,” it’s said to appeal to both red and white fans. It’s also the wine Watkins uses to make mulled wine, a spiced, heated wine offered at some wineries during the winter.

Around Thanksgiving, Cardinal Point Vineyard & Winery, in Afton, releases a nouveau, a holiday wine that’s made from grapes harvested just weeks before. “It’s not aged very long,” said Rose Harper, who works in the tasting room. “It’s a pretty quick process.”

For that reason, Harper said, it “only lasts about three months before it starts to go,” and nouveau wines are sold only until about mid-January. “You’ve got to get it and drink it. It’s a pretty limited batch.”

While not a red and technically not even a wine, Sans Soucy Vineyards’ Ginger wine is a popular choice for winter. According to co-owner Jackie Anctil, Ginger is “more of a cordial, after-dinner drink” and is a good partner for Thanksgiving pumpkin pie.

Anctil also suggests mixing it with bourbon or whisky to make a “Whisky Mac” or with champagne, her favorite. “It’s quite sweet and very gingery,” she said.

According to Anctil, Sans Soucy, located about a half-hour from Lynchburg in Brookneal, is the only winery in the Commonwealth and possibly beyond that makes ginger wine. “We’re the only ones who make ginger wine,” she said. “We’re the only ones in the state, for sure, and we pretty much believe we’re the only ones on the East Coast.”

Holiday Happenings
When thinking about the “Twelve Days of Christmas,” what’s likely to come to mind are drumming drummers, milking maids and partridges roosting in pear trees. This holiday season, consider a new, grownup take on the classic ditty: 12 days of holiday spirits—more specifically wine — along State Route 151 in Nelson County.

Nelson 151 (www.nelson151.com), a group that promotes wineries, breweries and distilleries along the scenic byway, will present its “Twelve Days of Christmas on Nelson 151” from Dec. 26 through Jan. 5, 2017.

Five wineries along the route—Flying Fox, Afton Mountain, Hill Top, Veritas and Cardinal Point—are participating in the fundraiser, which benefits several area charities.

“Each member of 151 chooses a local charity that they want to support on their designated day,” Hodson, of Veritas, said. “They also choose how they want to determine their contribution. Some will do a percentage of total revenue, some will have the value of tastings.”

Take a Drive
Route 151 Wine Tour (From Lynchburg, south to north)
Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery,
2800 Berry Hill Rd., Nellysford.
11 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days.
www.hilltopberrywine.com.

Flying Fox Vineyard,
27 Chapel Hollow Rd., Afton.
11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday through Monday.
www.flyingfoxvineyard.com.

Cardinal Point Vineyard & Winery,
9423 Batesville Rd., Afton.
11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., seven days (November/December), weekends only, January through March.
www.cardinalpointwinery.com

Afton Mountain Vineyards,
234 Vineyard Ln., Afton.
11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., seven days (weather permitting).
www.aftonmountainvineyards.com.

Veritas Vineyard & Winery,
151 Veritas Ln., Afton.
9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday.
www.veritaswines.com.

Valley Road Vineyards,
9264 Critzers Shop Rd., Afton.
10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, and 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday and Monday.
www.valleyroadwines.com.

Southside Wine Tour
The Homeplace Vineyard,
568 Rigney Circle, Chatham.
11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday through Saturday. Closed January and February.
www.thehomeplacevineyard.com.

Tomahawk Mill Vineyard & Winery,
9221 Anderson Mill Rd., Chatham.
11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Sunday, through mid-December. Mid-December through mid-March, by appointment.
www.tomahawkmill.com.

Sans Soucy Vineyards (and Staunton River Brewing Company),
1571 Mount Calvary Rd., Brookneal.
1 to 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday (check Facebook for additional hours).
www.sanssoucyvineyards.com.

By Suzanne Ramsey

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Hacksaw Ridge

It’s been said heroes are made, not born. His birthplace of Lynchburg, however, set the first scene in the heroic true story of Private First Class Desmond T. Doss. His story is now told by Hollywood in the major motion picture Hacksaw Ridge, in theaters November 4.

“I thought it was just a faith-based war story,” Randall Wallace told Lynchburg Living in a phone interview from California. “I read it and couldn’t believe it said Lynchburg, Virginia.”

The moment that a screenplay titled The C.O. (Conscientious Objector) came to famed Hollywood screenwriter Randall Wallace was every bit as serendipitous as years before, when a trip to Scotland to learn more about his Scottish-American roots led Wallace to discover the legend of a medieval Scottish patriot. That journey inspired his first produced screenplay, Braveheart. In The C.O. Wallace found another compelling true story of patriotism and sacrifice, but this time he and the patriot shared roots in common ground.

“I had grown up in Lynchburg and never heard of Desmond Doss. He was remarkable to me,” said Wallace. “Commitment to God and country, for him it was not either or, it was both and.”

At age 21 Doss became a deacon at Lynchburg’s Park Avenue Seventh-day Adventist Church. Within five years he would become the first Conscientious Objector to receive our nation’s highest military decoration, the Congressional Medal of Honor. In the wake of Pearl Harbor, Doss felt compelled to serve his country in World War II, but he had to reconcile that with serving God and upholding His Sixth commandment–Thou Shalt Not Kill.

Doss concluded he could do both by serving as an Army medic. He would not carry a rifle because of his deeply held Christian beliefs, drawing the disdain of fellow soldiers. Nevertheless, he saved the lives of as many as 75 men during the Battle of Okinawa, by carrying or dragging them one-by-one to the edge of a cliff and lowering them down the jagged face to friendly hands waiting below.
Wallace committed to the script’s re-write, deciding it should be called Hacksaw Ridge, the name Americans gave the portion of the Maeda Escarpment on the island of Okinawa, Japan. It’s where Doss found himself under unrelenting enemy fire while working to save his fellow soldiers. Wallace took his screenplay draft to friend and colleague Mel Gibson, who directed and starred in Wallace’s Braveheart. Hacksaw Ridge is Gibson’s directorial comeback, after a ten-year hiatus.

The distance to cross the White House lawn, the shaky feeling one might have preparing to stand face to face with President Harry S. Truman—the events of October 12, 1945, the day Pfc. Doss was awarded the Medal of Honor, pale in comparison to what Doss had endured to get to that day. Two weeks after receiving the Medal of Honor Doss unceremoniously caught a bus home to Lynchburg. His hometown threw a parade in his honor.

Today drivers make their way from one end of Lynchburg on the Pfc. Desmond T. Doss Memorial Expressway. Lynchburg City Council named the portion of highway for Doss in 2007, the year after his death. The night before their surprise appearance at Liberty University’s commencement in May, Wallace, Gibson, and actor Vince Vaughn, who plays Doss’ sergeant in the film, wanted to see Lynchburg, to get a better appreciation for where Doss came from, according to Liberty University President Jerry Falwell, Jr. Falwell said their driving tour included a trip down the expressway named for Doss and to see Desmond T. Doss Christian Academy.

Following commencement select guests gathered with the screenwriter, director, and star for an intimate screening of a yet to be finished or promoted Hacksaw Ridge at the university’s Cinematic Arts school. The local audience felt as if they’d been taken back to 1940s Lynchburg, despite the film having been shot on location in Australia. An Australian mental hospital was used to represent “Lynchburg Hospital” in the film. Becki Falwell, wife of Jerry Falwell, Jr., said moviegoers with connections to our area should watch with a keen eye to spot what would seem to be familiar sites in the film.

“There’s a scene where Desmond and his girlfriend are running through the woods,” said Becki Falwell. “The rocks, it looked Virginia. It looked Lynchburg. It looked real.”

“There were a number of discussions about what Lynchburg was really like,” said Wallace.

Wallace was just the person for filmmakers to ask. He moved with his family from Tennessee to Lynchburg at the age of 11 and graduated from E.C. Glass High School.

“Lynchburg became home to us,” said Wallace.

Wallace said financial considerations kept filming in his adopted hometown off the table, but the filmmakers still wanted it to feel authentic. They hoped to capture the essence and beauty of the area.

“They found locations that looked remarkably like Lynchburg and surrounding areas,” said Wallace. “The mountain scenes looked like the Peaks.”

Location was everything, and while getting the sights right was important, sound adds another layer of authenticity to the film. Wallace suggested filmmakers talk to people with real local accents, then Hollywood came calling Lynchburg. Locals found themselves chatting on the phone with a dialect coach.
“They were trying to get the native accent,” said Lynchburg Museum Director Douglas Harvey, who answered a cold call from the coach. “How do people in Lynchburg say house?”

Cindy Childress, who works in the Lynchburg College Admissions Office, responded to an email filmmakers sent to the office’s inbox. The dialect coach was wanting to chat with a local female, over age 50. Just shy of her 50th birthday and having been in the Lynchburg area since third grade, Childress was perfect for the role.

“She just asked me to talk,” said Childress. “Tell me about your family. Tell me about your last vacation, just broad things that would get me talking for a while.”

At a private screening for about 75 Seventh-day Adventists near Washington D.C. in August, producer Bill Mechanic told of another secret visit.

“Andrew Garfield had come to Lynchburg sometime back to see all the places associated with Desmond,” said Desmond T. Doss Christian Academy Principal Steve Doss, who attended the screening.

Garfield is best known for portraying the skyscraper scaling superhero in 2012’s The Amazing Spider-Man and its 2014 sequel. Desmond Doss, coincidentally, was the subject of a comic book published in 1946. Wallace said Garfield was well suited to take on the identity of a real-life hero.

“The young man who plays Desmond is absolutely committed to accuracy,” said Wallace. Desmond Doss moved to Georgia in the 1950s where he built a home with his wife and raised a son. There under the authority of the Georgia Cumberland Association of Seventh-day Adventists, the Desmond Doss Council was created to preserve, protect and manage the intellectual rights to Desmond Doss’ life story. Steve Doss, who has no known familial relationship to Desmond Doss, had a chance meeting about three years ago with Dr. Charles Knapp, chairman of the council.

“If my memory serves, Dr. Knapp told me they had held on to his story for some 12 years to find the one that would stay true to who Desmond was and what he did,” said Steve Doss. “He told me then they had just gotten the story to someone who would stay true to it. I felt confident the story was going to be done right.”

On one visit to the school that bears his name, Desmond wore his Army uniform and Medal of Honor. He showed the students how he tied the bowline knot he used to lower wounded soldiers to safety. Another time he talked to young people about where faith could take them in life. For Steve, the movie’s portrayal of Desmond Doss did not disappoint.

“He was very humble when he spoke. Desmond seemed to be the opposite of what one would think a war hero would be. At the end of the movie, they have actual footage of an aged Desmond telling one of his stories. I felt like that was the confirming point for the audience, to know the man in the movie was a real man telling the story,” said Steve Doss. “He never seemed to represent what he did with his words because the words didn’t match his small 150-pound frame. For me, the movie makes the two now match.”

By Angela Hatcher

Occupation: Bank Teller, Actor

Congratulations on your first place award in the Lynchburg 48 Hour Film Project. Before we learn more about your winning piece, tell us a little about your training.

I’ve never been classically trained as a screenwriter or director. I don’t even know if I format my scripts properly. I went to Liberty University to study advertising and public relations, but I ended up switching my major to theater after my friend Josh DeVries and I were cast in a low budget film called Billy: The Early Years. We spent six weeks out in Nashville filming for the project.

The two of us played brothers opposite of Armie Hammer. It was his first major role at the time, and we got to meet people like Martin Landau and Robby Benson. But while I was out there I wondered if I could do this full time.

After switching majors, I took a “Writing for the Stage” class. I discovered I had a love for writing and had a decent understanding of story structure.

When did you first become interested in acting/filmmaking?
It started young. I’ve always loved film and told my parents I wanted to make movies when I grew up. My mom would always try to limit the amount of TV and movies we watched per day, trying to get the kids to be active and go outside more, but I always found ways around it. I was always an imaginative kid, and I really think that TV and movies helped cultivate that imagination. When I was older, my friends and I dreamed up story ideas that we could put together. Of course, we didn’t have the money for all of the equipment. Now though, you can film a feature-quality movie on your iPhone.

It’s a tough business to break into. What keeps you motivated?
It is a horribly tough business to break into; the market is oversaturated. I’ve had way more rejections than I’ve had jobs. I’m not sitting here lying to myself either; I work at a bank because acting gigs are fewer where I live. What does keep me motivated is my team. I have people that I want to see succeed and who want to see me succeed as well. I always say “when one of us hits, we all hit.” So for now I’m working on generating my own content and to learn by doing. I love to observe people that have been in the industry way longer. You can pick up the things that they’ve learned along the way, and forego the bad habits if you’re lucky.

Now to the winning short film. We don’t want to give it all away, but give us a summary of “Mr. Scratch.”
“Mr. Scratch” is about a man who has had a checkered past. The film follows him as he is confronted by those things in his past that have made him into who he is today. The main character is actually more of an antihero. He does terrible things in the name of good. If you watch the film then I think you can see that and hopefully the layers of questions we wanted to pose to the audience.

This was your fifth time participating in the 48 Hour Film Project. How was “Mr. Scratch” different from your other submissions?
“Mr. Scratch” was different in many ways. Mainly because it was in no way, shape or form a romantic comedy. I like a good romantic comedy; I enjoy writing them because I am a hopeless romantic. There were some jokes flying around between some former competitors and friends about my romantic comedies. So this year I decided that I didn’t want to do one. And I’m glad I didn’t pick that genre.

So now—what’s next for you? What’s your ultimate goal?
In March, we compete at Filmapalooza in Seattle. There has been some discussion of expounding on the idea of “Mr. Scratch” and making it into a feature. I think there is a lot of stuff we can do with it. Other than that, there are a few projects we all (the team) have been working on. Some professional work, some passion projects, even possibly some fan films. The end goal is to make good films. Maybe we can bring some attention to Lynchburg. Maybe we can change how people around here see films.

From an at-risk child who needs a mentor to a battered woman who needs a safe home, there are so many needs in our community—needs that many of us forget as we go about our busy, day-to-day lives. But countless individuals make it their life’s work to make those needs a priority every single day.

In our 3rd annual Giving Back Awards, we are honored to once again put Central Virginia’s nonprofits in the spotlight. Get to know the top 25 organizations who were nominated and ranked by members of the community.

#1 Non-Profit

Casa Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children
2016… In Their Own Words
Over the past year, the staff, board and volunteers of CASA of Central Virginia worked hard to raise the necessary funds to make up an unexpected funding gap. We planned our first ever Superhero Run, partnered with Mustaches 4 Kids, sold thousands of pairs of shoes at our Warehouse Sale and Ladies Night Out and participated in the 25th annual Smith Mountain Lake Charity Home Tour. The hard work paid off, and we ended our fiscal year in June 2016 with a small surplus.

This year, CASA of Central Virginia won the nonprofit category and overall award at the Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance Small Business Awards. Our team was honored to be selected and grateful for the advertising package that came with the award. We were also thrilled to win the “Nonprofit of the Year” award from the Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce.

The publicity that comes with these awards means increased donations and volunteers.

Our team also planned something new—a Graduation Banquet to celebrate local foster youth who have beat the odds to graduate high school. Our hope is that these teens will be inspired to continue their education and follow their dreams.

As we look ahead to 2017, we are anticipating… a possible expansion of our program into a neighboring county, new partnerships with universities, businesses and organizations, and increased opportunities for training and awareness. Creating a trauma-informed community is vital to breaking the cycle of abuse and creating a brighter future for our children and this region.

#2 Non-Profit

Horizon
2016…In Their Own Words
We are impressed and encouraged by how Horizon is moving to an integrated, team-based care approach. This will help Horizon and other healthcare providers strengthen the integration continuum, thereby improving the health of our community.

In 2016, we expanded the Crisis Intervention Team initiative and formed a partnership between eight local community service boards to develop regional child psychiatry and crisis services. We’re also on the road to becoming a data driven organization after implementing a fully functional and reliable new electronic health record.

As we look ahead to 2017, we are anticipating… a transition from a fee-for-service to a value-based model.

#3 Non-Profit

Patrick Henry Family Services
2016…In Their Own Words
In 2016, Patrick Henry Family Services (PHFS) was approved by the Virginia General Assembly to launch Virginia’s first Safe Families for Children program in Central Virginia. Safe Families is a national program providing temporary shelter and provisions for young mothers and children in times of crisis.

Also this year, Robert Day, CEO of PHFS, launched his first book Worst of Mothers…Best of Moms. In it, he shares the story of a childhood of abject poverty, neglect and unspeakable abuse. While difficult, the book is uplifting as it tells the endless wonder for God’s grace and how He uses our past for His purpose. All proceeds from the book will go to benefit the nonprofit’s ministries.

We are very proud that in 2016 Hat Creek Camp, a beautiful 345-acre facility south of Lynchburg, continued to grow in programs and attendance. Other highlights from the year include expanding the Straight Talk radio broadcast and opening new Hope for Tomorrow counseling centers to include South Boston, Brookneal, Danville, Farmville, Lynchburg and Bedford.

As we look ahead to 2017, we are anticipating… the implementation of an aggressive strategic plan that will expand our services, expand our service area even further statewide, and add new, more relevant residential care options for better meeting the needs of children.

#4 Non-Profit

Family Life Services Adoption Agency
2016…In Their Own Words
In addition to seeing couples build their family through domestic infant adoption this year, we had the privilege of providing international adoption home studies and/or post-placement services to families living all over the state of Virginia, who completed adoptions from The Democratic Republic of the Congo, China, Ukraine, Nicaragua, Bulgaria, India and Taiwan. Although there are fees involved in adoption, Family Life Services is proud to have maintained our adoption fees in the lowest 25% of agencies in the country and provide an affordable option for families pursuing domestic, international or embryo adoption.

Family Life Services gained a lot of recognition and awareness this year in January when an adoption placement video, showing a couple meeting their newborn son for the first time, went viral through social media. As a result, we received an overwhelming number of inquiries in a short period of time and were able to assist people by providing accurate information about adoption, help adoptees get started on searches for their birth families, provide information to pregnant women who were considering adoption, and refer families wishing to pursue adoption to adoption grants and loan information.

Other highlights of the year include raising money for a new company vehicle, hosting a Birth Mother Retreat and hosting the Empowered to Connect Conference simulcast.

As we look ahead to 2017, we are anticipating… having the opportunity to assist more families pursuing infant adoption through parental placements/private adoptions and helping more families pursue embryo adoption.

#5 Non-Profit

Liberty Godparent Maternity Home
2016…In Their Own Words
This year has been a very busy year for our program. We are able to provide our residential services to young ladies from all over the country. Not only have we been providing services and parenting education within our home, we have also been offering parenting education to young moms within our community. We feel that connecting with our community and providing services is of extreme importance. This spring and summer we celebrated several young ladies as they reached one of their educational goals. What a joy it has been to a part of their journey.

In 2016, we housed four new moms and babies in our Mommy & Me program, which was licensed in 2015. This has allowed these moms a chance to adjust to their role as a mom while having the support of our team. We have also started designing and selling onesies as a way to support our program. They are available every Thursday at the LU Farmers market. And with the support of donors, we have been able to provide each young lady who completes our program with a fully stocked diaper bag.

As we look ahead to 2017, we are anticipating… reaching more young ladies within our community and from across the country for both our Maternity and Mommy & Me programs.

#6 Non-Profit

Miller Home of Lynchburg
Mission: To provide short term or long term care and guidance to non-delinquent girls, ages four through 21, who cannot live with their own families. To provide care and guidance within a non-institutional, supportive environment, which encourages each girl to grow and develop to her highest potential.
2016 Highlights
• One resident finished her first year of college classes through the early college program offered at E. C. Glass High School; she received her high school diploma in June.
• Four girls worked part-time jobs in the community.
• Events hosted by Phil Vassar (concert and golf classic) continue to raise awareness and raise funds for Miller Home.
As we look ahead to 2017, we are anticipating… the opportunity to provide a loving environment that meets the needs of each girl that needs Miller Home’s program, as well as promoting opportunities for positive growth and development.

#7 Non-Profit

YWCA of Central Virginia
Mission: Dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.
2016 Highlights
• Received over $300,000 in new grant funding for 2016-2017 for domestic violence and sexual assault programs.
• Launched first annual YWCA Lynchburg Design House, with over 1,800 visitors to raise funds and awareness.
• Renovated the Church Street Bridal Shop with “flip” project.
As we look ahead to 2017, we are anticipating… making needed renovations to our historic Town Center building located in
downtown Lynchburg.

#8 Non-Profit

Kids’ Haven
Mission: A community-based organization dedicated to serving the unique needs of grieving children and their families through support and education.
2016 Highlights
• Increased the number of support groups in Lynchburg City Schools.
• Added a Program Director and Development Director.
• Grew community partnerships.
As we look ahead to 2017, we are anticipating…
more awareness of our organization and growth within our programs.

#9 Non-Profit

Elizabeth’s Early Learning Center
Mission: To provide every child with affectionate and personalized care in a safe environment and focus on providing for the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive developmental needs of children in an age-appropriate manner.
2016 Highlights
• Dedication of the Marie Harris Outdoor Classroom.
• Partnership with Hutcherson Early Learning Program to provide inclusive, individualized special education services to over 20 children.
• EELC is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) making it one of only 8% of early childhood programs in the United States and the only school in Central Virginia to obtain this accreditation.
As we look ahead to 2017, we are anticipating… celebrating our 20th anniversary and expanding to provide excellent care and an inclusive, quality education to meet the needs of more of the underserved children of Lynchburg.

#10 Non-Profit

Urban Mountain Adventures
Mission: To provide opportunities for young people to step outside of their comfort zones and into the outdoors for wilderness experiences that teach life-long lessons. UBA is passionate about fostering an environment where its leaders can build Christ-centered, meaningful relationships with young people.
2016 Highlights
• The ability to serve youth through Christ-centered discipleship and adventure trips grew exponentially.
• Recent addition of a community house allows a place for youth and leaders to spend more time building relationships and having fun.
• UBA is thankful for a community that stands behind them and supports their mission to share the love of Christ through adventure trips with Lynchburg’s youth.

As we look ahead to 2017, we are anticipating… another year full of growth, adventure and Christ-centered relationships!

#11 Non-Profit

Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Central Virginia
Mission: To provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported, one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever.
2016 Highlights
• Over 40 businesses came together to donate $40,000 worth of renovations to the nonprofit’s Langhorne Road building.
• In February, BBBSCVA started a Major Gifts Initiative called “Mentoring Matters.” The goal of the targeted campaign is $400,000 over three years. There are currently commitments for $200,000.
• Continued to change kids’ lives by matching positive, caring mentors with deserving children. Served 250 kids and families.
As we look ahead to 2017, we are anticipating… making an even larger impact in the community by bolstering our services to meet the growing needs of the Central Virginia community.

#12 Non-Profit

Interfaith Outreach Association
Mission: To cooperate in an interfaith effort to relieve distress and improve the quality of life for our neighbors in need by offering programs that provide education, guidance, and support.
2016 Highlights
• “Interfaith Rebuilds” program logged over 5,000 volunteer hours in 12 months.
• Took the “Return, Learn and Earn” job assistance class on the road.
• Held monthly personal financial assessments to assist people served.

As we look ahead to 2017, we are anticipating… continuing to ask ourselves on a daily basis, “What can we do to help our neighbors in need?” We continue to look at their entire situation focusing on what we can do to improve their quality of life, whether we are making budgeting or employment suggestions, as well as referrals to other agencies that can assist with advice on other legal, housing, medical, and training issues.

#13 Non-Profit

The Motherhood Collective
Mission: Committed to improving maternal health through evidence-based education and free social support programing for women from preconception through postpartum.
2016 Highlights
• Five continually running maternal health programs saw an incredible increase in numbers and were joined by two large community-centered workshops.
• Volunteer staff grew from 12 to 25, extending our reach and impact.
• Successful first annual giving campaign.

As we look ahead to 2017, we are anticipating… deeper community partnerships that broaden our reach and further our goal to improve the mental, physical and emotional well-being of all women from preconception through postpartum.

#14 Non-Profit

Miriam’s House
Mission: To end homelessness and rebuild lives through the empowerment of women and families.
2016 Highlights
• Reconfigured Transitional Housing program to allow for an increase from 13 units to 15 units to serve more women and families each year.
• Increased service capacity by 290%, which means that 116 more homeless women and families are served each year.
• Had 50 participants in our Aftercare programs which ensure that formerly homeless persons do not return to homelessness.

As we look ahead to 2017, we are anticipating… expanding our program portfolio to include a new project for chronically homeless women with disabilities in order to better serve the most vulnerable in our homeless population.

#15 Non-Profit

Red Hill – The Patrick Henry National Memorial
Mission: A nonprofit corporation devoted to education and preservation of Patrick Henry’s legacy as well as maintaining and interpreting his last home and burial site, Red Hill.
2016 Highlights
• Hosted the 11th annual Naturalization Ceremony, welcoming 30
new citizens.
• Developed a new digital library with many of Patrick Henry’s documents.
• Ignited a love of history in over 2,200 local children.

As we look ahead to 2017, we are anticipating… growth in areas of archaeology and historical interpretation.

#16 Non-Profit

Vector Space
Mission: To build an open and collaborative community that fosters innovation, creativity and the pursuit of science-based knowledge.
2016 Highlights
• Found a home on 5th Street in downtown Lynchburg.
• Took 3rd place Video Award in the Global Space Balloon Challenge in June.
• Participated in the Nation of Makers meeting at The White House
in August.

As we look ahead to 2017, we are anticipating… even more member growth and the continued evolution of our physical space. We have new educational programming planned for teens and adults, and we are looking forward to partnering with other organizations in the community.

#17 Non-Profit

Lynchburg Beacon of Hope
Mission: To increase the number of students who matriculate on to some form of postsecondary education, whether it is military service, trade or technical school, or two-year college or four-year college.
2016 Highlights
• Provided 90 Hours of free SAT, ACT, and Community College Placement Test preparation to over 300 hundred students in 10-12th grade.
• Helped the 2015-2016 LCS seniors save $53,000 during College Application Week through application fee waivers.
• Served 96% of LCS seniors in the Future Centers.

As we look ahead to 2017, we are anticipating…that our Future Centers will meet the needs of more students and families with programs, workshops and resources, that Beacon will be in a position to offer more scholarships and that we will be able to establish an endowment.

#18 Non-Profit

Lynchburg Humane Society
Mission: To help pets in need through sheltering, adoption, education, spay/neuter services and community outreach.
2016 Highlights
• Raised over $100,000 at the Best Friend Ball.
• Executive Director, Makena Yarbrough, spoke at the Best Friends Animal Society’s annual national conference for the second time.
• The LHS spay/neuter clinic reached its 50,000th surgery since opening.

As we look ahead to 2017, we are anticipating… to have even more resources available to help pet owners with their problems and to have an even greater impact on the lives of the needy pets in our entire region.

#19 Non-Profit

Freedom 4/24
Mission: Exists to bring freedom and justice to victims and survivors of sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
2016 Highlights
• Trips to all three international partners.
• LCA raised over $56,000 for Christine’s House.
• Freedom Gala in November 2015 produced $76,000 for mission.

As we look ahead to 2017, we are anticipating…raising the full funding needed to build a Vocational Center in Uganda. This will act as a next step for girls after they leave Christine’s House.

#20 Non-Profit

Johnson Health Center
Mission: To provide affordable and comprehensive healthcare with quality services and strong community partnerships.
2016 Highlights
• Hosted the 2nd annual Back to School Care Fair on Federal Street and expanded the event to Bedford in 2016.
• Added an immediate care facility, Amelon Square Immediate Care, to increase access to same day visits.
• Awarded Employer of Choice Award, becoming the first federally qualified health center to receive this award.

As we look ahead to 2017, we are anticipating… expanding access and services through our new site on Atherholt Road. This location will be aimed at creating a center of excellence for women’s and children’s health and will include dentistry services for children and pregnant mothers.

#21 Non-Profit

Meals on Wheels of Greater Lynchburg
Mission: To provide healthy meals, friendly smiles, and warm reassurance to the local homebound community.
Highlight from 2016: Expanded the number of people served by 35% while still keeping staffing costs level, without government funding, and with no waiting lists.

As we look ahead to 2017, we are anticipating… rising to the challenge of continued growth. Nationally, 10,000 people a day are turning 65. As our community continues to age, there is an ever increasing need for in-home services.

#22 Non-Profit

Gleaning for the World
Mission: To share the love of God at home and around the world through the efficient delivery of high-quality, life-saving supplies to victims of extreme poverty and devastation by connecting corporate surplus to critical needs.
Highlight from 2016: When an EF-3 tornado devastated more than 100 families’ homes in Appomattox, Gleaning began delivery of humanitarian aid within just a few hours.

As we look ahead to 2017, we are anticipating… that our committed staff and loyal volunteers will be prepared to meet the demands of our local communities, no matter what unknown events impact Central Virginia in the coming year.

#23 Non-Profit

Lynchburg Daily Bread
Mission: To serve a free, hot meal every day of the year.
Highlight from 2016: Daily Bread now brings excess meals to seven outreach sites throughout the region, including Altavista where there is the first ever Daily Bread drive-through.

As we look ahead to 2017, we are anticipating… creating more outreach sites and hopefully receiving more food donations and financial support to sustain this growth.

#24 Non-Profit

Arc of Central Virginia
Mission: To promote and protect the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and actively support their inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetime.
Highlight from 2016: 76 individuals attend the Day Support program; 61 individuals attended the Arc’s summer camp.

As we look ahead to 2017, we are anticipating… changes in our service delivery system to include a greater number of individuals with intellectual and development disabilities in our programs and in our community.

#25 Non-Profit

Girls on the Run
Mission: To inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum that creatively integrates running.
Highlight from 2016: Expanded throughout Central Virginia to serve 1,110 girls at over 60 active sites.

As we look ahead to 2017, we are anticipating…continued growth through our amazing volunteers and their efforts to bring the Girls on the Run and Heart & Sole programs to their communities.

Every year when I was a child, I would wake up on Christmas morning the exact same way. My older brother, Jake, getting within a few inches of my face, would shake me gently until I opened my eyes. Then once I “came to” I guess you would say, he would remind me of the HUGE thing I had forgotten while I was out cold. “Shelley…it’s Christmas.”

Still to this day, even as we are grown up, with kids of our own and live in two different states, I will get a text message from Jake on Christmas morning, as soon as he wakes up. “Shelley…it’s Christmas,” it reads.

After a big chuckle, I always take a quick jog down memory lane, remembering what happened after those three words—seeing what Santa brought us in the living room on our assigned couches, fun family gatherings at Mamaw’s house and a meal complete with all of the Southern staples.

A lot of things have changed in my family since then so my long-standing Christmas tradition is pretty simple; maybe yours is a little more complex. Whatever you do to make the holiday season special with your family,
I hope this issue helps you get into the festive spirit. In our Taste department starting on page 117, we have a recipe that will spice up your basic hot chocolate along with some fun alternatives to the typical turkey. Then on page 95, check out our 11th annual “Look What I Found” Holiday Gift Guide. It’s not only a great reference as you prepare for your Christmas shopping but also helps support local businesses!

But just as much as we all like to receive, it’s so much more important to give, especially during the holidays. And all year long, the leaders and staff of Central Virginia’s numerous nonprofits work hard, giving so much of their time to fill so many needs in our community. See who came out on top of the list in our 2016 Giving Back Awards, starting on page 77.

And on page 67, learn how giving a little of your time to a grieving senior could really help them during what’s often a tough time of the year.

It’s very easy to get caught up in the presents, the long lines, the pesky Elf on the Shelf…that sometimes it doesn’t always feel like “the most wonderful time of the year.”

So I truly hope you are able to slow down this holiday season and take it all in, continuing those old traditions (or even starting new ones) that you will remember for years to come.

Even if those traditions are simply a text message.

Shelley Basinger, Managing Editor
Shelley@lynchburgmag.com

Heather’s Helpful Hints for Your Home: Holiday decorating traditions of years past that you may want to consider in the future.

1. Evergreen Trimmings: At Christmastime, English homes are decorated with great care and detail. An economical way to decorate with style is to ask a local Christmas tree farm if you can glean the clippings from their cut trees. They typically just discard them, but these “scraps” make great centerpieces and windowsill embellishments when intertwined with artificial flowers or bows and can add fullness and life to synthetic arrangements.

2. Authentic Lighting: We often take for granted modern efficiencies like electricity, but what if Christmas were only lit by candlelight? Candles were a staple in Victorian homes, so take a cue from this era and turn the lights low. Candles can be used on tabletops, mantels, windowsills, bathrooms or stairways. Line a driveway, hang them from trees, place on top of mirrors or mix them in with fruit. The possibilities are endless!

3. Handmade Heritage: Young ladies in Victorian society spent many hours making decorations and gifts by sewing, embroidering, painting and gluing.
Little horns of plenty from colored paper filled with sweets and intricate pouches made of silk and feathers filled with candied fruits and nuts would hang from branches. Rather than purchasing pre-made decorations and gifts, take a stab this season at making some of your own.

4. Glass Pickles: Prince Albert made the decorated Victorian Christmas tree popular. In line with a custom of his German homeland, consider adding a new ornament to your tree this year. In Germany on Christmas Eve, a glass pickle ornament is hidden within the Christmas tree’s limbs. Christmas morning, the first child to find the pickle receives an extra gift.

5. Legend of the Christmas Spider: Do you use tinsel on your tree? It’s a tradition adapted from a Ukrainian legend where finding a spider or spider’s web on a Christmas tree is considered good fortune. Artificial spider webs became an embellishment explaining the origin of tinsel on a tree.

Long narrow strips not attached to thread that mirror icicles are called “lametta.” Perhaps it’s an often overlooked decoration worth reigniting!
Heather Cravens is a Lynchburg native with over 10 years of experience in the interior design industry, including owning Becoming Designs. Heather is passionate about creating environments that inspire and build families through the hospitality of their home. She mirrors that passion with her own family by spending time with her husband, their two-year old son and their newborn baby girl.

By Heather Cravens

Flowers are the great equalizer.

The great common denominator.

I’m quite sure this is at the root of why I love them so. Oh, I, like most everyone else, prize flowers for their appeal to my senses and role in our ecosystem. But in traveling the world, I’ve also been touched by their symbolic meaning in cultural and religious creeds, traditions and rituals.

Despite the broad spectrum of differences in culture, politics and religion that too often divide humans, flowers are almost universally entwined in religious and spiritual beliefs in positive ways. According to some, they are revered primarily as God’s beautiful creation; for others they symbolize God or gods or spiritual practices themselves.

They are often symbols of what we humans hold in common to be right and good in this world: love, virtue, respect, hope. And they serve as metaphors for basic human aspirations such as fertility or prosperity. Many religions feature flowers in art and architecture toward both symbolic and decorative ends, and some offer them as tangible gifts to God as part of their rites of worship.

Rites and Rituals
Islamic traditions include roses in marriages, as well as dye from flowers of the henna plant to decorate the hands and feet of brides as a symbol of fertility and good fortune. And Islamic funerals often feature jasmine and a sprinkling of rose water on new graves. Extensive and intricate floral patterns embellish Islamic art and architecture.

In Hinduism, flowers play a more prominent role, with the primary prayer rite called puja (Sanskrit for the act of worship), translated into English as “the flower act.” The lotus flower is associated with divinity, piety, beauty, and fertility. The Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad Gita, instructs followers to be pure and detached like the lotus. Other specific flowers relate to specific gods or rituals, and weddings and funerals often feature jasmine garlands.

The lotus is also central to Buddhism and symbolizes the highest level of spiritual elevation that man can possibly reach. The lotus flower is a metaphor for knowledge and enlightenment and is depicted in much of Buddhist artwork, often with Buddha sitting on an open lotus flower.
The spiritual practice of Yoga has a major branch, Hatha Yoga, in which a posture called the lotus position, padmasana (also Sanskrit), is adopted by devotees striving to reach the highest level of consciousness.

In Chinese religions such as Taoism, flowers are metaphors for life, happiness and fertility. Peonies and daffodils are symbols of spring and renewed life, and the lotus flower symbolizes morality, purity, wisdom, and harmony.

Judeo-Christian Traditions
Flowers are featured in wedding ceremonies worldwide. They are also usually welcome in funeral observances except in Judaism, in which (at least in orthodox traditions), food baskets of Kosher items are typically more appropriate. Judeo-Christian traditions consider flowers among the most beautiful and pleasurable of God’s creations and symbolize the glory of the Garden of Eden before man’s fall from grace.

In his Divine Comedy, Dante speaks of Paradise after life: “…the beautiful garden which blossoms under the radiance of Christ…There is the rose, in which the divine word became flesh; here are the lilies whose perfume guides you in the right ways.” Dante also depicts the final, eternal World in Heaven “in the form of a resplendent white rose.”

Flowers symbolize numerous aspects of the Christian religion, such as the white Madonna lily (lilium candidum) as a symbol of purity. Red roses stand for Christ’s blood and for love. Roses are especially prominent in Catholic symbolism—with the Virgin Mary honored as a “rose without thorns” and the form of devotion called the rosary. In my church, Lynchburg’s First Presbyterian, a single red rose bud is placed on the baptismal font to celebrate the birth of every new baby in our congregation.

Protestant Practices
In Christian weddings flowers are an important accoutrement, and brides typically carry a bouquet of flowers down the aisle. Funerals are also a time for celebrating the life of the deceased with flowers.

The tradition among many churches is to decorate the sanctuary, narthex and other parts of the church with fresh flower arrangements, especially on significant liturgical days such as Easter and Christmas. However, in the interest of time and expense, a growing number of Protestant congregations have moved away from this tradition—or increasingly rely on artificial flowers.

Parishioners and congregations that continue to adhere to the practice of decorating their churches with fresh flowers and greens typically maintain an altar, chancel, or flower guild (or committee) to plan, organize and manage flowers as an expression of their devotion, as an offering of their gifts of time and talent to the Glory of God, and to serve as an inspiration to fellow worshipers.

Altar, Chancel and Flower Guilds
My friend Anne McKenna, who co-chairs the Flower Guild at Lynchburg’s St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, shared a quip from internationally renowned flower-arranging expert, Gay Estes, author of The Church Ladies’ Guide to Divine Flower Arranging, “Flowers are a gift from God; unfortunately, he doesn’t arrange them.” So Anne and her co-chair, Rod Meeks, manage a group of devoted arrangers, hold flower-arranging workshops to encourage parishioners to join them, and make general appeals that bring out men, women and children to take on all the jobs (including sweeping the floor) it takes to fill the church with flowers for festival days. After holding back on flowers during Lenten season, they go all out for Easter and celebrate with glorious fresh spring flowers everywhere.

We at First Presbyterian have an established, on-going Chancel Guild with monthly teams responsible for fresh flower arrangements in the sanctuary, narthex and entrance foyer every Sunday. Our co-chairs, Becky O’Brian and Betsy Burton, gather us all together to decorate more extensively at Easter and Christmas. We surround our Advent candles with a wreath of evergreen boughs, representing God’s continuous love and the soul’s immortality, and we prepare fresh evergreens for our “Hanging of the Greens” service. Dozens of live poinsettias also grace the Sanctuary in honor or memory of loved ones.

Another friend, Meg Laughon, notes that her church, Rivermont Evangelical Presbyterian, focuses on the joys of nature and celebrates each season by arranging fresh flowers and greens from members’ gardens. We at First Presbyterian also use bounty from our gardens both to share God’s gifts in our community and hold down expenses.

My assigned month for the Chancel Guild is always January, and I enjoy gathering sticks, rocks, mosses and other gifts from nature for an arrangement—or forcing quince, saucer magnolia and other early spring blooming shrubs and trees or sharing my indoor orchids that bloom each winter.

Getting Started
Arranging flowers as a ministry builds community and friendships among worshipers and presents avenues for expression of artistry. We laugh and share our lives and skills as we learn and create.

And that brings us to the ‘how’ of arranging church flowers. Flower arrangements can be as elaborate and daunting or as simple and inviting as you and your church wish. At one end of the spectrum we are awed by huge and grand arrangements at The National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. and at the other we find joy in small and sweet roadside bouquets at tiny country churches.

First, decide where you land on this continuum and your available resources (people, time, money, available flowers) and if you need an organized system or only one or two devotees. Then decide on location and scale of arrangements to best suit your church and where and when the actual arranging will take place. And be sure to meet with your clergy to understand your church calendar, festival and other special days, and what kind of arrangements are appropriate for each.

Design and Mechanics
Basic principles of design rule flower arrangements, as they do any other form of art. Rhythm, contrast, dominance, scale, proportion and balance all are considerations. Mechanics and techniques of flower arrangements have filled many books and workshops, as well as inspiring Gay Estes with:
A Church Arranger’s Prayer

Oh Lord,
Please don’t let my flowers wilt,
My lilies stain the vestments
Or my vase leak.
May the Altar Guild not fight
Over who gets to do the altar
And who must do the pews.
Let my arrangement neither fall,
Nor catch fire from the candles. Amen

Starting simple and adding complexity is always a good rule of thumb. Just remember that flowers are a gift from God, and our gift is our behind-the-scenes talent and work to share them in uplifting arrangements in God’s House. Every time I go into our sacristy at First Presbyterian to prepare arrangements for the upcoming Sunday, I look up and once again silently repeat the simple little prayer taped to the cupboard above the sink:
Flower Arranger’s Prayer

May God Grant that our hearts
Our eyes and our hands may
Receive His inspiration,
Enabling us to glorify
His House with the beauty of
Of the leaves and blossoms
Which He has created. Amen
(author unknown)

As we celebrate our faith with our love of flowers, we are reminded that our gifts of flowers are about glorifying God, and we are grateful that they are the great equalizer—the common denominator with kindred souls around the world who also share flowers in their own way, according to their own faith and spirituality.

Amen

by Susan Timmons