ABOUT US
Welcome to the site for Bethia United Methodist Church. Located on Winterpock Road in Chesterfield County, Virginia, our church has served as a vital spiritual resource for the community for over 130 years. Through the leadership of our current and past pastors and our church family throughout the past 130 years and today, Bethia remains filled with the Holy Spirit and love for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
History of Bethia
Today, as the Bethia United Methodist Church family stands on the brink of great things, we are inspired with the records of the past and our hopes for a fruitful future. In the last quarter of the 19th century, the area of western Chesterfield County at the present intersection of Beach and Winterpock Roads was a thriving community of coal mines, farms, sawmills and railroads. In 1885 a letter was sent to Rev. H.G. Cowan, a minister serving the Hallsborough Charge (located in the present vicinity of Midlothian Turnpike and Huguenot Road), requesting that he help several families form a Methodist Protestant Church in the Winterpock area.
On November 16, 1886, Rev. Cowan and the Rev. S. C. Orhum formally organized the Bethia Methodist Protestant Church. In March, 2010, Bethia opened its doors to a brand new social hall, gymnasium, state of the art kitchen and two floors of classrooms and meeting space. Progress is our legacy and with God’s help, we will approach future expansion (sanctuary) projects with courage, trusting in the One who has brought us this far!
Our Staff
Rev. Jacob Sahms
Pastor
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Rev. Jacob Sahms arrived at Bethia after serving in Prince George and Hopewell. He met his wife, Joanne, at UR. Joanne teaches at Moseley Elementary after twenty years at Grange Hall. Together, they have two sons, Adam and Andrew.
As the co-founder of ScreenFish.net, Jacob has continued to examine a medium he loves: film. Writing reviews on films, television, music, and books since 2004, he has written for Hollywood Jesus, Christian Cinema, and Dove. Lately, Jacob has moved from primarily reviewing film to interviewing filmmakers, actors, and real-life individuals whose lives have been featured in movies or television.
A desire to participate in transformative community outreach has driven Jacob into partnerships with local schools to build bridges and provide resources to underserved individuals and groups. As a coach for the Richmond Kickers, he has pursued his love for coaching and his community-building interests through young people and their families.
Ashley Hall
Office Administrator
Ashley joined the team at Bethia in September 2022. She and her family live in the Winterpock community and Ashley loves to make connections to our members from her youth in the community, as she has always lived nearby. After being a stay at home mom for the last five years, Ashley decided to answer our call for an Office Administrator. We couldn’t be happier to have Ashley as part of our team at Bethia
Ashley and her family enjoy many recreational activities like boating, camping, riding motorcycles and ATVs. Ashley is also an amateur photographer. She has a small photographer business that keeps her busy photographing families, special occasions, and weddings. Ashley also thoroughly enjoys music from all genres and regularly attends concerts to see her favorite musicians and bands live. Ashley is passionate about the beach, Topsail Island, North Carolina to be exact, where she someday hopes to retire once her children are grown.
Sherry Encinas
Nursery Ministries
Sherry facilitates nursery ministries. The nursery is available during each of our Sunday morning services for infants to toddlers under the age of 4. The infant nursery, located across from the old kitchen, has cribs and changing tables available.