Bartholomew Family
René Bartholomew grew up in Trinidad & Tobago and was raised in the Catholic Church. Julie spent most of her childhood here in Charlotte, the "preacher's kid" of a progressive Baptist minister. They met while living in Washington, DC early in their non-profit careers, both driven to pursue paths to make a positive impact in the world. For as long as they have been parents, Rene and Julie have been seeking a spiritual community that can embrace and embody the best of both the traditions they grew up with for their children. From an Episcopal Montessori Sunday School program to an emergent "Neighbor's Abbey" gathering in homes in SW Atlanta, they have been part of several creative churches along their journey. René shares that, "In the late 1980s, Julie's father was Minster of Education at Pritchard Memorial Baptist while Dr. Stephen Shoemaker's father was the Minister of Music, and as a result of that connection he followed closely what was happening at MPBC in the early 2000s. He told us then, if we ever moved our family to Charlotte, he knew of a church that could be a good fit. Many years later, here we are."
Julie and René say, “Being a part of MPBC feels like the continuation of our chosen path to make a positive impact in the world. We are drawn to be part of this thoughtful community that is bold and brave in their expression of God's all-encompassing love and appreciate the cultural and spiritual diversity found here.”
Sofia, Lucas, Josef and Colin have been active in the Children's and Youth Ministries and Choirs. Lucas enjoys helping Wes and the AV team. Sofia is helping to deepen connections between the MPBC youth and environmental justice groups. René and Julie both have worked for organizations focused on social justice, sustainable agriculture and food security in the US and internationally and hope to use that experience in support of the Ministries of Justice and Outreach plans and programming.
Julie and René say, “Being a part of MPBC feels like the continuation of our chosen path to make a positive impact in the world. We are drawn to be part of this thoughtful community that is bold and brave in their expression of God's all-encompassing love and appreciate the cultural and spiritual diversity found here.”
Sofia, Lucas, Josef and Colin have been active in the Children's and Youth Ministries and Choirs. Lucas enjoys helping Wes and the AV team. Sofia is helping to deepen connections between the MPBC youth and environmental justice groups. René and Julie both have worked for organizations focused on social justice, sustainable agriculture and food security in the US and internationally and hope to use that experience in support of the Ministries of Justice and Outreach plans and programming.