Pastoral Reflection

Rev. Sterling Severns' sermon about God's work in the brokenness of the world. July 26, 2020

Last week, key leadership gathered together for a two hour virtual meeting. We're pleased to report that the group reached a consensus on our church structure for September - late December 2020. Please set aside half hour to watch or listen to the presentation. Continue to pray for discernment as we have some big decisions to make together in the days and weeks ahead. God continues to provide and we continue to feel called! We encourage you to join the conversation as we begin to host a series of weekly town hall meetings. Our first meeting is tonight, Tuesday, August 4, 9-10 PM

This word from our pastor, Rev. Sterling Severns, was originally published on June 11, 2020.

Pastor Sterling Severns tells the story of a pastor modeling sacrificial love, and talks about God sending us just the right people at just the right time. Who has come into your life at just the right time? How have you seen God in the people around you?

Pastor Sterling Severns remembers old friends and those who have left us in one way or another. I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. -  1 Corinthians 1:4-9 Who comes to mind when you remember those in the church who are no longer with us?

Missed the zoom at the end of today’s Gathering? This video was created for you and/or your loved ones should you want to move through the Remembrance of baptism ritual. All are welcome!

Our Pastor, Rev. Sterling W. Severns, offers one last update for 2020, the year that none of us asked for but all of us got....the year we were given an opportunity to pause and prepare to BEGIN AGAIN.

December 17, 2020 Friends and Neighbors,  This coming Saturday morning, Tabernacle will be providing over 150 families a full traditional holiday meal that they can prepare at home. These “Christmas Baskets” are an annual emphasis, and we are excited to be able to provide such a large number of meals this year. There is a possibility that this will cause a back up in the alley or on Granby St. Please bear with us. We have scheduled households to come throughout the morning and will be working hard to keep all areas clear for traffic passage. Please feel free to ask a volunteer if you need assistance.  Due to the pandemic, the need for food in our community has greatly increased. Prior to March, our food pantry and clothing ministry was only open once a month, serving around 80 households. At this point, we are seeing as many as 130 households in one week! Each month we are giving away over 5,000 pounds of food. We are grateful to be able to provide food to neighbors in our community.  Maybe at this point, you are interested how you can get involved?  While much of our food comes from FeedMore, the increased need has meant supplemental food must be purchased or donated to provide balanced meals.  As winter is upon us, we are also regularly asked for coats, hats, gloves, mens jeans and boots. If you’re headed to the grocery store, consider purchasing shelf stable items to add to the pantry.  If you are cleaning out your lightly used winter gear, consider donating it to our clothing closet. These can be dropped off on Saturday mornings from 8-11am, we’d love to say “thank you” in person.  We would also welcome you to join us in a number of volunteer roles.  Finally, if you would like to financially support the work that we are doing to feed local households, checks can be written to Tabernacle Baptist Church, with Community Ministry in the notes.  Please stop by and say hi on a Saturday morning. The volunteers see so many of you out walking dogs that treats have been purchased to share.  Merry Christmas!

PREPARATION: Please do your best to dive into the data from our church-wide survey and also re-famaliarize yourself with our experimental hospitality covenant from this summer…..prior to our time together.  You also have the option of viewing a recorded slide presentation (20 minutes). The presentation gives an overview of the survey results, including a breakdown of responses from age groups, comments made by the church family, and a quick overview of the experimental hospitality covenant.  (All of the links can be found below) OBJECTIVE:  We’re not all on the same page as it relates to our tolerance for risk and common understanding of what to expect when we participate in church events in the same physical space. We need to be vulnerable and honest with one another in laying out a basic understanding of what someone should expect when they show up to a church event.  Whereas, no decisions will be made at this meeting, we do hope to walk away from the meeting with a better understanding of where folks are on the subject and determine if we think a consensus might be possible in the near future.  The Church-at-Large will need to discern how to proceed with a covenant, related to our physical gatherings this fall, before we launch fall programming.  Recorded Slide Presentation:  Survey link for risk threshold and  Temporary Hospitality Covenant: https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-CZZ66Z3B7/ Survey link for risk threshold and Temporary Hospitality Covenant WITH responses broken down by age:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-JDNJX3GB7/ Link to Hospitality Covenant Results for entire survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-CZZ66Z3B7/ Results for entire survey with responses broken down by age:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-M7ZRG3GB7/ Zoom link for this week's Town Hall Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89484040531?pwd=YVkvSGZmajg0Mkk4K1h1UnpObnAvdz09 +16468769923,,89484040531# US (New York) +13017158592,,89484040531# US (Germantown)

Rev. Sterling Severns delves deeper into John 5.

God helps us sift through the rubble.

A call for balance. A call for the mobilization of compassion.

This episode offers a timely update on the importance of connecting with one another, our current care coordination plan, and some specific requests of anyone that calls Tabernacle "home".

This update focuses on our current financial status, sustenance God has provided, and some important decisions we need to make together in the weeks ahead.

This episode offers an update on the specific ministry of each of our wonderful staff member.

This episode speaks to the unique role that each staff member is playing at this critical moment in the life of the church. We encourage you to listen to it....pray for each staff member in the days ahead....and offer assistance if you feel called to do so.

A little over a month ago, our Pastor shared a significant update about the church's initial response to the pandemic. This week, Sterling will release a daily podcast offering updates on where we've been, what God has done, and where we think God might be taking us next. We encourage you to spend a few minutes each day listening to the updates, sharing the news with others, and praying specifically.

We have experienced tremendous disruptions to daily life as the coronavirus pandemic sweeps across our nation and the globe. Many of us as church leaders are struggling to find ways to adapt to the situation. On Thursday, March 19, 2020, Sterling Severns (Senior Pastor, Tabernacle Baptist Church in Richmond, VA) and Art Wright (Theologian in Residence for CBFVA and member at Tabernacle Baptist) talked via Zoom about how Tabernacle is navigating these challenges and adapting to offer worship, educational and fellowship opportunities, and pastoral care right now. In our conversation we discuss some of the practical challenges that we are facing, key technology that we are using as we strive to be church virtually, and we also reflect on deeper theological and spiritual dimensions of leading churches during these trying times. We are sharing this conversation in hopes that it is helpful for churches near and far.

We've cancelled all in-person events at Tabernacle through the month of March. Hope you will make plans to join us for some great online opportunities to participate in our Sabbath Day Together  9:45 - 10:45 AM Youth Sunday school   Conversation with Rones 11:00 AM Worship Livestream 12:10 PM (approximate) Talkback: A new opportunity to converse, reflect, and share (begins 10 minutes after worship) Helpful Information about week ahead CLICK HERE FOR Q&A RELATED TO MARCH 14-20 Our free Church App, and the website, are your best source of up-to-date information. 

LOVE GOD. LOVE NEIGHBOR.  A significant update on the COVID-19 Situation.  We have decided to cancel all in-person church events for the remainder of March. Our concern is the wellbeing of the city and the most vulnerable among us. Our hope is that keeping a social distance for this short time will help the community by slowing the spread of the virus. We want to use our facilities to serve our neighbors. In this instance, one of the best ways we can offer care is to sacrifice our time together in those facilities. Of course, we will also be looking for opportunities to use the facilities in unique ways, should something come to our attention. We will be using technology creatively to worship, remain connected, mobilize care, and meet together.  CLICK HERE FOR Q&A RELATED TO MARCH 14-20 Our free Church App, and the website, are your best source of up-to-date information.  ___________________________________________________ "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your God in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

Christians profess to believe that Jesus walks with us through life in it's entirety. We believe the love and compassion of Jesus is with us in crisis, in celebration, and every moment between those bookends. When we experience the compassion of Christ, we naturally find ourselves extending that compassion to neighbor. It’s a relevant word as Covid-19 has introduced fear into many hearts and, in turn, we find ourselves assuming a posture of self-protection and selfishness.   Where is God in all of this?  Friends, I do not believe that God threw this virus onto the world as a form of punishment or judgement. However, I do think there is tremendous temptation for us to to turn this virus into a god that ultimately demands our fear and devotion alike. Jesus doesn’t demand our devotion. Rather he draws near, walks with us, and inspires our devotion through faithful compassion. Jesus doesn’t delight in our fear. Rather he promises to bring peace and courage amidst the fear. Jesus doesn’t relish in our isolation. Rather, he promises companionship through the presence of the Holy Spirit and the gift he gives us in one another. Jesus never said “this” would be easy. Life happens….chaos happens…..struggle is part of the deal. The promise Jesus makes to us is daily presence and daily bread.  In these days of anxiety and distrust….. Let us re-commit ourselves to the nurturing of our faith. Let us commit to pray continually and remain connected to the source of our salvation. Let us commit to keep our hearts open to the holy nudges that move us toward our neighbors. Let us resist the urge to hoard anything that our neighbors might need and trust that God will provide sustenance….one day at a time. Let us commit to protect the most vulnerable through the exercise of best practices AND also exhibit courage in movement toward our neighbors. We know that God has given researchers, doctors, and community leaders the wisdom they need in helping guide us through this next stretch of time. We also know that our faith compels us to follow Christ wherever he leads us. We will need to seek wisdom and courage as we lean into the tension of these two truths. Let us avoid making assumptions about others. We don’t know the physical, mental, and spiritual challenges our neighbors are struggling with. Let us assume the best in each other and see each of our neighbors through the eyes of Christ.  Whereas, there is nothing beautiful about the hardship that is taking place in various corners of the world, there is tremendous beauty in our response to that hardship. Jesus will give us the creativity we need for the moment at hand. He is helping to carry our burdens along the way so that we can use our hands and feet as an extension of his own. This is a moment to practice what we preach …. loving God…and loving our neighbors as ourselves.  Yours in Christ,  Sterling W. Severns, Pastor

Our pastor reflects upon the life of one of his mentors, a former staff member.  God has an extraordinary knack for bringing all of life around, all of us around, full circle.  

Our Pastor shares a reflection about the gift of meeting God in the alleyway of the church and welcoming "George" back to the place he calls home. 

Pastor Sterling Severns reflects on his experience coming to the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond and his experiences as a young pastor in the Richmond area. When has God transformed what felt like a mistake in your life into part of your call or journey through faith?

The sign reads, "We see you, we stand with you. Black lives matter to us."  Join some of our pastoral staff members, and Jacque Green, as we delve into the love song we're singing to our neighbors and a dialogue about where we see God at work. This podcast is also available as a video.