Dear Friends,
Last Sunday, Kelly walked us through thoughts on the role AI will play in our faith and how it will deepen our need to find and create community. This followed nicely on my AI sermon the week before. Kelly’s message led to another fascinating discussion, where participants fell into a few camps: “AI is great and there will be bumps, but God’s in charge,” “AI is the dystopian end of civilization as we’ve known it,” or “I have no idea.”
I’m glad Church of the Holy City’s evening prayers continue to be a forum for discussing important ideas. Whatever happens, it is good that we pray through it together. Keep those ideas coming.
If you missed Kelly's sermon, you can watch it HERE.
Tomorrow: Swedenborg Salon — Are Psychedelic Experiences Mystical?
Please join us, and help spread the word, for our Swedenborg Salon: Are Psychedelic Experiences Mystical? It’s tomorrow, Thursday, October 29th, at 7 PM ET. If you’re local, we’d love to see you in person, where refreshments will be served. Zoom is available for our out-of-town participants. The salon won’t be recorded, so we hope to see you there! Full description and RSVP HERE. (The Zoom link for online guests will be the same as our Sunday service’s.)
This Sunday
This past week, members of our community asked about the topic of dying well. A member shared this article from The Washington Post. On Sunday, I’ll look at what steps we can take to make for a smooth transition from this world to the next. We will also observe All Souls’ Day by remembering those who have passed. During our time of prayer, we’ll invite participants to name those who have transitioned.
With gratitude and blessings,
Rev. Rich Tafel
Readings for the Coming Sunday
Ecclesiastes 3:1–8
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
John 14:1–3
Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
Swedenborg's Insights — Heaven and Hell §481
Heavenly love means loving what is good, honest, and just simply because it is. It means putting that love into action. People who live this way develop lives of goodness, honesty, and justice. This is the life of heaven. When we love goodness, honesty, and justice for their own sake and live by them, we love God above all else, because all goodness comes from God. We are also loving our neighbor, because loving others means loving the goodness within them.
Worldly and selfish love seeks goodness, honesty, and justice for personal advantage. People motivated by this kind of love may do the right things, but their real purpose is to gain recognition, status, or wealth. They focus on themselves and what they can gain. Even their good actions can become manipulative. When goodness, honesty, and justice are used to deceive or advance selfish interests, they lose their true spiritual character. What appears outwardly good may be inwardly dishonest or unjust, because the love motivating it is selfish.
Upcoming Events at Swedenborg House DC
Swedenborg Salons: Are Psychedelic Experiences Mystical?
Thursday, October 29 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM ET
Psychedelic therapy is increasingly used to treat PTSD, addiction, and end-of-life distress, yet cultures have long used these medicines to encounter the Divine. Join Rev. Rich Tafel, Kelly Crouch, and Dr. Danielle Reynolds, a systems neuroscientist and psychotherapist, to explore what is actually happening in a mystical experience and how spiritual communities can help people integrate it. Light refreshments will be provided, with VG and GF options. Full description and RSVP HERE.
ONGOING: The CHC Read & Discuss Group
Mondays at 7 PM ET
Current Read: The God Test: Artificial Intelligence and Our Coming Cosmic Reckoning
We hope you’ll consider joining the weekly CHC Read and Discuss Book Club, a welcoming, member-led gathering that has brought our community together for more than a decade. Meeting on Zoom, the group offers an opportunity to explore the readings, share perspectives, and enjoy thoughtful conversation. Please note that the book club is led by members, with Rev. Tafel not typically in attendance. Zoom link HERE.
Events of Interest Outside the Church
Part 3 of The Long Shadow of WWI, with Dell Rose from the Swedenborg Library of Chicago | Thursday, October 29th | 7:00 PM ET
Zoom link HERE.
Church Membership
Interested in becoming an official member of the Church of the Holy City or taking the next step in your spiritual journey through baptism? We’d love to hear from you! Whether you’re new to our community or have been joining us for a while, we want to help you explore what membership in our church or baptism might look like for you. Please contact the church through the CHC website, and we’ll be happy to walk you through the process.
Notes from the Pastor's Desk
As we prepare for elections, I found an article by my friend Peter Wehner that really hit the mark: "The Issues Christian Voters Are Neglecting: What Would a Christian Political Agenda Look Like if It Were Measured by the Lives That Could Be Saved, Sheltered, and Healed?" You can read it HERE. Let me know what you think.
Thought of the Week
