Dear Friends,
Thanks to our own Scott Smith for sharing his brilliant solution to address the income inequality crisis in America: a new tax system focused on capital mobility. I feel honored to be part of a spiritual community with big, bold thinkers like Scott. Our faith teaches that it is not enough to say the right spiritual words; we are all called to engage and be useful in making this world better by our presence in it. Scott is doing just that, dedicating himself to transforming our economic system before the dangerous tension leads people toward contempt and division.
You can order Scott’s book HERE, and listen to his message HERE.
Thanks also to Shelby Giles, who attended our Spiritual Entrepreneur Intensive, for sharing us with her Georgetown Alumni. Read Shelby’s interview HERE. Our Fall Spiritual Entrepreneur intensive will take place on October 24th, and we expect seats to fill quickly – learn more details and get your tickets HERE.
Sunday, August 16th
This Sunday I’m looking forward to hearing from Dr. Malcolm Peck on Gifts in Adversity. The sermon deals with the importance of both gifts received and gifts bestowed in times of hardship.
With gratitude and blessings,
Rev. Rich Tafel
Our Sunday Speaker: Dr. Malcolm Peck
Dr. Malcolm Peck was a senior program officer at Meridian International Center in Washington, DC, where he designed and implemented professional study programs for participants in the State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program, from 1984 to 2015.
He taught at the University of Chattanooga (now the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga), AY 1967-68; was a post-doctoral fellow at the Harvard University Center for Middle Eastern Studies, 1969-70; and, from 1970 to 1981, was assistant to the president and director of programs at the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C. He served as the Arabian Peninsula affairs analyst at the U.S. Department of State from 1981 to 1983.
Malcolm has written on Persian/Arabian Gulf and Arabian Peninsula issues in chapters contributed to nine books and in a number of articles. He is the author of The United Arab Emirates: A Venture in Unity (1986) as well as the Historical Dictionary of the Gulf Arab States (1997), which was updated and expanded in a second edition published in 2008. He is co-author of the third edition of the Dictionary, which will appear later this year. Most recently, he wrote about our church’s history in The Washington, DC Society of the New Jerusalem: A Brief History (2026). He has been a contributor to Arabies Trends, the Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East, Microsoft Encarta, The World Almanac of Islamism and the World Book.
Malcolm earned an AB (hons.) and AM from Harvard University and an MA and PhD from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He speaks some French and Arabic and has a smattering of German, Spanish, and Tagalog.
Readings for the Coming Sunday
The Letter of James 1:2-3
Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
Swedenborg’s Insights
True Christianity §459
Goodwill is not essentially measured by the excellence of one’s role or of the gift itself, but by the fullness of feeling that led to it.
Insights from William Shakespeare
As You Like It
Sweet are the uses of adversity, which like the toad, ugly and venomous, wears yet a precious jewel in his head, and this our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything.
Insights from Khalil Gibran
The Prophet
Then said a rich man, “Speak to us of Giving.” And he answered: “You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you given of yourself that you truly give.”
Donations
It’s the time of year when we have to apply for grants to help fund the church. One question they ask each year is the number of community members who give. Please help us out and make a small gift if you haven’t already done so this year. If you can make your donation by August 14, it will be especially helpful for our grant applications. This will help us in our proposals. While money is critical, thanks to all who volunteer their time and talents as well. I thought this article summed that up well.
Community Connection Form
We would love to celebrate birthdays and special moments with you! Please fill out this form (linked HERE) which helps us stay connected, recognize important dates, and support one another as a community.
The form also asks for your mailing address and a few other pieces of information. We are collecting this information to help update our records and send future printed materials. All information is optional, and access is strictly limited to designated staff members.
Having trouble with the form or prefer to respond by email? Please contact Katy@SwedenborgHouseDC.org
Upcoming Events
The Divine Cobbler with Dell Rose
Swedenborg Library of Chicago
Thursday, August 13 | 7:00 PM Eastern Time
Jacob Böhme, (1575-1824) the “Divine Shoe Cobbler” is one of the most enigmatic figures in Western mysticism. His visionary theology fused Christian, alchemical, and Neoplatonic thought, shaping later esoteric traditions. Fans of Swedenborg’s work may be surprised to find many parallels in Böhme’s and Swedenborg’s theology.
Thursday, August 13 Dell Rose will conclude discussion of “Aurora,” summarizing its meaning, from chapters 17-26. Bohme’s Aurora (1612), is the genesis of Böhme’s mystical thought and his vision of divine manifestation, the dynamic interplay of wrath and love, and the soul’s path to regeneration. Through close examination of his imagery and symbolism, we’ll trace how Aurora lays the groundwork for his influence and later esoteric writings.
Join via Zoom using this link, or dial into their Zoom Room at 558 403 3057, Password: Swedenborg.
Spirit of Open Mic: A Night of Sacred Song and Spoken Word
With Rev. Kelly Crouch | Wednesday August 19 | 6:30 – 9:00 PM
Humans have been sharing art together as a way of connecting to the transcendent ever since we lived in caves. This is a night to keep that tradition alive: a space to bring whatever is sacred to you and share it with others!
Join us at Swedenborg House for an evening of poems, songs, stories, art, and scripture. Anyone is welcome to share, and anyone is welcome to just come and listen. ✨
The details:
- Sharing begins at 7pm
- Sign up for a 5 minute timeslot
- An acoustic guitar and grand piano are available to play
- Leading something interactive like a group song or call and response? Bring printouts, or email your content ahead of time to events@swedenborghousedc.org and we’ll project it onscreen
A few house notes:
- All spiritual traditions are welcome here
- Please don’t bring alcohol, out of respect for all traditions represented
RSVP and sign up HERE.
If you are able to volunteer to help host this event, please let us know.
Swedenborg Salons: When Love Falls Apart (How to Break Up Well)
With Rev. Kelly Crouch | Wednesday August 26 | 7:00 PM
Is there a loving way to break up?
Romantic separations are widely recognized as among life’s most psychologically painful experiences. Research suggests that roughly three in ten adults have experienced being ghosted, with even higher rates among younger adults. When relationships come to an end, how do we balance caring for ourselves with what we owe the other person?
If heartbreak is one of the deepest forms of human suffering, what would it mean to bring greater compassion, honesty, and care to the ending of relationships?
In this Swedenborg Salon, we’ll reflect on our own experiences, explore the ethics of ghosting, closure, forgiveness, and shared community, and consider what spiritual wisdom might teach us about letting go with love. Whether you’ve experienced a difficult breakup, supported someone through one, or are simply curious about the moral and spiritual dimensions of endings, you’re welcome to join the conversation.
Light refreshments will be provided. RSVP HERE.
Spiritual Entrepreneur Fall Intensive
Saturday, October 24 | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
How do you create work that matters while paying your bills? How do you charge for spiritual and creative work without selling out? How do you navigate the need to work within capitalism while also staying true to your values?
This intensive is for creatives and entrepreneurs wrestling with these questions. By the end of the day, you will have a clearer mission, a workable business model, and concrete next steps. You’ll also leave with greater confidence about pricing, marketing, and how to build something financially real without compromising your spiritual values.
Just as importantly, you’ll spend the day in a small group of like-minded builders navigating the same tensions between calling and livelihood. The intensive is designed to foster real connection, honest feedback, and meaningful networking, with the option to continue the conversation afterward through an ongoing peer coaching circle.
Find more detailed information and purchase your tickets HERE.
Notes from the Pastor’s Desk
I found this poem to offer a metaphor for how we try to engage in our spiritual life: The Bell Ringer by David Whyte.
Here is a snippet of the poem:
“Consider the bell
ringer as an image
of the human soul,
he stands foursquare
on the stone flagged
ground, and surrounded
by a circle of communal
concentration
searches in his fixed
aloneness
for a world
beyond straight,
human,
eye to eye
discourse”
If you’d like to read the full poem, you can find it HERE.
