Dear Friends,
It was wonderful to kick off our fall church season with a new service time and a meaningful new addition. The 6:00 p.m. ET time seemed to work well, with our largest in-person gathering and wonderful attendance online.
From 5:30–6:00 p.m. ET, Kelly Crouch led us in a time of music and meditation. I encourage you to join us at 5:30 p.m. ET if you can; it is a lovely way to settle in and focus before the service.
Thank you as well to a member of our community who submitted a question that I addressed in my sermon. Please feel free to send in questions you would like explored. I am happy to keep them anonymous.
You can listen to my sermon HERE.
The service was followed by a well-attended potluck. A participant invited the group to reflect on a question from the sermon: Whom do you hold in contempt, and how might you flip the perspective to see the world through their eyes?
It was fascinating to hear the very different challenges each person shared, as well as the struggle to understand another viewpoint. We had a rich discussion about what the best course of action might be from different perspectives. One insight was that we sometimes hold onto contempt because we believe it protects us. Another was that letting go of contempt can bring the focus back to us and the changes we may need to make. Having an enemy can keep our attention on them rather than on ourselves.
This Sunday
We are excited to welcome back Rev. Robert McCluskey for his sermon Appleseeds and the Word of God.
Just as one seed gives rise to a tree, which in turn gives rise to countless more seeds, each able to take root and produce even more seeds – so the Word of God, the Divine Truth, seeks to take root and grow to infinity within all those with open minds and willing hearts.
Prayers
Please keep members of our community in your prayers. If you have a prayer request, please send it along.
With gratitude and blessings,
Rev. Rich Tafel
Our Sunday Speaker: Rev. Robert E. McCluskey
Rev. Robert E. McCluskey is an ordained Swedenborgian minister with experience in pastoral ministry, denominational service, interfaith work, social justice, and religious freedom. He has served in a variety of church and ecumenical roles and continues to contribute to Swedenborgian ministry and justice initiatives.
Readings for the Coming Sunday
Isaiah 55:8-11
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher that your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts
For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
Making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
So shall my word be that goes out of my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Matthew 13:1-9
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on a path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched, and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. If you have ears, hear!”
Swedenborg’s Insights
Arcana Coelestia, §2636
The seeds of truth and good are many states of innocence and charity, and also the knowledges of good and truth and the thoughts thence derived.
Upcoming Events
Ecclesiastes, with Dell Rose
Thursday, September 17th | 7:00 PM ET
On Thursday, Dell will discuss the historical background of the Book of Ecclesiastes, and the intellectual concerns which drive the text.
Ecclesiastes, as a wisdom text, is arguing for a specific response to the ethical concerns of the day.
You’ll find a reading for this session on the Swedenborg Library of Chicago’s website HERE.
Join Dell at from the Swedenborg Library of Chicago via Zoom HERE, or dial into their Zoom Room at 558 403 3057, Password: Swedenborg.
SWEDENBORG SALONS: The Sabbath: How We Help Each Other Slow Down
Wednesday, September 23, 2026 | 7:00-8:30 PM ET | Swedenborg House DC | Hybrid via Zoom
Reading: Abraham Joshua Heschel, The Sabbath, “A Palace in Time,” (1951).
Have you noticed how hard it is to slow down when the world around you keeps spinning faster and faster?
In this Swedenborg Salon, we’ll have a conversation about Shabbat, the Jewish practice of rest observed from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. Shabbat has inspired practices well beyond Judaism, from the Christian custom of Sunday rest to the more recent rise of “tech sabbaths,” in which people unplug for a full day.
What gets lost when Shabbat is practiced outside its original context in Jewish community? And how might we recover sabbath as a communal practice, one made possible only when an entire community commits to it together?
We’ll hear from Ken Magid, a rabbinic student and Jewish educator, who will share his experience of practicing Shabbat in community and lead us through a discussion of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel’s The Sabbath. We’ll close by working together on a plan for our own sabbath practice.
Ken Magid’s teaching is rooted in Neo-Chassidic thought and lived Jewish ritual, with a focus on prayer, sacred time, ritual, and community.
Johnny Appleseed Festival
Sunday, September 27th | 7:00 PM ET
Did you know one of America’s most beloved folk heroes was also one of its strangest characters? Johnny Appleseed was a real man named John Chapman, known for wandering the frontier in a coffee sack instead of a shirt, refusing to wear shoes, and sleeping outdoors under the stars even in winter. But beneath the eccentric exterior was a devoted missionary: as he scattered apple seeds across the American wilderness, he was equally devoted to spreading the teachings of Emanuel Swedenborg, tearing pages from Swedenborgian texts to leave with the families who took him in for the night. His orchards, grown from seed, produced apples better suited for cider than for eating, which frontier communities relied on just as much.
Join us at Swedenborg House DC as we celebrate the legacy of one of the most beloved Swedenborgians of all time: the legendary Johnny Appleseed! Come learn the fascinating story of his life and his important Swedenborgian roots. Then settle in for a night of apple-themed bingo with fantastic prizes, a cider tasting featuring both non-alcoholic and alcoholic options, and a delicious spread of fall treats including pies, apple cider donuts, and more. We’ll cap off the evening with a cozy screening of Walt Disney’s Johnny Appleseed, so bring your appetite and your love of a good autumn story!
RSVP is required (HERE), and we’d love for you to bring your favorite apple-based dish to share!
Blessing of the Animals
Sunday, October 4th | 6:00 PM ET
Join us for our Blessing of the Animals, a beloved tradition observed on the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals. It’s a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the animal companions who bring so much joy, comfort, and love into our lives.
You’re invited to bring your pet to church in person to receive a blessing or online. We will also offer prayers for pets who have passed on and you’d like to honor their memory.
What we need from you in advance: Please contact the church ahead of time so we can add your animal to the prayer list and plan for anyone bringing a pet in person.
The evening will open with a special animal blessing, followed by a sermon on the spirituality of animals.
Spiritual Entrepreneur Fall Intensive
Saturday, October 24 | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET
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.
Church News in Photos
Below you’ll find photos from our first service of the fall season, where we began with beautiful music and meditation and concluded with our potluck. Thank you to all who attended!
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 a few optional details to help update church records and future communications. All information is optional, and access is strictly limited to designated staff members.
Having trouble with the form or prefer another way to respond? Please contact the church office through the CHC website.
Notes from the Pastor’s Desk
For those interested in mental health and wellness, I recently came across this article on the use of SSRIs (a common class of antidepressant medication) and found it fascinating. It’s a timely, honest look at a topic many of us encounter in our own lives or in the lives of those we care for. Let me know what you think.
Thought of the Week
