Dear Friends,
What a wild and wonderful Blessing of the Animals! With three beautiful dogs, a snake, and two lizards in the prayer room, the energy was electric. I hope the barking didn’t drown out too much of my sermon, but it was great fun. We also loved receiving all the online requests, and by the end of the service we had blessed well over 20 animals.
I’m wondering if we can now count pets as members and show our growth…
Thanks to all who participated. You can watch my sermon, What Our Animals Teach Us, HERE.
This Sunday
This Sunday, we are excited to welcome Sue Ditmire, a Swedenborgian for more than 50 years, founder of the Swedenborgian Heritage Center, and author of Overlooked: Black Ministers in a White Denomination. Sue will speak on Swedenborgians in DC: The White and Black of It. We look forward to seeing you at 6 PM ET.
Last Thursday
We were at Swedenborg House when a large chunk of drywall fell from the fourth-floor ceiling all the way down to the first floor. Thankfully, no one was hurt. After extensive work on the building in recent years, it was an unexpected reminder that old buildings still find ways to surprise us.
Prayers
Please keep members of our community in your prayers as they recover from recent health challenges.
With gratitude and blessings,
Rev. Rich Tafel
Our Sunday Speaker: Sue Ditmire
Sue Ditmire has been a member of the Swedenborgian Church of North America for more than 50 years and has been active on both local and national levels, including founding the Swedenborgian Heritage Center.
Overlooked: Black Ministers in a White Denomination is Ditmire’s first historical nonfiction book, sparked by the death of George Floyd and the subsequent Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, “as we were challenged to examine our own histories of race relations.”
Readings for the Coming Sunday
Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Swedenborg’s Insights
The Last Judgment, §118
The African people are more capable of enlightenment than all other peoples on this earth, because they are of such character as to think interiorly and thus to accept truths and acknowledge them.
Upcoming Events at Swedenborg House DC
CANCELLED: Navigating Grief in Our Time of Political Upheaval
Thursday, October 15th | 7:00 PM ET
Please note that this event has been cancelled.
Spiritual Entrepreneur Fall Intensive
Saturday, October 24 | 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM ET
How do you create meaningful work while paying the bills, charge for spiritual and creative work without selling out, and stay true to your values within capitalism? This intensive helps creatives and entrepreneurs develop a clearer mission, workable business model, and concrete next steps while connecting with like-minded builders through honest feedback, networking, and an optional peer coaching circle. Click HERE for the full description and tickets.
Swedenborg Salons: Spirituality and Psychedelics
Thursday, October 29 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM ET
Save the date, more details coming soon!
Other Events of Interest
Live Like a Citizen: 8 Ways to Change your Mindset and Our Country with Eric Liu
Tuesday, October 13th | 7:00 PM ET | Politics & Prose | 5015 Connecticut Ave NW
Join us as we celebrate Eric Liu’s new book on October 13! We’re especially excited that Rev. Tafel is mentioned in the book and will be attending the book launch. More details HERE.
Beyond Diplomacy: U.S.–South Korea Civil Society as Engines for Peace with Venerable Pomnyun Sunim
Wednesday, October 14th | 6:00 PM Dinner, 7:00 PM Panel Discussion | 2300 Cathedral Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
Venerable Pomnyun Sunim, one of South Korea’s leading Buddhist monks and a longtime friend of our church, will be back in DC for this powerful event. More details and RSVP HERE.
What Is Dyslexia? Screening & Panel Discussion at the Lab School of Washington
Wednesday, October 14th | 6:00 PM | 4759 Reservoir Rd NW
More details and RSVP HERE.
Church News in Photos
Below you’ll find photos from last Thursday’s ceiling collapse, along with snapshots of our joyful, tail-wagging Blessing of the Animals. It was quite a week at the house!
Community Connection Form
We would love to celebrate birthdays and special moments with you! Please fill out THIS form which helps us stay connected, recognize important dates, and support one another as a community.
Having trouble with the form or prefer another way to respond? Please contact the church office through the CHC website.
Thought of the Week
