Dear Friends,
I can’t remember a sermon that generated so much discussion as last week’s message on AI. The discussion continued long after the service, especially around the question of whether AI can have a soul. Thank you for such an incredible discussion.
If you missed the sermon, you can watch it HERE.
This Saturday, Spiritual Open Mic
We’re hosting our second Spiritual Open Mic this Saturday at 6 PM ET, where participants can share songs, poems, writings, or any other creative endeavors. This event is in-person only, and we’ll meet in the prayer room. Food will be provided. Full details and RSVP are HERE.
This Sunday
This Sunday, Kelly Crouch will deliver their sermon Billionaire Bunkers and Existential Risk: A Field Guide to the End Times.
How can wisdom traditions respond to the "existential risk” posed by artificial intelligence? Whether it’s killer robots, climate change, or political upheaval, many of us feel there is little we can do about it. Yet the word apocalypse means “unveiling,” and religion has long wrestled with the sense that the end is near. Christianity itself was born in uncertain times, and the early church answered with radical solidarity rather than panic or inaction. What does this moment reveal about who we are, and what might it look like to build community instead of bunkers?
With gratitude and blessings,
Rev. Rich Tafel
Our Sunday Speaker: Kelly Crouch
Kelly Crouch is a Quaker minister and spiritual educator with experience in advocacy, spiritual care, public service, and community development. Kelly enjoys helping others deepen their inner lives through reflective discussion, contemplative practices, and vocational discernment. They draw inspiration from Christian mysticism and its connections to other wisdom traditions.
Readings for the Coming Sunday
Acts 2:43-47
Awe came upon everyone because many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
Deuteronomy 8:2-4
Remember the long way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, in order to humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commandments. He humbled you by letting you hunger, then by feeding you with manna, with which neither you nor your ancestors were acquainted, in order to make you understand that one does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. The clothes on your back did not wear out, and your feet did not swell these forty years.
Swedenborg’s Insights
Secrets of Heaven, Volume 1 §2
People believe, though, that the end of the earth is the same as the Last Judgment mentioned in the Word, where the culmination of the age, the day of divine visitation, and the Last Judgment are dealt with. They are wrong. A last judgment comes to every church when it goes through the process of devastation, which is the stage at which there is no longer any faith in it.
Upcoming Events at Swedenborg House DC
Spirit of Open Mic
Saturday, October 24 | 6:00–9:00 PM ET | Swedenborg House DC
Join us for an evening of sacred sharing through poems, songs, stories, art, and scripture, carrying on the human tradition of connecting to the transcendent through art. Sharing begins at 7pm with 5-minute slots, and listeners are welcome too; a guitar and piano are available. All spiritual traditions are welcome. Full details and sign up HERE.
Swedenborg Salons: Are Psychedelic Experiences Mystical?
Thursday, October 29 | 7:00–8:30 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.
Events of Interest Outside the Church
Part 2 of The Long Shadow of WWI with Dell Rose
Thursday, October 22 | 7:00 PM ET | Swedenborg Library of Chicago
Zoom link HERE.
Ancient Wisdom for Modern People, an Online Conversation with N.T. Wright
Friday, October 23 | 1:30–2:30 PM ET
Details 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 website, and we’ll be happy to walk you through the process.
New: Board Meeting and Social Media
At our monthly board meeting, we focused on two key initiatives: a new social media strategy and an upcoming fundraising campaign.
We are expanding our online presence, beginning with Facebook and Instagram, with other platforms to follow. Our first posts go live on Monday, October 26th, and we have a full weekly routine of content planned, including Meaningful Mondays, Teaching Tuesdays, What’s Happening Wednesdays, Throwback Thursdays, and more.
We need your help to get started! Please like and follow our pages, and stay connected with us online. Be among our very first followers!
Notes from the Pastor’s Desk
Peter Wehner, a contributing writer for The New York Times, has published another fascinating interview, this time with Rev. Sarah Coakley. I think you’ll find it a thought-provoking read: Read the interview HERE.
I’m also enjoying the new seasons of the TV series The Chosen, which brings the stories of Jesus and his followers to life. Watch it HERE.
Thought of the Week
