Dear Friends:
Thanks to all who attended Helen Sioris' Memorial Service last Sunday and our worship afterward. We had a profound discussion about ways we can prepare for our own death.
What's a Year...
Last Sunday marked the last of our Sunday worship services until September 12th. Each week this summer I'll be sending you a recording sermon to listen to. Please feel free to reach out.
It's been one hell of a year with the fear and loss of COVID, three major staff transitions, dozens of marches down 16th Street through the summer, and the riot at the Capitol last January. The disruption has led some members to leave DC but join online and we lost numerous rentals. Just as we thought we were coming to the end of the challenges, we lost our president Helen. Finally, check out the truck crashing into our front yard last week (photo below).
The good news has been you reading this right now. Thanks to all who kept coming to church and growing our church online in unprecedented ways. I loved growing our church nationally with many new members I have not yet met in person to our largest congregation in four decades. This year should challenge us to rethink how we do church in the future. We must learn the lessons of 2020-2021.
If you have any suggestions on ways we can improve worship, please let me know.
I'm relieved to be off for two months and catch my breath. I'm proud to have never missed a service this past year so we could get through this crisis together.
You can see past sermons here:
https://holycitydc.org/category/sermon/
You can now watch past sermons here:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0eIuRvg7zOeXcXwsMct29w
This Sunday you can join us with the denomination's worship.
The Swedenborgian denomination has begun our annual convention meetings at noon EST Friday as I'm sending out this newsletter.
If you can join worship Sunday at noon online and stay for the discussion on the racism work the denomination has done. I'll be participating in two parts of that presentation.
Sunday Worship June 27th 12 EST with Convention
Panel Following Church
Rev Tafel will be on a panel immediately following Sunday's worship service with reflections on the denomination's efforts to address racism and whether our denomination should take political positions.
https://convention2021.swedenborg.org/
Note to Convention Attendees
You will have access to everything. We are really hoping to get an idea of attendance, but you are not stuck with your choices. All of the events will be able to be accessed on our website on the schedule page here, using a password that you will get in your welcome email tomorrow once registration closes.
https://convention2021.swedenborg.org/event-listing/
Membership
If you are interested in becoming a member, please reach out to me.
Summer Break Begins
We begin our summer break next weekend and resume service the Sunday after Labor Day. I'll be sending out the newsletter with previous sermons. I'm available for one on one pastoral counseling if you need me.
Thanks for your help!
Rev. Rich Tafel
