Lesson from the Pandemic: Are you Moving Forward or Backward?
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Lesson from the Pandemic:
Are you Moving Forward or Backward?

Sunday, June 6th, 2021
at 5 pm EST


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Dear Friends:
Thanks for a profound discussion on what the role of the military can be for Christians. The diverse viewpoints shared created a rich discussion.

You can see past sermons here:
https://holycitydc.org/category/sermon/


Lesson from the Pandemic:
Are you Moving Forward or Backward?

As America opens up after the pandemic, I'm hearing from many a desire to get back to normal and forget 2020 as though it were a bad dream. But there were lessons to be learned. I want to start a discussion about how we can learn from the pandemic as we move forward with our spiritual lives.

Helen Sioris Funeral
We had a lovely funeral for Helen Sioris yesterday. I included photos below. Thanks to all who could make it.

You can watch it here. Thank you Annabel for recording it.

Memorial Service, Sunday, June 20th at 4 PM EST
Church of the Holy City will hold a memorial service for Helen on Sunday, June 20th at 4 PM EST. This will be broadcast to our members. Following the Memorial Service, we will have our last Sunday Service before summer vacation at 5 PM. A reception is planned for anyone who is able to join us in Washington DC. The final weekend in June is our national convention.

If you'd like to do a reading or share a story for either or both services, just contact Rev. Tafel (revtafel@holycitydc.org.). Please check out Maria and Annabel's lovely tributes to Helen that they posted on Facebook below.

Membership
If you are interested in becoming a member, please reach out to me.

Swedenborgian Convention 2021 June 25-27.
The annual convention of Swedenborgian churches will take place online again this year and all are welcome to attend. Details below. Please pick a class or two to attend. Also, if you're a member we still have two voting options available. We need you at Convention!

https://convention2021.swedenborg.org/

Reading Group July and August 2021
A number of members have expressed interest in holding a reading group during July and August when the church takes our summer vacation. Let me know if you are interested and I'll do a group email introduction for those interested.

Look forward to seeing you Sunday.

Thanks for your help!

Rev. Rich Tafel
Helen's brother's wedding with her father to the left and Helen on the right.



"How to
Heal Our Divides"




The Future of Church
written by Rev. Tafel
The book "How to Heal Our Divides: A Practical Guide" has been published with a short chapter by Rev. Tafel offering a strategy for the future of the church. This chapter focuses on our church's effort to teach spiritual entrepreneurship.

We are planning a book party this fall to celebrate.

You can purchase the book on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/How-Heal-Our-Divides-Practical/dp/B0948LPPFS
Rev. Tafel to Present at Rumi Forum

The Rumi Forum is hosting an event called Scriptural Reasoning where a Muslim, Christian, and Jewish leader each shares their perspective on a text. This month Rev. Tafel will represent the Christian perspective on the topic of Covenant.

Register here:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/scriptural-reasoning-covenant-tickets-155990518841



Sunday Service Order

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Light a Candle
Open the Word
Greetings and Check-In
Take a Deep Breath


Invocation
Bless us as we gather today.
Weave us into a community showing forth your power and tenderness.
Bless us and our differences and undergird our courage to stand together.
We call on you today to gather us in your love.
Lead us to better know you and glorify you on each step of the journey of our lives.
Amen.

Confession
Psalm 51 
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness:
according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.


Scripture Readings

Luke 9
23Then Jesus said to all of them, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. 24For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.
25What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, yet lose or forfeit his very self? 26If anyone is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. ”


Genesis 28

Jacob’s Dream at Bethel
10 Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran. 11 When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. 12 He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. 13 There above it[a] stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. 14 Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.[b] 15 I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”




Swedenborg Insights:
In good people, the spirals face forward toward the Lord and in evil people, they face away from the Lord. When they spiral forward they are turned toward the Lord and are open to the inflow from him. When they spiral backward they are turned toward hell and are open to its inflow. It is important to realize that to the extent that they are turned backward they are open behind and closed in front being toward the Lord and that conversely, to the extent that they are turned forward they are open in front toward the Lord and closed behind toward hell. (Divine Providence §319)


SERMON

Offering
Please give generously to our ministry
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Community Prayer with Lord's Prayer
(congregation responds, "Lord hear our prayer.")

Benediction
Now may the peace that passes all understanding be with you all this day and forevermore.
AMEN

Discussion Time Follows the Benediction
This time is for those who would like to remain after the service to ask questions and hear the questions of others.

Guidelines:
Participate by asking questions first.
Be curious and open-minded in your participation in the views of others.
Keep your questions to no more than two minutes.
Speak once until everyone has spoken.
Listen deeply to the questions of others and show you've listened before speaking.

Spiritual
Entrepreneur
Resources

Webinar worth watching, just click the title on spiritual entrepreneurship:

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