Tabernacle Stories: Kathryn Hall (03/29/17)
“I was the kid growing up who would always see the kid sitting alone in the corner and go sit with them . . . . We are made in the image of god. That’s all of us, that’s not just me. That’s the person who I don’t want to look at, or that’s the person that others don’t want to be around. Well, I should be around that person even more, because that is the image of God” (Kathryn Hall).
This six-week series centers on the theme of “testimony.” Each week, we will invite one or two people from our congregation to share stories about their spiritual journeys and where they have seen God at work in their lives. We will have time to ask questions and explore together how God is moving among us at Tabernacle and in the world. This series will meet in the fellowship hall from 6:00pm to 7:00pm on Wednesday evenings. Tabernacle Stories begins on March 22nd and will continue until May 17th.
This week we welcome Kathryn Hall, a long-time member and active member of the deacon board. We are grateful for her willingness to be vulnerable, to share her story, and to give testimony to God’s presence in her life and among us at Tabernacle.
Tabernacle Stories: Rev. Kristen Koger (03/22/17)
“We need to tell stories as a testimony to what God has done and is doing. If we do not share the stories, their power and truth are diluted, and their impact forgotten” (Wright/Davis).
This six-week series centers on the theme of “testimony.” Each week, we will invite one or two people from our congregation to share stories about their spiritual journeys and where they have seen God at work in their lives. We will have time to ask questions and explore together how God is moving among us at Tabernacle and in the world. This series will meet in the fellowship hall from 6:00pm to 7:00pm on Wednesday evenings. Tabernacle Stories begins on March 22nd and will continue until May 17th.
This week we welcome Rev. Kristen Koger, our Pastoral Resident. We are grateful for her willingness to be vulnerable, to share her story, and to give testimony to God’s presence in her life and among us at Tabernacle.
Podcast – Sunday Worship 3/12/2017
The Little Red Hen – Sterling Severns
Luke 13:1-9, 31-35
TABLE: Connecting with God through fellowship with our neighbors and one another.
Coordinated Dinners
Yes, I would like to receive information about the following opportunities.
- Join the Rones for a meal in their furlough season, before they return to Myanmar.
- Read Will Campbell’s Brother to a Dragonfly, an engaging memoir about family, faith, the south, race, addiction, love and death. The dinner group will meet together towards the end of the Lenten Season, after everyone has read the book.
- What is the essence of the Gospel and how do we convey our understanding of the Gospel in light of Jesus’ Great Commission mandate? Join a lively conversation around the table.
- Participate in a family friendly game night.
- Participate in an youth and adult friendly game night.
- Visit one of our Burma rooted families, alongside a couple of others, for an evening of introduction to food, culture, and friendship.
A call to hospitality and service to neighbors
Yes, I will commit to reach out my neighbors in the season ahead. This list will not be published or shared with the church at large. However, it will be shared with the deacons and staff for the purposes of encouragement and accountability. Please e-mail Pastor@tbcrichmond.org to request more info.
- I will make a concerted effort to get to know one of my neighbors, or co-workers, in a deeper way through the sharing a meal together.
- I will reach out to the church office to find out who needs a meal delivered to their home.
- Whereas, I cannot prepare a meal, I would be willing to deliver a meal to a family in need during the lenten season.
- During this lenten season, I will make a concerted effort to interact with my family, or roommate(s), in a more deliberate and/or caring way when we sit down and share a meal together.
- During this lenten season, I will commit to connect my community of faith to a neighbor, and/or friend, through an invitation to my home.
- I will commit to look for lonely students in the school cafeteria and invite them to join me for lunch during the lenten season.
- I will reach out to an acquaintance during this lenten season and invite them to coffee/tea for no other purpose but to get to know them on a deeper level.
- I will commit to_____________________________________, during this lenten season.
sunday worship 3-5-2017
”A Beauitful Day in the Neighbourhood”
Podcast – Sunday Worship 2-26-2017
“Ride of your Life” Sterling Severns
Luke 9:28-45
A Good Word from Rev. Kristen Koger, Our Pastoral Resident
My friends, here we are again. Didn’t we just meet to talk about how 2015 went? How are we already in 2017? I guess time does fly when you are having fun. And I have had lots of fun over the course of the past year working with you fine folks. It has been a year full of continued learning, growing, challenges, and affirmations. It’s the first time I’ve been back at working full time since moving to Richmond. And one thing is for sure- that takes some adjusting after being in school for four years. But, you all know how to help a resident out as she is adjusting to full-time ministry again. In fact, today (January 29) is the 5-year anniversary of my showing up at Tabernacle. Praise the Lord!
2016 was filled with many things for me! One of the things that was not surprising to me at all was that I sure do love this job that I have been called to. As 2016 finished, I found myself reflecting on the past year and the year to come, and while there may be a lot of things up in the air as I begin to look for jobs, I am confident that working in congregational ministry is where I am meant to be. Thank you for helping affirm that over the last two years (and really, five years since I first showed up here).
One of the things that was surprising to me was how much I enjoyed preaching this past year. In 2016, I was lucky enough to be able to preach a total of eight times in 2016- some planned and some not. But I found that with each sermon, I began to get more and more comfortable in the pulpit. Because of this, I know that as I begin to look for jobs, one of the main questions I will be asking is, “How often can I expect to preach?” Thank you for allowing this young pastor to have a space where she can learn and grow more confident in her “preaching voice.” The Church universal needs more churches like you to empower and affirm young ministers as they learn and grow. I will be forever thankful to you, Tabernacle, for helping me realize that I am not just a minister, I am a pastor.
Now that we have entered into 2017, I have turned a corner mentally. I will begin looking for jobs on a more regular basis as I prepare for the end of my residency in May 2017. However, my intent is to remain engaged as long as possible with you all. I’ll remind you of my 4 requests from my letter of gratitude to you from our October business meeting. 1- Help me end strong; 2- Do not make the months ahead a long good-bye; 3- Begin to pray now for whoever is called to this place next; and 4- Remember who you are as a church. This are big requests for each of us, but I am confident that we can complete them together.
Thank you, Tabernacle, for being you. To quote a couple of phrases from one of my favorite musicals:
“But I know I’m who I am today, because I knew you.”
“So let me say before we part, so much of me is made from what I learned from you; you’ll be with me like a handprint on my heart.”
“ Who can say if I’ve been changed for the better? I do believe I have been changed for the better.”
“And because I knew you, I have been changed for good.”
Much love,
Kristen Koger
Pastoral Resident, May 2015-2017
METRO BAPTIST CHURCH PARTNERSHIP
Tabernacle has worked in partnership with Metro Baptist Church, 410 West 40th St. New York New York for more than 25 years. We have provided leadership for their summer camps, sent them interns and staff members, cooked Thanksgiving and Christmas meals with them, hosted their youth retreat and assisted in the 9th Ave Food Festival to help their youth raise funds for Passport Camp. In 2016 we partnered with Eric Hasha of First Baptist Church of Jefferson City, Tennessee to provide leadership for the first week of Clue Camp July 5-9, 2016. This year our youth Intern, Lindsey Fulcher joined youth Monica Iang, Wayshanh Htoo and Kanoa Burgess to help the adults, Sarah Anne Burgess, Emily Witt, Jerry Jones and Nathan Hatfield lead camp.
Again this year two of our members served on staff at Metro Baptist. Bridget Fulks is currently their Children/Youth Service Coordinator. In that position she is responsible for an after-school tutoring program known as Page Turners, the Winter Clothes Closet and for a Teen Center program that includes retreats and summer camp experiences. Rev. Joseph Perdue finished his term as an Associate Pastor Intern in December of 2016. He worked in the area of food justice. In that position he coordinated work on the Hell’s Kitchen Farm Project, meals for a veteran’s counseling program and a large food pantry. For the first time in this 25 year partnership Tabernacle participated in helping to fund his position at Metro through the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
The week of November 21-25 a group from Tabernacle worked with Joe, Bridget and other volunteers from Metro, the Metro community and the First Baptist Church of Elkin, NC to cook a Thanksgiving meal for over 250 people. We cooked mounds of root vegetables, apple cobbler, pumpkin cobbler, green beans, gravy and dressing. The team consisted of Judy Fiske, Nathan Hatfield, Emily Witt, Terry Witt, Kristen Koger, Bonnie Bailey, Teresa Bailey and Betty Robertson. A team returned December 19-21 to help cook the turkeys for the Christmas Day meal. Judy and Nathan were joined this time by Hope Nycum, Kathryn Hall, Courtney Jackson and Ben Brown.
Judy Fiske and Sarah Ann Burgess assisted Bridget with the 9th Ave Food Festival May 14 and 15. We traveled to NYC on May 12 to cook with the teens before the food festival. The Teen Center attends Passport Camp in the summer and makes a large amount of their camp money at this event.
This year we will again travel in May to assist with Food Festival, lead the first week of Clue Camp and perhaps cook at Thanksgiving and Christmas again. Plan to join in on one of these trips or make a donation to help someone else attend.
Judy
9th Ave Food Festival: May 20-21—-leave on May 18, return on May 20 or 21.
Clue Camp: July 1-9
Thanksgiving: November 20-24
Christmas: December 19-21