Author: tbc

A Word of Introduction, Rev. Sterling W. Severns, Pastor

There is a phrase I find myself using quite often these days as an assortment of folks ask questions about how things are going at Tabernacle Baptist Church. Generally speaking, neighbors and colleagues will allude to something they have seen or heard about us:

“I hear that things are going quite well at the church…..it sounds like you are really growing?”

 “I saw pictures on Facebook of your Sanctuary last Sunday…it looks so creative!”

“I spoke with __________ about finding a home at Tabernacle, I’m pleasantly surprised they have joined you as I thought they had given up on The Church”. 

I always enjoy these types of conversations as they provide a wonderful opportunity for me to share the story of what God is doing among us. After sharing some of the details, I inevitably use this phrase,

“…..Life begets life”. 

The re-emerging church at the corner of Grove and Meadow continued to gain momentum in 2015. The life that God has poured into our little congregation is drawing others to us and, ultimately, drawing all of us towards the source of life. We, by the grace of God, are vital again and the gift of that vitality is increasingly evident to anyone that has contact with us. The secret is out. People know that Christ is at work in this place and the sharing of our story is opening doors for partnership, ministry, and growth.

This last year of worship and ministry has taken many of us by surprise. Growth was anticipated in 2015 but not at the level we experienced it. Signs of life emerged in unlikely places and new spiritual formation programs grew at a pace we couldn’t have imagined only twelve short months ago. Two feature articles in national publications drew attention to our congregation by brothers and sisters from all over the world. The process of commissioning and sending two our own to southeast Asia has opened doors that we are only just beginning to discover. To say that it was a very good year would be an understatement.

Some of the highlights include:

• The gift of connection with the Universal Church:  We offered bread for the journey to numerous members called to step across the threshold of our church doors to serve in corners throughout the country and world. Twenty-four new family members crossed over the same threshold to enter into the membership of our local church. Each of them helped connect us with the the larger body. I will never forget Preston and Hazel’s baptisms in early 2015. God is using these two young believers to build the kingdom.  We prayed with Rob and Amanda as they discerned God’s guidance on where to serve and, ultimately, we helped to commission and send them to Myanmar. What a privilege it was to participate in that process and to see the church step forward to create a support system for them. The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Virginia and Faith & Leadership, a national digital publication sponsored by Duke University, featured Tabernacle in stories centered on our use of worship arts. We have been contacted by numerous congregations, from throughout the ecumenical spectrum, to serve as a resource for the creative use of gifts and physical space in worship. Our partnerships with ReEstablish Richmond and Camp Alkulana provided invaluable opportunities to contribute in the lives of families here in our community. Our partnership with Metro Baptist Church in NYC, by way of the ministry of Rev. Joseph Perdue, Bridget Fulks, and our mission team(s) connected us to a long line of servants that have kept an important bridge in tact between our two churches. Our partnership with Doug and Lea Coppage in Hungary reminds us that God can overcome the greatest of distances to keep us connected and unified. The gift of technology, through the use of the live-stream and podcast ministries, allows us to worship with brothers and sisters that can’t be physically present with us but are still a very important part of our everyday lives.

• The gift of servants of the everyday saints: We said goodbye to “Teddy” McClure after decades of service as our Church Sexton. Teddy has been a beloved member of our church family through such a pivotal time in our story. He helped to hold the line when we were struggling and helped us to emerge into the congregation we are today.  He kept our facilities safe and clean and he did so with an amazing attitude. We also said goodbye to Evanne Benson, our Financial Secretary. Evanne served our church faithfully and provided some much needed stability.  The personnel committee had a very difficult task at the beginning of the calendar year in the loss of these two staff members. Clearly the hand of God was at work in the search process as we welcomed Vincent Sallie, our new Church Custodian, and Susan Lumpkin, our new Financial Secretary, into the fold. Both of these gifted servants stepped into their ministry positions with open hearts and an eagerness to work. They are both thriving in their positions and I am beyond grateful for their leadership!  Kristen Koger’s transition into the Pastoral Residency position was seamless. She is an extraordinary Pastor and has such a heart for ministry. Art Wright began the year as our Deacon Chair but quickly transitioned into a new position onto the pastoral staff in February. The Spiritual Formation Program, under his good guidance, hasn’t been this strong in generations. Art’s leadership and guidance has been invaluable. The addition of our very own Samuel UC Lian onto the pastoral staff has been such a blessing. Many of us remember Samuel when he was in our youth group. The fact that he is now serving as our Pastoral Intern, working with our youth and families, is direct evidence of God’s grace working in full circle. The unstoppable Judy Fiske rounded off her 35th year of ministry among us with style, creativity, and unconditional love. I know of no other Pastor that works so diligently to facilitate meaningful worship and care of a congregation. The purchase of the “Judy Van”, a 15 passenger vehicle used to carry children and teens safely to church and camp alike, is a fitting tribute to her commitment and sacrifice. Betty Robertson, our Church Secretary of ten years, provides the glue that keeps us together. She represents our family to the community-at-large with integrity and warmth. She facilitates care and keeps us all in loop. She is well loved for good reason. The ever-evolving job descriptions for the members of our music staff kept Ron, Terry, and Ryan on their toes. However, they rose to the challenge, and many of our music programs are thriving because of it. Bonnie Bailey continued to serve behind the scenes to assist Teddy in his departure and also to help teach Vincent the ropes. I don’t know what we do without her. Frances Mathews longevity of service in the Child Care Center Ministry speaks to her passion for ministry to children and families. She is looked to as a Pastor by so many current and former parents. I thank God for each of these servants and for their willingness to equip you, the everyday saints of Tabernacle Baptist Church.

• The gift of ordination: The ordination of Rev. Kristen Koger  and Rev. Megan Strollo are two of the highlights of 2015. What a blessing it was to ordain these two gifted and caring servants and to do so beside so many other congregations and institutions. The Kingdom of God is a brighter place because of Kristen and Megan’s commitment to serve as equippers and caregivers.

• The gift of diversity: The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship featured Tabernacle in an important story focusing on multi-cultural relationships and the gift of unity we find in Christ. Our story was shared with hundreds of churches, many of of which have contacted us to offer encouragement and gratitude. The TBC ESL ministry continued to morph and I continue to be grateful for the assortment of leaders and volunteers that keep this ministry moving in the right direction. A good handful of our burmese rooted family members became US citizens in 2015 and some of my favorite memories of the year feature house blessings for our first time home buyers. God continues to provide. Our sexuality dialogue, on Wednesday evenings last fall, set a hopeful and respectful tone for important conversations in the year ahead. God has used our theological, multi-cultural, socio-economic, and racial diversity to create a beautiful picture of the Kingdom of God.

• The gift of progress:  A major phase in the renovation of our physical structure was completed in 2015. The basement of our main building welcomed an overhaul and provided a hint of things to come.

• The gift of longevity:  We are a well-rooted congregation and we are grateful for our legacy. We buried six members in 2015. Two of them had been active members for 80+ years. Louise Cochrane died at age 99. She and Harwood were married for 81 years; their commitment stood as the 10th longest surviving marriage in the world. We stand on the incredibly strong shoulders of those who came before us.

• The gift of growth: 2015 ushered in a baby boom at Tabernacle as the nursery hasn’t seen this many children in 40+ years. We averaged 50+ children and youth on Wednesday evenings and needed multiple vehicles to transport them to an assortment of camps in the summertime. If the volume of noise in the sanctuary, at the conclusion of any given Sunday service, is an indicator of life….we have assurance that the church is alive and well. Our adult Sunday school classes and small groups are growing rapidly to the point that we are looking for new spaces to meet on Sunday mornings and Sunday evenings. Numerical growth isn’t something we specifically seek out. Rather, it is an indicator of health and a direct result of God’s Spirit moving among us.

Future generations will be better equipped to put the year into perspective as we are too close to the story to fully understand what God is doing. Only time will tell. That said, I feel so very fortunate to live into the story beside you.

Yours in Christ,

Sterling W. Severns

Pastor

As mentioned in our December update, the Construction & Renovation Committee agreed to move forward over the next four to six weeks to complete a professional program evaluation of the use of our existing space.   We expect this analysis to be quite helpful as we revisit the approach for our construction next steps now that we have a more accurate and complete understanding of the costs associated with the approved plans.  We know now that additional plan requirements to meet building code requirements, the need for asbestos abatement, and higher current market construction costs and subcontractor pricing mean that the construction and renovation costs are significantly higher than could be originally estimated.

John Gass along with our lead architect from Huff-Morris, Jim Byerly, are currently meeting with various church groups and the pastoral staff to reaffirm space utilization needs that were defined approximately eight years ago.  The Committee agreed that this is a prudent effort to ensure that we are making wise choices in how we utilize the money you have generously given to this effort and will give in the future.  We believe that one of our most important roles in representing you is to be good stewards of the funds entrusted for creating a physical structure that meets the needs of our spiritual ministries.

We expect that the space evaluation will be completed around early March.  This will help us to make certain that we are utilizing all of our available areas in the most efficient and effective ways.  This also ensures that we are certain to consider how we meet our needs as they change with our ongoing growth.  A presentation will be made in the January church business meeting that will provide you with information available at that time.

Additional recent Vison activities include:

• Completion of the removal of the asbestos from the row houses,
• Patching the Williams Building roof.  (Discussions with Saunders Roofing Company indicate that they expect the roof to hold up during the winter, which will save us from spending a significant amount of money as we complete our space analysis and perhaps revise our construction sequence of events.)

We are encouraged in scripture to “run with patience the race before us”.  This is exactly the manner in which the Construction and Renovation Committee is working.  Every day Tabernacle Baptist Church takes patient and planned steps toward our God-Sized Vision.  Your gracious giving makes this possible.  If you or someone you know would like to know more about how you might participate or different ways that you might become a donor, please do not hesitate to call one of our Construction & Renovation Committee members (Nelson Melton, Bill Welstead, Kathy McGraw, Jim McMurray, or Donna Soyars).

I am amazed at the ways in which I can sense God’s presence among us as I look back over the past year.

Our small group program has seen amazing growth and vibrancy this past year. In any given week, more than fifty adults (plus children) meet in homes around Richmond for discipleship and fellowship. We have started two new groups in the past year, bringing our total number of small groups to five. We will probably add a couple more groups before the end of 2016. Weekly small group meetings are opportunities to talk and get to know one another in deep, meaningful ways, to dig into lively discussion of the sermon text, to wrestle with how God is at work in our lives, and to pray for one another.

Small groups also create neat opportunities for mutual care and collaborative involvement in mission. Group members care for one another and are often on the “front line” of providing meals and support for each other when a member is sick, has a new baby, or is in need for whatever reason. Groups are also finding ways to serve and minister together; my hope is that in the coming year we continue to strengthen the emphasis on mission in small groups.

This past August, we had our first small group leader training. Our small group leaders are nothing short of amazing. They open their homes and offer hospitality in abundance on a weekly basis. I find that I am constantly grateful for their leadership.

Our Sunday school offerings continue to be a vital part of spiritual formation at Tabernacle. The Welstead Class has experienced growth in the past year, and we have a relatively new intergenerational class that meets in the Community Room downstairs that is also growing. Two of our historic Sunday school classes, the Men’s and Women’s Class and the Blanton Class, continued to meet throughout the year for discipleship, carrying on the rich tradition and history of Sunday school education at Tabernacle.  We have also continued to offer various special series during the Sunday school hour.

One of my highlights of 2015 was the Wednesday evening Sexuality series during the fall season: “Let’s Talk about Sex: A Conversation about Sexuality in the Church.” Dr. Tracy Hartman and I developed and led the series, and the response was tremendous. For each of thirteen weeks, we had between thirty and forty adults in attendance—and more via the podcast—for very meaningful discussions about a wide range of topics related to sexuality and faith. This series gave us a chance to talk about things that should be talked about in churches, but often are considered taboo. Our hope was that this series would alleviate much of the shame associated with sex and sexuality, that it would equip people to think theologically about a number of issues related to the topic, and that it would prepare parents to have these sorts of conversations with their children and youth. The feedback we have received suggests we met these goals!

As I look to the coming year, I sense a number of needs. First, we must continue to be diligent in offering hospitality and in finding meaningful ways to integrate new faces into the life of our community of faith. Second, we must continue to offer creative ways for people to deepen their faith, to become spiritually formed, and to use their gifts to participate in God’s mission in our church, in the city of Richmond, and in the world. Our small groups and Sunday school classes will continue to help meet this critical need. Third, I want to continue to raise up discipleship leaders among us who have gifts for teaching and for guiding others in their journeys of faith. This will entail equipping new small group and Sunday school leaders, as well as providing opportunities for leadership on Wednesday evenings and in various Sunday morning series.

I am looking forward to 2016. We have just re-convened the marriage enrichment class that meets on Wednesday evenings. Despite not meeting in the fall of 2015, twenty-two people attended the first meeting of this group in January 2016! Kristen Koger and I are planning a Marriage Retreat for this group and other couples for April 15–17th, 2016. We expect that this will be the first of many annual retreats. Our Wednesday evening Lenten series this year is entitled “On Death and Dying.” Julie and Jeff Walton are joining me in preparations for this important series that will deal with theological and practical matters surrounding death. My hope is that it will allow us to have meaningful conversation about this most common of all human experiences, and to equip us and our loved ones to prepare in healthy, even fulfilling ways for it.

I am grateful for your trust and the support of this community as I finish up my first year of service as Minister of Spiritual Formation with you. I have learned a lot during this past year, and am thankful for the ways in which you’ve supported my growth, have been patient with me, and have encouraged me along the way. You all are a tremendous blessing in my life. I believe we will continue to find creative, meaningful ways to grow spirituality together, and to be attentive to God’s presence and work among and in us.

Grace and Peace to you all,

Art Wright

Minister of Spiritual Formation

At Tabernacle we follow the Christian year in our cycles of worship. Each season of the year reminds us of certain truths contained in scripture and helps us focus on what is most important about following God. The lectionary is divided into three different years with each of the synoptic Gospels taking the center stage. The Gospel of John is divided and used during special seasons during all three years. We are currently in the third year; year C which follows the Gospel of Luke. 

ADVENT:

The four weeks before Christmas are a preparation time for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus. The color purple symbolizes Jesus’ royalty.  This is a season of anticipation as we wait for the Christ child to be born. We also use this time to remember that Christ will come again. The first Sunday of Advent is the Christian New Years Day. This season is most known for the lighting of the candles on the Advent wreath. Each candle is named for the theme of that Sunday, and are Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace. The Christ Candle is not lit until Christmas Eve, but stays lit each Sunday for the rest of the year (with the exception of Good Friday). The colors for this season are purple or blue. 

CHRISTMASTIDE (THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD):

This is the remembrance of the birth of Jesus Christ, the coming of Creator God into the midst of the human family. The colors of gold and white symbolize a festival time during the twelve days of Christmas.

EPIPHANY:

Epiphany immediately follows Christmastide and its recollection of the birth of Jesus.  The Biblical basis for Epiphany is in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 2, verses 1-11. It is the story of the visit of scholars from a distant land to honor a new born child who would be important to the whole human race. Epiphany is a time for expanding the vision of Christian people. Stories of Jesus in the Gospels are emphasized during this season as we grow to see Jesus more clearly, it is like a light growing ever brighter.  The colors used are white, gold and green. 

Baptism of Christ Sunday 

This celebration was originally a part of Epiphany, but over time it became a holiday of its own. On this day we take the time to remember our own Baptisms and come forward to receive a drop of water on our heads as a reminder of what Baptism means to us and to our entire community of faith. The color for this Sunday is white. 

Transfiguration Sunday

Transfiguration Sunday is celebrated on the last Sunday of the Epiphany season. It commemorates the season of Jesus being revealed in the Gospels by remembering Jesus being bathed in light and revealed in his glory. In some traditions this is celebrated in August. The color for this Sunday is white. 

LENT

Beginning with Ash Wednesday, this 40-day event is a time of fasting in imitation of Jesus’ experience in the wilderness of temptation. The story is in the Gospel of Matthew 4:1-11. On Ash Wednesday we remember that we are dust, and will return to dust. We mark our foreheads with ash made from palm branches used on the previous year’s palm Sunday.  It is a time of preparation for Easter and of repentance. Self examination, control of appetites, and spiritual devotion are obligations for many Christians in all world cultures during Lent. Conscious attention to the tragic evils in the human family is encouraged. We believe that it is impossible to experience the joy of Easter without walking through the trial of Lent. Colors frequently used are purple, ash gray, and red.
HOLY WEEK

The days between Palm Sunday and Holy Saturday before Easter are known as Holy Week. These days observe the events in the life of Jesus from the entry into Jerusalem through the crucifixion and burial. Palm Sunday is sometimes called Passion Sunday because of the tragic events of the week to come. This is a Sunday of celebration as palm branches are processed throughout the sanctuary in remembrance of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem. The primary observances of Holy Week are: Maundy Thursday (instruction of the Eucharist or Lord’s Supper); Good Friday (the passion and death of Jesus); and Holy Saturday (the burial of Jesus). The color for Maundy Thursday is purple. On Good Friday the color is black. 

 

EASTER

The principal and most ancient festival of the Christian church year is Easter. Following the death and burial of Jesus and his resurrection, there was a renewal of the very life of Jesus Christ in the fellowship of believers in the early Church. Eastertide is the season continuing through Pentecost.  Each Sunday is a weekly celebration of the resurrection of Christ. The liturgical color for this season is purple. 

PENTECOST 

This celebration of the coming of the Holy Spirit to a gathering of believers shortly after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus is a major observance for Christians. The festival is observed 50 days after Easter. The day takes place on the Jewish day of Pentecost, thanksgiving for the first fruits of the wheat harvest. For Christians, the experience of the energy of the Spirit was a “first fruit” of the new era that had dawned for the believers. In some parts of the Church, Pentecost is a special time for baptism of new believers. Throughout the Church, Pentecost is when the surprising vital energy of the presence of Creator God influences worship and challenges people to new life in Christ. Pentecost begins on Sunday and continues through the Saturday before Trinity Sunday.  The liturgical color for this season is red. 

Ordinary Time

The use of the word ordinary comes from a Latin term meaning time throughout the year. This is the longest period of the church year and is not marked by the three-fold celebrations of Christs birth (Advent-Christmas-Epiphany) or death and resurrection (Lent-Easter-Pentecost). There are several special holidays during this time. The liturgical color for this season is green. 

Trinity Sunday 

This is the day we celebrate the mystery of the Trinity. This means that God exists in three persons while still being one. The persons of the Trinity are God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The Trinity is an ancient belief that seeks to explain the relationship and love that exists between the three persons that make up the Trinity.  The liturgical color for this day is white. 

World Communion Sunday.

This is a relatively recent holiday on the Christian Calendar. It was begin by the Presbyterian Church in 1933 and has come to be celebrated all over the world by many denominations. It is a time to promote Christian unity and ecumenical cooperation. At Tabernacle this is a very special day for us as it commemorates the anniversary of the first Burmese refugees attending services with us. The liturgical color for this day is green. 

Reformation Day

Reformation day falls on October 31 of each year. It is usually celebrated on the Sunday immediately before or after its occurrence. This is the anniversary of Martin Luther nailing 95 thesis to the doors of the Wittenburg church protesting corrupt practices in the Church. This event is largely viewed as beginning the Protestant Reformation. We take this time not only to celebrate, but also to mourn the division that exists in the universal Church today. The liturgical color for this day is red which represents the Holy Spirit and the blood of the martyrs.

All Saints Day

All saints day is a time for us to remember Christians who have died, especially in the past year. This is a time for mourning, and can be very emotional. During the service we call out the names of everyone who has died in the last year. This is also a time for hope as we remember that the church is not only made up of those who are alive on earth, but those who have gone to be with Christ. We remember that God is the God of the living, and take comfort in the promise of the resurrection. The liturgical color for this day is white. 

Christ the King Sunday

This is a relativity new holiday in the Christian year. It was instituted in 1925 as a response nationalism. (specifically as a challenge to fascism in Italy). This holiday celebrates the Kingship of Christ over the entire world and reminds us that our loyalties are to Christ above all else and that Christians all over the world are our brothers and sisters.  Christ the King is the last Sunday in the liturgical year. The Sunday following this is the first Sunday of Advent. The color for this day is white.

Helpful Resources

www.workingpreacher.org

www.textweek.com

This year Tabernacle committed to providing Christmas Dinner to 100 of our friends and neighbors who are in need.  On the morning of December 19, 2015, about 50 people gathered in the Community Room in preparation for the delivery of 100 Christmas Baskets.  A light breakfast was provided, delivery procedures were explained and deliveries began.  The process was well organized and everything went according to plan.  All of the vehicles were loaded and on the road by 11:00 am, and deliveries were completed by early afternoon.

While the actual event was only a matter of hours, a lot of work and planning occurred long before the deliveries.  Things start in October when we begin getting requests for Christmas Baskets.  This year we changed the procedures to have all calls for requests go to a designated phone. Thanks to Priscilla Kinchen and Jerry Spiller for taking the calls and filling out the request forms.  Requests are recorded and reviewed before accepting the requests.  Then, all to receive the baskets are grouped by location into delivery routes and maps made with directions for each route.

Days before delivery, everyone who is on the list is called to ensure there are no address changes and to be sure someone will be home to receive the baskets the day of delivery.  Trying to contact 100 people is a big task, but this is necessary to ensure smooth deliveries.  Thanks to Jane Denzler for making the calls.

Non-perishable food is picked up the day before delivery in order to pack the boxes, perishables (turkey, eggs, and milk) are picked up on the morning boxes are delivered. Thanks to Bill Gradwell for getting the boxes and picking up the food.  And, thanks to all who helped with the packing.  Much of the canned goods in the baskets was from the Richmond Concert Band who contributed approximately 1200 items of food.

Only then are we ready for the deliveries.  It is easy to explain the process in words but very hard to describe the atmosphere and feeling that day.  This report is filled with thank yous because it takes a lot to make this event happen.  It could not take place without the volunteers’ time and money.  Cost of the Christmas Baskets was just over $4500. Enough money was raised to cover all of the costs with a little left over.

Saturday morning was fun and busy.  We had children, young adults, and not-so-young adults helping to make this a great experience.  I never think of this ministry as delivering food.  I think of families at their tables on Christmas, sharing a meal that they would not have had without the efforts and generosity of members of the church we call Tabernacle.  Someone made the exclamation, “WOW 100 baskets.”

I think of the WOW as how God has provided us with the resources and people to do this worthwhile ministry.  As it says in 1^st John 3:17-18, “…let us not love with word or tongue, but in deed.”

Many of the people who received baskets also come to the Food Pantry.  These are people who are just getting by.  This ministry is another example of helping and sharing our love for Christ.

Dick Denzler