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I look back at all of the pictures taken during the time I was at Tabernacle and they give me warm feelings of people who genuinely poured into my life as a Christian and as one who was pursuing ministry. The way that members of Tabernacle loved my wife, Cristy and our daughter, Abi is a great testament to what God is doing in this church. We are thankful for the years we were able to experience at the church and we will always feel like we have a home to come back to, God willing.

Our fondest memories of our time at Tabernacle always include the wonderful extended family we found in the International families. The privilege of working alongside such faithful people has definitely shaped our roles as ministers and how we interact with people here. We know that God placed us in Richmond for the time that He did to mold us and give us a base from which to stand. Moving to Hawaii was not a decision that we made lightly, but we knew that God had equipped us to move forward, much in part due to the faith formation we received at Tabernacle. Tabernacle Baptist Church continues to inspire us as we do ministry here and we know we are forever impacted because of its role in our lives.

Rev. Eric Hasha

Eric was ordained at Tabernacle Baptist Church on April 25, 2010 and currently serves as Associate Pastor for Youth and Young Adults, University Avenue Baptist Church, Hawaii.

My wife and I attended Tabernacle Baptist Church for a couple of years before we decided to become members. But we felt like we were fully part of the family long before we became “official.” We kept coming back because of the people, meaningful worship, and ample opportunities to serve. The first time we visited, we immediately noticed was that the people there were genuine and hospitable. They welcomed us, and when we came back the next week, many of them remembered our names!

Worship every Sunday is an opportunity to offer our best back to God, and it truly feels authentic —it is never showy or done just to draw people in. It is also intergenerational and interracial. On any given Sunday people of all ages and ethnicities offer praise to God through music, scripture, and prayer. It feels a little bit like what I imagine Heaven might be like.

My wife and I have both found ways to serve through Tabernacle. There are numerous opportunities to serve there. But in many ways, a church should become a “springboard” toward service outside of the church building itself. A church does not exist for itself, but rather to equip its members to share God’s love in the broader community. Tabernacle embodies this sentiment. My wife and I are better prepared to share God’s love in our daily lives because we are a part of the community at Tabernacle Baptist Church.

-Art Wright, Affiliate Professor of New Testament at Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond

First and foremost, the minister is often the primary reason people come to a church.  In this area we are extremely fortunate to have Rev. Sterling Severns, as his sermons are not only inspiring but most educational. There have been many a Sunday he has brought me to tears in the eloquent manner in which he delivers his message.The warmth of the members is infectious.  You are greeted by all with such genuine joy and warm affection.The exceptional extension of love and joy extended to our Burmese members is so appropriate, since we are intended to give our love and help to all people. The music is glorious and dimensional.  It is part of what lifts your spirit during the service. The Sunday School class is a joy in itself, and I gain much knowledge and inspiration from our learned leader, Bill Welstead. Last of all, I love donning myself in finery, since we love to get all dressed to go to “somewhere” special.

– Adella Watlington

Gail and I visited Tabernacle in 1964 at the urging of our good friends, Bill and Jean Finley. We were immediately impressed with the warm and friendly congregation and their strong commitment to sharing the message and love of Christ. Tabernacle’s strong emphasis on religious training and spiritual development were also very attractive to us. At the same time, opportunities were provided that would help us identify and utilize our gifts and talents in ministry and service.

Tabernacle’s decision in the 70’s to remain in the Fan and minister to a diverse and changing community, when other churches were leaving for the suburbs, motivated us to remain faithful to Tabernacle even after we moved more than twenty miles away. Over the years our love for Tabernacle has continued to grow and our optimism about the church’s future has never been stronger.

– Bill Welstead, Sunday Class Teacher

I am a recent graduate at the University of Richmond and I’ve been going to Tabernacle since the Advent season of my first year in college. I think what I enjoyed most about this church was the unique combination of old and new – traditional and radical. While the traditional service is held in a historic building, many of the members are new and the congregation has completely changed in the last few years.

I’ve been pretty cynical about churches at various points in my life and it bothers me most of all when churches lose sight of their mission in Christ and care more about air conditioning and carpet. In Tabernacle, I have found a church that was struggling through many growing pains because they had realized that Christ doesn’t operate on a formula. Local residents and Burmese refugees alike have gradually become a reborn church inside an old building and that is what is beautiful about TBC.

– Michael Rogers

From the moment I first spoke with Pastor Sterling Severns after receiving news of my social work internship placement, it was clear how special and unique TBC truly is. I entered TBC at a time when most things in my life were either changing dramatically, or completely new to me. I was a new graduate student at a new University in a new city full of strangers; I was overwhelmed.

During my first several weeks at TBC, I felt completely comforted by the welcoming nature of the staff and diverse members of the congregation. Even though I became connected to the church as an intern, I immediately became part of the TBC family. What I find so unique about TBC is the overwhelming spirit of community and acceptance. To the members of TBC, it does not matter how diverse of a background you come from, or which path led you to one of the many church entrances, you can always find a place in the TBC family. Through my internship at TBC I learned that even though my life is constantly changing, I can always rely on TBC as a source of comfort and stability.

– Nicky Zamostny, VCU School of Social Work Intern, 2011-2012

I sing, play bells, and love directing preschool choirs. Being able to work with children and watch them mature musically and as people has been a great joy in my life. I work with the Tabernacle Adult Group to plan trips and fun outings for the adults in our church.

This has also been very rewarding because I get to see our members enjoying themselves with fellow Christians and nurturing one another in a less structured setting. Finally, I enjoy being part of and exploring the history of the church. I have multiple interests and I’m allowed to explore many of them at Tabernacle.

– Helen Davidson

Tabernacle Baptist Church is very dear to us. We first visited a Sunday worship service as newlyweds, then joined the Young Adult Bible Study group that met weekly, and also spent time serving with the food ministry. The good people of TBC inspired us with a picture of what it could look like to be the church, and to be intentional about loving Jesus and others in his name.

Our time at Tabernacle was short, but the impact of our time there continues to last. We are so very grateful that God allowed us to be part of Tabernacle Baptist Church.

Rev. Kristen White

Rev. Kristen White is the Associate Pastor at First Baptist Church of Gretna, Virginia. Nathan,Kristen’s husband, is our webpage designer extraordinaire.

Tabernacle, more than any other church I’ve attended, is a glimpse of what the Kingdom claims to be.  It is a collection of people from every walk of life being present without charade or false humility.  It does not demand respect, but it certainly earns it.  What TBC has taught me and what I value is that TBC is willing to take a chance and do what is right rather than what always makes sense.  TBC does not have all the answers, and is not so perfect that it can say to anyone, “You have it wrong.”  Instead, it understands that it can only follow where God is leading and that its duty is to invite anybody, and everybody along for the adventure.  Tabernacle has taught me that there is a sacred value in being a community of authenticity and of chance.  These are the qualities that I miss and which make me hold “that church in the Fan” in such high esteem.

Rev. Alec Miller

Program Manager, Supportive Services at YWCA of Nashville and Middle Tennessee

Alec and Amanda Miller were ordained at Tabernacle Baptist Church on January 20, 2008.