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tbc Leadership Roundtable

Brown Bag Bible Study, Zoom Instructions

Hello lovely BB Bible Study Group and family members of group members. Hope you’re hanging in there. We’re going to offer Brown Bag Bible tomorrow via “Zoom”.  I know that some of us haven’t used it before. You’ve got two basic options, should you want to give it a try: 

  1. Click here.
  2. Dial in from your phone (no video but you will be able to fully participate via audio)

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You don’t need to read anything else on this webpage IF you follow the instructions above. 

You can, however, watch a couple of brief training videos as they may be helpful? 

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PHONE OPTION # ONE, THE LONG WAY

  1. Call 1 (646) 558-8656
  2. The system will ask you for the meeting Code:  Enter 813730343#
  3. The system will ask you for a participant number.  You don’t have one 🙂   Just hit #
  4. Congrats, you’re in the meeting. 

PHONE OPTION #2, THE SHORT WAY

  1. Click on the phone icon on your smartphone
  2. ‭Copy this weird looking phone #….in it’s entirety…… (646) 558-8656,,813730343#‬
  3. Paste the weird looking number onto your phone screen and then hit “call”
  4. Don’t worry.  That long crazy number is designed to do ALL the work for you.  Just be patient.  It will dial the number, pause for a moment, enter the meeting code on your behalf, pause for another moment, enter one last thing, and then put you into the room.  You don’t need to do anything or answer any of the questions the automatic voice is making for. Your smartphone move through all the steps on your behalf.
  5. Congrats, you’re in the meeting!

Beth McMahon has been very gracious in offering “zoom” and “livestream” tutoring for anyone needs some extra help. Just reach out to the staff if you don’t have access the online phone directory

O

tbc Worship & Fellowship

Sunday, March 15: Online Opportunities.

We’ve cancelled all in-person events at Tabernacle through the month of March. Hope you will make plans to join us for some great online opportunities to participate in our Sabbath Day Together. Please be sure to check back later Saturday evening as more opportunities may be posted?

9:45 – 10:45 AM

Adult Sunday school   

Youth Sunday school  

Conversation with Rones

11:00 AM

Worship Livestream

12:10 PM (approximate)

Talkback: A new opportunity to converse, reflect, and share (begins 10 minutes after worship)

Helpful Information about week ahead

CLICK HERE FOR Q&A RELATED TO MARCH 14-20

Our free Church App, and the website, are your best source of up-to-date information. 

Sunday, March 15: Opportunities to study, worship, and reflect

We’ve cancelled all in-person events at Tabernacle through the month of March. Hope you will make plans to join us for some great online opportunities to participate in our Sabbath Day Together 

9:45 – 10:45 AM

Adult Sunday school   

Youth Sunday school  

Conversation with Rones

11:00 AM

Worship Livestream

12:10 PM (approximate)

Talkback: A new opportunity to converse, reflect, and share (begins 10 minutes after worship)

Helpful Information about week ahead

CLICK HERE FOR Q&A RELATED TO MARCH 14-20

Our free Church App, and the website, are your best source of up-to-date information. 

Sterling Severns Media, Worship & Fellowship

LOVE GOD. LOVE NEIGHBOR. A significant update on the COVID-19 Situation.

LOVE GOD. LOVE NEIGHBOR. 
A significant update on the COVID-19 Situation. 

We have decided to cancel all in-person church events for the remainder of March. Our concern is the wellbeing of the city and the most vulnerable among us. Our hope is that keeping a social distance for this short time will help the community by slowing the spread of the virus.

We want to use our facilities to serve our neighbors. In this instance, one of the best ways we can offer care is to sacrifice our time together in those facilities. Of course, we will also be looking for opportunities to use the facilities in unique ways, should something come to our attention. We will be using technology creatively to worship, remain connected, mobilize care, and meet together. 

We encourage you to carve out 20 minutes to watch this video. The content of the recording offers information about how we came to this decision, what to expect in the next few days, and opportunities we’re praying about. 

Please visit www.tbcrichmond.org for a quick Q&A about this weekend. 

Our free Church App, and the website, are your best source of up-to-date information. 

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"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your God in heaven."

Matthew 5:14-16

Love God. Love Neighbor. A Significant Update related to the COVID-19 VIRUS.

LOVE GOD. LOVE NEIGHBOR. 
A significant update on the COVID-19 Situation. 

We have decided to cancel all in-person church events for the remainder of March. Our concern is the wellbeing of the city and the most vulnerable among us. Our hope is that keeping a social distance for this short time will help the community by slowing the spread of the virus.

We want to use our facilities to serve our neighbors. In this instance, one of the best ways we can offer care is to sacrifice our time together in those facilities. Of course, we will also be looking for opportunities to use the facilities in unique ways, should something come to our attention. We will be using technology creatively to worship, remain connected, mobilize care, and meet together. 

CLICK HERE FOR Q&A RELATED TO MARCH 14-20

Our free Church App, and the website, are your best source of up-to-date information. 

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"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your God in heaven."

Matthew 5:14-16

tbc Media, Worship & Fellowship

What to Expect Over the Next 7 Days

SATURDAY: Community Ministry will be open as we know that our neighbors are in the need of the food that will be distributed. Volunteers that are over the age of 60, younger than middle school, or have compromised immune systems and/or heart and lung issues are requested to stay home. We want to keep you safe!  We know that we will need help tomorrow. Please click here for the specifics.  If you are showing ANY sign of sickness, please stay home. Many of our neighbors that will come to receive food are over the age of 60. 

SUNDAY:

Sunday school will be available via Zoom. We’ll post the link and also instructions by 5 p.m. on Saturday. 

The Neighborhood Listening Project Orientation Breakfast has been postponed until early April. That said, say posted for some fun videos in the next couple of weeks. 

We will worship via the Livestream. The service will be interactive, we will post song lyrics/stanzas, etc. A “talk back” will be available, after the service, for anyone that wants to hop over to Zoom. 

It is important for us to continue to create space for our brothers and sisters from Burma. Thus, Lisu Grace will be invited to use the Blue Room, but under rigid boundaries contained to the blue room. 

MONDAY:

  • Church Staff will be present in the building, during regular business hours. That said, please don’t assume that you will be able to access the building.  Please call first! 
  • Our Child Care Center Ministry is officially closed for the next two weeks. Full-time employees of the Center will be in the Center/Nursery area for deep cleaning of space and training. 
  • One of the ways we can offer care for our community is using space to support local business owners. We have 2 different music teachers that offer one-on-one classes in our building. They will offer instruction in specific classrooms on the 1st level of the main building. Signage will be posted and all other rooms will be locked for safety purposes. 

TUESDAY:

  • The Richmond Concert Band will be on official hiatus for the next two weeks.
  • The Administrative Board will meet via Zoom (Expect instructions by 5 p.m. on Monday) 

WEDNESDAY: The Pastoral Staff will create an online interactive program for children, youth, and adults alike. We will likely use both zoom and livestream.  (Expect details and instructions by Tuesday at 5 pm)

THURSDAY AND FRIDAY: We will publish a schedule for the week ahead. 

Click here to access a 20 minute video explaining the decision-making process, what to expect next, and opportunities we’re praying about. 

The church website and our Free Church App are your best two sources for up-to-date information. 

A Response to the Moment at Hand.

Christians profess to believe that Jesus walks with us through life in it’s entirety. We believe the love and compassion of Jesus is with us in crisis, in celebration, and every moment between those bookends. When we experience the compassion of Christ, we naturally find ourselves extending that compassion to neighbor. It’s a relevant word as Covid-19 has introduced fear into many hearts and, in turn, we find ourselves assuming a posture of self-protection and selfishness.  

Where is God in all of this? 

Friends, I do not believe that God threw this virus onto the world as a form of punishment or judgement. However, I do think there is tremendous temptation for us to to turn this virus into a god that ultimately demands our fear and devotion alike.

  • Jesus doesn’t demand our devotion. Rather he draws near, walks with us, and inspires our devotion through faithful compassion. 
  • Jesus doesn’t delight in our fear. Rather he promises to bring peace and courage amidst the fear. 
  • Jesus doesn’t relish in our isolation. Rather, he promises companionship through the presence of the Holy Spirit and the gift he gives us in one another. 
  • Jesus never said “this” would be easy. Life happens….chaos happens…..struggle is part of the deal. The promise Jesus makes to us is daily presence and daily bread. 

In these days of anxiety and distrust…..

  • Let us re-commit ourselves to the nurturing of our faith. Let us commit to pray continually and remain connected to the source of our salvation. 
  • Let us commit to keep our hearts open to the holy nudges that move us toward our neighbors. 
  • Let us resist the urge to hoard anything that our neighbors might need and trust that God will provide sustenance….one day at a time. 
  • Let us commit to protect the most vulnerable through the exercise of best practices AND also exhibit courage in movement toward our neighbors. We know that God has given researchers, doctors, and community leaders the wisdom they need in helping guide us through this next stretch of time. We also know that our faith compels us to follow Christ wherever he leads us. We will need to seek wisdom and courage as we lean into the tension of these two truths. 
  • Let us avoid making assumptions about others. We don’t know the physical, mental, and spiritual challenges our neighbors are struggling with. 
  • Let us assume the best in each other and see each of our neighbors through the eyes of Christ. 

Whereas, there is nothing beautiful about the hardship that is taking place in various corners of the world, there is tremendous beauty in our response to that hardship. Jesus will give us the creativity we need for the moment at hand. He is helping to carry our burdens along the way so that we can use our hands and feet as an extension of his own. This is a moment to practice what we preach …. loving God…and loving our neighbors as ourselves. 

Yours in Christ, 

Sterling W. Severns, Pastor

Preparing for an upcoming vote: A newly formed Finance Team

The nominating committee has been hard at work on the creation of a new leadership concept to better support our Church Treasurer. Long story short, we are expecting too much out one volunteer. Thus, we’re having a hard time finding volunteers to serve.

We are striving to create an environment where balance is valued. We want church to be a place where people are spiritually nurtured and their God-given gifts are used to do great things in the world. Burnout makes it nearly impossible for us to live into the fullness that Christ desires for each of us.

Whereas, anyone is welcome to listen to the podcast, the intended purpose of the 25 minute interview with Woody Jenkins, Co-Chair of the Nominating Committee, is information sharing. We want our congregants to have access to helpful information. Informed dialogue helps us to make informed decisions together!

Here are three supportive documents to help you dive deeper, if so desired.

Next Steps:

  1. Deacons will make a decision as to whether or not they approve the creation of the Team.
  2. Pending Deacon approval, the Nominating Committee will officially present names of members that have been nominated to serve.
  3. The congregation receives the names and spends the next two weeks praying, entering into informed dialogue, and asking questions.
  4. Congregation votes two weeks after they first received the names.
  5. Pending approval of the congregation, the four individuals would begin their good work together.

Worship, March 8, 2020

God created us whole. All of us have been created to great things. 

The sin we struggle with makes it difficult to fulfill our calling, individually and corporately. Sin makes it difficult for us to love God fully, love ourselves in the way that God loves us, and, in turn, love our neighbors as ourselves. God desires for us to become aware of our sin. God could opt to take complete control and prune us. In turn, we could take (perceived) control and prune ourselves. However, God chooses to work with us in the pruning the sin from our lives. 

Pruning, as difficult as it is, helps us to thrive where we’ve been planted. If we work with God to prune the sin, and nurture the soil, we will naturally bear fruit in the world and draw others to Christ. 

This week, we will focus specifically on the role that control plays in our lives. We will talk about our need for control/our unintended God complexes. We don’t provide water, soil, or sun. Relinquishing a false sense of control helps us to remember that we are connected to THE giver of life, the sustainer.