Tabernacle United Church - Philadelphia Progressive Presbyterian UCC
Please join us for praise and prayer in Christian community from 10 am to 11 am Eastern, either in the sanctuary or on Zoom. Sana DelCorazón will preach “Belonging to Jesus” from Acts 11:1-18 and John 13:34-35.
If you need the Zoom link you can contact us any time before 9 am Sunday.
Hi Tab Family,
As Sana said in this week’s sermon, I too have doubts as to who carries me through this world, who at times holds me up and who holds me as I rest. There are many days where I forget it’s not just me out here left to flounder around, aimless and overwhelmed, under resourced and overworked.
Sana preached about what they do on days like that, having said:
“On those days, I lay down and feel the entire earth holding up my body. Even though my body is still the same, I feel lighter with the sensation that every part of the earth is holding every part of me, that it is not my own two feet carrying me through the world. (I want to believe.) On those days, I remember my spiritual ancestors and mentors, Mary, Rahab, Ruth, Tamar, Elizabeth, Hagar, Joan of Arc, Harriet Tubman, Ella Baker, Fannie Lou Hamer, Pauli Murray, bell hooks, Bishop Flunder, Kelly Brown Douglass, Pastor Katie, and many other women, mothers, teachers, survivors, activists, saints, pastors, disciples and friends who were faithful to their call, who took on the yoke of Christ, embodied the belief that God is with us and God is for us.”
What an immense relief it is— to be held by this Earth and all our ancestors, all these saints, long past or still breathing, are here to hold us not only on our mission and through our ministry, but they are here to hold us in our rest.
There have been moments in my life I made it through which I cannot ignore and chalk up to my own willpower. Because this “life” business— this is real stuff. It’s no joke even though sometimes, especially since the pandemic started, I feel like I’m the latest star of The Truman Show. There have been times I’ve been lifted, or more aptly— dragged, from point A to point B by my ancestors, saints, mentors, and/or the Trinity. And while I am actually starting to practice taking credit for my own resilience and sheer stubbornness, I can still point to these moments that really had nothing to do with me, but had everything to do with those who have held me.
It’s such a relief to know I don’t need to earn this rest, this grace, this force that pulls me through.
In this time while Pastor Katie is on sabbatical, my prayer is that she feels held by the Holy Spirit and that she is yoked to Christ as she not only rests, but reconnects to her purpose, her essence, and to her ministry. It is my prayer that we as a family at Tab not only rest as well, but that we hold each other in this in-between.
Peace and grace be with you, fam.
Taylor Silvestri (they/them)
Please join us ON ZOOM ONLY this Sunday from 10:00 to 11:00 am Eastern for praise and prayer in Christian community. Pastor Katie will preach “Wearing the Yoke of Christ” from Genesis 2:1-4 and Matthew 11:28-30 and we will conclude with a special blessing for her upcoming sabbatical.
Please contact us before 9 am Sunday if you need the Zoom link.
Please join us for praise and prayer in Christian community in the sanctuary or on Zoom at 10:00 am Eastern. Pastor Katie will preach “Do You Know the Power of God?” from Matthew 22:23-33 and the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper will be served.
You can contact us before 9 am Sunday if you need the Zoom link.
Please join us from 10:00 am to 11:00 am Eastern for praise and prayer in Christian community, both in the sanctuary and on Zoom. Pastor Katie will preach from John 20:19-31 and there will be a Service of Baptism.
If you need the Zoom link you can contact us any time before 9 am Sunday.
Celebrate Easter Sunday with us at Tabernacle! In-person or online at 10:00 am Eastern. Come and celebrate the unbelievable good news of the resurrection, as we draw close again to our hope for life even when all looks like death. We are leaving shame and death in the grave, and celebrating the Risen One who leads into fullness of life and love. Pastor Katie will preach “Breaking the Tomb Rules” from Psalm 118:14-26 and John 20:1-18 . Communion will be served.
After the service we’ll continue to celebrate with a potluck brunch, an Easter egg hunt for the kids, music and dancing. We want you to join the party.
You can contact us before 9 am Sunday if you need the Zoom link.
Please join us for praise and prayer in Christian community 10:00 am to 11:30 am Eastern. We will be live starting outside the church with palms for all who want them, processing into the sanctuary, where we will also be on Zoom. The reading of the Passion will be from Matthew 21:1-11 and Mark 14:32 – Mark 15:15.
If you need the Zoom link you can contact us any time before 9:00 am Sunday.
Please join for a Service of Communion: praise, prayer, and the sharing of the elements in Christian community. We will gather from 10:00 am to 11:30 am Eastern in the sanctuary and on Zoom. Pastor Katie will preach “Putting on Some Good Religion” from I John 4:7-12 and Mark 14: 1-9.
If you need the Zoom link you can contact us any time before 9:00 am Sunday.
During this Lenten Season as we seek to give up “bad religion about the body” which has too often promoted guilt, shame and fear about sex, we invite you to a special VIRTUAL screening of the very sex positive documentary film,
“Angels and Saints—Eros and Awe”on Sunday, April 3 at 7:00 pm,with a 30-40 minute discussion to follow with Chris Paige, Vic Compher, Rodney Whittenberg and the audience.
This new film was co-produced and directed by Vic with Rodney and includes interviews with our own Chris Paige and our former member, Rev. Beverly Dale, among other “modern messengers”.
Regarding the film, Vic states that “the TAB community has been an important source of inspiration for this documentary; it is a film which boldly acknowledges the harmful impact of traditional Christian and Jewish theologies which have taught us the false dichotomy that the body is evil and the spirit is good”.
Modern dance, animation, original music, poetry and photography accompany the incisive interviews, pointing us toward healing and wholeness.
We hope you will take a look at the trailer of this award winning film at www.aseafilm.com.
And we invite you to attend the virtual screening by simply emailing to Vic (if you have not yet done so) your commitment to be present:
viccompher@comcast.net
We will confirm your registration by sending you a zoom link on April 3 or sooner.
Hi Tab Family,
This past Sunday Joanna preached on a difficult text from Genesis, one that has often been used as an excuse to wield power over people. I for one am so grateful that Joanna shared with us some of her story, both in terms of her childhood understanding of the text, and her soon-to-be-over time working with the Catholic Church.
What stood out to me this week was Joanna’s story regarding advocating for parental leave at her workplace. To me, it is good and right, and it brings glory to God, when employers provide paid parental leave that is entirely separate from vacation and sick time. Childbirth is not a vacation. Pregnancy and parenthood of a newborn are not diseases (though as many who have been pregnant know, pregnancy transforms the body in more ways than one. It is not easy. It is physical and embodied. But I don’t think I’m comfortable classifying it as a disease to be covered by sick time).
And it got me thinking — who told the people making decisions about parental leave– who told them pregnancy and taking care of a newborn child are diseases, to be covered by accumulated sick leave? What did their source information look like? Who did they believe?
When God asks, “Who told you you were naked?” I think about all the questionable sources I’ve believed throughout the years. I think about all the putrid things I’ve believed about the world, and about myself, because I filled in the blanks with whatever less than accurate information I’ve digested.
What are some things that you’ve digested over the years? What backwards beliefs about yourself and your body have you been fed? What do you think God would say to you if you brought those things to God in earnest instead of hiding in shame?
I love that in this story, instead of being immediately critical, God is instead curious. God asks Adam a question. Maybe next time you catch yourself hating your body, or hiding your sexuality in shame, or believing the world/humanity is seeking your personal demise, you can ask yourself that some question:
“Who told you that?”
Maybe you, too, can be curious at first instead of critical. Maybe you can try to get the whole story.
Blessings on the end of your week, fam!
Best,Taylor M Silvestri (they/them)