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Tabernacle Congregational Church, UCC
50 Washington Street ~ Corner of Federal Street
Salem, MA 01970
(978) 744-3164
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Join Tabernacle Congregational Church in
Celebrating 200 Years of Foreign Missions
on February 5, 2012
This event will commemorate the Ordination and Commissioning of the first five missionaries who left this country to go to foreign lands. Click here to learn more!
Tabernacle Church invites people to walk with Christ through worship, fellowship, outreach, healing and education.
Worship: Worship is the heart of our Christian life together. Every Sunday morning at 10:00 A.M. we gather with God and community to rejoice in the presence of Jesus. Through prayer, music, poetry, sermon and sacrament, we open our doors and hearts to all people, while affirming all spiritual paths. Fellowship: Playing together, socializing with friends and strangers, praying with our bodies through exercise and dance and getting-away-from-it-all on spirituality retreats are vital to a healthy Christian Community. This fall, there are several events planned for fellowship to which everyone is welcome:
Special Events:
200th Celebration – February 5, 2012
Silent Auction & Potluck Dinner – March 2012
HAWC Bagpipe Concert – April 2012
Healing: Jesus healed the community by welcoming the ostracized, seeing the invisible, touching the untouchable, mending the broken and smiling at the lonely. By creating an extravagant welcome to all walks of life, he healed by offering the gift of belonging. Healing through music, laughter, tears, support groups, retreats, pastoral care and counseling, hospital visits and rituals is an important aspect of our life together. Education: As teacher and rabbi, Jesus valued the experience of learning. We offer classes for all ages. Sunday School follows the Godly Play curriculum for the youngest children and the “Feasting on the Word” curriculum for all ages. Other educational offerings include: http://www.tabernaclechurch.org/children.html
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Football & Jesus
My daughter lives in Baltimore. Maybe that is as far as I need to go to say that on Sunday, we were on different sides of the field. She and her boyfriend had a party at their house whe re everyone was wearing purple. If you don’t know what I am talking about, purple is the color for the Ravens football team.
Yes, my own flesh and blood is a Ravens fan.
Throughout the game, we texted back and forth messages like "YIKES" and "Everyone here is really psyched" "Everyone here is really upset" and "WOW" and "New game".
Right up until the very end, we were texting "NEW Game" - totally expecting overtime.
And then the greatest surprise happened. That poor kid who kicked that ball with the laces turned the wrong way (at least that’s what I am told), missed that goal by a long shot. Everyone was stunned. Patriots fans had already started to get food for the overtime. Ravens fans were already preparing for a "New Game."
The most priceless reaction was the Ravens players on the sidelines. Total shock. Total disbelief.
I will keep their expressions in my mind everytime I think of Jesus walking into a situation where there is a sick or possessed person. Unlike the rest of us, who walk away from strange people and unfamiliar behavior, Jesus walksright into it. And miraculously, changes everything. The personwho is ostracized suddenly belongs. The person who is sick suddenly is healed. The person who is dying suddenly is walking around.
In Mark’s Gospel, there are 18 healing stories. That’s 18 times we can picture the reaction on the sidelines to be total and absolute shock. Just like the Ravens. Just like the fans. Just like me.
Unlike Sunday, the result of these miracles was a "NEW GAME". Because everytime he healed someone, more people joined his followers. And everytime more people joined, there was a new game. That is the challenge of healthy churches. Everytime new people join, there is a new game.
On Sunday in our church, eight people joined. And we started a New Game. Please come and join us at Tabernacle Church. We welcome everyone just as they are. You may be shocked at how good it feels to be in church these days.
In the Spirit of Christ,
Rev. Laura
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