tbc Life of the Community

Holy Week at Tabernacle Baptist Church

April 17–20, 2025

This Holy Week, we continue listening deeply, reflecting honestly, and walking together through the sacred story at the heart of our faith. One of the great gifts this year is the opportunity to reconnect with our longtime friends at Pine Street Baptist Church — a congregation with whom we’ve shared more than a century of mission, prayer, and mutual encouragement. This moment of reconnection feels holy, and we’re grateful to walk this stretch of the journey side-by-side once again.

Please Note: The Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services were originally publicized as starting at 6:30 PM. Both will now begin at 6:00 PM.

Maundy Thursday

Thursday, April 17 @ 6:00 PM
Location: Pine Street Baptist Church
400 South Pine Street, Richmond, VA 23220
(Service will last approximately 1.5 hours)

Maundy Thursday invites us into the tender and intimate moments of Jesus’ final night with his disciples, as found in John 13. It’s a night marked by table fellowship, foot washing, and Jesus’ command: “Love one another, just as I have loved you.”

We will begin the evening together in the Sanctuary at Pine Street Baptist Church, then transition into their Fellowship Hall, where we’ll gather around tables for guided conversation, a light meal of hummus, bread, carrots, and fruit, and a time of communion. Through shared space and reflective practice, we’ll explore what it means to love one another in the way Jesus has loved us — sacrificially, humbly, and fully.

Parking is available in the church lot or on the street. Accessible parking is also available. Greeters will help guide you to the Albemarle Street Entrance or the accessible entrance at the back of the building.

Good Friday

Friday, April 18 @ 6:00 PM
Location: Tabernacle Baptist Church
(Service will last approximately 1 hour)

We are honored to welcome Pine Street Baptist into our space for an experiential Good Friday service. Through storytelling, guided reflection, and quiet moments, we’ll consider the grief, confusion, and hope experienced by those who witnessed the crucifixion.

Please plan to eat prior to arriving or prepare for a later supper following the service.

Community Ministry

Saturday, April 19 @ 7:30 AM
Location: Tabernacle Baptist Church

Join us in serving our neighbors through tangible acts of care and presence — a living response to resurrection hope.

Egg Hunt & Cookout

Saturday, April 19 @ 5:00 PM
Location: Fiske Home

Celebrate new life with an evening of food, fellowship, and fun. Kids can enjoy an egg hunt, and all are welcome at the table.
Hamburgers, hot dogs, and drinks will be provided.
Please bring a side dish to share, and bring a picnic blanket or portable chairs for seating.

The egg hunt begins at 5pm sharp, so don’t be late.  Dinner will follow at 5:30pm. 
Contact a staff member or church leader for the Fiske’s home address.

Easter Sunday

Sunday, April 20
Location: Tabernacle Baptist Church

  • Easter Breakfast @ 9:00 AM
    Celebrate Resurrection morning with a warm, shared meal.
  • Easter Worship @ 11:00 AM
    Join us for a vibrant service of music, prayer, and proclamation. He is Risen! Together, we’ll celebrate the hope and new life found in the resurrection of Christ.
    All are invited to bring fresh flowers to adorn our Flower Cross — a beautiful tradition that symbolizes the transforming power of Easter morning.

As we move through this Holy Week together, may we find space for God’s voice, room for holy mystery, and hearts open to the grace that is always unfolding.

tbc Lent

A different rhythm for Ash Wednesday (2025)

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day season of reflection, repentance, and preparation for Easter. The ashes placed on our foreheads remind us of our mortality: “Remember you are dust, and to dust you will return.” This sacred time invites us to seek a deeper relationship with God.

Rather than hosting a full service this year, we will join other communities of faith throughout the city. Various leaders from Tabernacle will coordinate participation in morning, afternoon, and evening services at three unique churches, offering a meaningful opportunity to worship alongside our broader faith community. We encourage everyone to receive ashes at any of these services as part of this shared observance.

For those seeking a more personal experience, ashes will also be available on the Tabernacle portico (weather permitting) or in the Sanctuary from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The Sanctuary will remain open during this time for quiet reflection and prayer at personal stations. All are warmly invited to come, receive ashes, and stay as long as they feel led to do so.

We will announce the three worship locations and their start times at the end of the week and again on Sunday morning. As we enter this sacred season, may we open our hearts to repentance, renewal, and a deeper connection with God and one another. Let us walk this Lenten journey with intention, embracing both personal reflection and the strength found in community.

tbc Life of the Community

No On-Site Programs Sunday, Jan. 12—Join Us on ZOOM

Due to safety concerns caused by icy conditions affecting entry and exit to the church buildings, we’ve decided to move all programs online this Sunday. Instead of our usual livestream, we’ll meet on Zoom at 11 a.m. for a more personal and interactive gathering.


Today’s schedule:

  • 9:45  Some classes have chosen to meet via Zoom, while others have decided to take the day off.
  • 11:00–11:10 a.m.: Centering Gathering in zoom
  • 11:15–12:00 p.m.: Breakout Rooms:
    • Rooms 1 & 2: Guided discussion on baptism with Judy Fiske & Sterling Severns.
    • Room 3: Reflection on Epiphany Star Words with April Kennedy.

We hope you’ll join us for this special time of connection!


Zoom Info:
Join Here
Meeting ID: 837 5539 7125 | Passcode: 123807
One-tap mobile: +16469313860,,83755397125#

Thank you for your understanding and grace as we prioritize safety. See you on Zoom!

tbc Life of the Community, Worship

No On-Site Programs Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025 —Join Us on Zoom

After thoughtful consideration, key representatives of Church leadership have made a unanimous decision that no church programming will take place on our physical premises this Sunday. This decision was made due to safety concerns related to the current condition of the exterior of our buildings, entrances and exits, combined with recent and anticipated weather events.

Instead, we’ll gather via Zoom at 11 a.m. during the worship hour.

We understand this change may come as a surprise, especially since we’ve been accustomed to using our livestream in similar situations. However, this Sunday will look a little different as we gather on Zoom for a more personal and interactive experience.

Here’s what to expect:

11 am – 11:10 am: A brief formal gathering to center us for the morning.

11:15 am – 12:00 pm Breakout Rooms: After the formal gathering, you’ll have the opportunity to join one of three breakout rooms

Rooms 1 & 2: Guided Conversation on Baptism: Judy Fiske and Sterling Severns will invite reflection and discussion on the significance of baptism in our lives.

Room 3: Epiphany Star Words Led by April Kennedy, this room is for those who didn’t receive an Epiphany Star Word last week or would like to reflect on their word more deeply. You’re welcome to linger and join in a conversation about the significance of these words and how they’ve offered guidance and meaning in the past.

We appreciate your understanding, flexibility, and grace as we prioritize the safety and well-being of our community. We look forward to seeing your faces on Zoom this Sunday as we gather in a new and meaningful way.

Grace and peace,

Sterling, Judy, April, and Vincent (Staff), Jessica C. (Administrative Board Chair), John G.  (Deacon Representative), Donna S. (Chair of Building and Grounds)

Zoom info: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83755397125?pwd=CYl6oOqZcMEvi2f6PGoNN87Lr6Zz5p.1

Meeting ID: 837 5539 7125

Passcode: 123807

—

One tap mobile

+16469313860,,83755397125# US

+13017158592,,83755397125# US (Washington DC)

tbc Building and Grounds

Building Update: Wed., Jan 8

Around the Building—Things You Want to Know

The pastoral staff and the B&G Committee are managing the impact of this week’s inclement weather and the City’s loss of water.  

  • The Child Care Center is taking appropriate actions to address their specific needs, and we are working to support them in every way we can.  
  • Our sidewalks were pre-treated.  Vincent is monitoring for ice every day, adding more salt where needed.  
    Because we have an area with less sun on the sidewalks surrounding the building, we ask that everyone be careful if you are outside of the church or child care center.
  • The flooring in the atrium area is wet, and the water will continue due to the snow and ice on the glass roof.  We hope to get the roof repair completed over the next couple of months, waiting for Dominion Energy to replace an alley electrical pole for the alley power line to be higher.  
    For now, we prefer that everyone use the church office entrance until the snow and ice on the roof are gone.
  • A couple of weeks ago, the closure for the Meadow Street glass door broke.  We are still waiting for the part to come in for that door to be repaired.
    We are asking that you do not use the Meadow Street entrance until the door is repaired.  Again, we prefer that everyone use the church office entrance until the repair is complete.

The pastoral staff and the B&G Committee will confer on Wednesday at noon to consider next steps related to the lack of water in the building.  The church was closed on Tuesday as a safety measure.  We will give Vincent time to assess the whole building after water service is restored to be sure all systems are working properly.  Once that assessment is completed, we will decide how to move forward day by day.  Understanding that there is a need to boil water that is consumed, we are taking every precaution for all users of our buildings.  Please look for updates on our website for our next steps in the use of the buildings.

Your understanding and continued prayers are appreciated.

tbc Abundant Community

Richmond under immediate boil water advisory + building closed Tuesday

IMPORTANT WEATHER RELATED UPDATE: The church buildings will be closed on Tuesday, January 7, due to lack of safe water.

IMMEDIATE BOIL WATER ADVISORY

RICHMOND, Va. — The City of Richmond has issued a boil water advisory immediately and until further notice for all residents.

This advisory comes after a winter weather storm-related loss of power Monday impacted the City’s water reservoir system, causing the system to temporarily malfunction. Capacity restoration services are currently underway, per the Department of Public Utilities (DPU).

Some may experience a total loss of water service, while others may experience varying degrees of loss in water pressure. Residents in Chesterfield, Henrico, and Hanover counties are not impacted by the boil water advisory.

Once the water system is back online, DPU personnel will begin the process of flushing the system and ensuring that the water is safe to drink.

Below is a checklist for safe water use during this time:

Do not drink tap water during this boil water advisory.

Do not drink from water fountains in parks, public or private buildings that receive water from the City of Richmond Department of Public Utilities.

Do not use ice made from water today. Discard the ice and sanitize the ice machine and/or ice trays. This also applies to water and ice dispensed directly from a refrigerator.

Do not use tap water to make drinks, juices, or fountain soft drinks.

Do not wash your dishes using tap water – use boiled water or use paper plates for the next few days.

Do not wash your fruits and vegetables with tap water – use boiled or bottled water.

Do not brush your teeth with tap water – use boiled or bottled water.

Do not cook with tap water, unless your food will be boiled vigorously for three minutes.

Temporary water conservation tips:

Eliminate or shorten shower times.

Avoid unnecessary toilet flushes,
Avoid washing clothes for as long as possible.
Postpone washing dishes if possible.

Check all faucets, showerheads and under cabinets for drips.
This is a developing story and will be updated as we learn more. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.