Blog

New Life, New Beginnings: Part 1

This series of messages was given by Pastor Sterling Severns in May of 2021 as the congregation emerged from a pandemic lockdown and began seeking God’s will for revival at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia. Part 1 was delivered as a sermon to the congregation on May 9, 2021.

See the video here:

2020 Book of Reports

The written words of this report will certainly provide some helpful details about WHAT happened in the life of our little church in 2020. However, reading between the lines will help both present and future members better understand WHO guided us, sustained us, and equipped us through out 2020. The WHAT matters but the WHO matters so much more.

Business Meeting: May 16, 2021

We have many important items to discuss at our business meeting! Please join us to vote on the Personnel Manual, hear recommendations about urgent and future staffing, and discuss the direction our congregation is heading.

Final Q&A Session for Personnel Manual

The updated Manual was approved by both the Administrative Board and Board of Deacons, and there were two listening sessions provided for Q&A just prior to the start of the pandemic. This session is to bring your final questions and concerns to the table before we vote on this manual on May 16.

Final Q&A Session for Personnel Manual
Wednesday, May 12 6pm on Zoom

Zoom Link
Meeting ID: 889 9093 1363
Passcode: 324191
Join on Mobile: +16468769923,,88990931363#

May 16 Business Meeting

At 2pm on Sunday, May 16 we will hold an important business meeting. This meeting will be a hybrid of online and in-person. Please RSVP if you plan to join us in person, as we’re observing our safety protocol whenever we enter the building.

To prepare for this meeting, please consider watching the first parts of the series New Life, posted below.

We will be voting on the Personnel Manual and the Quarterly Report in this meeting.

Business Meeting
Sunday, May 16 2pm on Zoom and in person

Zoom Link
Meeting ID: 879 5769 3945
Passcode: 247910
Join on Mobile: +16465588656,,87957693945#,,,,*247910#

New Life, New Beginnings Series

These videos provide some background for the new season we as a church are entering into. Pastor Sterling will reference these messages in the business meeting as we discuss moving forward as a congregation into a season celebrating new life.

New Life, New Beginnings: Part 1 (Sermon from May 9, 2021)

Sabbath | May 16, 2021

We set aside the Sabbath day for the purpose of holy rest, sacred connection, and life-giving worship. Read more about our approach to Sabbath.

We encourage you to set time aside for three unique movements: PRELUDE, communal WORSHIP, and CIRCLES. All of these are times of holy rest and worship.

Don’t forget! Today after worship is our Business Meeting!
Join us on Zoom or in-person at 2pm.


PRELUDE

Begin your day with a quiet, reflective time with God at the place and time of your choosing. This material is intended for personal meditation.  You may want to be in a quiet place and light your own personal candle, but you may also just be sitting in your car waiting for an appointment. Where you are is not the point. The point is that you are taking the time to be quiet and listen so that you may walk through your day in communion with God.

Prelude Option 1: Easter Reflective Reading

Prelude Option 2: Musical Easter Reflection


We will meet at 11am (Eastern). This is our time to come together as a congregation and worship as one, whether in-person or online. The scripture passage for worship is Luke 24:45-53, Acts 1:1-11. If you’d like to return in-person, please see our What to Expect page for information on entrance and safety.


CIRCLES

Connect and experience spiritual growth in meaningful conversation and biblical study with a small group of people in a Tab Circle. This week we’ll study Galatians 3:1-9,Galatians 3:23-29 together. To sign up for a Circle or learn more, click here.

Circles Option 1: Intergenerational Activities

Circles Option 2: Bible Study Curriculum


More Opportunities

There are many ways to connect with us, on Sundays and beyond! You can find more information about our Sunday School classes, Bible Study groups, prayer gatherings, and discipleship series on our online calendar.

Sabbath | May 9, 2021

We set aside the Sabbath day for the purpose of holy rest, sacred connection, and life-giving worship. Read more about our approach to Sabbath.

We encourage you to set time aside for three unique movements: PRELUDE, communal WORSHIP, and CIRCLES. All of these are times of holy rest and worship.


PRELUDE

Begin your day with a quiet, reflective time with God at the place and time of your choosing. This material is intended for personal meditation.  You may want to be in a quiet place and light your own personal candle, but you may also just be sitting in your car waiting for an appointment. Where you are is not the point. The point is that you are taking the time to be quiet and listen so that you may walk through your day in communion with God.

Prelude Option 1: Easter Reflective Reading

Prelude Option 2: Musical Easter Reflection


We will meet at 11am (Eastern). This is our time to come together as a congregation and worship as one, whether in-person or online. The scripture passage for this week is
Galatians 1:13-17, 2:11-21. If you’d like to return in-person, please see our What to Expect page for information on entrance and safety.


CIRCLES

Connect and experience spiritual growth in meaningful conversation and biblical study with a small group of people in a Tab Circle. This week we’ll study Galatians 1:13-17, 2:11-21 together. To sign up for a Circle or learn more, click here.

Circles Option 1: Intergenerational Activities

Circles Option 2: Bible Study Curriculum


More Opportunities

There are many ways to connect with us, on Sundays and beyond! You can find more information about our Sunday School classes, Bible Study groups, prayer gatherings, and discipleship series on our online calendar.

Safety Protocol Team Update

Returning in-person safely

Dear Tabernacle Family,

The time has come! Next Sunday Tabernacle will open its doors wide and welcome people back into the sanctuary for the first time in over a year. You can RSVP to attend our in person gathering here.

We know that some are not ready to return. We see you and fully recognize that you are a vital part of our congregation. We fully acknowledge that the church is not the building and that God moves in virtual spaces.

For those who are ready to return… as the safety protocol team, our promise to you is this: We will do everything we can to make sure that people have a safe space to worship God.

On Sunday Mornings, the Safety Protocol Team will:

  1. Make sure everyone has a mask and is wearing it correctly. Masks are required for anyone over the age of 5 even if you are fully vaccinated. 
  2. Make sure that every “family unit or party” is spaced six feet apart from one another.
  3. Make sure that our original protocol, as voted on by the church, is followed. You can read this protocol and updates here.

We want to be clear. When someone is leading in worship, they will lead with masks off. When they are finished leading, they will put their masks back on. This includes members of the choir. Members of the choir will sing without masks on. All choir members will be appropriately distanced from both one another and the audience in the pews. 

The safety protocol team will work as hard as we can to earn your trust.  With that said, the protocol team will act as the “monitors” on Sunday morning to make sure everyone is following the rules, even guests. While we want to show hospitality to everyone that enters our building, we will ask that guests and members alike are masked and are socially distanced. 

We know that God is still calling us to be Church. May we seek God’s presence as we move forward into what God has in store for us next. We are excited to once again share sacred space.  

As we move forward we acknowledge that things will not be perfect. When things do go awry, we ask for grace. We also ask that you contact Mark Snipes at marksnipes1@gmail.com so that we can deal with issues that arise as we move back into the sanctuary together. 

In Christ,

Mark Snipes and the Safety Protocol Team

Sabbath | May 2, 2021

We set aside the Sabbath day for the purpose of holy rest, sacred connection, and life-giving worship. Read more about our approach to Sabbath.

We encourage you to set time aside for three unique movements: PRELUDE, communal WORSHIP, and CIRCLES. All of these are times of holy rest and worship.


PRELUDE

Begin your day with a quiet, reflective time with God at the place and time of your choosing. This material is intended for personal meditation.  You may want to be in a quiet place and light your own personal candle, but you may also just be sitting in your car waiting for an appointment. Where you are is not the point. The point is that you are taking the time to be quiet and listen so that you may walk through your day in communion with God.

Prelude Option 1: Easter Reflective Reading

Prelude Option 2: Musical Easter Reflection


We will meet at 11am (Eastern). This is our time to come together as a congregation and worship as one, whether in-person or online. The scripture passage for this week is Acts 15:1-18. If you’d like to return in-person, please see our What to Expect page for information on entrance and safety.

Take communion with us during the Livestream this week, or gather a group together and use the following video to be led through eating and drinking in remembrance of Jesus.


CIRCLES

Connect and experience spiritual growth in meaningful conversation and biblical study with a small group of people in a Tab Circle. This week we’ll study Acts 15:1-18 together. To sign up for a Circle or learn more, click here.

Circles Option 1: Intergenerational Activities

Circles Option 2: Bible Study Curriculum


More Opportunities

There are many ways to connect with us, on Sundays and beyond! You can find more information about our Sunday School classes, Bible Study groups, prayer gatherings, and discipleship series on our online calendar.

Sabbath | April 25, 2021

We set aside the Sabbath day for the purpose of holy rest, sacred connection, and life-giving worship. Read more about our approach to Sabbath.

We encourage you to set time aside for three unique movements: PRELUDE, communal WORSHIP, and CIRCLES. All of these are times of holy rest and worship.


PRELUDE

Begin your day with a quiet, reflective time with God at the place and time of your choosing. This material is intended for personal meditation.  You may want to be in a quiet place and light your own personal candle, but you may also just be sitting in your car waiting for an appointment. Where you are is not the point. The point is that you are taking the time to be quiet and listen so that you may walk through your day in communion with God.

Prelude Option 1: Easter Reflective Reading

Prelude Option 2: Musical Easter Reflection


We will meet at 11am (Eastern) on Livestream. This is our time to come together as a congregation and worship as one. We love to see guests and old friends drop in, so please say hello using the chat feature!

Join us on Livestream at 11am (Eastern)

Scripture Passage: Acts 8:26-39

Reminder:
Next week you will have the option to come in-person to Worship at 11am! We ask that you RSVP on the Sabbath page to let us know you’re coming each week.


CIRCLES

Connect and experience spiritual growth in meaningful conversation and biblical study with a small group of people in a Tab Circle. This week we’ll study Acts 8:26-39 together. To sign up for a Circle or learn more, click here.

Circles Option 1: Intergenerational Activities

Circles Option 2: Bible Study Curriculum


More Opportunities

There are many ways to connect with us, on Sundays and beyond! You can find more information about our Sunday School classes, Bible Study groups, prayer gatherings, and discipleship series on our online calendar.

Sabbath | April 18, 2021

We set aside the Sabbath day for the purpose of holy rest, sacred connection, and life-giving worship. Read more about our approach to Sabbath.

We encourage you to set time aside for three unique movements: PRELUDE, communal GATHERING, and CIRCLES. All of these are times of holy rest and worship.


PRELUDE

Begin your day with a quiet, reflective time with God at the place and time of your choosing. This material is intended for personal meditation.  You may want to be in a quiet place and light your own personal candle, but you may also just be sitting in your car waiting for an appointment. Where you are is not the point. The point is that you are taking the time to be quiet and listen so that you may walk through your day in communion with God.

Prelude Option 1: Easter Reflective Reading

Prelude Option 2: Musical Easter Reflection


COMMUNAL GATHERING

We will meet at 11am (Eastern) on Livestream. This is our time to come together as a congregation and worship as one. We love to see guests and old friends drop in, so please say hello using the chat feature!

Join us on Livestream at 11am (Eastern)

Scripture Passage: Acts 6:1-7:2, 7:44-60


CIRCLES

Connect and experience spiritual growth in meaningful conversation and biblical study with a small group of people in a Tab Circle. This week we’ll study Acts 6:1-7:2, 7:44-60 together. To sign up for a Circle or learn more, click here.

Circles Option 1: Bible Study Curriculum

Circles Option 2: Quickguide and Discussion

Circles Option 3: Intergenerational Activities


More Opportunities

There are many ways to connect with us, on Sundays and beyond! You can find more information about our Sunday School classes, Bible Study groups, prayer gatherings, and discipleship series on our online calendar.