Dear Friends,

I hope you had a restful Memorial Day weekend. I’m writing this week from a very rainy Washington, DC.

I’m very much looking forward to hearing Cheryl Robertson's message, Lessons from Flowers, this Sunday. If you’ve attended church, you've already had the chance to experience her pearls of wisdom in the discussion time. But, hearing her preach is a special event in and of itself. I remember a few years back she preached when I was on a road trip and I had to pull over to fully take in the power of her words.

Tonight, Rev. Kelly Crouch will host the first discussion in the series The Gospel According to Jesus Christ Superstar. The event will take place in person at the Swedenborg House and will begin at 7:00 PM. We hope you can join us.

I hope you can also join me this Sunday as I host Cheryl. We’ll gather afterward for a casual dinner and a chance to see the banner Katy created for the Swedenborgian Convention in Boston, where Malcolm, Katy, possibly Betty, and I will gather at the end of June (more details below).

Birthday Celebrations this Week:

Please join me in wishing Alex Kern (May 27) and Ross Capon (May 31) a very happy birthday! Ross and Alex, we wish you every blessing in the year ahead.

If you have a birthday or special event coming up, please let me know at revtafel@holycitydc.org so we can celebrate with you as well.

As a reminder, please send sermon questions for my Fall Q&A series That's a God Question HERE.



With gratitude and blessings,

Rev. Rich Tafel

An Opportunity: Mid-Atlantic Treasurer Needed

Our church is part of the Mid-Atlantic Association within our denomination, and I serve as its president. The association includes churches in Delaware and Pennsylvania, and soon New York will be joining as well.

We are looking for a treasurer to oversee the bank account and participate in our biannual meetings. Please email me at revtafel@holycitydc.org if you would be open to serving in this role, and I would be happy to share more details.

Our Sunday Speaker | Cheryl Robertson

Cheryl Robertson, the owner of InnerGrow Integrated Coaching, LLC, and the

co-founder of SoulFull Life University, empowers individuals to step into their

leadership and business potential through cultivated coaching techniques.

Leveraging years of human resource experience and a passion for transforming lives, she offers a range of services including training, workforce development, and personalized or group coaching to guide professionals at every stage of their careers.

Cheryl reflects on her early years as the catalyst for guiding others. At 17 years old, her mother passed away, leaving her to care for her eight younger siblings alongside her father. “I didn’t have anyone to guide me and help me map out what I wanted to do with my life,” shares Cheryl. “Since I didn’t have that, I found myself being that for others. From family and friends to mentorship programs and learning development, I began supporting others in their journey, first in human resources with the DC government, and then with InnerGrow/SoulfFull Life University.”

She adds, “Every journey is different. For me, it’s my way of touching people’s lives and speaking to their uniqueness.”

Readings for the Coming Sunday

Matthew 6:28-29

Why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

Swedenborg Insights

Arcana Coelestia §9553 

Flowers signify the first things of spiritual life, such as are the knowledges of truth and good, which precede wisdom as blossoms precede fruit.

Upcoming Events

The Gospel According to Jesus Christ Superstar Discussion Series

Wednesdays - Biweekly, Starting on May 27 | 7:00 PM

The Swedenborg House warmly invites you to our discussion series, The Gospel According to Jesus Christ Superstar, led by Rev. Kelly Crouch, in which we’ll study Jesus Christ Superstar song lyrics as if they were sacred text and explore the ways they invite us to see the story of Jesus with new eyes.

The discussion series will take place biweekly on Wednesday nights at 7:00 PM on:

* May 27

* June 10

* June 24

* July 8

* July 22

Banner Reveal Dinner

This Sunday, May 31st | 6:00 PM

In the spirit of this year's theme Creating Harmony: Art as a Spiritual Practice, each church will bring a banner to the Annual Convention of the Swedenborgian Church.

Katy Venzor has painted a banner for Church of the Holy City / Swedenborg House. We will gather for a small, casual dinner after Sunday's service to view the banner and enjoy an intimate evening together. While not required, you are invited to bring a small dish.

Can’t make it to the convention? You’re invited to sign a piece of felt that will be added to the banner, so you can still be part of it in spirit. We hope to see you there!

A Brief History of Church of the Holy City Book Launch Party

Sunday, June 21st | Service at 5:00 PM, Book Party at 6:00 PM



Our very own Dr. Malcolm Peck will deliver his message during Sunday service, June 21st, on the principal themes and revelations of his new book A Brief History of Church of the Holy City. The service will be followed by a book launch celebration, where signed copies will be available.

Dr. Peck has expertly prepared the history of Church of the Holy City, from the creation of our church in the late 19th century - housed in the magnificent Gothic sanctuary on 16th street - to our present reimagining of church at the Swedenborg House.

More details to come. Please plan to join us in person for this special occasion.

Church News in Photos

Please join me in congratulating Jimmy Cox and his nephew, Tariq Judkins, on Tariq’s graduation! Jimmy traveled to celebrate this special milestone with him last week.

We are very proud of Tariq and wish him every blessing in the years ahead. We’re also deeply grateful for Jimmy and the many ways he enriches our community.

This is a joyful season for Jimmy as well: he is turning sixty-five this year and will be doing some traveling in the coming months to celebrate. Please hold Jimmy and Tariq in your prayers - with gratitude, congratulations, and wishes for safe travels.

Also, Daisy came by Swedenborg House for a visit on Monday!

From the Pastor's Inbox

Following one of my previous sermons, Is Doubt Sin? (the first in the Q&A series That’s a God Question, where members anonymously submit questions for me to preach on), Steve Svelmoe reached out to share wisdom and resources that may benefit both the anonymous questioner and others in our community.

Steve noted, “I have found that I have learned much more about the Bible by reading works by theologians who know more than I ever will than by reading the Bible itself,” and recommended both The Good Book and The Scandalous Gospel of Jesus: What’s So Good About the Good News? by Peter Gomes.

He shared that both books make the case that God is more gracious and generous than we are, a message that may be especially meaningful for someone wrestling with the question, Is Doubt a Sin? He also noted that the latter book is shorter and perhaps more directly focused on that question.

Here are links to purchase the books:

• The Good Book
• The Scandalous Gospel of Jesus: What's So Good About the Good News?

Thank you, Steve, for sharing your wisdom with us.

As a reminder, if you would like to propose an anonymous question for a future sermon, please fill out this form. Your question will be anonymous, even to me.

Additionally, here are a few articles of interest from this week:

• Catholic experts suggest this is the best summary of the Pope’s thoughts on AI.
• Attending Multiple Places of Worship is the Norm for Many Americans
• Religious Influencers Repackage Christianity for an Always-Online Generation

The Annual Convention of the Swedenborgian Church

Friday, June 26th through Tuesday, June 30, 2026

We hope you can join us for the 202nd Annual Convention of the Swedenborgian Church! Rev. Rich Tafel, Katy Venzor, Malcolm Peck, and possibly Betty will be in attendance. We encourage members to attend if possible. Please reach out if you would like to join us.

Register HERE.

Please note the upcoming deadlines:

• Registration for In-person Attendees has closed.
• Registration for Virtual Attendees closes on June 15th.

Thought of the Week