The Table Church DC

Our Holy Habits: Rooted Improvisation

Pastors Anthony and Tonetta welcome Natalie in an interview-style sermon about what it means to be rooted in improvisation. They look at examples of improvisation in The Bible and Jesus' life and how we can embody some basic rules of improv to create a more beloved community. 

Our Holy Habits: Relentless Curiosity

In the third part of the series Pastor Anthony looks at Jesus welcoming little children to come to him and welcomes their curiosity. Explore how relentless curiosity is integral to radical friendship and revolutionary justice.

Our Holy Habits: Revolutionary Justice

In the second sermon of this series Pastor Tonetta discusses practical ideas of what it means to be a church today and how to become an alternative community genuinely grounded in revolutionary justice.

The Annoyingly Lavish Mercy of God Pt. 2

What did reconciliation look like to Jesus? How do we intentionally practice liberation within our own communities? Shae Washington, an elder at the Table Church, continues to look at the book of Jonah and how we can work towards freedom for all.

Tonetta Landis-Aina: The Annoyingly Lavish Mercy of God

I. Introduction

A. Reference to a confrontational moment in the book "The Color Purple"

B. Celie's curse to her abuser Albert

C. Importance of addressing the perspective of people of color in discussions of intercultural church and beloved community

 

II. Temptation to focus only on the impact on white people in conversations about intercultural church

A. Lack of space to discuss the experiences of people of color

B. Personal experience of attending a panel discussion on conversion therapy and the need for separate conversations

C. Feeling excluded from conversations on race and justice

 

III. Concern for the discipleship needs of people of color in an intercultural church

A. Danger of allowing their formation to require more work than others

B. Preaching team's commitment to reflect the congregation's diverse needs in preaching series and scripture choices

 

IV. Exploring challenges of beloved community from the perspective of cultural margins

A. Introduction to the book of Jonah as an extended metaphor

B. Summary of Jonah's disobedience and attempt to escape God's call

C. Jonah's deeper loyalty to his own people and the tension between loyalty and the vision of God

 

V. Personal reflection on the tension between loyalty to cultural identity and loyalty to the vision of God

A. Experience at the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference

B. Conflicted feelings about the primary identity, Christian or cultural

C. Comparison to Jonah's dilemma and the fear of being labeled a sellout

VI. Conclusion

We’re Not Successful Unless...

As Table Church relaunches a morning service in Northeast D.C. Pastor Anthony talks about what it means to be successful as a church. What would it look like if God were to show up? Jesus' life and teachings are reviewed in Matthew to examine this question.

Conversation - Tonetta & Anthony Talk About Revolutionary Justice

This week, Pastors Tonetta and Anthony delve deeper into the themes of justice and revolution explored in last week's sermon. Join us as we continue the conversation on Revolutionary Justice, questioning the concept of a "transient church," and exploring the challenges of embracing true revolution. In these thought-provoking discussions, we unravel why being revolutionary is harder than it seems and discover the unique roles each of us can play in the pursuit of justice. Tune in to gain new perspectives, challenge your beliefs, and find inspiration to make a difference in the world.

Our Holy Habits: Radical Friendship

Pastor Tonetta begins a new 5-part series, Our Holy Habits. This series will center around the two questions - what is the world we are invited to build together and what are the values we need to embody to lean into that kind of world? Radical Friendship looks at the way we need to draw into habits of friendship with God, others, ourselves and all of Creation through the story of Ruth.